ASU freshman Jake Fette gets first college start at No. 8 BYU with Mikey Keene injured

Arizona State freshman quarterback Jake Fette got his first college start Saturday at No. 8 BYU.

Fette started in place of sixth-year quarterback Mikey Keene, who was questionable throughout the week and confirmed to be a game-time decision by head coach Kenny Dillingham on Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta.

“Jake’s a really smart guy. Jake’s been preparing for his moment like he should. It’s different when you’re the starter than when you come in mid-game,” Dillingham said Friday. “But at the same time … We got to have people around him that have success. We got to make plays, right? We can’t expect him to come in and be the savior.

“We expect him to go operate, make the play he’s supposed to make. And one thing Jake does is Jake’s an extender of plays. There’s going to be some plays out there that are made that are like, ‘Wow, that was a great play.’ So we got to be able to make the routine play with him on the field.”

Keene injured his knee in his first ASU start last week against Kansas State, having taken over for Cutter Boley at halftime of the previous game. Boley initially replaced the injured Keene last week, but after ASU totaled 27 yards across 14 plays, Fette saw his first action against an FBS opponent.

The freshman was 3 of 6 for 45 passing yards across four full drives to help spark a 28-17 comeback win after he entered with the Sun Devils trailing 17-14.

The offense was more reliant on freshman running back Cardae Mack, who scored all four ASU touchdowns in the win, but Fette undoubtedly provided a jump in energy.

“We felt like there was a lull, and you could see it with the guys on the sideline,” ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham said postgame. “Jake’s got that look in his eye. Jake’s got the swagger, the confidence when he moves around. We just wanted the spark there with Jake.

“We all know how good of a player Jake is. You just want to do everything you can to protect really good freshmen at the quarterback position. You never want to put them in a position that can ruin him.”

Fette shared first-team practice reps this week with Keene.

It’s always been about getting Fette up to speed for the college level coming out of high school in El Paso, as the raw talent has never been in doubt for the former top-10 quarterback recruit.

“Very athletic and can get you out of problems, can create problems (for the defense) or it can put you in problems,” Dillingham said Monday. “Knowing when you want to use that weapon you have as an X-factor and knowing when you need to stay in the pocket and deliver the ball, I think there’s a fine balance in there.

“But I definitely think that’s a weapon that will show up at some time in the game.”

The freshman backfield pairing of Fette and Mack has the potential to be dynamic, especially if Mack’s wildcat package — where the running back already has three touchdowns on the year — can be unlocked with Fette’s athleticism as a supplemental threat.

ASU’s Jake Fette faces real challenge in first college start

Before it was upset at UCF last week, BYU was ranked No. 2 in the country following a dramatic win over then-No. 2 Notre Dame.

There might be no tougher environment in the Big 12 right now than LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, putting Fette in a spot that Dillingham said “you can’t” prepare him for.

“This is one of the best fan bases, the most consistent fan bases in college football. It’s one of the best coaching staffs, in my opinion,” Dillingham said Monday. “When you have the consistency that they have as a program from the top, they’re reaping what they sow from that perspective.”

BYU is fourth in the conference in passing yards allowed per game and fifth in points allowed per game, even with playing ahead in most contests.

The Cougars entered the week leading the Big 12 in yards allowed per attempt (5.7) and have almost as many interceptions (six) as passing touchdowns allowed (eight).

Catch ASU-BYU at 12:30 p.m. MST Saturday on Arizona Sports 98.7 and the app.

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