Cam Skattebo embodies positive trajectory for Arizona State football under Kenny Dillingham

TEMPE — Cam Skattebo’s superhuman efforts to will Arizona State football across the finish line ahead of Mississippi State 30-23 on Saturday are proof of the next level he and the program are reaching.

“He has so much passion, I mean the guys feed off the passion,” Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham said. “Our guys love football … they love to compete, and he’s the ultimate competitor.”

Skattebo had nearly as many total yards (297) as Mississippi State (298), and he dragged the Sun Devils to the win after they had given up 20 unanswered points.

He waited until the two-minute warning to break off his best run of the game, a 39-yard breakaway he stopped short to set up three Sam Leavitt kneel downs.

“The last time I told you to slide to win a game, you scored. Make sure you slide,” Dillingham said he told Skattebo before the final drive. “Skat of this year falls down, we take three knees, we win the football game. That’s the growth he’s made as a person.”

The run that sealed it for ASU and put Cam Skattebo into second place for rushing yards in a single game by a Sun Devil.

Watch Skattebo's postgame interview: https://t.co/umCatTyQKr pic.twitter.com/yxf3Y95w88

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 8, 2024

Dillingham believes Skattebo’s growth will earn him NFL consideration, but he didn’t think so before a significant amount of change over the offseason.

“Listen, if you want to play on Sundays … you’re gonna drop weight, you’re gonna get in better shape, you’re gonna be faster, you’re gonna control your passion and you’re gonna channel it,” Dillingham said he told Skattebo. “And he’s done everything I’ve asked him.

“Right now, that looked like a Sunday player.”

Skattebo has come a long way from being an unranked high school prospect to a Big Sky standout to now staking claim to a Power Four program’s record books.

When he arrived, Arizona State was in a dark place, and he took the brunt of it by playing entirely too many positions. Now that he’s able to just be a running back, it has freed him up immensely and paid dividends.

“I think today was fun. That’s the most fun I’ve had in a football game in a long time,” Skattebo said. “Bullying dudes, grown men that are 300 pounds, that’s fun to us … my body feels great and we won the (expletive) football game, so I’m happy.”

Skattebo looks like one of the best running backs in a Big 12 loaded with great running backs, and suddenly Arizona State (2-0) has a chance at an undefeated nonconference schedule.

After ASU averaged 18.8 first downs per game in 2023, they’ve averaged 26.5 through two games this season, including 19 by Skattebo on Saturday.

However, there’s added urgency to move onto the next game with a Thursday road trip to Texas State coming up for ASU, so there’s no time for the running back to feel tired.

Kenny Dillingham said ASU sent running back Cam Skattebo to the Austin Powers cryo chamber after 36 touches on Saturday.

His toe is the only thing a little sore. pic.twitter.com/ms918WYaFm

— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) September 9, 2024

Skattebo’s efforts on Saturday netted him AP national player of the week and Big 12 offensive player of the week.