Expect some fireworks with Cam Skattebo in attendance
As you might expect, Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said things are sure to be “feisty and fiery” when his 8-3 Sun Devils take on the rival 8-3 Arizona Wildcats in the Territorial Cup on Friday, Nov. 28, at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe.
With former ASU star running back and wild man Cam Skattebo expected to be on the home team’s sideline whooping up the Devils and the sellout crowd, the atmosphere is certain to be extra electrifying.
“I haven’t really mentioned it to the guys yet, but he’s fired up. He’s fired up,” Dillingham said of Skattebo, now an NFL rookie for the New York Giants who is on season-ending injured reserve following ankle surgery. “It’s what college football is supposed to be.
“You should graduate from a school and have a passion about that place and come back to that place and feel like you’re home.”
Don’t look now, Cam, but there’s a new tailback in maroon and gold setting the town on fire. He almost just topped your career high for rushing yards in a single game, too.
If the Sun Devils hope to wear down the Wildcats, they likely are going to need another healthy dose of Raleek Brown, who rushed for 255 yards during a 42-17 victory over Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 22. It was the third-most rushing yards by a player in ASU history behind only Eno Benjamin’s school-record 312 against Oregon State in 2018 and Skattebo’s 262 against Mississippi State last season.
“Yeah, it was great to see him get loose,” Dillingham said of Brown, who went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark (1,078) in the road win. “We talk about explosive runs, and to see him have a few explosive runs in the game was critical for us to change the game. Hopefully, we can continue to create those explosives.
“For Raleek, it’s awesome to see him have success. The dude’s got so much energy and passion, and he does it in his own unique way. But he is awesome to coach. He’s a blast to coach.”
Listed at 5 feet, 9 inches tall and 195 pounds, Brown doesn’t necessarily remind Dillingham of Benjamin or Skattebo. In Dillingham’s eyes, Brown resembles a running back he coached at Memphis back in 2018 as an offensive coordinator, Kenneth Gainwell, who went on to become a fifth-round pick of the Eagles in 2021 and now plays for the Steelers.
“He kind of reminds me of him a little bit,” Dillingham said. “He’s stockier than people give him credit for. He’s stronger than people give him credit for. A good pass catcher out of the backfield who can become explosive. That was kind of Kenny’s game. That’s who Raleek kind of reminds me of.”
A redshirt junior who transferred to ASU from USC in 2024, Brown scored on an 88-yard run that broke the game open against the Buffaloes, and he also caught a 33-yard touchdown pass. He did commit one of ASU’s four turnovers in the game, losing a fumble while trying to hurdle between two defenders, but was able to redeem himself on the Sun Devils’ next possession with his long TD scamper, which tied quarterback Jeff Sims for the longest scoring run of the season.
“I told everybody I was gonna get (it),” Brown said afterward. “It happened on the first play.”
Considering what he means to Arizona State and the Sun Devils’ rushing attack, which ranks third in the Big 12 in yards per game (197.5), Brown could be in line to become an inspirational leader like Skattebo was a year ago or how wide receiver Jordyn Tyson is trying to become one this season.
Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson steps up
After missing three consecutive games with a nagging hamstring, Tyson decided he needed to stand up and address the entire team before the Colorado game. And he had Dillingham’s blessings to do it.
“He gets everybody telling him, ‘Oh, I think he’s not trying to play on purpose,’“ Dillingham explained. “He hears all that noise and he’s like, ‘I want to play. Why do all these people think I don’t want to play? I want to play.’ He’s like, ‘I’m doing everything I can to play for these guys.’
“I think that emotion just kind of got to him. He’s like, ‘I want to make sure these guys know this isn’t about me. I’m playing because I want to play with you guys. This is a team, and I want to do everything I can to be on the field with you guys for as many games as I have left.’ … It was pretty cool.”
Tyson will be leaving school to enter the NFL draft, where he is expected to be a top 10 pick come April. Brown likely needs another year in college if he hopes to follow Tyson to the NFL, and he almost assuredly will return for his senior season.
“We want dudes who want to be at ASU, and I’ve said that before,” Dillingham said, speaking in general about keeping his recruits. “I feel like we’re in a good spot to get that accomplished. The guys who truly want to be here, the guys that are all in on being at ASU, the guys who believe we can help them achieve what they want to achieve, this is the best place for them, and we’re going to take care of them.”
He’s as sure of that as he is of a “feisty and fiery” atmosphere at Mountain America Stadium against the Wildcats.
“Oh, I’m expecting this place to be rockin’. Absolutely rockin’,” Dillingham said, adding, “I mean, this should be one of the best environments in college football this weekend. Absolutely one of the best. You’ve got two really, really good football teams playing a rivalry game with a lot of guys who are passionate about their schools on both sides of the ball. This is what you want rivalry games to be. You want them to be this.”
Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch with Jimmy B on ESPN 620 (KTAR-AM).
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