Breaking Down ASU’s Loss and What Comes Next
In this story:
TEMPE -- In today's episode of the Arizona State Sun Devils Insider Podcast, we take a look at the disheartening loss to the Houston Cougars, while also looking to the future over the final four games of the season.
To listen to today's podcast, view below.
Below is a partial transcript of Kenny Dillingham's press conference after the loss.
On 10-Game Home Win Streak Ending
"I mean, it was good run. I mean, 10 games in a row here. Great environments. You know, we've really built a great environment here, and unfortunately, we couldn't get it done tonight. You know, we didn't play good enough in the first half, first three quarters, really, of the football game. And, you know, it's unfortunate, but great crowd, great environments. It's a good run. Hopefully we can start another run here."
On Special Teams, Other Phases Coming Short
"We got to play better. I mean, all across the board, we got to play better. We got all better as a football team, though we didn't play good enough as a football team tonight. That was one of the phases that didn't play good enough.
But all the phases have to play better. You know, they were they ran the ball, you know, too efficiently with their quarterback. 21 carries, most of those direct runs for 124 yards running backs, you know, 24 carries for 70 something. So that's pretty good defense, three yards a carry."
On Sam Leavitt Leaving Game Twice
"Two different things. So, you know, two different things throughout the game. And, you know, I don't like I said, I don't want to comment on the second the first one was just kind of, you know, a scare, hopefully, based off the what we saw the second one, you know, we got to, we got to get more, you know, look into it more before I really comment on it."
On Moving Forward From Emotional Wins
"Yeah. I mean, I think it's hard to come back from emotional wins, but that's no excuse. I mean, that's football. That's college football. You got to find ways to do that. You know whether you're dinged up, whether you're not. That doesn't matter if you practice whether you don't like you got to find ways to win football games, and you got to give a lot of a lot of credit to Houston, too. That's a 61 football team. They've lost one football game. It's a top 15 team in the country. Like, let's not overlook that. That's a really good football team."
On Crediting Houston Team
"You got to give a lot of credit to coach (Willie) Fritz, you got to give a lot of credit that football team that is a good football team. And you play a good football team and they don't make mistakes, and we don't play a good football game, you're going to lose, and it's not good, because it means we didn't play a good football game. But don't, don't discredit that. That was a good football team that is seven one on the season."
On Malik McClain's Breakout Game
"Yeah, it was awesome to see Malik really flash tonight. That was a positive. What do you have? Seven catches, 160 yards. That was that showed up all spring ball, fall camp. So kind of getting that back. That could be big for us, you know, as we progress towards the end of the season and hopefully, you know, start, you know, who knows where the other guy's statuses are. But I thought those guys stepped up, you know, pretty good. Specifically, Malik."
On Arizona State Missing Jordyn Tyson
"Yeah. I mean, you're losing the number one pick in his position in the college football so that's obviously, you know, pretty critical for your football team when you're losing. You know him, is that an excuse? Heck no, we didn't play good enough to win. You know, maybe, if he played, maybe we have survived not playing good enough to win.
But that doesn't mean we played good enough to win. You know, you got to look at the facts, and the facts are, we lost turnover battle. We had too many penalties. We lost field position. We couldn't stop the plus one run game. And does have nothing to do with Jordan and but, yes, not having Jordan Tyson 100% is going to have an effect on the football game, right? But that's not an excuse to why we lost the football game."
Read more on why the Arizona State men's basketball team will exceed expectations in the 2025-26 season here, and on why the 2025 football team is at a crossroads following a loss to Houston here.
Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page when you click right here.
Please follow us on X when you click right here, as well as @khicks_21 for nonstop Arizona State coverage!
Kevin Hicks is an Arizona State alumni and now serves as the Arizona State Beat Writer On SI.