Three Questions Kenny Dillingham and Arizona State Must Answer vs. Hawaii

It's hard to choose just three questions for ASU football this week.

A 55-19 conference loss at home can leave a laundry list of hard questions for a football program.

To ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham, the Sun Devils' problems aren't rocket science.

"There's no secret sauce," Dillingham said after the Baylor loss. "I wish there was. I'm not just going to tell you we're going to do one magical thing that's going to fix it. We're going to do a bunch of things that are very, very small."

But which fine details will pay the biggest dividends when the Rainbow Warriors come to town? Here are the main questions for ASU for Week 6:

How Will The Defense Respond?

ASU's defense was knocked down on the mat on Saturday night, without a white towel to throw into the ring.

55 points is the most the Sun Devils have allowed since their 3-9 2023 season. Defensive coordinator Brian Ward would go on to shoulder the blame.

"We didn't play as hard as a group," Ward said. "You could see it. Ultimately, that falls on my shoulders."

The defensive breakdown is one of many reasons Dillingham relinquished play-calling duties, being seen mostly with the defense throughout this week's practice.

Despite being 1-4, Hawai'i leads the Mountain West in total passing yards with 1,375. ASU allowed four passing touchdowns and over 300 passing yards against DJ Lagway and Baylor.

For Hawai'i, QB Micah Alejado is 5-2 in his college career when throwing for over 300 yards. Despite struggling so far this season after a successful 2025, the sophomore still has the capability to take over a game. Will ASU's defense allow another visiting QB to dominate? Or will they avenge their blowout loss?

What Will Marcus Arroyo's Play Calls Look Like?

Kenny Dillingham talked about handing over play-calling duties so he can focus on the overall outlook of the team, but where does that leave the offense?

Marcus Arroyo called all of the plays during ASU's 2024 conference championship season, doing the same in 2025 until Dillingham took over for the Sun Bowl. Which offense will show up? A conference title-caliber unit? Or one that made Dillingham take over play-calling in the first place?

"When the head ball coach says he needs something, you fall in line. I think over the course of two decades I've been doing this as a coordinator, that's exactly what I do." Arroyo said this week.

Fans have talked about Arroyo and Co. benefiting from NFL-quality personnel, such as RB Cam Skattebo and WR Jordyn Tyson. But this may be a good sign for ASU, considering the lack of production around top talents like Omarion Miller. Perhaps Arroyo knows how to utilize the Devils' top talents.

In 2024, ASU finished second in the conference in total points and first in touchdowns, finishing third in rushing yards and sixth in passing.

In 2025, they dropped to 11th in the conference in total points and 12th in touchdowns, despite being third in rushing yards and seventh in passing.

Numbers like these make one thing clear: scoring and finishing drives are what likely stripped Arroyo of play-calling duties in the first place, such as ASU's 23-7 loss to rival Arizona. 314 days after the last time he had sole possession of the play sheet, can Arroyo help the Devils find the end zone and get the offense rolling?

What Is The Bigger Concern? Boley, Or The Offensive Line?

ASU QB Cutter Boley didn't exactly wow fans in his second game at Mountain America Stadium.

The Kentucky transfer threw just one touchdown, along with an interception, on a slow night for the offense.

It even raised the question of whether Boley is the right guy for the Devils.

"If there was ever a situation where I thought we had to make a change somewhere, we're always going to be able to make a change at any position that makes us better," Dillingham said about the QB position. "But do I think that is even close to the realm of possibility right now? Absolutely not."

But is Boley actually the problem? Or is it his protection?

Posted by Damon Allred of Arizona Sports, ASU has allowed 8.75 pressures on the quarterback per game, which is tied for third most in the Big 12.

Boley was sacked three times vs. Baylor, the highest total of the season. This brings their total to eight sacks allowed, tying them for the fourth-most in the conference as well.

Injuries in the trenches have already been an issue for Arizona State through just four games. If they can't get their o-line healthy and back to form, it will likely be a hard road for Boley to have any big-time success this season.

But will any of it change on Saturday? And where will the improvement be?

Time will tell when the Sun Devils hit the field on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026, hosting Hawaii at 7:30 p.m. AZT in Tempe.

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