Previewing Arizona State-Texas Tech - Keys, Game Prediction, and More

In today's edition of the Sun Devils Insider Podcast, we take a look at the impending game against a top 10 team in the country.

Sep 21, 2024; Lubbock, Texas, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders defensive back Miquel Dingle Jr. (35) pressures Arizona State Sun Devils quarterback Sam Leavitt (10) in the second half at Jones AT&T Stadium and Cody Campbell Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images | Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images

TEMPE -- In today's episode of the Arizona State Sun Devils Insider Podcast, we take a look at the matchup between Texas Tech and Sun Devils that is set to be played this afternoon.

To listen to today's podcast, view below.

Below is a partial transcript of head coach Kenny Dillingham's press conference on Monday.

On Defense vs Utah

“I mean, we couldn't tackle them. It was impressive. It wasn't fun to be on the other side of not being able to tackle somebody. We could tackle the average 12 yards carry. Like, that's not ideal. And they do a great job schematically. They did a great job.

And they put a 350 pounder at tight end and said, We're going to run the ball at you. And they did that like I said, going into the game. That game was a culture game, right? And that day, they out physical’d us. When somebody does that, there are no there's not many answers you can have when you know, people move people.”

“I told the guys, we've been one of the best run defenses in the country for a year and a half. That's our culture. If we're gonna let one game dictate our culture, right? Like, I don't know, like we got to stay true to what we have proven to do in the last 17 games, or not the 18th or the last 17. In the last 17 games, we've usually won a lot of scrimmage, majority of the majority of the game. We've won a lot of scrimmage, if you can't let one game versus a team that runs a triple option, that did a phenomenal job in that triple option, affect how we play football.”

“Well, just because you know next man up, that doesn't mean you're going to get the equal production. Next man up is not like players are players. They're people. Some have better skill sets than others at certain things. So the term next man up is just the term of, yeah, that's the new guy. Let's Let's rock and roll in terms of, like, how they go about their business, repairing that's where the leaders can really step up. Like, hey, we need you to come up on this day…”

On Texas Tech RB Cameron Dickey

Cameron Dickey attends the Texas Tech football team's local media day, Tuesday, July 29, 2025, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“Yeah, physical runner will run you over, will run through you. Great contact balance. So I think when you have the ability to run through you and have great contact balance, if you try to take him on, not square, or you don't try to tackle him, he's gonna bounce off you, alright? So you have to be able to tackle him, but he's gonna run through you sometimes, and he's gonna make you miss others. So I think the balance of his physicality, his pad level, and his ability to have great contact balance is what makes really, really good running backs…”

Read more about Arizona State basketball coach Bobby Hurley speaking directly to fans ahead of the start of the 2025 season here, and on three major takeaways from the 42-10 loss to Utah here.

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