Inside The Bears

Behind Enemy Lines: Arizona State

Getting perspective from the Sun Devils' sidelines before Baylor's Big 12 opener

Josh Crawford

QBs Sawyer Robertson (left) and Sam Leavitt (right)
QBs Sawyer Robertson (left) and Sam Leavitt (right) / Via: On3, PFF
In this story:

It’s finally conference time for Baylor. Coming off their 42-7 romp of Samford, the Bears head into their first conference matchup 2-1, in what was projected to be their second-ranked matchup of the season before Mississippi State tripped up Arizona State. Despite that, the matchup still looms large as the Big 12 opener for both squads, and the Sun Devils are still seeking a win over a power conference opponent. After last week's reprieve (sorry, Samford), we’re back with our Behind Enemy Lines series, this time with Kevin Hicks, lead beat reporter for ASU football at Arizona State on SI. Big thanks to Kevin for doing this, and look for some more content with us later this week.

What's the psyche of this Sun Devil team after last week's loss at Mississippi State? Do they view this Baylor game as a must-win, or still feel like they should be favorite?

Kenny Dillingham is perhaps the most level-headed coach in the country. He absolutely views every single game as a must-win and has stated the challenges that come with being the ‘hunted’ compared to being the hunter. There are still many confident players on the roster - most of all Sam Leavitt, who notably stated that his goals were to win the Heisman Trophy and to secure a national title in 2025. All in all, the Sun Devils have a strong blend of confidence and humility. 

How did this team go about replacing the production, and threat, that Cam Skattebo provided last year? Is the run game still a viable threat for this team?

The rushing attack has truly been a revelation to this point. It isn’t shocking to those close to the Sun Devil program, as RB coach Shaun Aguano has an unbelievable track record of developing talent. The roster also holds at least three, and potentially more, high level players. Junior RB Kyson Brown accounted for 145 all-purpose yards in the season opener against Northern Arizona and is expected to return from injury after exiting the loss to Mississippi State. Raleek Brown has been a true home-run hitter thus far, breaking off a 75-yard rushing touchdown on a counter play against Texas State. Raleek is a true dual-threat back that is also a willing blocker and is quite possibly the X-factor of the offense. Kanye Udoh is a transfer from Army that has had to adjust to a completely new style of offense. The accomplished back had a strong game against Mississippi State, and his style of running could result in him factoring into the gameplan this week. 

What's the biggest jump/improvement area that Sam Leavitt needed to make from his redshirt freshman season? Has that requisite jump been made from last year to this year, or have at least steps been made with that improvement stew?

Coach Dillingham has frequently taken the flack for Leavitt’s struggles to begin the season, making it clear that it is his job to ease the star QB into games. For as many things that Leavitt does well and as much natural talent he possesses, there are two areas he can certainly improve on. First, is his footwork - he studied Patrick Mahomes over the offseason, but that isn’t necessarily the best example when it comes to picking up footwork techniques and mechanics. The other area is just simplifying the game on early downs - taking the checkdowns and  simple reads over trying to make too much happen right away. That’s also something that Dillingham has stressed that he needs to be better at setting up Leavitt to do. Leavitt also has taken a tad too long to read the field at times in the past, but that hasn’t been a pronounced issue this season at all.

This Baylor secondary was a major weak point vs. SMU two weeks ago, a particularly pressing issue with you all having a potential first round pick in Jordyn Tyson. What type of ways/concept do Leavitt and Tyson get in rhythm, and what (if any) scheme have been successful in containing Tyson either last season or this?

The incredible thing about Tyson is just how refined he is. OC Marcus Arroyo does not need to put limitations on the junior wideout in virtually every scenario. Tyson is an incredibly proficient route runner and essentially has an NFL-level route tree in his repertoire this season. He has the niftiness to beat defenders in man coverage, press or not, and he's incredibly instinctive when it comes to timing in zone coverage. He can win at all three levels consistently, and simply holds an inexplicable connection with Leavitt that is extremely difficult to contain without having to go in double coverage. That perhaps should be the plan of attack that Baylor takes, as none of the receivers outside of Tyson have distinguished themselves yet despite being incredibly impressive through fall camp. 

How important is this game for Arizona State? Would ASU still be considered a contender to claim the Big 12 title/playoff spot with a potential 1-2 start? 

This game is massively important. The magnitude cannot be overstated. While the Sun Devils were able to withstand a loss to Texas Tech to open up 2024 conference play, the path would be condensed with a loss to the Bears. The next three games in succession of Baylor just happen to be three of the other major contenders in the league - home battles with Texas Christian and Texas Tech, with a road trip to Utah in between. A loss would not only set the team up to play ‘catch-up’, it also would put them in virtual must-win situations for the next two months. 

How does this ASU team view as Baylor's biggest threat? Do they view Sawyer Robertson in the same class/tier as Leavitt, especially considering his hot start?

The Baylor offense as a whole cannot be discounted. Coach Dillingham had glowing praise of Robertson during his weekly press conference on Monday

“I actually recruited him out of high school. Didn't get him, went to Mississippi State. And you know, he's a heck of a player. He's accurate. He's tall, big, so we can see over the line, make throws over the middle of the field really well. It's obviously a strength of a taller quarterback, super intelligent, better athlete than people give him credit for. Like, he's a big dude. I went to see him throw live out of practice back in high school. So really good player. He's had a lot of success the last two years there, so it's going to be a good challenge for us.”

Beyond Robertson, Bryson Washington is likely the biggest test the Sun Devil front seven has faced at the position. Diron Reynolds’ defensive line and A.J. Cooper’s linebacking core have both been absolutely incredible in run stopping/support over the last year. They ranked first in rushing yards allowed per game in 2024 and absolutely shut down Mississippi State’s attack - which was supposed to be a three-headed arrangement. Michael Trigg is likely a physical mismatch for Arizona State DB’s - forcing Jordan Crook and/or Keyshaun Elliott into coverage situations, while the cornerbacks will be tested by a dynamic WR trio.

Game prediction time! Give me your predicted game score, a 1-2 sentence blurb about why so, and any other factors that may change that outcome for you  

Arizona State wins 38-35. This game is as evenly-matched as they come heading into Week 4, with both teams suffering ‘off’ nights against SEC foes despite having incredibly talented rosters. Ultimately, it seems to be the safer bet to bank on Brian Ward’s defense getting the one or two extra stops at the end of the game to secure a victory. Baylor absolutely has a great shot to win this game either way.

- Enjoy more Baylor Bears coverage on Baylor Bears On SI -

More News:

2 Baylor Bears earn spot on National Team of the Week after Week 3 win vs. Samford

Big 12 awards: Baylor Bear earns Big 12 Player of the Week Award

Baylor, Oklahoma State Week 5 game time, channel revealed

Bearly believable: Top 5 plays in Baylor's stunning win over Samford

PFF grades, snap counts following Baylor's massive win over Samford

The game changers: Top players from Baylor's incredible win over Samford

For additional coverage of Baylor University Athletics

Follow us on Facebook: @BaylorBearsOnSI

Follow us on X/Twitter:@BaylorBearsOnSI

Follow us on Instagram: @BaylorBearsOnSI

Subscribe to us on Youtube: @BaylorBearsOnSI

Published
Josh Crawford
JOSH CRAWFORD

Josh began covering Baylor athletics in July 2025. Before this, he previously wrote for Syracuse men's basketball and football at SI from 2022-24. As a former Division I defensive lineman at Prairie View, Josh is passionate about storytelling from a former athlete's perspective. When he's not covering Baylor, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts and music, and loves cooking a good meal.

Home/Football