5 Explosive Takeaways from Arizona State’s Scrimmage
Arizona State Sun Devils Football: What We Learned From the Big Scrimmage
Published: August 23, 2026 • 9:00 AM MT
The Arizona State Sun Devils football team held a major practice scrimmage at Mountain America Stadium on August 22nd. With the season opener against Morgan State coming up fast on September 5th, Coach Kenny Dillingham got a good look at his team in action. Here’s the easy-to-understand breakdown of what happened.
The Big Picture: Coach’s Thoughts
Coach Dillingham saw a lot of familiar patterns from the first scrimmage, but with some key differences:
"You could see the last 30 minutes, the offense went on really, really good drives running the football… Defense had an unbelievable interception early… Still only one takeaway. I’d like to see more takeaways created by the defense."
— Coach Kenny Dillingham
In simple terms: The offense moved the ball well (especially running it), the defense stopped big plays but only got one turnover (interception), and Coach wants the defense to create more turnovers.
Special Teams: Kicking & Punting Battles
The Sun Devils have two players competing for each kicking job. Here’s how they did:
Placekickers (Field Goals & Extra Points)
| Player | Performance |
|---|---|
| Carson Smith | Made a 52-yard field goal with yards to spare Also made a 38-yarder late in scrimmage |
| Carston Kieffer | Made a 52-yard field goal (just barely cleared the crossbar) |
Punters (Kicking on 4th Down)
| Player | Background | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Kanyon Floyd | Junior, returning starter | Great "hang time" (ball stays in air longer) All punts 42-50 yards, inside the 20-yard line |
| Nick McLarty | Senior, 6’7" transfer from Ohio State | All punts 42-50 yards, inside the 20-yard line |
Kick/Punt Returns
- Jaren Hamilton (wide receiver) was the main return specialist
Coach Dillingham on special teams: "Both of our guys are punting better. We’re consistently getting 44- to 48-yard punts and 4.4 or more hang time, which is what you want."
Defense: Pass Rush Looks Strong
The edge rushers (defenders who attack the quarterback from the sides) had a great night:
| Player | Sacks (Tackling QB behind line) |
|---|---|
| Joshua Shanklin | 2 |
| Emar’rion Winston | 2 |
| Roman Pitre | 1 |
| Tristan Bacon | 1 |
What this means: The defensive ends beat the offensive tackles (big blockers) consistently. Coach Dillingham noted this shows good depth at the position.
But there’s a catch: "We have to get better at pass protection stuff so we can throw the football. Right now that’s not good…" — The offense needs to block better to give quarterbacks time to throw.
Tight Ends: Still Struggling
This position group had a rough night — again. Coach Dillingham was so disappointed earlier in the week that he moved defensive end Clayton Smith to tight end just to create competition.
Problems spotted:
- Blocking assignments — Tight ends missed their blocks
- This let defensive ends reach the quarterback easily
- Running backs got stopped because defenders weren’t blocked
Silver lining:
- Khamari Anderson (the team’s best tight end) is still recovering from a broken leg and wasn’t playing
Running Backs: Deep & Talented
This might be the strongest position group on the team. Even players lower on the depth chart (backup lists) looked great:
Standout performers:
- Jason Brown — Solid runs
- Demarius "Man Man" Robinson — Solid runs
- Cardae Mack (true freshman!) — Moved piles of defenders
- Grayson Rigdon (sophomore) — Caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Mikey Keene (longest play of the night!)
Bonus: Running backs were also catching passes well out of the backfield.
Injury Updates: Tough News
| Player | Position | Injury | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nigel Pringle | Defensive Back (transfer from Arkansas) | Season-ending injury from Camp Tontozona scrimmage | Out for 2026 season |
| My’Keil Gardner | Lineman | Torn Achilles tendon | Out for 2026 season |
Important: Nigel Pringle was in his first year with the program after transferring from Arkansas. Losing two players before the season starts is a significant blow.
Key Takeaways Summary
| Area | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Offense (Running) | Strong | Good drives, multiple backs producing |
| Offense (Passing) | Needs Work | Pass protection struggling vs. good pass rush |
| Defense (Pass Rush) | Excellent | 6 sacks total, good depth at edge rusher |
| Defense (Turnovers) | Needs Work | Only 1 interception all night |
| Special Teams | Solid | Both kickers hit 52-yarders, punters consistent |
| Tight Ends | Struggling | Blocking issues, best player injured |
| Injuries | Concerning | 2 season-ending injuries already |
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. When is the first real game?
The season opener is September 5th against Morgan State at Mountain America Stadium.
2. Who is the starting quarterback?
The article doesn’t name a starter, but Mikey Keene threw the 80-yard touchdown pass to Grayson Rigdon. The quarterback competition is likely still ongoing.
3. What’s a "scrimmage" anyway?
Think of it as a dress rehearsal — the team practices against itself in a game-like setting with full contact, but it doesn’t count on the record.
4. Why does "hang time" matter for punters?
Hang time = how long the ball stays in the air. More hang time (4.4+ seconds) gives the coverage team time to run downfield and tackle the returner before they can gain yards.
5. Can Clayton Smith really play tight end?
He’s naturally a defensive end (pass rusher). Moving him to offense is unusual — Coach did it to light a fire under the current tight ends by adding competition. It’s a "prove it" move.
Final Thoughts
The Sun Devils show promise in the running game, pass rush, and special teams — but have real concerns at tight end, pass protection, and defensive turnovers. With two season-ending injuries already, depth will be tested early.
Next up: Final preparations for the September 5th season opener against Morgan State. Expect Coach Dillingham to focus heavily on:
- Fixing pass protection
- Getting tight ends to block better
- Creating more defensive turnovers
Go Devils!