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It’s one thing to bring in good players. It’s another to develop them. The Arizona State Sun Devils have been able to do both and it’s a big reason coach Kenny Dillingham’s team is one of the last 12 standing.
The Sun Devils (11-2) had a brief respite after their Big 12 championship game win over Iowa State but were back on the practice field this week in preparation for their Jan. 1 Peach Bowl date against either Texas (11-2) or ACC champion Clemson (10-3).
Let’s take a closer look at 10 players whose improvement has been a key to the unexpected run. For some players, it is their improvement from the end of last season to this one while for others the story is their progress over the course of the current season.
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In alphabetical order they are:
CB Keith Abney (So., 5-11, 185)
Abney has started every game at one corner and racked up 50 tackles. He leads the team in interceptions (three) and is tied for the lead in pass break-ups (seven). One of his biggest plays came against Texas State with ASU up 31-28 and 2:26 left in the game and the Bobcats facing a fourth-and-5. Abney knocked the pass down, returning the ball to ASU on downs with the Sun Devils running the clock down to one second. Abney played sparingly in eight games last season as a true freshman, when he had two tackles and one interception but he has risen to the challenge of full-time duty.
RB Kyson Brown (So., 6-0, 200)
This one is hard for most ASU enthusiasts to appreciate because Brown is playing behind Cam Skattebo. He isn’t getting a lot of carries but has the potential to step into the role of lead ball carrier when the ever-popular Skattebo departs. Brown has 68 carries for 340 yards and chalked up his first 100-yard game against Arizona, seeing a lot of action with the outcome well in hand. He also has…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/arizona-state-football-resurgence-aided-120200870.html
Author : AZCentral | The Arizona Republic
Publish date : 2024-12-19 12:02:00
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