Some teams spend the summer reading their own press clippings. Others get fed to the wolves before they even lace up. Last year, Arizona State was in that second group. Buried at the bottom in most Big 12 preseason polls, laughed off by pundits, and penciled in for a long rebuild. Kenny Dillingham came and flipped the script. He handed the ball to a redshirt freshman, and walked out with 11 wins, a Big 12 title, and almost beat the brakes out of Texas in the Peach Bowl. Now, with Cam Skattebo off to the NFL’s New York Giants, some folks are still side-eyeing ASU, whispering “fluke”. But Dillingham? He’s got a squad that’s bigger, stronger, faster. And a secret weapon that’s got big-time upside. Now, with one month left before 2025 kicks off, the Sun Devils are back in business and ready to prove their doubters wrong.

Day three of fall camp was on point. The tempo was up. The mistakes were down. Dillingham’s post-practice grin said it all. “It was awesome. Back and forth all day. Competitive, energetic, working to get better,” he said. His guys were moving like vets. The head coach swears they’re more physical and sharper on both sides of the ball compared to last year. But his sermon of the day? Don’t lose your edge.

Special teams assistant Jack Nudo had challenged the team: find your personal edge and keep it. Dillingham took that to heart. “Everybody has their own edge. And what is your edge? What is our edge? And it resonated with me at least. Because like, what is our edge? We play hard. It matters to us. But we play hard. And I just don’t want to lose our edge. I don’t want to lose that passion when we’re out on the field. It’s not right. Like, we got to play with that edge. It’s not right to the team last year. It’s not right to what we want this place to be.” Looks like Dillingham is fired up on all cylinders.

And then came the talk about weapons. Plural. Everybody knows Sam Leavitt’s connection with Jordyn Tyson is deadly. But there’s a new name scorching practice film: Jaren Hamilton. The transfer from Alabama who’s turning into ASU’s secret sauce. The man was buried in Bama’s stacked receivers room, barely seeing the field in two seasons. Now? He’s out here snatching deep balls in 7-on-7 drills like a starting veteran.

Dillingham’s hyped about Hamilton’s glow-up, noting he’s 17 pounds heavier, and finally comfortable in Tempe. “Yeah, I mean, unbelievable growth. Knows the system. Seventeen pounds heavier than he was when he got here. Coming from a really, really good football program. One of the best programs in the country,” Dillingham said. “He’s comfortable as a person here. And I think when you’re comfortable as a human, when you can be yourself, I think you get the best out of people.” Jaren’s pushing to wedge himself into a crowded WR room that already features Tyson, Jalen Moss, and Malik McClain. But the chemistry with Leavitt is growing fast.

ASU’s mission in 2025 is simple: prove last year wasn’t a one-hit wonder. That means keeping the physical gains, sharpening the mental edge, and unleashing every weapon in the arsenal, both known and unknown.

Day 3 tea from Sun Devils fall camp

Fall camp opened Wednesday. Exactly 30 days from the season opener against Northern Arizona. Expectations are nothing like last summer. Back then, ASU was a basement pick. Now they’re the hunted, and Dillingham knows it. Day one was sluggish. Day three? Night and day. The Sun Devils clicked Friday, with position groups stacking wins all over the field.

Safety Jack Bal, a former walk-on turned scholarship player, kept making plays and earning praise from Dillingham and DC Brian Ward. CB Javan Robinson flashed NFL-caliber coverage skills. DL drills under Diron Reynolds looked nasty, and Army transfer Udoh pulled down a sideline grab that had touchdown written all over it. Even the vets stayed sharp. Leavitt to Tyson was money, and a scramble dart to TE Khamari Anderson showed why Leavitt’s pocket movement is turning heads.

NFL scouts swarmed the sidelines. Five franchises. All eyes on Leavitt, Tyson, and C.J. Fite. Jeff Sims, now the savvy vet, kept his own reps clean. Two defensive starters, Xavion Alford and Myles “Ghost” Rowser, sat out with minor knocks. This opened the door for guys like Bal and Hamilton to seize the spotlight.

With the Big 12 title and a playoff berth in the rearview, ASU’s got a target on their back. Dillingham’s crew knows they’re no longer the underdogs, and they’re embracing the pressure. The hunters are now the hunted, and camp’s showing they’ve got the dawgs to back it up. From Hamilton’s possible breakout to Leavitt’s Heisman hype, this team’s ready to prove 2024 was no fluke.