Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) are heading into a major matchup with #8 BYU this week.
Arizona State won last Saturday over Kansas State by a score of 28-17 behind a massive fourth-quarter effort.
Part of this effort was led by freshman QB Jake Fette, who came in and put a strong effort forward in the final quarter. This development creates a potential conundrum for Dillingham.
Read more on what the Sun Devils’ head coach had to say on Monday below.
Dillingham Clarifies Arizona State’s QB Situation Heading Into Week 9
The 36-year-old Dillingham left the door open for sixth-year senior Mikey Keene (knee) to start. The Arizona native is operating on an arbitrary “questionable” tag at the moment (Devils Digest).
In the event that Keene is unable to go, it seems as if Fette will receive his first career start. This is a meteoric rise for a four-star recruit from El Paso, but the chaotic quarterback situation is enabling this to become reality.
This is due to the knee injury to Keene and ineffective play from Cutter Boley. Fette, 19, now appears ready to step in and become the first true freshman to start for Arizona State since Jaden Rashada in 2023.
Fette – in many ways – is already in full preparation to take on the role. He is the most natural “dual-threat” on the roster and the most likely to carry out Dillingham’s vision for the offense. His polish surpasses what many freshman quarterbacks are able to put on display. Beyond this, the Texas native seems to be in-sync with a standout receiver room that needs consistency at quarterback.
How does Arizona State respond to this uncertainty?
Sun Devils Need Answers This Week
There couldn’t be more of a gap between the potential starting QB’s this week in terms of experience.
While Keene is well over 30 starts in college, Fette has yet to receive one. Asking Fette to make his first start in front of a hostile BYU crowd is a tall task, but it’s certainly doable.
Fette has two star receivers at his disposal (Reed Harris, Omarion Miller) that should make life easier for him. Beyond this, the Sun Devil run game is gradually gaining steam as the season progresses. The offensive line and hostile crowd remain questions, but Dillingham should be able to simplify the offense for Fette with these regards in mind.
Ultimately, this is a week that Arizona State has to figure out a great deal. Freshman RB Cardae Mack and Fette appear to be building blocks for years to come. However, there are several other pieces of the youth movement that must arise in the weeks ahead. Stars such as Harris very well might depart to the NFL following this season, so there’s little doubt that Dillingham needs to adequately prepare.
The Sun Devils’ showdown with BYU is taking place in Provo, Utah. The contest is kicking off shortly after 12:30 P.M. MST, with Fox owning broadcasting rights.
Kenny Dillingham Provides Update on Arizona State’s Uncertain QB Situation