Kenny Dillingham Anticipates QB Change Ahead of BYU Matchup

Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham

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Kenny Dillingham is entering year four as Arizona State's leader.

Kenny Dillingham and the Arizona State Sun Devils (4-3, 2-2 Big 12) made a major comeback on Saturday afternoon.

The Sun Devils took down Kansas State (4-3, 1-3) by a score of 28-17 in a major turnaround victory.

It didn’t come without struggles, however. First-game starter Mikey Keene left the game late in the first half with a knee injury. Backup Cutter Boley subsequently came into the game, eventually working his way back to the bench due to ineffective play.

In came true freshman Jake Fette, who went 3-6 for 45 yards, leading two touchdown drives to seal the victory.

Read more below on Dillingham’s call heading into a major showdown next week below.

Dillingham Makes Call on Quarterback Plans Next Week

Arizona State QB Jake Fette — GettyWill Fette make his first career start next week?

The 36-year-old head coach made his feelings clear on what the Sun Devils are doing at quarterback next week.

The plan at the moment seems to be that Fette will receive his first career start (Devils Digest). This is in the event of Keene not being able to make a return to the field in the next week.

Fette’s first start against Brigham Young on the road is quite the test for an Arizona State squad looking to salvage their season. Despite this, Dillingham holds a great deal of belief in the freshman (Joaquin Rodriguez, Sun Devil Source).

“Jake’s got that look in his eye. Jake’s got the swagger, you know, the confidence when he moves around, and so I think we just wanted to spark there with Jake.”

Get to know one of the most promising players within the program’s hierarchy below.

Fette’s Journey to ASU Readies Him for First Start

For Sun Devil fans that are unaware, Fette is one of the highest rated quarterback prospects to sign with Arizona State in the last 20 years.

The 6’2″ quarterback grew up in El Paso, Texas – becoming a four-star recruit in the process. The son of a former football player began carving his own path in this case.

How did he get to this point?

Well, Fette blends a combination of shifty athleticism, quality anticipation, and legitimate velocity on his throws. These traits were immediately apparent when joining the Sun Devils in El Paso for the 2025 Sun Bowl.

Ever since coming to campus in Tempe, Fette has done little but impress. Dillingham, OC Marcus Arroyo, and numerous media members frequently cite his work ethic, surprising polish, and relate consistency. There were many occasions during spring football in which Fette put veteran gravitas on display.

While he wasn’t necessarily in-line to start at the beginning of the season, there’s little doubt the dual threat standout is the future of the position for the Sun Devils. Dillingham is placing much faith in Fette to both stay in Tempe and grow into a program-changing player. If this is the case, there’s a real chance that Fette and RB Cardae Mack turn the tides for Arizona State.

Until then, best wishes go out to Keene in a very unfortunate situation.

Arizona State returns to action on Oct. 31 against BYU in a hostile environemnt against a team coming off a loss. Kickoff is 12:30 P.M. MST