Dillingham Sees ASU Finding Its Identity Before UCF Trip

Arizona State is one win from bowl eligibility after beating Colorado 20-10. The Sun Devils travel to Orlando to face UCF in Week 11, and coach Kenny Dillingham used his November 9 press conference to assess the team’s season and look ahead to the matchup.

Dillingham said ASU played well early, then struggled for three weeks after returning from a game in London. He said the team had lost its identity during that stretch, and took responsibility for how he managed the return trip. Over the last three weeks, he said, the Sun Devils have played closer to their usual standard, with younger players stepping up.

Against Colorado, ASU failed to score on its first two possessions after halftime. Dillingham said missed opportunities contributed to the appearance of a more conservative approach later in the game, as the team tried to protect its lead. He said the offense needed to play better in the third quarter and acknowledged that the team should manage freshman running back Cardae Mack’s workload more carefully, sharing carries with Kyson Brown and Demarius Robinson.

On a proposed 24-team College Football Playoff and the removal of conference championship games, Dillingham said the sport would keep changing and teams would need to adapt. He suggested the expanded field could reward distinctive offensive and defensive schemes, since teams would face opponents from other conferences in the tournament.

Dillingham said UCF’s speed and explosiveness stood out, along with its use of formations, shifts and motion to create opportunities downfield. ASU will try to secure its sixth win against the Knights.