Two days after opening the season, Arizona State head coach Kenny Dillingham made one factor clear in his Monday press convention: the main target has shifted solely to Mississippi State. With the primary street take a look at of the 12 months looming in Starkville, Dillingham careworn preparation, self-discipline, and what he calls the “dawg mentality” because the keys to success.
Dillingham admitted that the largest lesson from week one wasn’t about outcomes however about readiness for what comes subsequent. Northern Arizona’s unique appears had been disruptive, and that takeaway is driving this week’s observe plan.
“We’re simply going to observe craziness,” Dillingham remarked. “It’s only a good studying expertise for me to assist our guys extra. We have to have a few days in camp the place we observe versus the schemes which might be just a little bit unconventional and just a little bit loopy by nature. Not unsound. They’re very sound, however simply loopy. Chaos is their center identify. So, we’re going to work on chaos quite a bit this week and get higher at chaos.”
That target embracing chaos will outline ASU’s strategy because it prepares for an SEC opponent that thrives on controlling tempo and forcing errors.
The surroundings itself can even pose a problem. Whereas ASU confronted two SEC opponents final season, it by no means skilled the depth of an away recreation towards both staff. Having coached within the SEC at Auburn, Dillingham is aware of precisely what to anticipate from Davis Wade Stadium: a wall of noise and a sea of ringing cowbells.
“Cowbells, child. You already know what I imply? It’s gonna be enjoyable,” Dillingham stated. “They love their soccer down there… They’ll be there at 9:00 a.m. for a 6:30 kick, and so they’ll be on the point of roll. It’ll be their first residence recreation of the 12 months. So, I’m excited. The soccer down there may be actually good.”
To organize, ASU will start simulating the cowbell noise in observe to duplicate the environment of Starkville. The objective isn’t simply to imitate the sound—it’s to sharpen communication underneath stress.
“They play so quick that if you happen to can’t get lined up, you’re screwed,” Dillingham defined. “You probably have one MA (missed project), they’re going to attain a landing. So, you can not beat yourselves. That’s the communication piece.”
The Solar Devils aren’t simply adjusting to a hostile surroundings—they’re additionally dealing with a Mississippi State staff that appears very completely different from the one they noticed final 12 months. In that earlier matchup, now-NFL draftee Cam Skattebo carried the offense with 262 dashing yards, whereas sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt managed simply 69 passing yards, and Mississippi State went on to complete the season 2-10.
Dillingham careworn that the Bulldogs, whom ASU narrowly beat 30-23 final 12 months in Tempe, should not the caliber of squad they’ll see this week.
“They’ve added over 30 transfers. They’ve added eight junior faculty gamers. So, round 40 veterans to their soccer staff,” Dillingham famous. “This staff is actually 65, 70% new from final 12 months’s staff. A totally completely different soccer staff.”
Mississippi State underwent one of the vital drastic roster overhauls within the nation after a tough 2024 season—a reminder of how rapidly a program can rebound within the NIL period, as seen simply Saturday when final 12 months’s 2-10 Florida State surprised No. 8 Alabama.
9 of these transfers got here on the offensive line and eight on the defensive position, that means Mississippi State can research and game-plan for ASU’s returning starters, whereas ASU has little to attract from final 12 months’s matchup towards a principally new Bulldogs staff.
Nonetheless, ASU should put together not only for the velocity and noise of Starkville, but additionally for the recent id that head coach Jeff Lebby has instilled in Mississippi State.
“You may see Coach Lebby and his id is beginning to present up, and the fervour he has for the sport is beginning to present up,” Dillingham stated.
Maybe the largest problem Mississippi State presents is its blistering tempo on offense. Dillingham defined how his workers is replicating that tempo in observe.
“We’ll do two huddles,” Dillingham commented. “One huddle will run a play after which the following huddle will run a play, and our protection has to get aligned… All they want is so that you can misfit one factor, miscommunicate one factor, and also you simply gave them a free landing.”
One space of focus might be on eliminating free performs. ASU surrendered a Dillingham-era excessive of 13 penalties for 93 yards towards NAU, whereas the Bulldogs dedicated 14 such infractions for 119 yards in a 34-17 win towards Southern Miss. In a matchup like this, the sport might come right down to which staff commits the fewest psychological errors, and with each squads dealing with opponents way more gifted than their season opener foes, even a single misstep may very well be pricey.
Offensively, Dillingham desires ASU to determine itself as a downhill operating staff. In Week One, the Solar Devils ran the ball simply 14 occasions, regardless of averaging 9.2 yards per carry —a steadiness that Dillingham admitted they should emphasize transferring ahead.
“I believe we’re going to attempt to get these three guys and proceed to get them concerned within the recreation plan, as a result of I believed they did play rather well. All three of them,” Dillingham stated. “I in all probability ought to have run extra direct runs within the recreation plan… On the finish of the day, that’s going to be our id — downhill operating the soccer.”
ASU arguably established its id as a run-first staff throughout this identical matchup final 12 months, as All-American operating again Cam Skattebo posted 262 yards on 33 carries, paradoxically not scoring that night time, and present beginning quarterback Sam Leavitt registered 68 yards on 11 carries, scoring twice. The 346 dashing yards from that 30-23 victory could also be unattainable to duplicate this weekend, however typically establishing a robust floor presence may very well be a key step in bettering on a sluggish victory over the Lumberjacks. When requested about carrying the identical hearth that fueled final 12 months’s victory over Mississippi State—and elevating their degree of combat—Dillingham stated it finally comes right down to mindset.
“On the finish of the day, like how dangerous you need one thing issues,” Dillingham defined. “What you pour into your cup is what you’re going to pour out… Getting a recreation like that hopefully out of the way in which, surviving staff that was chaotic and had a variety of good schemes, hopefully we get to study from that recreation and get again to that keenness.”
That keenness, he added, can’t be faked or flipped on when handy. It needs to be lived day by day. “We’ve bought to point out it in observe. We bought to observe with it. After which we have now to have the ability to go play with that degree of depth,” he stated.
With the Massive 12 beginning sturdy nationally and a retooled Mississippi State prepared to check them, Dillingham is aware of ASU has little margin for error. However somewhat than framing the problem as intimidating, he sees it as a chance to set the usual.
The cowbells might be loud, the tempo relentless, and errors pricey—however with preparation, communication, and a refined “dawg” mentality, he believes his staff can thrive within the chaos.
“I really like our soccer staff,” Dillingham stated. “I believe we’re nearly as good as we need to be. And I believe that’s the very best factor….We’re going to work on chaos quite a bit this week and get higher at chaos. After which it’s time to go play soccer.”
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