Cam Skattebo, Sam Leavitt, and Arizona State brought a chip on their shoulders to the Peach Bowl hoping that’s enough to advance.
The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff are here, and in an ironic twist of fate the Texas Longhorns must go through the Big 12 Champions to get one step closer to a national title in their first year in the SEC. After a strong win over the Clemson Tigers in the first round, the Arizona State Sun Devils now stand in the way on Wednesday at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta at noon Central on ESPN.
This is the type of team that Texas has seen before and handled well — strong running game, rookie quarterback, injured wide receiving corps, and a strong defense. Oklahoma, Michigan, and Texas A&M have all fit that bill, and Texas has been able to run the same winning game plan against all three.
In the Playoff, anything is possible, and the biggest mistake Texas can make is looking past this game to Oregon or Ohio State. Head coach Steve Sarkisian is certainly not taking this Peach Bowl lightly.
“They’re a very good football team,” Sarkisian said Monday. “They’re plus-14 in turnover margin with only eight turnovers and they’ve created, I believe, 22 turnovers defensively, they pride themselves on running the ball.”
Their offense has been great this season with the emergence of Cam Skattebo as one of the best running backs in the nation. On the other side of the ball, the defense can be sneaky and force quarterbacks into mistakes through disguised coverages.
This is an Arizona State team Texas should beat, but complacency is not a luxury if they want to go all the way.
Offense
Under coordinator Marcus Arroyo, the Arizona State offense is based on efficiency — they run the football and don’t turn it over. It’s as simple as that. They do seem to key in on certain skill positions and getting the ball to their playmakers, so shutting those positions down and forcing other pass catchers to step up should be a point of emphasis for Texas this Wednesday.
The Sun Devils frequently use bunch formations in single back and pistol to create extra protection for the running game and also get their two primary pass catchers involved. Arroyo uses 11 and 12 personnel because the offense is predicated around their -star back Skattebo.
They make high-percentage throws and keep the passing game simple to move down the field methodically and protect the football.
Quarterback
Sam Leavitt, the redshirt freshman quarterback transfer from Michigan State, has done a great job facilitating this offense. With 2,660 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and only five interceptions, he does well to manage the game and get the ball in the hands of their playmakers.
Head coach Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils don’t seem to ask too much of the young quarterback, and at times he can feel like sort of a game manager for an offense with an identity based around running the football. However, Leavitt is certainly not lacking in confidence going into the quarterfinals despite his lack of experience.
“People keep counting me out since Day 1 and I’m gonna go prove I’m the better quarterback,” Leavitt said. “That’s how I’ve felt since Day 1. I’m gonna go play everybody on the map.”
Leavitt’s greatest attribute is his ability to protect the football, only accounting for four turnover-worthy plays this season, according to PFF. Texas has been great at forcing turnovers this year, so Leavitt has continued to make sound decision making a point of emphasis heading into this game.
“They are so stout and everybody is where they’re supposed to be,” Leavitt said. “When you get those two things combined you’re able to play coverage behind a base look and the quarterback feels flustered and might make some dumb plays. So that’s one thing I’m gonna really emphasize going into this game is just being smart with the football.”
Short and medium accuracy are the young quarterback’s strengths. With an average depth of target of only 9.6 yards, the majority of Leavitt’s attempts are under 10 yards and in the middle of the field Arizona State runs a lot of play-action passes out of the single-back formation with slants and crossing routes a big point of emphasis in Leavitt’s passing game.
This season he has only attempted 51 passes over 20-plus yards with Arroyo emphasizing getting the ball out quickly — Leavitt averages 3.1 seconds in the pocket.
He is also not afraid to run with the football. With 96 attempts for 433 yards, five touchdowns, and zero fumbles, Leavitt is the second-leading rusher on the team. The majority of that yardage comes on broken passing plays, with 47 scrambles, however, occasionally they will draw up a designed run for Leavitt.
When it comes to running on this team, there’s really only one name to talk about.
Running back
You can’t talk about this Arizona State offense without mentioning Skattebo. With 1,569 rushing yards, 19 rushing touchdowns, and four fumbles, Skattebo is the nation’s sixth-leading rusher. At 5’11 215 lbs, Skattebo has prototypical size and strength for the position.
“They pride themselves on running the ball,” Sarkisian said Monday. “Skattebo’s a heck of a player. He’s got a ton of fans in our building, I can tell you that. We’ve been watching them for the last year and a half and are like, Tthis guy’s a monster.’ Now we have to figure out a way to stop him.”
Skattebo has a low center of gravity and Saquon Barkley-like thighs. He just keeps churning and is not afraid to put his shoulder down with 1,085 of his 1,569 rushing yards coming after contact.
“It’s gonna take all 11 — we have to win the line of scrimmage and get all 11 hats on him,” Texas linebacker Anthony Hill said in response to facing Skattebo. “He makes the first and second guy miss a lot, so we have to execute tackling at the line of scrimmage.”
This year Skattebo has forced 92 missed tackles and has a knack for getting into the second and third level. There is no designed formula that the talented back follows in his running scheme, as his runs are evenly distributed throughout the line of scrimmage. Inside, outside, between or around the tackles, the guy can do it all.
Texas has been phenomenal at limiting the run this season with the 14th-best run defense in the nation, according to PFF, that allows the ninth-lowest rushing total to opposing running backs in the nation.
When asked about going against such a great run defense, Skattebo said, “Nothing prepares you for the No. 5 rushing defense in the country. We have to make sure we are on top of our stuff, and we’re focused on what we’re doing… If we focus on playing our game, we’ll be just fine.”
Along with his incredible work on the ground, Skattebo is a more than capable pass catcher. With 37 receptions for 506 yards and three touchdowns, the Sacramento State transfer is the team’s second-leading receiver, as well. The receptions primarily come out of the backfield to the flat or on wheel and Texas routes, but he has also lined up in the slot and out wide this season.
“They continue to keep saying that people are going to try to stop me,” Skattebo said. “There’s nobody out there that can stop me. We played in 13 games and I’ve been the target on each one, so I’m not too worried. We’re going to play our game and play ball and see what happens there.”
The No. 5 rushing offense against the No. 5 rushing defense. This should be an incredible matchup that will force the Sun Devils to air the ball out if the Longhorns have their way.
Wide receiver
A big loss for the Sun Devils this Wednesday will be their clear WR1, Jordyn Tyson, whose season was cut short by a collarbone injury against Arizona Week 14.
With 75 receptions for 1,098 yards and 10 touchdowns, Tyson has been the overwhelmingly favorite target for Leavitt in this offense and the dropoff is massive. Outside of Skattebo, the second-leading wide receiver has only accounted for only 320 receiving yards on 29 receptions.
At 6’1, 195 pounds, Tyson dominated the looks from Leavitt with 113 targets. With his absence, the next man up will likely be senior wide receiver Xavier Guillory.
This year Guillory has brought in only 19 catches on 39 targets for 320 yards and five touchdowns. Since the loss of Tyson, Xavier has recorded three touchdowns, two of which came against Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship game. Also, although he primarily lined up out wide this season, he has switched to fill the hole that Tyson left, lining up in the slot 47.6 percent of the time in his last game.
“Nothing’s changed. We’re here for a reason,” Guillory said in response to the loss of Jordyn Tyson for the season. “Obviously, Jordyn was a great player for us this year, and unfortunately an injury is part of the game. But we’re going to go out there with him in our hearts, go out there and play for him and just us as a group, we’re all going to have to come together and people are going to have to step up.”
In his first game without Tyson, Guillory brought in two receptions on four targets for two touchdowns and 29 yards. He has great speed and has been the team’s top deep threat target with an average depth of target of 16.9 yards.
“Most of the players on this team are underdogs,” Guillory said. “That’s kind of the identity that we came in here with.
In their conference championship against Iowa State, senior receiver Melquan Stovall stepped up for the Sun Devils. He brought in four receptions on five targets for 91 yards. He works almost entirely out of the slot, with 90.8 perdcent of his snaps on the inside. At 5’11, 185 pounds, he uses his smaller frame for short passing routes across the field with an average depth of target of 9.8 yards.
Leavitt and the Sun Devils are certainly still on the look for their new favorite target, although a sure target all season has been their big tight end.
Tight end
Junior Cincinnati transfer tight end transfer Chamon Metayer has been a solid safety net and red-zone target for Leavitt this season. With 29 receptions on 43 targets for 290 yards and five touchdowns, he has a big frame and athleticism at 6’4, 255 pounds that he can use to dominate opposing linebackers and defensive backs in mismatches.
Metayer is almost a purely receiving tight end, with 45 percent of his snaps in the slot and even 11.9 percent of his snaps out wide. He has sure hands on short-yardage passes with only four drops on the season. His average depth of target is only 7.3 yards, as he primarily works in comeback and pick routes, but despite his size, he has great athleticism with 162 of his 290 yards this season coming after the catch.
He can body defenders in the red zone using his big frame, bringing down four contested catches on five contested targets.
He is also utilized in bunch formations alongside a dominant offensive line that has been great in facilitating a career year for Skattebo in the run game.
Offensive line
This is a unit that has facilitated one of the best seasons by a running back in ASU history. They often utilize bunch formations in single back to create leverage and further establish running lanes for Skattebo with Cameron Harpole and Markeston Douglas serving as the two primary run blocking tight ends for ASU.
In his second year with the Sun Devils, Dillingham has dipped into the transfer portal for the offensive front with only two starters returning from last season.
Dillingham added left tackle Joshua Atkins from Hawaii, left guard Ben Coleman from Cal, and right guard Kyle Scott from junior college.
Senior center Leif Fautanu has become the leader for this offensive line in his second year at Arizona State after transferring from UNLV. At 6’2, 315 pounds, the massive Hawaiian has been great at facilitating this front five to drive the rushing attack.
They create leverage through pulling guards and tight ends, but primarily, they tell you what the strong side is, and they run it down your throat, although they might have to get more creative against the No. 5 rushing defense in the nation.
Against the pass rush, this line has been effective, although it can struggle against dominant pass rushes, allowing 16 sacks this year. Leavitt gets the ball out quickly, but disguised looks can create unimpeded paths to the quarterback. Texas has fast rushers off the edge in Collin Simmons and Trey Moore should be able to get home against an offensive line that clearly prioritizes the run.
Defense
Brian Ward and the Arizona State defense run an interesting 2-4-5 defensive set primarily. They utilize their right outside linebackers in pass rush in a pseudo 3-3-5, however their linebackers are athletic and can drop back in coverage as well.
“They’re -plus14 in the turnover margin with only eight turnovers and they’ve created I believe 22 turnovers defensively,” Sarkisian said Monday.
This season they’ve totaled 15 interceptions, 20 sacks, and five forced fumbles. With 10 interceptions on the season, Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers will have to be careful to protect the ball against a secondary that can disguise coverages and force quarterbacks into poor decisions.
“We’re a really good team,” Arizona State senior linebacker Caleb McCullough said. “We’re not scared to compete, we don’t care what team you are, we’re gonna come out there like we’re the better team, and I think that’s what we’re gonna show them Wednesday.”
Defensive line
The defensive line is an interesting one at ASU with only two down linemen at times. They utilize their outside linebackers in pass-rush situations with 16 of the team’s sacks coming from the defensive line this season, which is led by the two-headed monster of Elijah O’Neil and Clayton Smith.
O’Neil has accounted for five sacks and 21 defensive stops alone as a run defender and pass rusher, along with 20 pressures on opposing quarterbacks. At 6’3, 245 pounds, O’Neil has incredible athleticism and speed to get around opposing offensive linemen.
On the other side, the second-leading pass rusher for Arizona States is junior Oklahoma transfer Clayton Smith. With 25 pressures and four sacks, Smith adds to the pressure that this Sun Devils defensive front can put on an offensive line.
Linebackers
The linebacking corps is led by fifth-year linebacker Caleb McCullough, who has become a focal point for this defense in the middle of the field.
“I never thought staying here this long, that we would ever be here,” McCullough said. “But it means everything for my final year here at ASU to be a winning season, in the Peach Bowl and in the playoffs… It makes me very happy with my decision.”
At 6’2, 225 pounds, McCullough can use his athleticism in both run defense and also drop back in coverage with two interceptions on the season, and will likely cover Texas tight end Gunnar Helm in any man-to-man coverage. He is fast in the open field and one of the team’s best open field tackles with 53 tackles and only seven misses.
The ASU linebackers move around a lot with assignments in pass rush on the line of scrimmage and even out in man coverage with McCullough remaining steady in the box, leading the team regularly from the middle linebacker position.
Secondary
ASU primarily runs out of nickel sets with five defensive backs on the field. With the talent of this Texas receiving corps, they may run Cover 3 and Cover 2 zones to eliminate any big-play ability and look for easy takeaways. The linebacking corps and secondary as a whole have been sneaky in simulated pressures, as they are more than capable in both the pass rush and dropping back in coverage, which Ewers noted during his media availability.
“They don’t do a lot on first and second down,” Ewers said. “Which means that they’re good at what they do and they’re not going to be out of place and have a bunch of missed assignments. On third down they bait some pressures and then they’ll drop out of it, and that’s the most challenging thing, just seeing when they’re going to pressure and when they’re going to drop back in coverage.
With a multitude of talented linebackers and defensive backs on this team that can rush the passer and drop back, the versatility is the greatest challenge for Ewers and this Texas passing attack heading into the Peach bowl.
Ten of the team’s 15 interceptions have come from the secondary with sophomore defensive back Keith Abney leading the team with three.
The sophomore is the team’s primary outside corner. In man coverage he has allowed a reception percentage of 60 percent against opposing pass catchers. At 5’11, 185 pounds, he has an ability to lock to the hip of speedy receivers in man and has great awareness in zone coverage.
Junior safety Xavion Alford protects the back end for the Sun Devils. At free safety he has allowed a reception rate of 45 percent and has brought in two interceptions. Alford mainly drops back in deep zones as the team’s free safety. He has great play recognition and is able to move to his spot quickly and effectively in disguised looks.
Special Teams
Kicker
The Sun Devils have had struggles with their kicking this season. Sophomore place kicker Ian Hershey handled the kicking duties for the Sun Devils for the majority of the season and certainly struggled at times, going 7-of-12 on field goals this year for a clip of 58.3 percent. He did only missed one extra point this year.
However, Hershey was injured Week 8 and replaced by Carston Keiffer. In the Big 12 championship, Keiffer went 6-f-6 on extra points and sank one field goal from 30-plus yards.
Return game
Former Longhorn Jake Smith handles the kickoff returns, while Melquan Stovall handles the punt returns. Stovall has returned eight punts for 93 yards with a long of 36 yards. Smith has returned 10 kickoffs for 157 yards and a long of 37 yards.
Overview
Skattebo is the obvious main focus Texas going into the Peach Bowl. Plain and simple. With the loss of their No. 1 receiver, the focus will be to shut down their running game and force their redshirt freshman quarterback to beat them through the air.
Texas has one of the best run defenses in the nation and one of the most prolific offenses in the nation. Sarkisian and the Longhorns need to force Leavitt and the Sun Devils to play from behind to get them out of their run-centric routine. They need to force them into third-and-long situations by bottling up Skattebo on first and second down, and force a young quarterback with an average depth of target of 9.6 yards to air it out.
Arizona State is missing their top receiver and have yet to hone in on who will fill Tyson’s shoes. The Horns have shut down rushing attacks like this before and will likely do it again to advance to the semifinals.
On offense, the game plan is simple — run the ball. ASU does not have a big dominant defensive line that can hold this rushing attack. We have seen how Texas can control the pace of games by dominating the time of possession through the run game. Force the defense to start sending six, bring the safeties down, and then air it out over the top. The prototype of this Sun Devils team is one Texas has seen in abundance this season. Time to do it again and get one step closer to the national championship game.