Sights and sounds from Arizona State's Saturday practice

TEMPE- Head coach Kenny Dillingham was pleased to see how the Arizona State Sun Devils looked on Saturday night in Tempe.

From finding the right fit for a starter role at quarterback to continuing to implement new players into the system, what stands out to Dillingham is the Sun Devils' special teams.

"Our special teams battles have been awesome," Dillingham said. "Both of our guys are punting better. We're consistently getting 44- to 48-yard punts and 4.4 or more hang, which is what you want, so that has shown up."

Dillingham was pleased to see how the Sun Devils' running backs showed out but emphasized the offensive linemen's improvements, telling reporters, "We ran the rock successfully; we've gotta get better at some pass protection stuff so we can throw the football."

Sophomore running back Grayson Rigdon caught an 80-yard touchdown reception, with quarterback Mikey Keene recording his second touchdown pass.

"(He's) consistent," Dillingham said of Rigdon. "He brings it every time he gets the ball and does a good job."

Last season, the Sun Devils faced a major setback after losing several key players to injury. Determined to rebound, Arizona State took advantage of the transfer portal to bring in high-impact talent and complemented those additions with a strong freshman class.

These strategic moves have positioned the Sun Devils for a promising new chapter.

When asked about which quarterbacks impressed Dillingham, he said freshman Jake Fette and sixth-year Mikey Keene did outstanding jobs on the field.

"Jake [Fette] had some really nice plays," Dillingham said. "Mikey [Keene] had two TD passes; that was a positive...

He continued, "Cutter [Boley], we had a few sacks; someone made a great play on an INT. A couple of those sacks he can't control and those sacks ruin your down-and-distance. Your drives turn into second and nineteens, and you can't even control it."

Heading into the 2026 season, Keene has the third most starts as a quarterback with 35, especially having played for three different college football programs in his collegiate career.

He grew up in Chandler, Arizona, and played high school football for Chandler High School, where he went undefeated as a starter with a 23-0 record.

"He's just so consistent," Dillingham said of Keene. "He's been consistent all along, so if he continues to play well right now, and I thought he had a good day today."

In less than two weeks, Tempe will come alive as students and fans clad in maroon and gold fill Mountain America Stadium, eagerly anticipating the start of football season.