TEMPE – The Sun Devil Football program will be featured at Big 12 Football Media Days on Tuesday, July 9 in Las Vegas inside Allegiant Stadium.
Running back Cam Skattebo, offensive lineman Leif Fautanu, defensive back Xavion Alford, and defensive lineman Clayton Smith will represent Arizona State along with head coach Kenny Dillingham.
Arizona State will be making their debut at Big 12 Media Days as they enter the conference this fall. Eight of the teams will spend Tuesday previewing the 2024 season with local, regional and national media.
LOCAL OUTLETS COVERING THE SUN DEVILS IN LAS VEGAS
AZ Central
ASU News
Locked on Sun Devils
ABC 15 (KNXV)
SportsAZ360.com
Sun Devil Source
Arizona PBS/Cronkite News
CBS 5 (KPHO)
GoPHNX.com
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Sun Devil Radio Network
Devils Digest
NBC 12 (KPNX)
Cam Skattebo, Running Back
Finalist for the Paul Hornung Award for the nation's most versatile player after doing a little of everything last season, recording over 50 snaps at quarterback, over 350 at running back, two at tight end, over 100 as either a slot receiver or wide wide receiver, three on kick return and over five on punt coverage...Also punted eight times for a team-best 42.3 yards per punt on eight punts, none of which were returned - one of just three punters in the country with 8+ punts in the country to lay such a claim - and three punts over 50 yards...10th among all active FBS AND FCS running backs entering 2024 with 2,681 career rushing yards while his 6.4 yards is tied for fourth in that group. (min. 300 carries)...Forced 150 career missed tackles on rushing plays, 5th among active FBS/FCS halfbacks while his 0.38 missed tackles forced per rushing attempt are third (min. 300 attempts) entering 2024...Forced 57 last season on rushing plays, 3rd among FBS running backs. His 69 overall missed tackles forced on offense were 21st among all FBS running backs...Rushed for a first down or touchdown on 37.2 percent of his career carries, tops among all active FBS/FCS backs (min. 300 attempts) entering 2024. His 29.9 percent 1D/TD percentage this season was Top-45 in the FBS...Stuffed for no gain or a loss on just 8.9 percent of his career carries, good for the third-lowest tally among all active backs at both levels (min. 300 attempts). His 10.5 percent stuff rate last season was 14th among FBS running backs this year...Currently averaging 3.9 yards after contact per career rush - tied for sixth among all active FBS/FCS backs...Posted three games with over 100 yards last season (Arizona, Washington State, USC), giving him 13 for his career...His 66-yard scamper in the third quarter was the first time a Sun Devil had a 50+ yard rush since Jayden Daniels ran for 51-yards on a play Oct. 8, 2021 in a victory over Stanford. It was the longest by a running back since Rachaad White had a 93-yard run in the 70-7 victory over Arizona back on 2021. It was also the longest rush of Skattebo's career.
Leif Fautanu, Offensive Line
Named ASU's offensive MVP and earned Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades...Played 2,657 career snaps, the third-most snaps among active players heading into the 2024 season behind only NMSU's Canaan Yaro (2,816) and Texas' Jake Majors (2,707)...Started all 12 games for the Sun Devils, playing every single snap of the season for the team at center (851)...Finished with the fifth-best pass-blocking score among centers in the Pac-12 (78.7) - a total good for 29th in the country among all centers (min. 500 snaps)...It will be the second-best grade of any returning player in the Big 12 this season...His overall offensive grade of 69.3 will be third among returning Big 12 centers entering the 2024 season...Credited with allowing just two sacks all season by Pro Football Focus and only three QB hits...Named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week following ASU's win over Washington State...Arizona State's offense racked up 509 total yards (274 passing and 235 rushing) with Fautanu and the offensive line leading the way. It is the first time the Sun Devils have eclipsed 250 passing yards and 200 rushing yards (234) in the same game since a victory over No. 15 Utah Nov. 3, 2018 (285 passing, 251 rushing)... Arizona State finished with 235 yards and five touchdowns on the ground...The five rushing touchdowns as a team were the most since ASU ran for six in a victory over Southern Utah in the 2021 season opener... It was the most in a FBS game since the Sun Devils ran for six in a victory over Oregon State in the 2020 season finale. It was one of only 16 times since 1996 that ASU has ran for five or more touchdowns in a game...Fautanu did not allow a single pressure according to PFF in that game and was also the 15th-highest graded center in the nation according to PFF.
Xavian Alford, Defensive Back
Was forced to sit out the season due to NCAA's two-time transfer rules - which were inevitably lifted later in the '23-24 athletics campaign...Proved to be an invaluable resource on ASU's scout team as a result, giving the Sun Devils a proven D1 talent to practice against on offense...Missed the 2022 season at USC due to injuries...Transferred to USC from Texas in the spring of 2021 and saw significant playing time at strong safety and on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2021… Overall in 2021 while appearing in 11 games (all but California) and starting twice (UCLA and BYU), he made 31 tackles, a team-best 3 interceptions and 3 deflections and earned USC's 2021 Co-Defensive Perimeter Player of the Year Award...Appeared in 4 games (UTEP, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Kansas State) as a first-year freshman reserve safety at Texas in 2020, recording 4 tackles.
Clayton Smith, Defensive Line
Played in nine games for the the Sun Devils, primarily as a pass rush specialist with 217 of his 402 total snaps...Recorded a QB pressure on 14.8 percent of his 217 pass rush snaps on the season, eighth among Pac-12 edge defenders with at least 200 pass rush snaps and finishing with 32 total on the season...Recorded 21 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks with a pass defended...Appeared in four games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 with five tackles and 1.0 TFL at Oklahoma…Played in four games and totaled three tackles as a true freshman in 2021 with a 0.5 tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in his debut season for the Sooners.
HOW TO WATCH
The Big 12 Media Day show will air on ESPNU and ESPN+ on Tuesday from 10 AM – 2 PM on Tuesday with ESPN personalities Kris Budden, Brock Osweiler, Andre Ware and Hannah Wing on set for the show.
Dillingham will appear on the show at 12:20 PM MST with Skattebo on at 12:35 PM MST. All coaches press conferences will also air directly on ESPN+ from 10 AM – 1:35 PM with Dillingham coming on stage at 12:40 PM PT.
FOLLOW SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage during Big 12 Media Days on social media through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
Running back Cam Skattebo, offensive lineman Leif Fautanu, defensive back Xavion Alford, and defensive lineman Clayton Smith will represent Arizona State along with head coach Kenny Dillingham.
Arizona State will be making their debut at Big 12 Media Days as they enter the conference this fall. Eight of the teams will spend Tuesday previewing the 2024 season with local, regional and national media.
Vegas inbound ??#ForksUp /// #ActivateTheValley pic.twitter.com/VYrIxIGu2h
— Sun Devil Football (@ASUFootball) July 8, 2024
LOCAL OUTLETS COVERING THE SUN DEVILS IN LAS VEGAS
AZ Central
ASU News
Locked on Sun Devils
ABC 15 (KNXV)
SportsAZ360.com
Sun Devil Source
Arizona PBS/Cronkite News
CBS 5 (KPHO)
GoPHNX.com
Arizona Sports 98.7 FM
Sun Devil Radio Network
Devils Digest
NBC 12 (KPNX)
Cam Skattebo, Running Back
Finalist for the Paul Hornung Award for the nation's most versatile player after doing a little of everything last season, recording over 50 snaps at quarterback, over 350 at running back, two at tight end, over 100 as either a slot receiver or wide wide receiver, three on kick return and over five on punt coverage...Also punted eight times for a team-best 42.3 yards per punt on eight punts, none of which were returned - one of just three punters in the country with 8+ punts in the country to lay such a claim - and three punts over 50 yards...10th among all active FBS AND FCS running backs entering 2024 with 2,681 career rushing yards while his 6.4 yards is tied for fourth in that group. (min. 300 carries)...Forced 150 career missed tackles on rushing plays, 5th among active FBS/FCS halfbacks while his 0.38 missed tackles forced per rushing attempt are third (min. 300 attempts) entering 2024...Forced 57 last season on rushing plays, 3rd among FBS running backs. His 69 overall missed tackles forced on offense were 21st among all FBS running backs...Rushed for a first down or touchdown on 37.2 percent of his career carries, tops among all active FBS/FCS backs (min. 300 attempts) entering 2024. His 29.9 percent 1D/TD percentage this season was Top-45 in the FBS...Stuffed for no gain or a loss on just 8.9 percent of his career carries, good for the third-lowest tally among all active backs at both levels (min. 300 attempts). His 10.5 percent stuff rate last season was 14th among FBS running backs this year...Currently averaging 3.9 yards after contact per career rush - tied for sixth among all active FBS/FCS backs...Posted three games with over 100 yards last season (Arizona, Washington State, USC), giving him 13 for his career...His 66-yard scamper in the third quarter was the first time a Sun Devil had a 50+ yard rush since Jayden Daniels ran for 51-yards on a play Oct. 8, 2021 in a victory over Stanford. It was the longest by a running back since Rachaad White had a 93-yard run in the 70-7 victory over Arizona back on 2021. It was also the longest rush of Skattebo's career.
Leif Fautanu, Offensive Line
Named ASU's offensive MVP and earned Pac-12 All-Conference Honorable Mention accolades...Played 2,657 career snaps, the third-most snaps among active players heading into the 2024 season behind only NMSU's Canaan Yaro (2,816) and Texas' Jake Majors (2,707)...Started all 12 games for the Sun Devils, playing every single snap of the season for the team at center (851)...Finished with the fifth-best pass-blocking score among centers in the Pac-12 (78.7) - a total good for 29th in the country among all centers (min. 500 snaps)...It will be the second-best grade of any returning player in the Big 12 this season...His overall offensive grade of 69.3 will be third among returning Big 12 centers entering the 2024 season...Credited with allowing just two sacks all season by Pro Football Focus and only three QB hits...Named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week and Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week following ASU's win over Washington State...Arizona State's offense racked up 509 total yards (274 passing and 235 rushing) with Fautanu and the offensive line leading the way. It is the first time the Sun Devils have eclipsed 250 passing yards and 200 rushing yards (234) in the same game since a victory over No. 15 Utah Nov. 3, 2018 (285 passing, 251 rushing)... Arizona State finished with 235 yards and five touchdowns on the ground...The five rushing touchdowns as a team were the most since ASU ran for six in a victory over Southern Utah in the 2021 season opener... It was the most in a FBS game since the Sun Devils ran for six in a victory over Oregon State in the 2020 season finale. It was one of only 16 times since 1996 that ASU has ran for five or more touchdowns in a game...Fautanu did not allow a single pressure according to PFF in that game and was also the 15th-highest graded center in the nation according to PFF.
Xavian Alford, Defensive Back
Was forced to sit out the season due to NCAA's two-time transfer rules - which were inevitably lifted later in the '23-24 athletics campaign...Proved to be an invaluable resource on ASU's scout team as a result, giving the Sun Devils a proven D1 talent to practice against on offense...Missed the 2022 season at USC due to injuries...Transferred to USC from Texas in the spring of 2021 and saw significant playing time at strong safety and on special teams as a redshirt freshman in 2021… Overall in 2021 while appearing in 11 games (all but California) and starting twice (UCLA and BYU), he made 31 tackles, a team-best 3 interceptions and 3 deflections and earned USC's 2021 Co-Defensive Perimeter Player of the Year Award...Appeared in 4 games (UTEP, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, Kansas State) as a first-year freshman reserve safety at Texas in 2020, recording 4 tackles.
Clayton Smith, Defensive Line
Played in nine games for the the Sun Devils, primarily as a pass rush specialist with 217 of his 402 total snaps...Recorded a QB pressure on 14.8 percent of his 217 pass rush snaps on the season, eighth among Pac-12 edge defenders with at least 200 pass rush snaps and finishing with 32 total on the season...Recorded 21 tackles with 5.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks with a pass defended...Appeared in four games as a redshirt freshman in 2022 with five tackles and 1.0 TFL at Oklahoma…Played in four games and totaled three tackles as a true freshman in 2021 with a 0.5 tackle for loss and a fumble recovery in his debut season for the Sooners.
HOW TO WATCH
The Big 12 Media Day show will air on ESPNU and ESPN+ on Tuesday from 10 AM – 2 PM on Tuesday with ESPN personalities Kris Budden, Brock Osweiler, Andre Ware and Hannah Wing on set for the show.
Dillingham will appear on the show at 12:20 PM MST with Skattebo on at 12:35 PM MST. All coaches press conferences will also air directly on ESPN+ from 10 AM – 1:35 PM with Dillingham coming on stage at 12:40 PM PT.
FOLLOW SUN DEVIL FOOTBALL ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow along with behind the scenes content and coverage during Big 12 Media Days on social media through Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.