Arizona State came out of London with more than a win over Kansas. The Sun Devils also brought home a pair of Big 12 weekly honors after junior linebacker Owen Long and senior wide receiver Jaren Hamilton were recognized Monday.
Long was named Big 12 Co-Defensive Player of the Week after stuffing the stat sheet in ASU’s 24-17 Union Jack Classic victory. He finished with 12 tackles, plus an interception, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. Hamilton earned Big 12 Co-Special teams Player of the Week after taking the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown.
That kind of production didn’t exactly surprise Kenny Dillingham. The head coach pointed to Long’s track record after the game and made it clear the linebacker’s impact has been obvious from the start.
"I mean, he led the country in tackles last year, so you know, I'm probably going to go see him and be like, 'Yep, that's just another day, right?'" head coach Kenny Dillingham about Long said with a chuckle following the performance.
"Like, that's what you did last year. That's what you're doing this year.
Like, he led the country in tackles."
Long, who transferred in from Colorado State, now has 25 tackles through ASU’s first three games. That total includes 12 solo stops and 13 assisted tackles. After leading the nation in tackles last season with the Rams, he’s already become a central piece of the Sun Devils’ defense in Tempe.
Dillingham said Long’s game goes beyond the raw numbers.
"People get so wrapped up in size and speed, and all that stuff is really important," Dillingham said. "You need it.
But at the end of the day, like when you get it on the football field, some people have the instincts to make plays. And he's one of those guys that have the instinct to make plays.
And he's one of those guys that he prepares at such a high level that he's a step ahead of everybody. And I think that's showing up."
ASU’s defense as a unit had a strong day against Kansas, forcing three turnovers and shutting down all three of the Jayhawks’ fourth-down tries. The result was a steady stream of favorable field position for the offense.
"Our defense as a whole played great. I've known all camp that I think it's going to be one of the better defenses we've had here," Dillingham said. "They did an unbelievable job creating takeaways, stopping the run early, and we just got to continue to play good football defense."
Hamilton’s return was a rare burst of special teams fireworks for the Sun Devils. It was the first kickoff return touchdown by an ASU player since D.J. Taylor opened the Territorial Cup in 2020 during ASU’s 70-7 win.
Arizona State now heads into its bye week after the overseas trip, and the timing comes before a demanding run of nine games in nine weeks. Dillingham said the break will be about recovering and resetting after the travel.
"We're off for three days, practice two days, and off another three," Dillingham said. "Like coaches, players, I mean, this is a fun, awesome trip, awesome experience that we're blessed to be a part of.
But I'm tired. Our players are going to be tired when we get home.
We need to go get back accustomed to our time zone. We need to go get some rest, leading into a nine-week stretch."
In Other News...
ASU's Hidden Edge Took Over In A Historic Win Over Kansas
Arizona States trip to Wembley Stadium turned into more than just a postcard win over Kansas. The Sun Devils left London with a 24-17 victory in the Union Jack Classic, and a big reason why was the part of the roster that often gets overlooked. Special teams had a major hand in the outcome, directly accounting for 20 of the 41 points scored and swinging momentum with timely field position and a return game that kept Kansas on its heels.
Jaren Hamiltons 100-yard kick return touchdown was the play that jumped off the stat sheet, but it was only part of a broader effort that Kenny Dillingham singled out afterward. The ASU coach also pointed to punter Nick McLarty as a key piece of the performance, a reminder that games overseas can hinge on hidden yards as much as offense and defense. For a Sun Devils team chasing every edge it can find, that phase of the game may have been the difference on one of the programs most memorable stages. [Read more 🡒]
ASU Just Built The Kind Of Weekend Sun Devil Fans Crave
Arizona State spent the weekend stacking together the kind of results that can change the mood around a program in a hurry. The football team moved to 2-1 with a 24-17 win over Kansas at Wembley Stadium in the Union Jack Classic, leaning on a defense that forced three turnovers and helped linebacker Owen Long pick up Big 12 defensive player of the week honors. Across campus, the good news kept rolling as soccer opened Big 12 play with a 3-1 win over Utah behind junior forward Kierra Blundells two goals.
Volleyball may have delivered the loudest statement of all, sweeping No. 8 Stanford at the SLO Classic to extend its win streak to four and climb back into the top 10 nationally. For Sun Devil fans, it was the kind of all-sports weekend that feels bigger than the individual scorelines, a stretch where each program found a way to add to the same sense of momentum. [Read more 🡒]