Kansas coach Lance Leipold spent Monday sizing up Arizona State from afar, and the message was clear: the Sun Devils showed plenty in their loss at Texas A&M, and Kansas is expecting a serious test in London.
Leipold said he and his staff watched parts of ASU’s game live and came away impressed by how the Sun Devils handled themselves against the Aggies. He pointed to the way Arizona State battled “toe-to-toe” with Texas A&M, noting that the stat line suggested they were strong in a lot of areas even though second-half turnovers, especially in the fourth quarter, helped swing the outcome.
“They’re very talented, very similar to us. Second-half turnovers, especially for them, in the fourth quarter.
They (ASU) played toe-to-toe with them (A&M). You look at the stat line, they outplayed them in a lot of areas and played extremely well.
They’re disappointed in those things, but I’m sure they came out of it with a lot of confidence. They can play with a lot of people in the country and will be a force in the Big 12 this year.”
Leipold also dug into what makes Arizona State dangerous on offense. He called the unit “pretty dynamic,” highlighted the transfer quarterback, Boley, and praised Reed Harris, the 6-foot-5 wide receiver who “made a ton of plays.” He also singled out Miller as another transfer who “does a great job.”
On the other side of the ball, Leipold said Kansas will have to be ready for a variety of looks from defensive coordinator Brian Ward. He called Ward an excellent coach and said he’s known him for a long time. Leipold also had strong words for Kenny Dillingham, calling him “one of the best coaches in the country” and pointing back to the run that took Arizona State from being picked to finish last in the conference to a championship and the College Football Playoff.
He added that Kansas had a real chance in its 2024 trip to Tempe, saying the Jayhawks were right there until a fake punt and a few missed stops allowed Arizona State to finish the job.
“Again, our players have seen that when we execute at our better level, we can play with anybody in the country, and we’ll need that type of performance on Saturday.”
Kansas’ travel plans are packed, with the Jayhawks practicing Tuesday before lifting in the afternoon and heading to the airport. They’ll fly out of Topeka and arrive in London on Wednesday morning, then take a bus to the hotel, go through a light shake-out practice, and try to stay on a normal sleep schedule.
Leipold said the staff has already done plenty of homework on international travel, talking with people who study it and getting guidance on sleep and body-clock management. He said there’s no single answer on whether teams should head overseas early or late, calling it “kind of a mixed bag.”
He also said the trip carries a bigger meaning for players who may not fully appreciate the moment until afterward. Still, he hopes they understand they’re part of something rare.
“Sometimes in this age group, they don’t understand the opportunity to make history until after the fact. I think hopefully they’ll see it, and as they see a different country and experience different things and whatnot, they take that in and have a lot of pride about it. When they take the field, they’ll have greater opportunities to do something special.”
Arizona State and Kansas will kick off at 5:00 p.m. London time, which is 9:00 a.m. MST in Arizona, on Saturday, September 19, on FS1.
In Other News...
Cam Skattebo Brought Back His Wildest Trademark And Fans Are Torn
Cam Skattebo wasted no time reminding everyone why he has been one of the more entertaining personalities to follow, even as he worked his way back from a severe right ankle dislocation. On Sunday Night Football, the former Arizona State standout scored a touchdown for the New York Giants and punctuated it with the backflip celebration that has become his trademark, a moment he said he had already planned before the game.
The reaction fit the profile of a player whose style has always invited both admiration and concern. Giants head coach John Harbaugh has already talked publicly about Skattebos backflips and agreed to limit them during training camp, and Skattebo later suggested he will probably steer clear of the celebration for the rest of the season. For now, though, the move served as a reminder that even after a serious injury, he is still willing to bring a little chaos to the end zone. [Read more 🡒]