Analyst Names Arizona State X-Factor

The Arizona State Sun Devils are now roughly six weeks away from opening a 2025 season that has already been met with extensive attention - year three of the Kenny Dillingham era will be unlike anything that has been seen in Tempe in years.

The Sun Devils bring back every coordinator, position coach, and 17 starting players from the team that won the Big 12 a season ago - that leaves the roster with as few holes at possible heading into the season, but that doesn't mean question marks are completely absent.

Bill Connelly of ESPN selected the biggest X-factor tied to the 2025 Sun Devils' success - and it was a spot that ended up being a major roadblock for the previous season's squad.

The x-factor was none other than the wide receiver group for Hines Ward that will look to improve off of what was put out last season for the preseason 12th-ranked Sun Devils.

More below:

X factor: Wide receivers beyond Jordyn Tyson

"Despite sitting out the last two games of the season, Tyson caught 75 passes in 2024. All other Arizona State wide receivers combined for 61 receptions. It was certainly impressive that the Sun Devils managed two great performances at the end of the season without Tyson, but the limitations of the ASU receiving corps ramped up the degree of difficulty for quarterback Sam Leavitt and do-everything running back Cam Skattebo."

"With Skattebo now in the NFL, some combination of receivers Malik McClain and Derek Eusebio, and incoming transfers Jalen Moss(Fresno State),Noble Johnson(Clemson) and Jaren Hamilton(Alabama) will need to come up big to make sure Leavitt and Tyson have the help they need."

The 2025 Arizona State offense appears to be much more pass-happy compared to last season - and understandably so.

Leavitt enters the season as one of many serious Heisman Trophy hopefuls, while Tyson is among the best wideouts in the nation, and Chamon Metayer is an All-Big 12 caliber tight end.

Marcus Arroyo is one of the more accomplished offensive coordinators in college football as well - Ward's proven track record in just a year on the job in Tempe should add to the new group fully breaking out as a strong one as well.

It remains to be seen what the true ceiling of the supporting group that is headlined by Moss and Hamilton will be, but the outlook does appear to be more optimistic compared to 2024.

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