ATLANTA — Arizona State just isn’t missing confidence heading into the College Football Playoff quarterfinal recreation in opposition to Texas within the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl, notably in terms of the Sun Devils’ two finest offensive gamers.
“There’s no person on the market that may cease me,” working again Cam Skattebo mentioned throughout Monday’s media day availability.
Sam Leavitt, in the meantime, stood behind feedback he made that he’s going to show he’s the higher quarterback in Wednesday’s recreation.
Skattebo, who completed No. 5 in Heisman Trophy voting, was requested repeatedly about dealing with the No. 1 protection within the nation and the way he’d be affected by the Longhorns’ plan to attempt to cease him.
“They proceed to maintain saying that individuals are going to attempt to cease me,” Skattebo mentioned. “There’s no person on the market that may cease me. We performed in 13 video games, and I’ve been the goal on every one, so I’m not too anxious. We’re going to play our recreation and play ball and see what occurs there.
“If they’re finding out onerous, there is a cause. I’ve full respect for them, as a result of they perceive what they’re enjoying in opposition to, and that is why I really like enjoying in video games like this, as a result of they continuously have a look at me as a risk, and that is one thing I’ve all the time wished to be. And if I’m a risk on the soccer discipline in opposition to an SEC crew that was the runner-up to win their convention, then I feel I’m in a reasonably good place.”
Skattebo had a breakthrough senior season, speeding for 1,568 yards and 19 touchdowns whereas catching 37 passes for 506 yards and three touchdowns. He was not invited to New York to attend the Heisman ceremony, nonetheless, and as an alternative watched it along with his girlfriend.
“I used to be like, we received greater plans. There’s nonetheless extra objectives to realize,” Skattebo mentioned. “I used to be a bit upset, however I’m not too anxious.”
Arizona State offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo mentioned dealing with this Texas protection would be the largest problem for his offense up to now.
“We have not performed in opposition to a protection like this,” Arroyo mentioned. “They’re good from prime to backside. This is the very best protection in faculty soccer proper now, however to know what our guys are going to do in opposition to them within the matchups — we have to be affected person, we have to search out our spots. You’ve received to be disciplined as a result of you’ll be able to’t go off script with this group. They’ll create adverse performs. They will not permit these additional yards that you simply assume you will discover elsewhere.”
Skattebo mentioned the Sun Devils’ dimension and physicality is the important thing.
“We can outweigh them a bit bit at instances,” Skattebo mentioned. “And if we proceed to do this and be extra bodily than them, I feel this recreation would go our manner for positive.”
Leavitt, in the meantime, mentioned Saturday that he was trying ahead to squaring off in opposition to the Longhorns’ Quinn Ewers and proving “why I’m the higher quarterback.”
Those feedback went viral, one thing Leavitt seen himself when he checked out his cellphone.
“Cool,” Leavitt mentioned of the response. “You know, get my title out on the stage a bit bit extra. I do not really feel like publicity is unhealthy, particularly in case you’re not saying something.
“… It’s simply a chance for me to go show myself. … I hope that each participant on the sphere feels that they are the very best. That’s the way it must be. You put all this work in and get to this stage. So why would you not imagine that your self?”
Leavitt, a redshirt freshman, transferred to Arizona State from Michigan State and has emerged as one of many prime younger quarterbacks within the nation. In his previous six video games, he has thrown 16 landing passes and only one interception.
“We’ve received a quarterback who believes he is actually, actually good, is among the finest within the nation — if not the very best within the nation,” Arroyo mentioned. “Believes he’ll play on Sundays. Believes in every thing he does. It’s when the microphone was in entrance of him that he received an opportunity to let everyone know that, and that is OK.
“He tells us that on a regular basis. We already knew that. It’s not a shock to us. It simply makes for good dialog matters. I guess Quinn says the identical factor, as a result of these are the quarterbacks which might be on this place more often than not. They have this uncanny perception in themselves on a regular basis.”
