The Arizona State Sun Devils took to the practice field for the first time this fall, and the news was that there was actually no new news.
There was speculation that a player or two, who were thought to have exhausted their eligibility, might show up only after the court ruling in Colorado granting athletes who started their college career in 2022 an additional year.
ASU had several players to whom that applies, most notably safety Myles "Ghost" Rowser and defensive lineman Jacob Kongaika, both key players the last two seasons. Still, there were no surprises as coach Kenny Dillingham's team hit the Kajikawa practice fields on Aug. 5 under cloudy skies, the 96-degree temperature a reprieve from the triple digits of the last week.
The Colorado court
ruling late last week raised questions for many athletic programs.
Does ASU have room on its roster to add a player? It's hard to tell. The team has 107 players, but a few of those land in the "designated student-athlete" tag, which was previously referred to as a walk-on. Those do not count toward the 105-player limit.
Dillingham hinted at a player who might be added to the mix but did not divulge a name.
"For us, we got our team. We only have 105 guys we can put on scholarship," he said. "We're at our number, for the most part. We got one dude who's kind of in flux. We'll see what happens there. He'll be here if things work out. So we're pretty much at our number from that perspective. And we have our team. Let's go play football."
Dillingham didn't say whether the player to whom he was referring might be a returner or a transfer portal acquisition.
"Just for the respect of the kid," Dillingham said. "He's working to get here. There's a dynamic we can't control and hopefully it happens."
Dillingham, now entering his fourth year, was asked if it is hard to prepare, given how quickly the landscape is being changed by court cases.
"Yep. Yes, no, yes," said Dillingham, never known to be short on words.
"You just don't know. You already have your roster filled; guys are going to come back. Do they count towards the cap? Do they not? If they do, are we going to cut somebody? Well, that kid can't transfer either. So, like for us, we've got our team. We know who we've got, and we're rolling."
Dillingham was asked about his quarterbacks but didn't read much into the first day. Cutter Boley, the player who looks to be the leader of the group, threw an interception with LSU transfer Ashton Stamps, making one of the better plays on the day in 7-on-7 action. Several players who missed spring practices with minor ailments returned, including wide receiver Derek Eusebio, who had foot surgery after last season.
"No pads on. It's Day 1, Fake Football," he said.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Kenny Dillingham hints at player addition as ASU football camp opens
