"ASU football rivalry lesson for Kenny Dillingham's offseason"

Kenny Dillingham’s Sun Devils roots included watching the annual Territory Cup football game on Thanksgiving weekend. Even as a coach, Dillingham always tried to watch the game live or record it wherever he was in the country.

The Sun Devils’ head coach believes it’s important for his team to understand the intrastate rivalry, and to that end, he plans to set up information sessions that educate the new players about Arizona’s most bitter sports rivalry: ASU vs. this South school.

“I definitely feel like we’re going to educate people in this transfer portal era about the importance of this game,” Dillingham said.

“And one thing we’re going to start doing is … educational events in the offseason about this rivalry, rather than having to do them the week of the game and distracting guys from the real thing, which is playing.” Smart, hard, take care of the football and take care of the team.”

This week’s Territory Cup lesson will be taught by a former ASU player. This person has yet to be identified but is asked to speak to the team.

Going forward, new Sun Devils from other states will learn about the rivalry with Arizona and why it matters to so many shortly after they arrive in Tempe and before the start of next season.

That’s Dillingham’s hope. He was asked what he would include in a Territorial Cup tutorial for new players.

“To be honest, we’re in the same state,” he said. “This is a rivalry, this is the first step. Not every rivalry is domestic.”

“Second, many (Arizona) alumni live in the same community as our alumni. It’s not like state borders, it’s almost like brother-sister because you all live together. Everyone lives in the same valley. ,Where are you?’ to go to school?’ Usually one of these two options is probably the answer.”

Dillingham said the rivalry runs deep because of the close-knit fan base.

The other part of a quick lesson? “We got a kick in the butt last year,” Dillingham said. “That’s what I would really focus on if I really explained it.”

ASU lost 59-23 at home to the Wildcats last season and Arizona leads the all-time series 51-44 with a tie.

Most ASU players say they know something about the rivalry but that informative sessions about it would be beneficial for everyone, both new and returning players.

“There are a lot of good details (about the game) that we as players would know,” said ASU linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, who transferred from New Mexico State before this season. “This game means a lot to a lot of people and the public.”

“After playing this first game against them, I think I will have a better understanding of why there is so much love and hate between the two of them.”

Saturday’s Territorial Cup is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. MST on Saturday.

“It brings the intensity,” defensive tackle CJ Fite said. “With the portal, people who aren’t from here and don’t know about the rivalry might not treat it the same way.”

Fite, from Texas, is in his second season at ASU. He said he didn’t know anything about the Territorial Cup when he came to Tempe, but since then older teammates have talked to him about it and he read from a book about the rivalry that ASU assistant coach Matt Butterfield gave him.

Butterfield is in his second term on the ASU staff and is a Scottsdale native.

ASU backup quarterback Trenton Bourguet knew about the rivalry his entire life growing up in Tucson. He also appeared in the game.

“I just told them it’s going to be a fight no matter what our record is, their record,” Bourguet said. “Growing up watching these games, I always remembered that no matter what the records were or who was ranked higher, this and that, it was a battle.”

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

“ASU football rivalry lesson for Kenny Dillingham’s offseason”

Leave a Reply Cancel reply