Questions about the direction of the quarterback position will be running rampant in Tempe.
The Sun Devils suffered another disheartening loss in Big 12 play, falling to 3-3 on the season and 1-2 in conference — getting blown out 53-25 by defending conference champions Texas Tech Red Raiders at Galaxy Stadium. Starting junior quarterback Cutter Boley was benched for journeyman sixth-year quarterback Mikey Keene following the first half.
"There was a spark there," coach Kenny Dillingham said on Keene's entrance into the game, per Brad Denny. "We moved the football; we were efficient."
"I'm going to assess all personnel after I watch the tape," Dillingham added about the future of the quarterback and other positional groups.
Boley connected with sophomore wide receiver Raiden Vines-Bright for a 74-yard touchdown near the end of the first quarter after ASU had already fallen behind 21-0.
Subtracting the massive touchdown play, Boley finished his shortened start 5-for-10 for 124 yards and two interceptions, including a pick-six on his first passing play of the game.
The returned interception for the touchdown came almost immediately after the Sun Devils forced a fumble at the two-yard line to prevent an opening Red Raider score.
From then on, nothing was stopping the Texas Tech train as they scored in their next seven drives. The Red Raiders punted once and finished the game scoring on nine of 12 drives.
"I saw a team come out and punch us in the mouth and then we didn't really respond too well," Keene said per DevilsDigest.
Keene in relief ran a short, quick game style of passing and moved the ball more effectively in the second half for ASU.
The Chandler native ended the day with 256 passing yards and two touchdowns.
Texas Tech junior running back J'Koby Williams ran all over the ASU front, averaging 15 yards per carry, finishing with 165 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Junior quarterback Will Hammond threw for 232 yards and a touchdown; he also had a touchdown on the ground.
Freshman running back Cardae Mack's breakout game against Hawaii appeared to have him poised to take on a bigger load of carries.
READ MORE: A step forward up front: ASU offense rebounds from loss
ASU's offensive coordinator, Marcus Arroyo continued to go with a running back by committee against Texas Tech.
Sixth-year Marquis Gillis had eight carries, Mack had seven and senior Kyson Brown had five.
The trio combined for only 95 yards as the unit and the offensive line's struggles mounted.
"There's nobody (that's) magically going to come save us," Dillingham said per Brad Denny. "We have to look at it as a staff and say, 'OK, where are we getting beat?'"
Dillingham and staff are still in search of the right group of guys up front to "continuously make plays."
In his first action of the season, senior wide receiver Derek Eusebio led the way in catches with seven for 89 yards. Senior wide receiver Reed Harris brought in another touchdown, a part of his seven reception and 63-yard day.
A lone bright spot defensively for ASU was sophomore defensive back Jessiah McGrew, who forced the opening-drive fumble and finished with 14 total tackles.
The Sun Devils face their biggest test of adversity in the Dillingham era, being .500 at the midseason point. With six weeks left and no bye weeks to regroup, ASU must find answers quickly to prevent the season from spiraling out of control.
"We do all this s--- in the summer, work our a---- off the entire summer to earn 12 opportunities," Keene said per DevilsDigest. "But that doesn't mean that we get to earn that opportunity; we have to go out and take it."
The maroon and gold return home Oct. 24 to take on Kansas State.
Edited by Char O'Neil and Emilio Alvarado.
Reach the reporter at eapache3@asu.edu and follow @EricPachecoasu on X.
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Eric Pacheco is a senior studying sports journalism. This is his third semester with The State Press. He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the Riverside City College student newspaper Viewpoints.
