Cam Skattebo raced to the end zone one more time at Mountain America Stadium, energizing the Arizona State student section. This time, the roars came under different circumstances.
Arizona State’s 2024 All-American running back returned to Tempe to serve as the Territorial Cup’s honorary captain in ASU’s game against Arizona Friday. He had his right leg on a scooter to protect his injured ankle, but his left leg pushed hard to reach the end zone. He wore his ASU jersey and a silver pendant with a giant “S.”
“Great to see him, everybody loves Skat,” coach Kenny Dillingham said. “Skat was a big piece of this team last year. He’s a big piece of Arizona State and will be moving forward.”
Last season, Skattebo ran for 177 yards and three touchdowns to propel the Sun Devils to the Big 12 title game.
The New York Giants running back has continued to make a name for himself in the Big Apple after a strong start to his rookie season. Skattebo had scored seven touchdowns in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury.
Skattebo was embraced throughout the game, and even had Sparky in Giants’ red, white and blue, the same colors of the Wildcats. The mascot wasn’t the only one. Skattebo’s Giants jerseys stood out in the sea of gold throughout the stands.
“Coming out and here and having all these people support me even across the country, I realized it’s home,” Skattebo said on Fox 10 news. “Being the honorary captain and coming home and feeling the support got me a little emotional. It’s all been awesome.”
Skattebo also said “everything is going good” with his recovery.
“We’re taking the right steps everyday to get better and that’s what matters – we don’t put a timeframe on anything. We’re just going to continue to work until I’m ready.”
It’s obvious what Arizona State is building and the trajectory is continuing upward, Skattebo said. As one of the pioneers of the program’s turnaround, he said he will always cherish his time in Tempe.
The ASU legend’s return is a testament to the culture Dillingham has built. After the 23-7 loss to Arizona, linebacker Jordan Crook reflect on what makes Arizona State unique.
“We can walk into the facility and talk to anybody, walk into any office, any coach. You can sit down and laugh, and just talk to them. It’s not like that everywhere.”
Skattebo and many others, especially those honored on senior night, have left or are leaving the program while leaving a lasting impact, Dillingham said.
“This (senior class) right here, they changed the organization,” he said “It’s pretty cool. They changed an organization. How many people in life can say they changed an organization? A lot of people can join an organization, but a lot of people can’t change it. That takes a special group of people. And these guys have done it.”
ASU honored 28 seniors, including eight members of the Pat Tillman Leadership Council, four all-conference players and one All-American.
Many of them transferred to Tempe when the program was at one of the lowest points in its history, considering the bowl ban and years of limited success. Still, they believed in Dillingham, and he believed in them as they “Activated the Valley.”
Over the past two seasons, the Sun Devils are 19-7 with a Big 12 championship and six victories against ranked teams. With it upcoming bowl game, ASU has the chance to secure its 20th win. It’s something the program has not done in a two-year span since 2012-2013.
“I love these kids,” Dillingham said. “These kids really set an identity here. I think the city should remember them for that and be proud that they have activated the Valley. They really have, and it is only the beginning.”
The impact on the Sun Devils fan base will be felt for years, and it is already showing. During Dillingham’s press conference ahead of the Territorial Cup, he spoke about the significance of Skattebo’s return.
“It’s what college football is supposed to be about,” Dillingham said. “You should graduate from a school and have a passion about that place and come back to that place and feel like you’re at home. For him to come back and feel like he’s at home is just awesome.”
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