Arizona State’s running back could pose problems for the Kansas football defense

Kansas football defensive coordinator Brian Borland talked about what the defense needs to fix this week. It got tired and ran out of juice toward the end of the game, giving go-ahead touchdowns in the final two minutes against UNLV and West Virginia. Well, they say good running backs tire out defenses, and the Jayhawks have a lot of work to do when they take on Arizona State on Saturday.

If KU fans don’t know the name Cameron Skattebo yet, they soon will. The Sun Devils’ all-rounder is one of the most versatile players in the country and will undoubtedly pose problems for Borland’s squad.

Skattebo, a graduate of Rio Linda, California, spent the first three years of his college career at Sacramento State. He transferred to ASU after being named the 2022 Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and made an immediate impact a season ago.

Skattebo had one of the best rushing performances of the college football season in Week 2 against Mississippi State. The bell cow back rushed for 262 yards on 33 carries and added three receptions for 33 yards en route to a narrow win. His yardage has declined in the last two contests, but he scored two touchdowns in each of those games.

While most of his production takes place on-site, he can line up anywhere on the gridiron – NFL Swiss Army Knife Taysom Hill serves as a reference. In 2023, he played over 50 snaps at quarterback, two at tight end, over 100 at wide receiver and even turned the ball away eight times for an excellent average of 42.3 yards. Skattebo was a national finalist for the Paul Hornung Award for the most versatile player in the country and has continued that path through ASU’s first four games.

Kansas must devise a defensive plan aimed at minimizing the impact of Skattebo, whose presence will be felt all over the field. If KU can contain Arizona State’s rushing attack and get them into passing situations, they have a good chance of coming away with a road win in Tempe.