Moore: Territorial Cup highlights mess new Arizona State coach will inherit

TUCSON — Whoever takes over Arizona State’s football program will be getting into a mess as big as a kitchen after Thanksgiving dinner.

The Sun Devils couldn’t do much of anything right in their 38-35 loss to the rival Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Consider this first-half sequence:

Down 7-0, the ASU offense was putting together a decent drive, before quarterback Trenton Bourguet badly overthrew tight end Jalin Conyers at the UA 3, leading to an interception.

ASU held UA to a three-and-out punt from deep in Wildcat territory. The Sun Devils’ punt return squad promptly fouled the punter and muffed the punt on the same play, giving up the ball before ever taking possession.

Will the job go to Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham (as has been “reported” by “sources close to the program” as the “leader in the clubhouse”)?

Will ASU retain interim coach Shaun Aguano (who has openly campaigned for the position and earned support from high school coaches around the state)?

Is there a wildcard entry that would swoop in from the broadcast booth, similar to Herm Edwards five years ago? (Yeah, right.)

A big name like Urban Meyer or Deion Sanders? (Not likely.)

Regardless, whoever it is will have a tougher job than a security guard at an outlet mall on Black Friday.

Even when ASU got something right it highlighted a problem.

With about 6:30 to go in the first half, linebacker Kyle Soelle tipped a pass, allowing cornerback Ro Torrence to intercept the ball in the end zone. It was a great stop at a crucial moment. It was also ASU’s first forced turnover since the midterm elections.

Any wonder the Sun Devils came into the Territorial Cup game with only three wins?

The biggest problem is the lack of excitement around the state about the game that’s the only thing either program has to play for this season.

Regardless of record, this is the sort of game that should dominate sports radio with stories of the best “Duel in the Desert” moments and memories. (“Callers, both of these teams are terrible! Call in and share your worst!” … “Ummm, hello? Yeah, this is Tom in Tempe. First-time caller, long-time listener. Remember that one year that ASU won 70-7? Well, I was sick from somebody cooking the stuffing inside the turkey, and let’s just say I had to move the TV to another room.)

It should have office workers and elementary school students wearing their colors all week, saying “we might have only won a few games all year, but we’re gonna beat YOU on Friday.”

It should come with grocery store promotions where they sell stacks of beer in team colors to see which will sell out first.

Newspapers should print two front pages, one for each fan base.

Tattoo shops should give away free ink to anyone willing to get the final score on their backsides!

But where is that energy? It’s like no one cares.

Apathy makes it hard to keep in-state recruits, guys like Bijan Robinson and Spencer Rattler would rather leave than stay home and put their state on the map.

And why not? In order for these programs to matter nationally, they have to first matter locally.

That’s a key reason Dillingham (who grew up in the Valley and went to ASU) and Aguano (who coached one of the nation’s best high school programs at Chandler) have been finalists for the job.

Presumably, Dillingham would want to come home and elevate the program to something that could consistently compete with big-money, big-expectation programs such as Oregon.

Definitely, Aguano has said it would be a dream opportunity.

Either guy (or the aforementioned wild card or big name) would then be tasked with recruiting a coaching staff that understands the mission and wants to complete it before moving on to a bigger job. If the coaches aren’t excited to stay, it’ll be hard to recruit players who have no desire to go anywhere else.

Sure, there will be the occasional Kyle and Connor Soelle types, the brothers grew up rooting for the maroon and gold because their grandpa has been a fan since the days of Frank Kush.

But imagine a program full of guys like them.

That’s the energy needed to beat transfer portal defections. (And the guess here is that the news will break any day that running back Daniel Ngata will be the next big-name ASU departure.)

ASU’s next coach needs a team of players and coaches who are committed to Tempe for the long haul.

It’s not going to be an easy task, but that’s what it’s going to take to clean up this mess.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Moore: Arizona State football's next coach will have a mess to clean up