Sun Devil Notebook: AJ Cooper on Passion Vs Emotion, CKD on Kyler Kasper

Arizona State is getting set to head to Provo to take on BYU this weekend. There are still questions on who will be starting at quarterback on Saturday as Mikey Keene was described as “honestly questionable” after he left the Kansas State game with an apparent injury. 

Should Keene not be able to play, freshman Jake Fette will lead the Sun Devil offense in his first career start. 

The defense had one of its best performances in weeks against Kansas State, and linebacker coach AJ Cooper pointed to the passion displayed by the group throughout the game. 

There’s been a lot of talk about passion with this team. I think some fans hear Kenny Dillingham urging his players to perform with passion, and they equate it to lack of a care factor. 

I don’t interpret it that way. This is a group of workers. The care is there. But I think there is a fine line with wanting to be perfet in your work and letting go with that passion to go play free and make plays. 

I asked Cooper about that and he pointed to playing with passion against playing with emotion:

Senior linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu saw his season stop before it ever got going with a knee injury. Despite his injury, he still is making an impact with this group, according to Cooper:

One of the toughest tasks for this ASU defense will be defending wide receiver Kyler Kasper. The 6-6 playmaker is an Arizona native and played his prep ball at Williams Field. In his first year with BYU, he is tied for the lead in touchdown receptions with four.

He spent the beginning of his college career at Oregon and was recruited by Dillingham. While Dillingham took the ASU job before Kasper made it to Eugene. Dillingham broke down why it’s so difficult to cover the talented wideout.

Arizona State and BYU kick off at 12:30 PM on Saturday.