TEMPE — Four games into the season, the Arizona State Sun Devils only have two passing plays of more than 30 yards.
Now a redshirt sophomore, former walk-on Derek Eusebio only has three catches in his career, but two of them have been for more than 60 yards.
As ASU looks to create more explosive plays, coach Kenny Dillingham sees Eusebio as an option to find more playing time and targets.
“I definitely think him getting on the field more is going to be good for us,” Dillingham told reporters Monday. “He works, he’s consistent. So, I can definitely see him getting more involved.”
Eusebio had the longest reception from either team on Saturday when he hauled in a 61-yard catch in the fourth quarter of Arizona State’s 27-24 win over Baylor. No other Sun Devil had a reception of 20 yards, a concern Dillingham noted after practice on Wednesday.
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“If the O-line gets us to the third level of a defense, those have to score touchdowns,” Dillingham said. “We have to be able to convert touchdowns on those plays or explosive, 30-yard plays. Right now, we’ve hit a couple, but not enough.”
Throughout his time at ASU, Eusebio hasn’t been a starter and has only had seven total touches. But rather than let that discourage him, Eusebio has thrived on his limited plays and shown that he is prepared to help the team win whenever they need him.
“There’s certain roles that certain guys have,” offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said. “He accepts his. He dominates his role. He got an opportunity. He was in the plan a little bit last week right there at the end, and I decided to use it and pull it out and it paid off.”
Derek Eusebio’s journey is 1 of patience, tireless work
Opportunities have not come often for Eusebio.
Last season, he only appeared in four games, having one reception. The one reception, though, was a 64-yard touchdown to help seal Arizona State’s dominant 49-7 win against Arizona in the Territorial Cup. He brought that momentum into the offseason, where he was able to get regular reps.
“He’s come to work, and he’s proved himself since last year honestly,” quarterback Sam Leavitt said Tuesday. “I think he had the most yards and catches last fall camp, and it’s just continually work. He’s a guy that’s always going to be in the right spot.”
It’s not the big catches and counting stats that are getting Eusebio noticed, though. His consistent fundamentals and knowledge have caught the attention of his coaches and fellow players.
“He does all the little things right,” Dillingham said. “He just does everything right, and I think you can win with people who do things right.”
Leavitt added: “He’s really reliable, has a good feel for the game. So, I like playing with him a lot and look forward to it.”
As a whole, the team’s 406 yards per game has certainly not been problematic, but Dillingham thinks they are close to breaking through on more explosive plays.
Eusebio could be the answer in the future, as he appears to have earned the trust of his coaches and quarterback.
“He did an awesome job,” Arroyo said. “It was awesome to count on him, and Sam counted on him, and it was really good to see.”
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