Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said his top running back, Cam Skattebo, is “doubtful to questionable” to play against UCF in a Big 12 game Saturday at Tempe, Ariz.
Skattebo did not play because of an undisclosed injury in the waning minutes of the Sun Devils’ 42-21 victory at Oklahoma State last week.
“He’s not gonna practice this week,” Dillingham said during his weekly press conference Monday. “Whether he plays or not, he’s gonna make an impact on our team because he’s one of the leaders on the team.”
Skattebo is coming off his fourth Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honor this season in the game against Oklahoma State with 153 rushing yards on 23 carries and a touchdown. He also had four catches for 121 yards and two scores.
Skattebo is third in the Big 12 in rushing with 1,001 yards, which is behind UFC’s RJ Harvey (1,201) and Texas Tech’s Tahj Brooks (1,047).
Harvey rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-12 win last week over Arizona that snapped the Knights’ five-game losing streak.
UCF (4-5, 2-4) played its first game after coach Gus Malzahn fired defensive coordinator Ted Roof and replaced him with defensive backs coach Addison Williams and relinquished play-calling duties to offensive coordinator Tim Harris.
The Knights limited Arizona to five yards rushing on 25 carries while gaining 308 yards on 44 rushes.
Redshirt freshman Dylan Rizk made his first start and completed 20 of 25 pass attempts for 294 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.
Rizk will make his first road start against Arizona State (6-2, 3-2).
“I think that’s the big thing, at home it’s a different deal,” Malzahn said about Rizk. “(At home) it’s quiet, and he can articulate the things. On the road, it’s going to be loud. You know Dillingham has that place where it’s going to be loud.
“Those people are going to show up. We’re going to have to handle the noise. That will be the biggest challenge, I think, for a new starter.”
