Arizona State ranked within the top five of the Big 12 in many defensive statistics – those efforts were as a result of a defense that was coached by Brian Ward and a talented crew of players that had been under-the-radar for some time.
While the defense did have a specific weakness (giving away chunk plays in the passing game) the playmaking acumen of the secondary contributed to several victories – including the one over Brigham Young that essentially secured a spot in the conference championship game for the Sun Devils.
A massive piece of the puzzle for the wildly talented secondary in 2024 was Keith Abney II – an unheralded three star recruit that started on the defense as a sophomore.
The Texas native was considered an athlete going into the college game – he was originally committed to Utah State prior to being pursued by the Sun Devils shortly after Kenny Dillingham was hired as head coach and Texas mainstay Bryan Carrington was brought on as the program’s cornerbacks coach.
Carrington’s addition of Abney began the path of Arizona State’s recruiting presence in the state of Texas in another turn of big-picture perspective – eight players that are committed in the 2026 class are from Texas.
Abney posted totals of 52 tackles, nine passes defensed, and three interceptions as a full-time starter after playing sparingly as a freshman in 2023.
Veteran college football writer Phil Steele believes that the talented 5’11” cornerback will be honored as a member of the second team All-Big 12 come December.
Phil Steele’s All-Big 12 First and Second Teams
—1st Team—
Jordyn Tyson, ASU
Chase Roberts, BYU
Xavier Hill, Colorado
Spencer Fano, Utah
Isaiah Glasker, BYU
Xavion Alford, ASU
Will Ferrin, BYU
Jeremiah Patterson, Arizona
Parker Kingston, BYU
Garrison Grimes, BYU—2nd Team—…
— SuperWest Sports (@SuperWestSports) June 13, 2025
Abney is set to join an incredibly talented defensive back room that includes projected first-team player Xavion Alford, Myles “Ghost” Rowser, and a pair of Purdue transfers in Nyland Green/Kyndrich Breedlove – that could shape up to be one of the best units in the conference.
There’s little doubt that Abney will be a key cog in what Ward does in 2025 for what should be the conference favorites.
Read more about the mark that another position coach is making on the program in running backs leader Shaun Aguano here, and blue-chip 2027 recruit Jaxsen Stokes talking to our very own Caleb Sisk about the intrigue in following Cam Skattebo as the next great Arizona State running back here.
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