2 Arizona State players ejected on controversial calls; will miss first half of Utah game

The Sun Devils will be shorthanded on Friday vs. Utah

Arizona State linebacker Keyshaun Elliott (44) will miss the first half of the Sun Devils game vs. Utah. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Arizona State's first Big 12 football victory came at a cost: Two key defensive players were ejected and will miss the first half of Friday's huge matchup with former Pac-12 rival Utah.

Linebacker Keyshaun Elliott and defensive lineman Clayton Smith were both ejected after being penalized for targeting calls in Arizona State's 35-31 victory over Kansas on Saturday.

Elliott, the "quarterback" of the Sun Devils' defense, was flagged for targeting on a call in the end zone and subsequently ejected with 10:57 remaining in the third quarter. Elliott hit Kansas receiver Quinten Skinner in the back of the end zone and jarred the ball loose, preventing a touchdown.

Replays shown on TV were inconclusive on helmet to helmet contact, but Big 12 review officials - who are responsible for confirming targeting calls - decided to eject him. Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham said after the game that he doesn't fault Elliott for the hit.

Keyshaun Elliott was called for targeting on this PBU in the back of the end zone. @SunDevilSource pic.twitter.com/bEuZDuqcvQ

— Blake Niemann (@Blakes_Take2) October 6, 2024

"To me, those two plays aren't on our players," said Dillingham. "That's just the nature of the game of football right now. You hope they don't happen. We can coach as much as we want, but those weren't violent penalties. Those weren't stupid penalties. Those just happened through the flow of the game, and it sucks because they're going to miss the first half of next week."

Elliott's hit ended up being a huge play in the game as the Jayhawks failed to score a touchdown on that possession and had to settle for a short field goal.

"I mean, his head hit the ball, which also knocked it out," said Dillingham. "So you could give him seven points and not get targeting. I mean, I don't know what the tradeoff is."

Smith's ejection came on a wild play in the fourth quarter and looked worse than it was, partly because of the reaction of Kansas coach Lance Leipold who immediately ran onto the field and started screaming that Smith should be ejected. He had to be restrained by members of his coaching staff.

Arizona State was offside on the play, and it appeared the officials tried to blow the play dead, but both teams kept playing. The play continued until Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels scrambled to his left and threw the ball away. Smith knocked him to the ground right after he threw the ball, and it appeared to be a legal hit (assuming the play was still live). After a lengthy review, Smith was ejected for targeting.

You make the call:

Here’s video of the offsides/late hit/targeting on Arizona State, plus Lance Leipold erupting on the sideline. pic.twitter.com/XAm92juCpg

— Scott Chasen (@ChasenScott) October 6, 2024

"With Clayton, we were offsides, they usually let you play it out," said Dillingham. "They call it unabated to the quarterback. So the quarterback scrambles left, Clayton doesn't hear the whistle. The quarterback doesn't hear the whistle because it's loud on third down. The quarterback scrambles out and throws the ball. Clayton simultaneously hits him, and they throw a personal foul while they were both continuing to play a game and didn't hear the whistle because usually you play a defensive offsides, but they blew it dead. So to me, those two plays aren't on our players."

"I wish there was different levels of targeting penalties, like malicious targeting penalties and just targeting penalties that happen with the flow of the game to eject you. But that's not the rules."