Arizona State facing a different offensive style in matchup with Houston

Houston v Oklahoma State | Brian Bahr/GettyImagesWeek after week of high powered offensive opposition, the Sun Devils will be in for a different look when the Houston Cougars come to town on Saturday.

In his first season as offensive coordinator, Slade Nagle has ushered in a transition from the pro-style spread offense seen in 2024 to a more run-focused offense in 2025.

Front and center in that transition is senior transfer from Rice, running back Dean Connors. While his 538 yards this season do rank in the top 50 of FBS running backs, the overall stats don't tell the whole story. Between Connors and secondary back Stacy Sneed, the Cougars will aim to run the ball around 50% of the time,…