The 2025 Arizona State football team has been less dominant than last season despite getting a massive win two weeks ago against Texas Tech. They have three losses, most recently to Houston at home in a game where the Cougars punched them in the mouth. After the game, it was reported that special teams coordinator Charlie Ragle was taking a medical leave of absence.
Multiple reports indicated that Ragle was taking a leave of absence on Sunday after the Sun Devils lost to Houston. Kenny Dillingham confirmed the reports on Monday at Arizona State's weekly press conference. The Arizona State special teams unit has struggled overall this year, but Ragle's taking a step back does not coincide with that. Instead, it is mainly because he has had health issues in the past, dating back to his time at Idaho State.
“He’s been dealing with some things for quite a few years now,” Dillingham said Monday. “It’s just come to a head where he’s got to get proper and healthy.
“I told him, however long that is, whether it’s two weeks, three weeks, one week, a month, a year, whenever you feel ready again, let’s have a conversation and go from there.”
Ragle’s assistant, Jack Nudo, will assume the responsibilities of special teams coordinator. However, Dillingham said he will still be involved in the unit’s practice periods during the week, so he is not completely stepping away and will be involved in some capacity.
The Sun Devils have had many issues on special teams this year, which seems to have weighed heavily on Ragle. He was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm that could lead to blood clots around the heart, in 2022 while he was at Idaho State.
Special teams are challenging to measure because they encompass the return game, punting, and kicking, but Arizona State is dead last in the Big 12 in special teams efficiency, with a rating of 24.
Against Houston, they had two missed field goal attempts and four costly special teams penalties. It's also worth noting that even though Arizona State had a massive win against Texas Tech two weeks ago, Kenny Dillingham still called the unit “atrocious.”
Dillingham said he would be more hands-on with the unit, and they will need all the help they can get against Iowa State this weekend and for the rest of the season. This comes with the added noise that follows Dillingham after he was named a candidate for the LSU job.
