ASU star junior WR Elijhah Badger and junior LB Will Shaffer will both be unable to play in the first half of Thursday’s season opener against Southern Utah after picking up personal fouls in the final half of last season’s Territorial Cup.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!#ArizonaState WR Elijhah Badger and LB Will Shaffer will miss the first half of Thursday's season opener for their role in the altercation in the second half of last season's final game against Arizona, according to Kenny Dillingham. @BurnCitySports
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) August 28, 2023
The rule in college football is that if you commit a personal foul that gets you ejected, then you miss the first half of next game. For Shaffer and Badger, that happens to be the season opener.
“(They) both committed personal fouls which got them ejected from the game,” Dillingham said in his presser today. “So they’re going to be out the first half, then they’ll be back.”
Dillingham added that he learned of the suspension about a week and a half ago.
Fight that ensued the interception. Six – seven players ejected pic.twitter.com/vaAmXD1ld5
— Brendan Mau (@brendan_mau) November 25, 2022
Badger has been taking second-team reps the last few days. Shaffer has been primarily playing with the second team during fall camp with Tate Romney getting first-team reps.
Badger is set to be ASU’s No. 1 wide receiver for a second straight year. He had 70 receptions, 866 yards and seven touchdowns last season and is poised for an even bigger season this year in Kenny Dillingham’s offense.
He was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List earlier this month.
Shaffer has been in competition for the potential starting outside linebacker spot alongside MLB Travion Brown after JuJu Mitchell was dismissed from the team.
For the past few years, Shaffer had been playing behind long-tenured Sun Devils Merlin Robertson and Kyle Soelle, who both graduated, so he saw a lot of time on special teams (195 snaps last year). He finished last season with nine tackles and one for loss.
ASU football, QB Jaden Rashada have arguably their best practice this fall
The Sun Devils, who were recently hit with a self-imposed bowl ban, will now face even more adversity during the season opener.
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Brendan Mau is a college sports insider and general assignment reporter for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on X via @Brendan_Mau
