After 5 seasons at Michigan State, Dashaun Mallory accepts challenge at Arizona State

Images from the Pac-12 Conference's Media Day held in Las Vegas on July 21, 2023.
In 2018 and 2019, Dashaun Mallory was suiting up for Michigan State as a young defensive lineman against Arizona State. In addition to the extreme heat in Tempe for the 2018 night game, he remembers playing against an extremely tough and hard-nosed Sun Devil team led by Herm Edwards.
Fast forward to 2023, Mallory is preparing for his final season in college football, this time for Kenny Dillingham’s Arizona State squad.
“I spent my time there (Michigan State) and I felt like I kind of transformed myself to lose weight and I kind of wanted to venture out before my eligibility was over and just see if I can still play anywhere else,” Mallory said.
There were a lot of things that went wrong for Arizona State football last season on and off the field before and after Edwards’ firing, but there perhaps were no bigger issue on the field than their run defense. The tenacity once noticed by Mallory in the beginning of Edwards’ tenure was not apparent in 2022, ranking in the bottom fifteen (119th) in rushing yards allowed per game in the FBS and second-to-last in the Pac-12 (only ahead of a 1-11 Colorado) at 204 yards a game.
If their run defense does improve, it will likely start with Mallory. Coming from the Big Ten and Michigan State at 6-foot-2 and 270 pounds, his expertise lies in stopping the run. Playing in 30 games and starting in four for the Spartans, he was a part of a mixed bag of defenses in stopping the run, ranking as high as 11th in 2021-22 and as low as 96th last season.
Mallory says the coaching staff has been having him take most of his reps at three-tech (lined up on the outside shoulder of an offensive guard), where he’ll be in prime position to close the gaps in the running game that the Sun Devils left open so many times last season.
“I feel like I've always been a run-stopper type of guy,” Mallory said. “I feel like just bringing that talent over here, I think I can just help other guys see the potential that they can be as run-stoppers.”
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Despite not arriving in Tempe until mid-May, after spring practice, he’s already been serving as an inspiration for veterans on the defensive side of the ball and the young guys. Not only players, but coaches have also taken quick notice.
“Coming in as a new guy, I’ve been hearing his name a lot from the other players,” Arizona State defensive line coach Vince Amey said. “Even from other coaches, strength coaches, about how Mallory has been holding up and how he’s being the leader. Guys have been looking up to him, so I’m excited about him as well.”
Senior defensive back Jordan Clark has been around the program since 2019 and is highly regarded and looked up to by the defense. Clark acknowledges that the run defense has to get better for them to have any success in 2023. Despite only recently meeting Mallory, he sees his teammate as something to rally behind.
“He's really strong. Really, really strong,” Jordan Clark said. “He's hungry to be great. I think that that's going to be something that's going to help us. We’re going to rally behind him.”
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Mallory is feeling the love, too. Despite just recently joining the program, he feels as if he’s been here since the beginning of his career.
“When I came in, they brought me in right away and they didn't even necessarily treat me like a transfer,” Mallory said. “I feel like I've been here for years, honestly. It's been great building a brotherhood with these guys.”
Mallory mentioned that this feeling translates to the playbook as well. He felt comfortable in Arizona State’s scheme right away, only really needing to learn the verbiage of the new coaching staff like everyone else. His ability to pick up the playbook and play to his strengths will be a big factor in the