Sacramento State star Cameron Skattebo announces decision to transfer to Arizona State
Former Rio Linda High School and Sacramento State football star Cameron Skattebo took to social media Saturday to announce he has reached a decision just five days after entering the NCAA transfer portal.
Skattebo helped his hometown Sac State Hornets reach unprecedented heights this season, but now the power-packed running back will test his abilities against a different level of competition in the Pac-12 Conference.
Skattebo announced on Twitter he has chosen to transfer to Arizona State, where the Sun Devils finished 3-9 last season. Kenny Dillingham is taking over as head coach after Herm Edwards was fired three games into the 2022 season.
Skattebo arrived in Tempe, Arizona, for an official visit Friday. Twenty-four hours later, he had made up his mind.
“It’s official!!!,” Skattebo tweeted. “I found home!!! #ForksUp can’t wait to get to work!!!! It just feels right.”
Skattebo will arrive in Tempe as a potential replacement for Xazavian Valladay, who rushed for 1,192 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior this season. Arizona State’s second-leading rusher was Daniyel Ngata, a former Folsom High School star who entered the transfer portal after running for 272 yards and one touchdown as a junior this season.
Skattebo announced he was entering the portal Dec. 12 after Sacramento State coach Troy Taylor accepted an offer to become the next head coach at Stanford. Arizona State suffered a 15-14 loss at Stanford on Oct. 22, but the Sun Devils are not scheduled to play the Cardinal in 2023.
Taylor, who was named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year three times in three championship seasons at Sacramento State, was the only coach in the nation to offer Skattebo a scholarship out of high school. The 5-foot-10, 215-pound sophomore was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year this season after rushing for 1,382 yards to help the Hornets go 12-0 to become the No. 2-ranked FCS team in the nation.
Skattebo signaled the possibility of his departure after Sacramento State’s season ended with a 66-63 playoff loss to Incarnate Word in the highest-scoring game in FCS history. He was emotional following the game, thanking teammates for the “love” and “experiences” of a “dream season.”
When he chose to enter the transfer portal, Skattebo told The Sacramento Bee: “There was nothing wrong with Sac State, and it’s not anyone’s fault. I love and will always love my Sac family. They mean the world to me. I enjoyed every moment at Sac State.”
This story was originally published December 17, 2022 at 11:38 PM.
