Devil's Junkie Podcast

A 17-point defeat does not usually imply a bag of mixed goods by the team who was on the losing end, but when you examine Arizona State's 34-17 loss to then No. 11 Oklahoma State on the road, surprisingly or not there were some bright spots on both sides of the ball for the Sun Devils. Nonetheless, it was also a Saturday contest that featured plenty of shortcomings for ASU, and to break it all down in the latest episode of the Devils’ Junkie Podcast and look ahead to Arizona State’s upcoming game versus Eastern Michigan.   Episode rundown (60 minutes)                                                                                                  (1:02) Devils Digest staff writer Cole Topham was with me at Stillwater, and after seeing first-hand ASU’s performance in that loss to Oklahoma State we offer our insights on that contest and why the Sun Devils struggled to get over the hump last weekend in Stillwater.   (35:46) We are joined by Zack Vannieuwenhze who covers Eastern Michigan for SB Nation as he previ

Episode rundown (21 minutes)   Glorified scrimmage. No-win game. Those sayings and many more alike described Arizona States' season opener with Northern Arizona University before the opening kickoff ever took place and were likely still uttered after the Sun Devils throttled the Lumberjacks 40-3.   But for an ASU program that entered the 2022 season with some of the lowest expectations surrounding the squad in several years, is there some actual optimism to take away from this dominating victory, or is a really a game that has to be quickly forgotten as Arizona State faces top 15 Oklahoma State on the road this coming Saturday?   To discuss that topic and others, I'll be joined by my staff member Cole Topham who not only covered the season opener with me but also did a very detailed breakdown on Arizona state's new starting quarterback Emory Jones.

My guest appearance on the Roc and Manuch Show examining the Sun Devils' victory over the Lumberjacks, evaluating the play of newcomers QB Emory Jones and RB Xazavian Valladay as well as the defensive performance 

My August 26th appearance on SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio on the Guy Haberman and Mike Yam show discussing how the Sun Devils are shaping up for the upcoming campaign and more

It was anything but a quiet offseason for ASU, but what can we learn from the events of the last eight months that can impact the upcoming 2022 campaign? On the eve of Arizona State’s preseason camp Devils Digest staff writer Cole Topham and I break down both sides of the ball for the team and how the off-the-field elements may influence this group. Later on, I’m joined by the co-host of Speak of the Devils Podcast, Brad Denny, who attended Pac-12’s Media Day and shares his observations on not only what was said by head coach Herm Edwards but also the narrative of a potential conference realignment in light of both L.A. schools bolting for the Big Ten in 2024. Episode rundown (71 minutes) (1:18) Cole Topham and I provide our position-by-position analysis of the 2022 squad, identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses, and discuss aspects such as NIL, transfer portal, and NCAA investigation and their potential effect on the program this year. (51:47) Brad Denny joins me from Los Angeles immediately following

Replacing quarterback Jayden Daniels who was a three-year starter for ASU topped the off-season to-do list in Tempe. Florida transfer Emory Jones' addition to the team has checked off that significant task. In light of this newcomer's arrival, what can we now expect from the Arizona State offense and their outlook for the 2022 season? Here's my interview with Sirius XM Pac-12 Radio's hosts Guy Haberman and Evan Moore.

Episode rundown (32 minutes)    Colleges all across the nation are feeling the adverse effects of the Name, Image, and Likeness, as well as the Transfer Portal, and the ASU program has certainly not been immune to those two elements. How do we get here, and what can we expect for the future of the Sun Devil football team? We discuss those topics and more in this podcast episode. 

With the Sun Devils’ 15 spring sessions coming to a close, SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio hosts Mike Yam and Geoff Schwartz invited me to discuss my takeaways from this year's Arizona State team and how they project in terms of the program’s prospects in 2022.

ASU QB Jayden Daniels entering the transfer portal is just the latest adverse piece of news surrounding the Sun Devil program this year. We invited ASU fans to ask any questions they had on their mind concerning that specific matter and any other issues surrounding the team.  Episode rundown (72 minutes)    (1:42) I begin the podcast offering my opinion on the current state of the program, in regards to whether 2022 will be Herm Edwards' last year as ASU's head coach, how does the NCAA investigation affect Athletic Director Ray Anderson, and of course why did Daniels transfer and how can that affect the Sun Devils?   (14:50) With a heavy mailbag of ASU fans questions sent to me, I spent nearly an hour addressing the various inquiries regarding several topics relating to ASU football

My guest appearance on the Roc and Manuch today discussing the decision of ASU's starting quarterback for the last three years to enter the transfer portal, the possible reasons behind it and what this means for the Sun Devil program

The resignation of the Sun Devils' defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator marks the fifth departure of an Arizona State Football coach since the NCAA had launched an investigation into the team's alleged recruiting violations. My conversation with SIRIUSXM Pac-12 radio hosts Geoff Schwartz and Sean O'Connell details what this personnel move by Antonio Pierce means for the future of head coach Herm Edwards and the rest of his staff, as well as future ASU recruiting classes. 

ASU's offensive coordinator Zak Hill is the latest staff member to depart as the result of the NCAA's investigation into the team's alleged recruiting violation. In my guest experience of Speak of the Devils podcast, I discuss this breaking news, what other coaches could find themselves on the same situation, an what this all means for the Sun Devil football program in the short and long term?

There’s no question that the previous calendar year was hardly successful for the two major Sun Devil programs, but how do we see this tandem fairing in 2022? Our latest podcast provides analysis on this topic and more.    Episode rundown (85 minutes)     (1:24) What did we learn from ASU football’s 8-5 mark, and with its significant personnel losses on both sides of the ball, what can we expect from the 2022 version of the Sun Devils?   (41:24) After offering a micro view of the football program, we take a macro perspective which nasally pertains to the ongoing NCAA investigation of the program’s alleged recruiting violations. What self-imposed sanctions can we expect by ASU, and how will that affect not only the upcoming year but in the seasons to come?    (62:37) 2021 wasn’t kind for the Arizona State basketball program, either whether examining the tail end of a disappointing 20-21 campaign or taking inventory of the first half of the current season. What were the issues that needed to be fixed,

(35 minutes) The recruiting challenges Arizona State has been facing for the last six months have been well documented and manifested themselves in the team’s early signing period recruiting class. As a guest on the Speak of the Devils podcast, I was interviewed by Joe Healey and Brad Denny on the topic and illustrated what can we expect in terms of future additions in the Sun Devils’ 2022 recruiting class.

The regular season has barely been over for a week, but when it comes to news concerning the roster of ASU players and its assistant coaches, there have been more than a couple of developments.   Episode rundown (24 minutes)   We examine the Territorial Cup win and the 2021 Sun Devil regular season, and what are some of the changes to the roster of the coaching staff that we can expect to see in the weeks and months to come.   

My appearance on the Dirt & Sprague show discussing the Sun Devils at Beavers matchup Saturday in Corvallis

ASU’s disappointing loss to Washington State 34-21 naturally has fans wanting to vent not only about one of the worst performances we’ve seen in several years from an ASU football team but wonder about the prospects of the 2021 season and beyond.   In this podcast episode, we don’t only discuss what transpired last Saturday and the reasons for that display, but we also give you, the Sun Devil fan, the stage to ask the tough questions and receive the answers you deserve.    Episode rundown (78 minutes)   (1:00) Taking a closer look at the disappointing loss to Washington State, and what couple of elements stood above the rest as the catalysts for this performance?    (17:09) Opening up a heavy mailbag of Sun Devil fans’ questions and addressing all the concerns you have about the immediate and long-term future of the program, its head coach, school’s athletic director, and more.

My interview with Mike Grose and Alex Schild discussing ASU's 3-0 Pac-12 start and what kind of implications can Friday night's victory and for the rest of the Sun Devils' 2021 season. 

As impressive as ASU’s win at UCLA was, it will be equally impressive if the Sun Devils avoid the pitfalls that many teams encounter after such a significant victory. Then again, the achievements of this Stanford team should have the full attention of the Sun Devils as they face each other Friday night. What will ASU need to do to continue its momentum when they match up with the Cardinal?   Episode rundown (29 minutes) (1:03) Much has been said last week about how much the UCLA contest could be a statement game for Arizona State, and indeed not only did the Sun Devils earn a precious conference road victory as an underdog the manner in which this win was achieved was certainly impressive. I discuss the two most important elements we saw on display, one on each side of the ball, that should be the most encouraging for the rest of the 2021 season. (19:20) This isn’t your typical Stanford team in terms of strengths and weaknesses and we explain how those facets can impact Friday night’s matchup and how Ar

In the 2021 college football season that has already seen a plethora of upsets, especially in the Pac-12, a team such as the Sun Devils does not have to apologize for dominating last Saturday, perhaps the weakest team in the entire conference in the Colorado buffaloes. Yet when you literally slice like a hot knife through butter against such an opponent, how much do you really learn about yourself, especially on the doorstep of one of your toughest League games all season, a road trip to UCLA?   Episode rundown (30 minutes)   (1:00) Even a dominating win over Colorado did reveal some areas of concern alongside some encouraging signs. We review ASU's 35-13 win in the Pac-12 opener and share our takeaways. (16:21) It may have taken longer than expected, but head coach Chip Kelly finally has the Bruins on the right track vying for a division championship. Analyzing this matchup with the Sun Devils reveals some intriguing battles between units that have performed very well in 2021 but may now encounter thei