Devil's Junkie Podcast

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

Week one overreaction is bound to happen when a team doesn't take the lid of the season in an impressive manner, and words such as "sloppy" and "embarrassing" were used to describe ASU following a 41-14 win over Southern Utah. But was Thursday's night more of an expected display of a bag of mixed goods? Here's our examination of that contest.   Episode rundown (30 minutes)   (1:02) My thoughts on the ASU offense which was sloppy and not able to achieve the desired balance between the pass and the run. What went wrong on the season opener and is this a trend and that can change later in the season? (14:04) The Sun Devils in comparison was a model of stability. We discuss what stood out on that side of the ball versus the Thunderbirds. (18:09) Special teams seem to draw the most ire from the collective fanbase, but is the picture of that unit as adverse as it seems? (24:58) Final thoughts about week one and a look ahead at ASU’s next opponent, UNLV.

Season preview with Pac-12 Network’s Yogi Roth   A bizarre 2020 season still offered a lot of optimism for the following campaign, but should off-the-field events temper the enthusiasm for 2021? I break down each and every position on this Sun Devil squad and invite Pac-12 Network’s Football Analyst Yogi Roth to offer his perspective on ASU and the rest of the conference.   Episode rundown (68 minutes)                                                                                                  (1:09) The ASU offense offers an interesting contrast of some position groups that come into the season well established and one specific unit that still remains an uncertainty and is vital for Arizona State’s chances of improving significantly over the last few seasons. (23:29) The other side of the ball offers proven talent galore in all but one starting role, but is that one unexpected absence substantial enough to hinder a veteran defense that may have to carry this Sun Devil team more often times than not

DevilsDigest.com's Publisher Hod Rabino's interview on Monday August 18 with SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio's Sean O'Connell and Geoff Schwartz regarding the Sun Devils' no. 25 ranking in the AP Top-25 Preseason Poll and why Arizona State can justify that ranking and more

My interview with Jake Scott and Gordon Monson from The Zone Sports Network in Salt Lake City regarding the two ASU football assistants put on leave, the potential impact it may have on the season, and what are the prospects of this year's Sun Devil squad.

DevilsDigest.com's Publisher Hod Rabino's interview on Monday's June 28 with SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio's Sean O'Connell and Geoff Schwartz regarding the recruiting allegations against Arizona State Football and its impact it can have on recruiting the upcoming 2021 campaign

Back a person into a corner and more often than not they’ll come out swinging, and show their true measure under adversity. And judging by the various personnel moves that Bobby Hurley has engineered not only with the roster but also with his assistant coaching staff has certainly validated that theory. We take a look at everything that has transpired in Tempe since the season ended, and we invite former ASU basketball player Jamie Andersevich to offer his own perspective on the topic. Episode rundown (38 minutes)   (1:04) Former ASU basketball player and current assistant coach for the G League Santa Cruz Warriors Jamie Andersevich shares his observations on the Sun Devils squad and discusses the evaluation process that professionals in his role have to through scouting players coming out of a very challenging season. (18:16) Examining the two new assistant coaches in the fold for ASU as well as the handful of new faces from both the transfer portal traditional recruiting ranks that have joined the Sun D

Episode Rundown (34:20 minutes)   I was a guest on the latest Speak of the Devils Podcast where I shared my impressions of the Sun Devils' spring performance with Brad Denny and Joe Healey, the recruitment process with four-star QB AJ Duffy, and then shifted gears to ASU basketball which this past weekend has reloaded quickly and in impressive fashion ahead of the 2021-22

My appearance on The Roc and Manuch show sharing my observations of the Sun Devils' spring practice, and discussing ASU's in-state recruiting efforts

My appearance on the SiriusXM Pac-12 Radio show with Sean O'Connell and Geoff Schwartz briefly discussing the state of the ASU basketball program and then previewing the Sun Devil football team's spring practice and how high of a bar is being set for the program this upcoming season. 

In my interview with Sean O'Connell and Geoff Schwartz, we discuss the Sun Devils' sweep of the Bay Area schools, what contributed to those wins, and can these victories signal a season turnaround for Arizona State?

A weird and challenging shorten 2020 campaign has concluded for the Sun Devils, what can we take away from it? I offer my analysis on ASU’s performance and invite Sun Devil Network color analyst Jeff van Raaphorst to share his perspective and observations. Episode rundown (48 minutes) (:54) Discussing the trends we saw over the four games Arizona State played and what can make of their 2-2 mark? Later in the segment, I examine the offense and what were the surprises and disappointments exhibited by this group. (20:40) If only everything in life could be pleasantly predictable as our preseason expectations for the Sun Devil defense. Nonetheless, one position group still managed to remarkably perform at a much higher level than 2019, and yes, the scheme change was significant here.    (31:06) Sun Devil Network, color analyst Jeff van Raaphorst called the 2020 season “chapter 1 of an unfinished book” and talks about what team aspects showed encouraging signs and why others struggled. Furthermore, what is the

Uncertainty and optimism are two sentiments that obviously are polar opposites from each other but at times can also be mentioned in the same sentence. And those two words each describe the general mood concerning the Arizona State football and basketball squads these days.   Episode Rundown (48 minutes)    (1:24) Sun Devil had to cancel two games due to its COVID-19 breakout. Is a third consecutive game also in danger of having a similar fate? We talk about the various aspects that may answer that question and what ramifications recruiting and personnel wise can a shorter than expected 2020 season bring about?   (21:14) A top-25 AP preseason ranking is hardly commonplace for ASU hoops, and we discuss why that lofty accolade is certainly warranted. What should be expected from some of its players, and what traits will this team have to exhibit early and often to justify an expectation level we haven't seen in Tempe in quite a while?

Guy Haberman and Evan Moore interview DevilsDigest.com Publisher Hod Rabino, to get his thoughts on the Saturday contest in L.A. and what we can expect from the Sun Devils this season.

It's been a long off-season for ASU football fans to say the least but every day we're getting closer and closer to the season’s kickoff and the juices really start flowing with announcements just like the one we had last Saturday October 3rd where the Pac-12 football schedule has been released.   In this episode of the Devil’s Junkie Podcast I will give you my thoughts and analysis on the Sun Devil football schedule, what are some of the pros and cons for this seven-game slate, and later on I will be joined by Pac-12 Network Analyst Yogi Roth who will give his perspective not only on the ASU schedule but also the rest of the Pac-12, how does he see the different division races and who may be the surprise teams in the conference.  Episode Rundown (36 minutes)  (1:00) We begin the show analyzing ASU’s 2020 schedule and the two challenging games that await them right out of the gates. How much can its level of preseason preparedness aid the Sun Devils as they face the Trojans and Golden Bears? Does this yea

It was less than two weeks ago since the Pac-12 released a modified conference only football schedule which certainly gave hope for fans of that conference that we would see football in the fall albeit it a little later in the year and with fewer contests to be played. On August 11th, it decided to delay the start of the football season to January 2021. We discuss the reasons for this decision, the various implications it may have, as well as answer your questions that have now arisen from this historical announcement.   Episode rundown (67 minutes) (1:38) There many catalysts to the league's decision and we detail them, as well as review possible implications on recruiting and other team aspects (39:51) Answering your questions and yes even addressing your vents on the Pac-12 decision 

On the Roc and Manuch show, I talked about the pressing needs for Arizona State football's 2021 recruiting class and the unique approach they are taking in trying to achieve those objectives. We also delved into some basketball talk and previewed what could be ASU's most talented team this century. 

Between the addition of a five-star guard and the loss of a veteran frontcourt player, this week brought a mixture of good and bad news for ASU. We invited Sun Devil Network analyst Kyle Dodd to break it all down and provide his projections for the 2020-21 season.

With the rumors of Vanderbilt being the final destination for ASU grad transfer Romello White I went on The Dore Report to discuss that topic and the circumstances behind the Sun Devils' forward decision to leave Tempe.