Devil's Junkie Podcast

My interview today with Jon Crispin and Jon Jansen breaking down Saturday's afternoon matchup in East Lansing

Episode Rundown (45 minutes) (0:52) What has been the main culprit for the Sun Devils' offensive struggles and how can they be remedied?   (15:55) The ASU defense and special teams, on the other hand, have been bright spots in this young 2019 season. How can their performance be impacted as they continue and carry a heavy burden for this team?  (33:16) Looking ahead to the road game at Michigan State what are some of the aspects that can dictate the outcome of this game?

Episode Rundown (75 minutes) (1:09) Why was Jayden Daniels named ASU's first-ever freshman quarterback to start the season opener? We discuss the evolution of this position battle and what this means now to the other signal-callers in terms of their depth chart ranking.  (16:44) There were many other stories lines on offense to track at Camp Tontozona and discuss them all in this segment (43:00) Moving to the other side of the ball, how did the influx of bodies compared to spring affect the play of the defensive line? We examine that position and the rest of the Sun Devil defense in last week's sessions (62:47) Discussing the Sun Devils' to-do list and has my season prediction changed in light of the new starting quarterback and teams' performance thus far in preseason sessions?  

Episode Rundown (18 minutes)   LOS ANGELES - Ralph Amsden and Hod Rabino share their impressions of Pac-12 Media Day, how the various coaches reacted to their standing in the preseason poll, and how do they see the division races shaping up for the 2019 season.

We’re exactly one month ahead of ASU’s season opener and just a couple of days away from the Sun Devils’ first preseason practice. We take a comprehensive look at the 2019 Arizona State squad and break down each and every position and its storylines going into this season. Episode Rundown (128 minutes) (1:11) Reviewing the media preseason poll from Pac-12 Media Day. Was that projection a fair one for ASU and its conference foes? (12:17) We start our Fall Camp preview with the question on every ASU fan’s mind, who will emerge at the end of camp as the Sun Devils’ starting quarterback? We examine all the scenarios in play and what the most likely outcome will be. (20:57) Diving into the rest of the groups on offensive discussing the importance of having a no. 2 running back, how the depth chart at wide receiver can hinge greatly on one or two receivers’ health, and what can we expect from both the tight end and the offensive line groups?  (60:40) During spring practice ASU’s defensive line had more of its

Episode Rundown (82 minutes) (0:59) Discussing the hire of Marvin Lewis to the football coaching staff, the two newest 2020 class pledges. (13:39) How should we view the 15 players who departed the program during and after the 2018 season? Which now former players may adversely impact the team more than others and how do I view the concept of the transfer portal? (30:51) ASU basketball adds two junior college frontcourt players in the 2019 class. How well have they reconciled the departures on this team and how can it help the Sun Devils come close to duplicating last year’s results?   (45:51) Fresh off its season-ending loss in the Baton Rouge regional, I share my view of the ASU baseball program and how the results of the 2019 season can potentially affect the future of head coach Tracy Smith (55:13) Answering our listeners’ questions

Breakdown (67 minutes) (:36) Earlier this evening ASU basketball head coach Bobby Hurley announced that he and the school are working on a contract extension. Why did Hurley turn down an opportunity at St. John's and what aspects of his current job compelled him to stay with the Sun Devils? (27:50) Luguentz Dort leaving for the NBA draft was no surprise but slamming the door shut on a possible return was. What were the factors in play and how will that affect the 2019-20 roster? (50:56) Answering your questions regarding various Sun Devil sports topics

Breakdown (49 minutes)   (:35) Analyzing ASU’s 91-74 loss to Buffalo in the NCAA Tournament. Were the warning signs already present 48 hours prior in a win over St. John’s?   (16:19) Putting that loss in the rearview mirror how should we look at the totality of the 2018-19 campaign? Discussing whether Luguentz Dort will leave for the NBA draft and the one-year impact Zylan Cheatham has had on this program.   (45:12) Should we view this season as a success and what should we look forward to next season with this Sun Devil squad?

Breakdown (62 minutes)   (1:59) Discussing the path the Sun Devils took in qualifying for the field of 68. Was the First Four seeding too harsh? How can playing a midweek game in Dayton affect ASU heading into that contest and also in the event that they advance?   (14:47) Breaking down ASU’s opponent on Wednesday, St. John’s, and why the Red Storm will remind you so much of the 2017-18 Sun Devils?   (25:03) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter followers' questions.

Breakdown (93 minutes)   (2:41) Describing the in-game and postgame atmosphere in Tucson and explaining the overall context of Saturday’s win     (11:14) Breaking down ASU’s 72-64 win over Arizona and its implications for postseason play both in this week’s Pac-12 Tournament and potentially next week in the NCAA Tournament.   (27:45) Putting a bow on ASU Football spring practices, discussing my observations and providing a snapshot of each and every position and what we can expect in fall camp.   (65:14) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter followers' questions.

Discussing the state of the Sun Devils as they conclude their spring practices. Why the early practice date, the latest on the quarterback battle and si there a buzz for the 2019 season? 

Breakdown (95 minutes)     (1:56) Thin numbers and injuries during spring practice have made it challenging to get a true read on ASU football, but nonetheless, we’ll provide our takeaways from the various position groups, and discuss which players are cementing their depth chart position thus far. We start on offense and a quarterback competition that seems to be following the same narrative as the first week of spring.   (30:32) We provide a snapshot of the defense throughout eight spring sessions and how the questions marks are more prevalent in the front six than the defensive backfield?   (44:08) ASU basketball provides another cruel Déjà vu following a two-game series split. What are the potential implications here concerning an inconsistent squad?   (58:47) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter followers' questions.

Breakdown (82 minutes)   This is the time of the year where both spring practice and ASU basketball converge to overlap with each other, but we give each their due time to discuss the latest developments.   (2:01) What did we learn from the first week of spring practice? Small sample size and all one quarterback is somewhat distancing itself from the pack, and we also talk about some of the players that have been early surprises in the Sun Devils’ first four sessions.   (36:30) The last two games by ASU basketball have been a painful microcosm of a season marred by inconsistency. What needs to be fixed and what can be done moving forward to steady the ship as the Sun Devils aim to return to the NCAA tournament. (64:25) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter followers' questions

Breakdown (106 minutes) As we enter the shortest month of the year, there is hardly a shortage of topics to discuss (and this was before the Friday player transfer news dump). (0:43) Offensive coordinator Rob Likens and the Sun Devils’ four quarterbacks addressed the media ahead of next week’s spring practice. We bring you some of the highlights from their comments and talk about how they relate to the various team aspects on this side of the ball during the 15 February sessions. (41:39) Defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales with some strong and encouraging words about his future in Tempe and what he’s trying to achieve for his group in the spring. (1:07:38) Breaking down the Sun Devils’ long-awaited win on the court versus the Wildcats, what perspective the Arizona media/fans would like you to believe in and why you shouldn’t subscribe to that theory, and discussing the potential implications of this victory moving forward. (1:27:13) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter

Breakdown (128 minutes) It has been a few good weeks since our last podcast so this one runs longer than usual, with plenty of content for your listening enjoyment. (2:02) The battle for the starting quarterback duties is plenty intriguing, but what other team aspects are worth examining during ASU’s spring practices that can impact the prospects of the 2019 season? (54:54) It’s been a roller coaster of a January for ASU basketball but have the Sun Devils fresh off their weekend sweep of the Oregon school set themselves up for s smoother journey through their remaining Pac-12 contests? (1:16:34) Mailbag time: Answering our DevilsDigest.com’s subscribers and Twitter followers' questions