Devil’s Junkie Podcast

Whether it's the NCAA investigation or the mass exodus of players from Tempe that has led to 40 newcomers on this year's roster, the expectation level of the 2022 Arizona State Sun Devils has been extremely low.

And as much as players and coaches spent the offseason trying to silence the critics, the start of this campaign has been abysmal. Last weekend, the Sun Devils finished conference play 1-2, with their last contest being an embarrassing loss to Eastern Michigan at home, a game where Arizona State was a three-touchdown favorite.

It was ultimately a game that also led to the dismissal of head coach Herm Edwards who, according to Athletic Director Ray Anderson, mutually parted ways, as Anderson decided to name running backs coach Shaun Aguano as the interim head coach.

So how did ASU get to this point, changing a head coach in mid-September, and where do they go from here regarding their search for a new head coach and the future of the program in general?

To answer those questions and many more, I invited former ASU player Jordan Simone for a frank and open discussion on everything that has transpired in Tempe.

 

Episode rundown (24 minutes)                                                                                          

 

(1:22) Former ASU player Jordan Simone who has never been shy regarding voicing his opinion of his alma mater, offers his insight regarding the various aspects that have led the Sun Devils to their current state and what he expects from the new head coaching search process.

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 previews the Sun Devils’ next opponent and details what we can expect from the Eagles this Saturday night

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 the conclusion of the Pac-12’s Media Day, sharing his impressions of Edwards’ press conference at that event and how was the bolting of UCLA and USC in a couple of years discussed during this conference event.

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