Speak Of The Devils

ASU held a media session this week featuring many new faces. Hear from new offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, linebacker Keyshaun Elliott, defensive backs Rodney Bimage Jr. and Myles "Ghost" Rowser, and offensive lineman Joey Su'a.

NIL has changed college sports forever, but how does it actually work? We take a deep dive into the process and how things stack up at ASU with Peter Boyle, founder of Activate Sports Management and a registered NIL agent. Next, we talk with new Sun Devil defensive back Cole Martin about coming home to the Valley (1:01:41). Then, we check in on our rivals down south as Adam Green of Wildcat Radio 2.0 joins us for a report on the seismic developments with the Arizona football program in the wake of Jedd Fisch's departure (1:15:42).

The window is closed but the action remains as another whirlwind weekend of commitments from the transfer portal added talented players to the Sun Devils' 2024 roster. After a look at the news, we dive into a review of where the ASU roster stands as the new year begins. We also get to know a trio of new Sun Devils: LT Josh Atkins (19:00), QB Navi Bruzon (54:01), and OG Shancco "Ise" Matautia (1:34:56).

New year, new Devils? After a look at the latest news, we talk to new Sun Devil linebacker (and former San Diego State team MVP) Zyrus Fiaseu (12:50) before diving into the top 2024 resolutions for ASU athletics. We then wrap up the episode with a great conversation with another new linebacker, former Arkansas Razorback Jordan Crook (1:01:09).

Get your ceremonial fax machines ready. But first, we kick off the show with a recap of a successful weekend of official visits that resulted in several key transfer portal additions. We then talk with two of the most heralded of those commitments: Former 5-star recruit and USC transfer RB Raleek Brown (10:12) and former 4-star Florida safety Kamari Wilson (25:00) Next, we run down the newest crop of 2023 signees before talking with 3-star offensive lineman Champ Westbrooks (55:04) and 4-star defensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba (1:13:01). We cap the show with a detailed analysis of the additions from DevilsDigest.com’s Hod Rabino (1:34:21).

Adversity reveals one's true character, and through last two years have shown Arizona State safety Xavion Alford to be a hard-working beacon of positivity. Hailing from Houston as one of the nation's top safety recruits, Xavion played a season for Texas before transferring to USC. He flashed his immense potential in a two-interception game against ASU in 2021 before injuries sidelined him for the entire 2022 season. He then transferred to ASU, where the NCAA (eventually) denied his waiver appeal to play. But despite the setbacks and obstacles, Xavion remained focused on the present and future, helping the team where he could, working towards his return, and being a vocal advocate for the program being built in Tempe. In the episode, Xavion and I discuss how he dealt with two years on the sidelines, the support he received, how he maintained a positive outlook, the Texas-to-Tempe pipeline, Tex-Mex cuisine, and more. 

The 2023 season is over, and it was a year defined by struggles, adversity, change...and some promise. After a dive into the latest portal activity, we break down what we saw during the season and what it means moving forward with DevilsDigest.com's Hod Rabino and Caleb Campero joining us in studio. Plus, we talk with a trio of new Sun Devils coming in through the transfer portal: DL Justin Wodtly (1:08:13), QB Sam Leavitt (1:23:11), and DB Javan Robinson (2:18:01).

Over five seasons in Tempe, Jordan Clark gave everything he had and became a playmaking defensive back, team leader, and fan favorite. As he prepares to head to Notre Dame for his final season of college football, he reflects on his time as a Sun Devil, the future and potential of the program, and the exciting chapter ahead.

Replacing a legend is hard. Add in some terrible injury luck, and it's a grueling task. But taking over a program and building it back into a winner is nothing new for Arizona State women's basketball head coach Natasha Adair. Her first season in Tempe was difficult, with a rash of injuries so bad that it prompted a couple of game cancellations. But with better health, and a crop of talented newcomers, year 2 for the Sun Devils are off to a good start, as the ladies are currently sitting at 7-2 as the final season of Pac-12 conference play looms. On this episode, Natasha and I discuss the hot start to the year, lessons learned from last season, how the program culture and foundation is coming along, and more.  

The Sun Devil season is over, but things are anything but slow. We begin with a dive into the flurry of portal activity and break down the two coaching staff changes, before looking at some snubs from the Pac-12′s all-conference teams. Then it’s our turn to hand out the hardware, as we hand out our annual season awards.

2023 was a weird season. And no position group felt that weirdness more acutely than the offensive line. Due to an unprecedented number of key injuries, the Sun Devils used 11 different starting combinations in 12 games. But each week, at various positions based on team need, and sometimes playing one-handed, was Joey Ramos. The veteran O-lineman transferred home to ASU last year after several years at Iowa State, but missed most of that year with injury. But he battled through adversity this year, becoming a key member of the line and a team leader. On this episode, Joey and I discuss the season and the lessons learned from it, the One Snap Brotherhood, the culture being installed in Tempe, his Draft dreams, and more.

The final showdown is here. After a look at the news and the tough loss to Oregon, we look ahead to the Duel in the Desert. We have an insightful conversation with ASU tight end Jalin Conyers (24:42) before going behind Wildcat lines with Arizona insider Adam Green of Wildcat Radio 2.0 (32:52) and diving into our game preview and predictions.

There's no such thing as an ugly win, as the Devils got the job done in the Rose Bowl in an unorthodox way. After a dive into the news and a discussion on Ray Anderson's resignation, we are joined by program legend Jordan Simone for his unfiltered thoughts on the new era of Sun Devil athletics (14:09). We then review the weird and wild win over UCLA and talk to tight end/ quarterback? Jalin Conyers (1:01:48) and offensive lineman Cade Briggs (1:11:35). Then we go behind Duck lines with Oregon insider James Crepea of The Oregonian (1:17:41) before jumping into our game preview and predictions.

It's a day many have anticipated: Ray Anderson has resigned as ASU's athletic director. It was a tenure filled with some notable achievements, but marred with unmet expectations, controversy, and a major NCAA investigation. Joined by guest Hod Rabino, publisher of DevilsDigest.com, we break down the timing of the news, what the next AD needs to do, and some names to watch as the hiring process unfolds.

Welp, that wasn't great. After a look at the latest news, including a notable departure to the portal, we dive into what the hell happened in the historic loss to Utah. Next up, we talk with ASU running back Kyson Brown on his freshman season (39:54) and wide receiver Jordyn Tyson on his return from injury (46:24). Then we turn the page and look ahead to another tough game. We go behind UCLA lines with Carlos (AKA @EquityBruin) of the No Truck Stops podcast (50:54) before diving in to our game preview.

After Wednesday's practice, defensive end Clayton Smith discussed playing some offense, the pass rush, and thriving in a hostile atmosphere. Then, defensive line coach Vince Amey breaks down his unit's strong play, how theyv'e dealt with adversity, and facing Utah.

Finally... After weeks of knocking on the door, the Devils broke it down and got a win. With Ralph Amsden of ArizonaVarsity.com and the Pac-12 Apostles podcast pinch-hitting as co-host, we review the big win, talk to ASU tight end Ryan Morgan (40:43), and preview the Sun Devils' big road test at Utah. Then, we are joined by former ASU guard and current radio analyst Kyle Dodd to preview the ASU basketball season (1:18:25).

Oh. So. Close. After a look at the news, we examine the defensive dominance and missed opportunities from ASU's loss to No. 5 Washington. We then talk to left tackle Isaia Glass (27:14) and wide receiver Gio Sanders (31:28) about the adversity faced by the offense and the plan to turn the close losses into wins. We then go behind Washington State lines with Michael Preston of CougCenter.com (36:05) before diving into our game preview and predictions.

It all starts between the pipes. As a goalie myself, I may be a little biased, but without a quality goaltender in net, a hockey team isn't going to win a lot of games. Fortunately for the Sun Devils, they have one of the nation's best. TJ Semptimphelter bucked family tradition by forgoing the football field for the hockey rink. After a breakout performance at the famous Beanpot Tournament while playing for Northeastern, TJ emerged as a hot commodity and transferred to Arizona State prior to last season. He immediately became the workhorse in goal, establishing himself as a foundational piece for the Sun Devils. That has continued into this season, where he has started each of ASU's first four games, winning all of them, including a season-opening win over No. 15 Merrimack. With the Sun Devils rising up in the polls, the future is bright in Tempe. On this episode, TJ and I discuss his hockey journey, how a love of sports headgear landed him in goal, the joy of annihilating the Arizona Wildcats, what Being the

It's funny what twists and turns life has in store sometimes. One day, you're in the middle of a successful career in finance. The next, you're leading a volleyball resurgence in the desert. JJ Van Niel was a SoCal guy, who dabbled a bit in volleyball as a kid before going on to play club hockey at USC. He then spent 12 years working in the financial sector before a chance encounter sent him on a path of coaching volleyball that has included stops with the US Women's National Team, the Olympic Games, Utah, and USC before being named Arizona State's head coach this past December. The turnaround has been immediate. After posting just one winning season in the last 7 years, Van Niel's Devils are currently 18-2 and ranked No. 17 in the nation following a massive straight sets win over No. 5 Oregon this past Sunday. In this episode, JJ and I discuss the hot start to the season, why he came to ASU, how he went from the hockey rink to the volleyball court, the best dishes from the team's "Chopped" competitions, and