Last summer, I received word that the NCAA was in possession of allegations that could seriously derail the progress the program had made under Herm Edwards over the previous three seasons.
By the end of the week, news had broken locally and nationally.
Over the ensuing 15 months of still-incomplete investigations, the program lost half its assistants and support staff, saw the 2022 recruiting class go from star-studded to a transfer portal hodge-podge, and watched unprecedented turnover from entrenched starters leaving for NIL opportunities elsewhere that the athletic department was refusing to embrace in Tempe.
Even Tempe hometown hero Ricky Pearsall flew the coop after establishing himself as the face of the team in spring ball.
The fans are exhausted, and they have every reason to be. Especially if, like me, they took athletic director Ray Anderson's stated goals in making this hire in November 2017 to be literal, measurable aspects of whether or not the experiment would be a success.
I wrote about the enormous risk of the hire the day it as first reported, and revisiting the stated goals now makes for a tough pill to swallow... so I'm refusing to swallow the pill. For the sake of being able to enjoy this season of ASU football, and root for the many fantastic storylines and dozens of athletes that have also decided that they're looking past the metaphorical tire fires and programmatic warts to don the maroon and gold with pride. If they can do it, so can we.
So here are the reasons I'll be pretending everything is fine, and rooting for the Devils this fall:
1) Herman Edwards Can't Go Out Like This
Before you say anything, trust that I've heard it all, and I don't care. I like Herm Edwards. I know firsthand that the players respect him as a man and teacher, and I have never once placed blame at his feet for accepting a job that came with the completely ludicrous expectations that he step into a situation with an established offensive and defensive coordinator, and act as a CEO.
It's not his fault that Billy Napier and Phil Bennett had no plans to go along with the athletic director's fever dream, and the power/experience vacuum that was created in that original design created the opportunity for the confidence of a certain defensive assistant to rapidly take over and shape the strategic and moral direction of things. That assistant is gone, as are the bizarre expectations that a coach doesn't have to be in charge of either the offense, defense, recruiting, or staffing.
His staff aren't holdovers with mixed loyalties, nor are they (currently) implicated in any violations, and they're also not on their first job and only around to relate in age and interest to potential recruits. And most importantly, none of the most influential voices in the building are related to star players.
Herm Edwards has given a lot to the game of football, and this is his opportunity to show that despite adversity, even self-inflicted adversity, that he still has one hit left.
2) The Emory Jones Redemption Tour
I'll be honest, I was rooting for Trent Bourguet to win the starting QB job. I run ArizonaVarsity, and I have spent a lot of time watching Bourguet make a name for himself against the odds. It would have been cool to see a walk on beat out two SEC transfers and three other recruits.
But I'm equally as excited to get behind someone who waited three years for an opportunity in Gainesville, was fifth in the SEC in offensive yards in 2021, and then was still taken for granted by a fan base that believes a younger player with a worse completion percentage and TD/INT ratio is actually the program savior.
The Emory Jones revenge tour could have happened in plenty of destinations, but it's happening in Tempe, and I'm ready for it.
3) A Cowboy in the Desert
It's no secret that I'm a Wyoming fan. It stems back to the days my mother lived in Laramie, and because she had limited daycare options, she had them make me a student ID and brought me along to classes. Xazavian Valladay and his near-4,000 yards from scrimmage was a tough loss to the transfer portal, but amidst all the noise and upheaval in Tempe, he still chose to make Arizona State his home. There's no level of apathy his addition wouldn't have shaken me out of.
4) The Three Amigos
I was excited when Arizona State added Jamar Cain to the coaching staff, elated when his presence brought the trio of WR Elijhah Badger, DL Omar Norman Lott, and RB Daniyel Ngata to Tempe as recruits, and convinced they'd follow him out of the program when he abruptly took a job at Oklahoma. They didn't leave, and now they're primed to all have breakout seasons. My guy Jordan Hamm has a great feature story about them that you definitely need to check out.
5) The Next Generation
Frankly, I understand the desire to check out of all things Arizona State until the program turns the page on the Ray Anderson era. But when you look at this team, how can you not see the beginnings of generational loyalty to the Maroon and Gold? Starting left tackle Isiah Glass is a second generation Sun Devil. Jordan Clark, Chad Johnson Jr, and Jace Feely all watched their fathers make lasting impacts in the NFL, and have chosen to make Tempe their home. Connor and Kyle Soelle grew up looking forward to watching the Sun Devils from the stands every Saturday, and they're going to take Frank Kush field side-by-side this year. Jean Boyd III plays for the team his father works for. Alijah Gammage earned a scholarship the same way his older brother did- as a walk-on. My hope for them is that they remember this time as something much more than the turbulence of 2021, and that the benefits of those fond memories playing in front of loyal fans pay dividends fo the program for generations to come.
Look- I know it's been a rough summer, but the season is here. This iteration of the Arizona State Sun Devils team has three months to make their mark, and etch out their legacy. They have three months to forget about all of the people that chose to jump off the Devil Train, and chase greatness.
To quote Herm Edwards, I'm on the train. Are you?
