Opposing coaches give spicy ASU football takes in Athlon Magazine

Given the cover of anonymity, opposing college football coaches are not holding back while assessing the state of the Arizona State Sun Devils’ football program. Athlon Magazine asked coaches for their outside opinion of other football teams for the publication’s 2022 preview edition, and let’s just say those who submitted responses did not censor themselves in the sake of respecting an opponent.

SunDevilSource.com’s Chris Karpman, who authored the preview article about the Sun Devils looking ahead to the coming year, posted the text of a section where coaches were asked to judge the ASU program from their point of view.

Of the few positives to be included regarding head coach Herm Edwards’ squad was one coach who said the Sun Devils look like a mid-tier SEC team when they step off the bus, while another added “the program is always good on paper.”

Those were about the only good things said.

Among the critical opinions: The Arizona State program is “the biggest dumpster fire in college football;” the football team is a “ticking time bomb;” and there is a chance for “total implosion midseason because there’s no consistency anywhere.”

I wrote the ASU preview for @AthlonSports on newsstands now, but not this portion. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/tnfvlfuPPa

— Chris Karpman (@ChrisKarpman) June 12, 2022

The anonymous comments that were published did not, apparently, include the worst things that were said.

I always like to remind readers: As a rule I throw out the most positive and most negative comments. This is what was left for ASU https://t.co/ZtBMRxfqwJ

— Steven Godfrey (@38Godfrey) June 11, 2022

It’s unsurprising that other college coaches have gone the direction of being critical of ASU.

The team’s recruiting scandal, after all, broke with a story including on-the-record quotes from fellow Pac-12 members and additional sources formerly with the program who were displeased about how the team recruited high school players during a pandemic-caused dead period.

Arizona State went 8-5 this past season but moves forward after both of its coordinators departed due to the investigation. Offensive coordinator Zak Hill was replaced by Glenn Thomas, a former UNLV play-caller, while DC Antonio Pierce left and now is on the Las Vegas Raiders’ staff. Pierce was replaced with an in-house hire in Donnie Henderson.

Hill’s and Pierce’s departures followed three assistants out the door due to their apparent involvement in the rule-breaking.

Roster-wise, the Sun Devils have a long list of starting roles to fill after being hit hard in the transfer portal and bringing in one of the worst high school classes in team history.

ASU saw players go pro at running back (Rachaad White), defensive back (Chase Lucas and Jack Jones), linebacker (Darien Butler) and offensive line (Kellen Diesch and Dohnovan West).

The Sun Devils also lost players with eligibility who were expected to return at quarterback (Jayden Daniels), defensive tackle (Jermayne Lole), receiver (Ricky Pearsall and LV Bunkley Shelton), running back (DeaMonte Trayanum) and linebacker (Eric Gentry).

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