Sitdown Series - A.J. Cooper

A maroon Blackout, a gritty win, and a field storming for the ages. We look back on the wild win over No. 16 Utah before talking with two key players from the victory: LB Jordan Crook (41:09) and RG Kyle Scott (50:26). We then go behind Bearcat lines with Cincinnati insider J.T. Smith of TheFrontOfficeNews.com (56:12) before diving into our game preview and predictions.

In the transfer portal era, it’s increasingly rare to see a player stay true to his school, put in the hard work, and trust the process. That’s exactly what Arizona State goalie Gibson Homer has done. While he didn’t see any action his freshman season, he was named the team’s Practice Hero by that year by his peers. And when he finally got his chance last year, he excelled, posting some of the very best goaltending numbers in the nation. Now the Sun Devils’ starter, he’s bringing that same work ethic to the crease as ASU begins its first season in the daunting NCHC conference. On this episode, Gibson and I discuss the value of hard work, how it felt to thrive when he got his opportunity, the mental side of goaltending, what the Devils can say to the college hockey world this season and so much more.  

Following in the footsteps of a legend is a hard task...but doing so after winning a national title is a little easier. In April, Herbie Behm was elevated to become the new head coach of Arizona State's swim & dive teams following the men's team taking home the NCAA title and the departure of legendary coach Bob Bowman. A former Sun Devil swimmer, Herbie would join the ASU staff in 2018, and over the years has earned a reputation as one of the best and most innovative young coaches in the sport. On this episode, Herbie and I discuss his start in the pool, the journey from cut program to national champion, seeing Sun Devils win gold on the world stage, his vision for the future, and more.

An ugly game leads to a pretty 4-1 record. We dive into the hot, gritty, and clutch win over Kansas before talking with ASU offensive lineman Ben Coleman (30:12) about the dominance in the trenches. We then talk with OL coach Saga Tuitele (1:00:09) about the line play and the keys to holding back Utah. Next up, we get a detailed look at the Utes from Utah insider Patrick Kinahan (1:14:42) before jumping into our in-depth game preview and predictions.

After some much needed rest, the Devils are back in action. We dive in with conversations with a trio of key Sun Devils: S Xavion Alford (6:04), safety Myles "Ghost" Rowser (10:56), and WR Xavier Guillory (14:36). We then go behind Jayhawk lines with Kansas insider Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com (19:47) before diving into our game preview and final score predictions.

To develop the Sun Devil defensive line, bringing in a guy who helped coach a newly-inducted member into the Pro Football Hall of Fame seems like a good choice. Diron Reynolds has put together a widely respected coaching career at the college and NFL levels, mentoring a host of star players—including new Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney—and earning a Super Bowl ring along the way. He also has been a key part of the Von Miller Pass Rush Summit, where the best pass rushers in the world gather annually to hone their craft. Through the early part of the 2024 season, his impact on the Arizona State line play has been significant. On this episode, we go in-depth on his coaching origin story, working his way from a GA to a Super Bowl champion, the finer points of trench play, why he came to ASU, the Devils' D-line, and much more.

And on the fifth week, they rested. We kick off the show with a look at the latest news before diving into review of ASU's loss to Texas Tech. We then talk with the newest Sun Devil commit, 2026 4-star QB Jake Fette (8:34). We're then joined by Forkcast host Ralph Amsden (32:50) for an in-depth discussion of what we've learned through the season's first four games...and what questions have arisen.

Down but not out. We break down the resilience showed by the Sun Devils in their road win over Texas State before heading behind enemy lines to talk with Joe Lopez of Tortillas and Takes (51:21). Then we preview the first Big 12 game in ASU history and make our game predictions. Plus, we talk with a trio of defensive stars: S Shamari Simmons (11:54), DE Clayton Smith (40:20), and LB Keyshaun Elliott (43:37).

Skat's still running! We recap Cam Skattebo's historic night and ASU's big win over Mississippi State. Then we preview the Sun Devils' tough road trip to face Texas State with Bobcat insider Keff Ciardello of the Win Now or Get Bent podcast (40:25), and we also catch up with ASU CB Keith Abney (1:38:10) and WR Melquan Stovall (1:42:18).

There are many paths to success, but they all have a common thread: Hard work. For Elijah O’Neal, that work ethic has helped him navigate a path from the Pacific northwest to junior college stardom to the Arizona desert. He began to make an impact for the Sun Devil defense as last season went on, and his work over this past offseason led Kenny Dillingham to recently proclaim him the team’s most improved player. That leap will be needed, because he’s entered the season in the starting lineup for a defense with big expectations. On this episode, Elijah and I discuss his football origin story, the lessons learned from his juco years, the biggest hits of his career, and more.