The latest episode of The Sun Devil Source Report Podcast concludes an offseason series that has been a little different from our normal podcasts. We have been providing our audience with a bit of a treat in the form of interviews that Sun Devil Source publisher Chris Karpman conducted with Arizona State assistant coaches.

The ninth and final episode of this series is from Karpman's recent conversation with ASU associate head coach and co-defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce. The former NFL linebacker is entering his first season as co-defensive coordinator and third on head coach Herm Edwards’ staff. He and co-coordinator Marvin Lewis will take over the ASU defense after New Mexico head coach Danny Gonzales led Herm Edwards’ defense the past two seasons.

During his nine-year NFL career, Pierce played 137 regular season games (and seven playoff games) with the Washington Redskins (2001-04) and New York Giants (2005-09). Pierce captained the Giants' defense for five seasons, including 2007 when he helped anchor the championship team that upset the previously undefeated New England Patriots for a victory in Super Bowl XLII.

A native of Long Beach, Calif., Pierce played college football at the University of Arizona after beginning his college career at Mt. San Antonio Junior College in Walnut, California. He worked alongside Edwards as an NFL analyst at ESPN for much of the last decade.

He was the head coach of Long Beach Poly High School from 2014-2017, leaving the team to join Edwards at ASU as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator.

In this podcast, Pierce describes his expanding role on ASU’s coaching staff and assesses the team's personnel on the defense. He also talks extensively about recruiting.