Football is almost back. We take a deep dive into ASU' upcoming fall camp to preview the major position battles and key storylines to track. Along the way, we talk with QB Drew Pyne (23:39), RB Cam Skattebo (48:54), WR Xavier Guillory (1:13:50), LB JuJu Mitchell (1:38:34), and LB James Djonkam (1:56:36).

This is the 13th year of the Speak of the Devils podcast, and the sixth year of the Sitdown Series. Over that span, I've done over 1,000 interviews, and this is the first one in which the subject's snake got loose mid-interview. But that snake breaking contain was about the only thing eluding Clayton Smith's grasp, albeit briefly, during his time in Tempe. A former 5-star recruit, Smith spent his first two years at Oklahoma before transferring to Arizona State. He was quick to make his mark, putting together a strong showing in spring as a disruptive force off the edge, and his skills appear to be a perfect fit for the Sun Devils' aggressive new defense. And when he's not sacking quarterbacks, the reptile enthusiast is a Crocodile Hunter in training. In this fun episode, Clayton and I discuss his football journey, why ASU was the right place for him, the new defense, proving doubters wrong, setting his sights on Terrell Suggs, Texas BBQ, a hilarious prank he pulled on a snake-fearing teammate, and more.

2022 was a difficult year for the Sun Devils, on and off the field. There's no denying that. But amid the myriad struggles, a coach remained a steadfast beacon of positivity, accountability, and ohana. After the departure of Herm Edwards, Shaun Aguano was elevated to be the interim head coach of Sun Devils football. His nine games at the helm resulted in a marquee win over Washington, but most impressively, he managed to keep his Sun Devils fighting hard week after week in a situation many others would pack in. When Kenny Dillingham was hired as ASU's new head coach, his first move was to retain Coach Aguano, a decision that was met with unanimous praise throughout Sun Devil Nation. On this episode, Shaun and I discuss the struggles, and lessons, from the difficult 2022 season, why ASU and the Valley mean so much to him, the revitalization the program has seen in recent years, the 2023 group of running backs, and more

On the drive back from covering Pac-12 Media Day in Las Vegas, Brad recaps the biggest storylines and developments (or lack of some key developments) from the event, breaks down Kenny Dillingham's comments, brings you Jalin Conyers' harrowing near-death roller coaster experience, and more.

For Joey Ramos, 2023 will be the second attempt at a happy homecoming.

The Valley product spent four years at Iowa State, seeing action all across the offensive line. For 2022, he decided to transfer home and play for the Sun Devils. Things began well, as he earned a starting spot. Unfortunately, he suffered a broken ankle in the season opener and was lost for the season.

Now fully healthy and with a new coaching staff, Ramos re-earned a starting spot at right guard during spring practices. Beyond his skills in the trenches, he also has become one of the team's leaders, having been named to the leadership council. Things are in place, once again, to put a successful cap to his college career.

On this episode, we discuss the hard road back from injury, getting healthy physically and mentally, his leadership style, the state of the rebuilding offensive line, why he cut his once long locks, and much more.

Fall camp is nearly here. As we near the start of the 2023 season, we take a deep dive into the year ahead at both the Pac-12 and national levels. After a look at the top news, we’re joined by ESPN’s Matt Barrie who gives expert insight into the new era of Sun Devil football, the future of the Pac-12 Conference, and much more (20:22). We then take a look at how the Pac-12 looks heading into camp before making some season predictions.

The new era of Sun Devil football features many new faces, but it's one of the veterans that has become one of the faces of the program.

Jordan Clark has been a key part of ASU's defense in recent years. He's been a part of some thrilling highs and battled through disappointing lows in Tempe. In the wake of last year's struggles and the departure of the staff that recruited him to ASU, it would have been understandable for him to explore options elsewhere. But that's just not how he does things.

Now, with a new staff and a new defensive scheme, Jordan will be looked at as a key component in the Sun Devils' efforts to revitalize the program, both on and off the field.

On this episode, we discuss the lessons learned during his career, the ins and outs of the new scheme, a revitalized program culture, what makes a great sweet potato pie, and much more.

We're kicking off our 13th SEASON of Speak of the Devils in a big way. After a look at the latest wave of commitments and MLB Draft picks, we talk with 4-star 2025 commit QB Michael "Butter" Tollefson on why he chose the Devils (27:45). Then we unveil our picks for the 10 most important non-quarterback Sun Devil players for the team's success this season. We cap the episode with a conversation with local 3-star commit Plas Johnson (1:22:21).

The Texas to Tempe pipeline is flowing fast these days. ASU's new staff has made the talent-rich state a major priority, and the early returns are promising. While the future appears bright on that front, the present is looking pretty good too, in large part because of a spring standout. Defensive tackle Cullen "C.J." Fite had committed to Arizona State under the previous staff, but understandably decommitted after the program made a coaching change. However, after talking with Kenny Dillingham and the new defensive staff, Fite decided to recommit to the Sun Devils. He then became one of the stars of spring practices, and he appears poised to play an important role in a key area of need for the Devils' defense this fall and in the season to come. On this episode, we discuss his upbringing in a football-crazed state, what convinced him to recommit to ASU, his fit in the defensive scheme, and much more.

In this special episode, we take an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of the Rashada family's Sun Devil legacy. We begin with a revealing conversation with ASU freshman quarterback Jaden Rashada (2:26), who opens up on his wild recruitment, the lessons learned, why he chose Arizona State, and his goals. Next, we talk with his brother Roman, a talented safety comes to Tempe from Ole Miss. He discusses his winding college football journey and reuniting with his brother at ASU (27:05). Then we talk to Jaden and Roman's father Harlen, who played for ASU in the 1990s, including the 1996 Pac-10 championship squad (38:48). He share stories from his career, the impact of Pat Tillman, and more. We wrap up with a fun panel discussion with all three Rashadas that is not to be missed (1:07:18).