For the fourth straight year, ASU has improved its Graduation Success Rate, reaching an all-time high. It now sits one point shy of its 80% goal (established when the GSR was created) and only 4 points from second place in the conference.

“The graduation success rate is the most significant measure of student athlete academic achievement that exists, ” said Jean Boyd, Associate Athletic Director for the Office of Student-Athlete Development. “This is the fourth consecutive year that we have improved in our Graduation Success Rate. The 79-percent ranks us in the Top 5 of the Pac-12, which is an elite academic and athletic conference. We are just one percentage point away from our goal of reaching 80-percent and are working hard to reach that goal.”

In addition, ASU’s football team ranks third in the conference, trailing only Washington and perennial leader Stanford. UA, which has often unfairly denigrated ASU’s academics while performing much worse, again manages to rank dead last.

ASU has been helping to set the national lead in academic support services and innovation in the last few years, owing much of its success to Jean Boyd and a renewed athletic department commitment to academics. Kudos to another year of solid improvement.

This photo says it all.

“Vontaze Burfict: What you get when you kick Ray Lewis’ dog.”

This never gets old:

And the video:

It wasn’t necessarily a pretty game for the Sun Devils, but it was enough of an effort to knock off #22 Missouri in a nationally televised and highly anticipated matchup.

The Sun Devils took control of the game in the fourth quarter, only to squander a 14-pt lead late and survive overtime. The win, which broke Missouri’s long streak of out-of-conference wins and gave ASU’s its first win over a ranked team since its 2007 Pac-10 co-championship year, lived up to the hype of the Blackout.

The sellout crowd was in it from beginning, had a great showing of black to match the new uniforms on the field, and rejoiced when Jamal Miles scored a touchdown in overtime and the defense held Mizzou on fourth down to secure the win.

For those of you who wanted to relive the thrilling overtime period, check out the video below:

I cannot wait for tonight’s game—this has been a very long offseason.

Expectations for the season

Dennis Erickson needs to win at least 8 games to save his job. He’s been building this team for too long.

The defense will be generally solid, especially against the run. We have enough talent on the offensive side of the ball to really challenge opposing teams. Team speed will be on display all season long.

With high expectations, new uniforms, and some experience, this team may return to the swagger of 2007.

Prediction for the season:

We will win 8 games this season. I was solidly in the 9-win camp until the rash of offseason injuries and departures. I think that the injury bug could easily steal at least one win from the team this year, so now I’m down to 8. If Brock plays well and doesn’t make too many critical mistakes, and if our pass rush makes up for the injuries in the secondary and at linebacker, I think we can easily win nine games, maybe even ten. The early stretch is going to be key. If the Devils can come out of the first four games at 3-1, we’ll be well on our way to a good to great season.

Other concerns:

• Net turnovers. That includes our turnover margin, as well as stupid penalties and dumb mistakes that stall offensive drives and give opposing offenses a second chance. ASU has not excelled in this area since Erickson’s arrival.
• The kicking and punting game – new punter, new snapper, new holder, new kicker. Hey, what could go wrong here?
• Depth, particularly on defense: starters Lawrence Guy, Omar Bolden, James Brooks, and Brandon Magee all gone, with additional injuries to backups such as Devon Spann. On offense, we’re missing experienced backups in Threet and Sakacsy, and significant contributors TJ Simpson and Deantre Lewis. Does this team have enough depth to overcome the string of bad luck we’ve had? If Brock goes down, it’s hard to think we’ll be able to compete for a South Division title.

It’s Time. Go Devils!

The University of Arizona and its fans have often, and repeatedly, chided ASU as an academically inferior institution. In particular, UA football coach Mike Stoops has repeatedly lobbed false claims that recruits who chose ASU over UA did so because it was easier to get into ASU, even though admissions standards are set by ABOR and are identical at all three state universities.

When it comes to the academic accomplishments of its athletes, UA is right: things are different in Tucson—but not for the better. For example, earlier this week Stanford’s The Bootleg reported on the results of the NCAA 2010 Graduation Success Rate Report.

For UA, the numbers are nothing short of shameful.

Arizona has fallen into last place. Remarkably, and a fact we would hope Arizona taxpayers would note, U-of-A! also has the worst graduation rate of all major basketball programs and the second-worst graduation rate of all BCS football programs.

Yes, you read that correctly: UA has the worst basketball graduation rate of any major basketball program in the nation, as well as the second-worst graduation rate of all BCS football programs. Worst, and second worst, in the nation.

The “University” of Arizona pulled off an appalling, but impressive hat trick, with the Pac 10′s worst graduation rate in football, basketball, and baseball.

And after reading those stats, it’s not surprising to guess what’s coming next.

Arizona’s graduation rate of 65% for all athletes is the worst for any major sports program.

Yikes—the worst major sports program in the country for graduating student athletes?!! Wow. Even this diehard ASU fan is embarrassed for them in earning such a distinction.

Now, ASU still has room for improvement in the athlete graduation department, but it’s certainly not competing for dead last in the country. In fact, ASU has made some good progress and been a national leader in launching programs like Scholar Baller, which has now been adopted by more than 50 universities.

Of course, none of this should be too surprising. ASU’s been making some serious strides in important measures like increasing freshman retention rates and decreasing loan default rates, even while growing as fast as Phoenix. Arizona, on the other hand, seems to be sitting on its hands and watching those same numbers move in the wrong direction.

That’s probably why UA’s own student paper, the Daily Wildcat, had this say last fall (emphasis mine):

According to a recent poll in The Wall Street Journal, Arizona State University ranks fifth in the nation when it comes to U.S. companies’ desire to hire graduates. The UA did not even crack the top 25.

The UA has spent years pooh-poohing its neighbor to the north, certain in its status as the academically stronger and more rigorous Arizona university. But increasingly over the past several years, that attitude simply doesn’t match up with the facts.

I’m of the opinion that arguing about whether one university is academically better as a whole than another is a futile exercise unless one of those institutions is either among the very best, or among the very worst in the nation. Otherwise, it’s like arguing which color is better: it all depends on how you measure it and the circumstances of the situation you’re in; what works for one student might not work for another. In general, college is like any other learning opportunity: you get out what you put in.

But one thing is clear—the tired old smack talk that UA sports fans often resort to in denigrating ASU’s academics just no longer applies. And that’s really got to hurt for UA faithful to acknowledge.

As the Daily Wildcat article explained, “Painful as it is to say, ASU must be doing something right.” UA clearly isn’t.

Leading up to its big rebranding announcement, ASU’s been celebrating its past. Here’s a recap of all of the videos they’ve released thus far.

I’m excited to see ASU put together another marketing campaign—I enjoyed the Sun Devil Laws and the 2007 football season videos.

UPDATE: The new uniforms are here. Check out some the official announcement, and a photo gallery. The video below does a good job of recapping today’s announcement event.

Go Devils!

——–

Big changes are coming to ASU Athletics. We’ll find out exactly what they are on April 12, 2011 at 2pm [event details], but some in the Sun Devil Club will get a sneak preview on April 9 at 5pm at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort [update: the event was reportedly sold-out]. I’ll miss both of those events, but I’m curiously awaiting the official unvieling (you can watch the webcast of the April 12th event on http://foxsportsarizona.com“>Fox Sports Arizona).

The leading rumors are that Sparky will be de-emphasized and that the pitchfork will become a recognizable symbol for Arizona State University. Most notably, that means that you won’t find Sparky on the football helmet. Speaking of helmets, it sounds like we may have three of them: a gold one, a maroon one, and a black one. That’ll provide some gameday options with the five new uniforms we’re expecting to see: gold, maroon, black, white, and pro-combat. Nike is leading the redesign, though some have confirmed that Disney has also been involved (which may help cool the backlash when Bert Anthony’s Sparky design goes missing).

It also sounds like there will be some additional information provided about the athletic department’s fundraising efforts, namely the Sun Devil Club. Some of the conjecture around a new Sun Devil Stadium and the Olympic Village concept doesn’t appear to be part of the announcement next week.

So far, none of this has been confirmed—but there’s plenty of insider speak and conjecture, and it’s great to have some excitement around ASU football this time of year. ASU’s done a great job so far of creating a buzz while keeping things under wraps until the announcement. I think Sparky is one of the most original mascots out there, but I’m waiting to form an opinion until I see the new designs.

Here’s a good local news interview about the upcoming changes:

By the way, if you haven’t purchased or renewed season tickets for our first year in the PAC-12 conference, maybe you should go ahead and do that right now.

UPDATE: And for those of you who read all the way to the bottom, here’s a momentary sneak peak at some of the leading rumors. And follow the official #ASUIt’sTime hashtag feed.

Fear the Fork — Go Devils! ——E

The ASU Athletic Department has been touting a major announcement on April 9. A few days ago they posted this revised video (note the James Brooks PAT block against Arizona and the new pitchfork logo). Fan message board speculation has been high, and there seems to be a growing consensus that the announcement will focus the future of Sun Devil Stadium, which needs major renovations in the coming decade.

Update: It appears the announcement will focus on the new uniform branding, and not the stadium. Work is underway on a new stadium, but it’s not yet ready for release. Rumor is that Sparky will disappear from the football helmets.

Every rivalry needs some jokes. The annual Duel in the Desert is no different. Here are a few I collected prior to the game:

Q. Why can you never end an argument with an AU fan?
A. Because they’re always trying to make an extra point!

Q. Why doesn’t U of A have ice on the sidelines?
A. The guy with the recipe graduated.

Q. How do you keep U of A football out of your yard?
A. Put up a sign that says “Rose Bowl.”

Q. What’s the difference between a dead coyote and a dead Wildcat?
A. There are skid marks near the coyote.

It’s being reported that Arizona head football coach Mike Stoops will only be dressing twenty players for the Arizona State game.
The rest of the players will have to get dressed by themselves.

Q. Why do birds fly upside down over UA?
A. There’s nothing worth crapping on.

Q. What’s more difficult than arguing football with a UofA grad?
A. Getting them to make your Big Mac right.

Q. What do you call an Arizona football player with a Rose Bowl ring?
A. Thief.

Q. Did you hear about the fire in U of A’s football dorm that destroyed over 20 books?
A. The real tragedy was that 15 of them hadn’t even been colored in yet.

Q. What does the average UofA football player get on his SAT?
A. Drool.

Q. What do you get when you see a groundhog in Tucson?
A. Six more weeks of bad football.

Q. Why do they throw manure at wildcat weddings?
A. To keep the flies off the bride.

Q. What are the longest three years of a U of A football player’s life?
A. His freshman year.

Q. How many U of A freshmen does it take to change a lightbulb?
A. None. It’s a sophomore class.

Q. Why can’t you find a cockroach in Tucson?
A. Because even a cockroach has an ounce of self-respect.

Q. What’s the difference between Cocoa Pebbles and U of A’s football team?
A. The Cocoa Pebbles belong in a bowl.

Q. What do you do when a Wildcat knocks on your door?
A. You tip ‘em $5 and enjoy your pizza!

Q. How do you ruin a UA tailgate party?
A. Flush their punch bowl.

Q. What do Wildcat fans use for birth control?
A. Their personalities.

Q. What is the difference between a U of A jersey and an onion?
A. No one cries when you cut up an U of A jersey.

Q. Why do AU chicks wear high heels?
A. To keep their knuckles from scraping the ground.

Q. What do you get when you put 32 Arizona cheerleaders in one room?
A. A full set of teeth.

Q. How do you know Jesus is not from Tucson?
A. You’ll never find a virgin there much less three wise men.

Q. How do you get to U of A from Tempe?
A. You go south until you smell it and east until you step in it.

Q. What’s the only sign of intelligent life in Tucson?
A. Tempe, 112 Miles.

Q. Why are rectal thermometers banned at the University of Arizona?
A. They cause too much brain damage.

Q. How do you keep a Wildcat from playing with itself?
A. You paint its willie Maroon and Gold knowing it will never beat it!!!!

Q. How do you castrate a U of A football player?
A. You hit his sister in the jaw.

Q. How do you get a Wildcats cheerleader into your dorm room?
A. Grease her hips and push.

Stoops went into the locker room on Monday and told Brooks Reed, “You’re failing MAT 101. In order to remain eligible, you’re going to have to answer a couple questions correctly.”
“What is four times eleven?”
“A hundred” Reed said.
“Give him another chance, Give him another chance!” the rest of the team said.
“OK, said Stoops, what is two plus two?”
“Four” beamed Reed.
“Give him another chance, Give him another chance!” the rest of the team said.

Q. How come whenever it is time for them to pick their Jim Click-furnished car, AU players never choose a Japanese car?
A. They’re afraid they won’t understand what’s on the radio.

Q. What do Wildcats and pot have in common?
A. They both get smoked in a bowl.

Q. What do you call a good looking girl on the University of Arizona campus?
A. A visitor.

Q. How did the Wildcat player die from drinking milk?
A. The cow fell on him.

A guy in a bar leans over to the guy next to him and says, “Wanna hear a good Arizona joke?”
The guy next to him replies, “Well before you tell that joke, you should know something. I’m 6′ tall, 200 lbs., and I am an Arizona grad. The guy sitting next to me is 6′ 2″ tall, weighs 225, and he’s an Arizona grad. And the fella next to him is 6′ 5″ tall, weighs 250, and he’s an Arizona grad. Now, you still wanna tell that joke?”
The first guy says, “No, not if I’m gonna have to explain it three times.”

Q. How do you make Wildcat cookies?
A. Put them in a big bowl and beat for 3 hours.

Q. What do you say when you see an Arizona graduate in a suit?
A. Will the defendant please rise.

Q. How many U of A players does it take to screw in a light blub?
A. One, but it never gets done. They just hold the bulb up and wait for the world to revolve around them.

Q. What should you do if you find three UA football fans buried up to their neck in cement?
A. Get more cement.

Q. How do you know the toothbrush was invented in Tucson?
A. Because had it been invented anywhere else, it would have been called the “Teethbrush.”

A U of A fan, a USC fan, & an ASU fan are climbing a mountain and arguing about who loves his team more. The USC fan insists he is the most loyal. “This is for the Trojans,” he yells and jumps off the mountain. Not to be outdone, the ASU fan is next to profess his love for his team. He yells, “GO DEVILS” and pushes the U of A fan off the mountain.

My 24th year of season tickets

It’s early fall in Phoenix, and that means another season of ASU football is upon us. After a shared PAC-10 championship in his first year, fan approval of Dennis Erickson was off the charts. Following two disappointing seasons — the first back-to-back losing seasons in 60+ years — there’s open discussion amongst fans of who ASU should pursue for the head coaching job in 2011. In what is otherwise a wide-open year for the Rose Bowl, the media has picked ASU to finish ninth in the conference.

What to expect

While the team will be returning what is expected to be a stellar defense, the questions all center around the offense. New offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone has installed an up tempo, spread ‘em out and throw offense. That’s excited some fans, even though it resembles the quick strike offense so many of them came to despise about Dirk Koetter. However, this defense just may have enough depth for this philosophy to work. That is, however, if the offensive line stays healthy and manages to play above expectations, the quarterback position remains stable, and the wide receivers make consistent plays.

My prediction

The offense will be improved, but not stellar. The lack of offensive line depth will remain a problem. The defense will not be quite as good as last year, but will be a solid and formidable force. After losing 4 games by a combined 13 points, we should see far better special teams play with Weber’s return. Erickson will pull out the stops when necessary; he’d better, his job is on the line.

This will be a better team than the 2009 team. Will it be enough?

Unfortunately, I think we’ll still end up a game or two short from a bowl game. We’ll win 5-6 games, but unless the offense improves significantly, I don’t think that we’ll be bowling again this year. There are still too many questions on offense, a challenging schedule, and a disinterested fan base. However, if the offense can get it going, this team will not finish 9th in the conference and will remain in the bowl mix.

Go Devils!

For only the second time in my 23 years as a season ticket holder, I will not be at Sun Devil Stadium on Saturday to watch the Arizona State Sun Devils take on the USC Trojans.

Even though USC will likely be huge favorites, it won’t be an easy game for me to miss.

Trust me.

Instead, I’ll be at the Rendezvous of Friends in Santa Fe, an annual gathering the organization I work at hosts for Friends groups from across the West. While I’ll be working during the game, it’ll be recording back home, I’ll get frequent score updates on my iPhone, and I’ll definitely be doning some maroon & gold.

Go Devils!

Another lower tier opponent, another win.

There wasn’t much drama in this one. ASU’s Omar Bolden returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown and there wasn’t any looking back. That’s probably a good thing, because it wasn’t much closer to halftime that the Devils had actually put the game out of reach.

It wasn’t as clear of a victory as Idaho State had been, but ASU did what it needed to in what could have been a dangerous trap game. Danny Sullivan looked much crisper, the running game – especially Dimitri Nance – was effective, and the defense continued to show that they can be something special.

Nonetheless, the stands were pretty empty and there’s still very little buzz about the Sun Devils this year. I’m still predicting a season ending record around .500, but given the two victories and a first-ever roadtrip to Georgia on the horizon, you’d expect a bit more from fans.

Hell, they should be showing up just to see true freshman phenom Vontaze Burfict step onto the field. He’s been stellar – better than advertised, actually, which is pretty amazing feat given the hype that surrounded his signing.

Dennis Erickson seems to be doing fine calling plays, with what’s seemed like a slow rollout of the playbook. Chris McGaha is back to making his circus catches. It’s hard to tell given the competition level thus far, but the offensive line hasn’t been overly offensive, an improvement over the previous two years.

That being said, the pass rush needs to improve. With such a heralded defense, and plenty of depth in the line, you’d expect ASU to have been setting sack records against the likes of ISU and UML. The pass protection still needs to improve. And while Sully has done a great job of managing the game – throwing the ball away and failing to turn the ball – he still has some growing to do. I’d especially like to see him connect on the deep ball with one of the talented receivers.

All in all, it’s about what you’d expect from an ASU team that’s likely to finish in the middle of the pack.

Über-recruit Vontaze Burfict accelerates to the QB during one of the first plays as a true freshman.

ASU junior wide receiver Kerry Taylor – relative of famed 49er receiver John Taylor – made a pretty nice behind-the-back catch after a double-move route during practice last Wednesday.

President Obama: ASU’s in, U of A’s out.