The Arizona Cardinals’ Super Bowl run placed former Sun Devil Pat Tillman back in the news, when HBO talking head Chris Collinsworth said he should be voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

It’s not a popular opinion. The Hall of Fame has stated that a player should be strictly judged based on his abilities as a player. That’s why Lawrence Taylor is in. That’s why Bob Kalsu is not.

• Great college players (Tillman: Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year; Kalsu: Oklahoma All-American)
• American heros (Tillman: Killed in Action, Afghanistan; Kalsu: Killed in Action, Vietnam)
• Not Hall of Fame professionals

But at Echo from the Buttes we don’t back down from a debate—especially involving one of the greatest Sun Devils of all time.

So, should Tillman be enshrined for his service and sacrifice? Or should the Hall of Fame be reserved for players who truly shine between the lines? Here’s what two experts think:

Quoth Chris Collinsworth: “If Pat Tillman doesn’t belong in the Hall of Fame, who does? Here’s a guy that turned down millions of dollars, a three-year, $36 million deal, to go fight for our country. I hope that that is the vote that they will take. This guy is the very essence of what we all hope the NFL and its players will ultimately be.”

Quoth Sports Illustrated’s Peter King: “I disagree. The Pro Football Hall of Fame mandates that players be judged on what they do between the white lines and nothing else. Tillman was a good NFL player, not a great one.”

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Should Pat Tillman be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame? Let us know in the comments below.

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Dennis Erickson is 61 years old and not getting any younger. So his weekend promotion of a 30-something wunderkind with head coaching bloodlines and a reputation as a five-star recruiter looks to us like tapping an heir apparent.

ASU’s new assistant head coach, 38-year-old Matt Lubick, is the son of long-time Colorado State coach Sonny Lubick.

He coaches safeties at ASU, but more importantly he coordinates ASU’s recruiting efforts with a primary area of responsibility is Los Angeles where he butts heads against the Pac-10’s heavy hitters—and wins his share of battles.

Lubick was one of the top 25 recruiters of 2009 according to Rivals.com. He was one of only three Pac-10 coaches on the list along with Norm Chow of UCLA and Ken Norton Jr. of USC. Here’s what they said about Lubick:

“In Lubick’s time at ASU, he quickly has established himself as one of the best recruiters in the Pac-10 and in the nation. Pulling off the [Signing Day] surprise with five-star linebacker Vontaze Burfict from USC alone might be enough to get recognition on this list, but his overall body of work is quite impressive. He landed two other four-star recruits, and he’s quickly become a well-respected recruiter in California’s loaded Inland Empire.”

This year alone Lubick’s list of high-profile recruits included Burfict, defensive back Osahon Irabor and athlete Matthew Tucker.

He’s responsible for the Corona pipeline which over the last two seasons has landed six athletes at ASU, and his personal ties to the Rockies have landed him in living rooms from Colorado (Jack Elway) to Montana (Brock Osweiler).

What does this mean for the future of ASU football? Well, nothing if the Sun Devils continue their tailspin from last season.

But if Erickson can guide the program back to respectability this season and then ride the momentum of back-to-back top 30 recruiting classes to big seasons in 2010 and 2011, he’ll be 64 and able to pick his successor when he chooses to retire.

Why not name the assistant head coach that signed your quarterback, built half your defense and recruits the most important metropolitan area on the West Coast?

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( Photo by the amazing Robert Kline)

Dennis Erickson hasn’t rested in upgrading the Sun Devil football roster since Signing Day a week ago. ASU has added three bodies since we broke down the football Class of 2009 with a quick Q&A.

The biggest late addition was veteran linebacker Gerald Munns. In a monster game against Stanford, Munns registered seven tackles (including one without a helmet), a deflection and an interception—all with a broken pinkie that required the insertion of pins days later. Munns was named Pac-10 defensive player of the week for the effort.

However, Munns played just three games as he sat out against UNLV and then left the team after the Georgia loss to deal with personal matters. Those matters are apparently behind him. Now that he’s back, it’ll be interesting to follow the training camp battle between Munns and highly-regarded freshman Vontaze Burfict.

The Sun Devils also secured late commitments from a pair of high schoolers.

Kipeli Koniseti wasn’t offered a scholarship by ASU heading into signing day. But Erickson pulled the trigger that afternoon and landed the dual threat quarterback/linebacker from Sacramento.

Don’t expect to see Koniseti on the field this season as the coaching staff figures out where they want to play him. He’s currently listed as an athlete.

And yesterday, the Sun Devils landed Jarrid Bryant an athletic receiver-returner who spent last year playing football and basketball for a prep school in Connecticut where he eight touchdowns on returns and two touchdowns on just eight catches.

Before heading for Connecticut, Bryant went to Corona Centennial, a school that has now sent six grads in the last two years to ASU. Like Koniseti, it may time some time to get Bryant up to speed.

In the meantime, if you’re looking for something to get excited about now, check out Vontaze Burfict’s highlight reel or watch Corey Adams in action.

Sun Devil Class of 2009

Corey Adams, DT, 6-foot-3, 292 pounds, Scottsdale (Saguaro)
Jarrid Bryant, WR, 6-foot-4, 185 pound, Salisbury, CN (Salisbury Prep)
Vontaze Burfict, LB, 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, Corona, CA (Centennial)
Christopher Coyle, TE, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Westlake Village, CA (Oaks Christian)
Dean Deleone, DE, 6-foot-3, 255 pounds, Park City, UT (Orange Coast CC)
Evan Finkenberg, OL, 6-foot-6, 265 pounds, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (Tesoro)
J.J. Holliday, WR, 6-foot, 165 pounds, Tucson (Santa Rita)
Osahon Irabor, CB, 5-foot-11, 183 pounds, Upland, CA (Upland)
Anthony Jones, LB, 6-foot-2, 218 pounds, Chandler (Hamilton)
Kipeli Koniseti, ATH, 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, Sacramento, CA (Grant)
Kody Koebensky, OL, 6-foot-4, 303 pounds, Scottsdale (Saguaro)
LeQuan Lewis, CB, 6-foot, 195 pounds, Norwalk, CA (Cerritos College)
Cameron Marshall, RB, 5-foot-11, 210 pounds, San Jose, CA (Valley Christian).
Shane McCullen, S, 6-foot-2, 208 pounds, Apache Junction (Apache Junction)
Jamal Miles, RB, 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, Peoria (Peoria)
Brock Osweiler, QB, 6-foot-8, 235 pounds, Kalispell, MT (Flathead)
Gregory Smith, DE, 6-foot-3, 240 pounds, Perris, CA (Citrus Hill)
Max Smith, TE, 6-foot-2, 258 pounds, Scottsdale (Saguaro)
William Sutton, DT, 6-foot-2, 275 pounds, Corona, CA (Centennial)
Fred Thornton, OL, 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, Phoenix (South Mountain)
Matthew Tucker, S, 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, Aurora, CO (Grandview)
Marcus Washington, RB, 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Phoenix (Desert Vista)

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Don’t miss the Sun Devils ranked No. 8 to No. 15 from earlier today!

7. Shaun McDonald, WR, Lions
After nearly eclipsing 1,000 receiving yards in 2007, injuries limited McDonald to 12 games with seven starts this year. But his 35 catches for 332 yards when healthy earned him a spot on the list.

6. Mike Karney, FB, Saints
This hulking blocking back played in 12 games in 2008 and has been a staple of the Saints offense since he joined the team in 2004. He doesn’t put up stats, but he’s always on the field, making holes for Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush.

5. Levi Jones, OT, Bengals
The eight-year vet and former first-round pick started in all 10 games he played before a leg injury cut the typically durable tackle’s season short. He’s an above average NFL starter when healthy.

4. Mike Pollak, G, Colts
The 2008 second-round pick started all 13 games he played in, blocking for the rarely touched Peyton Manning. He should be a reliable starter for years to come in the NFL.

3. Todd Heap, TE, Ravens
The “Golden Retriever” had a down year statistically, catching 35 balls for 403 yards while starting all 16 games. But he’s still a Pro Bowl caliber tight end and integral part of the Ravens offense. He could easily catch for 800 yards again next season.

2. Zach Miller, TE, Raiders
The sophomore enjoyed a breakout season in 2008, making 56 receptions for 778 yards. Miller had more than double the amount of catches as the next highest receiver for offensively-challenged Oakland. The 23-year-old has also developed a reputation as one of the best blocking tight ends in the game. He should be a Pro Bowler in 2009.

1. Terrell Suggs, LB/DE, Ravens
The man they call “T-Sizzle” is not only the best ASU alum in the NFL, but one of the most dominating players in the league period. He started all 16 games for the third straight year, totaling 68 tackles, eight sacks and two interceptions—both of which he returned for touchdowns. He also registered four sacks in three playoff games. Suggs is now up to 53 career sacks and he’s only 26 years old.

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Let us know who we mis-ranked, or share a memory of a favorite NFL Sun Devil in the comments below!

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Terrelle Smith is not crying and being showered with confetti because he made the list.

15. Andrew Walter, QB, Raiders
ASU’s all-time leading passer has had a tough go with the dysfunctional Raiders. He started just one game in 2008, but being a No. 2 quarterback in the NFL earns him more recognition than most Sun Devil alums. Look for him to get a fresh start with a new franchise in 2010.

14. Kyle Kosier, G, Cowboys
In years past, the often overlooked Kosier would easily have ranked in the top 10. He’s been a bona fide starter for one of the league’s most storied teams, but injuries limited him to just three starts in 2008.

13. Jamar Williams, LB, Bears
Williams played in all 16 games for the Bears almost exclusively on special teams. He totaled 14 tackles, but none in the final seven games.

12. Derek Smith, LB, Chargers
The 12-year vet started four games for the Chargers before finishing the season in Miami. Smith would make this list any other year of his career, as he’s started no less than 12 games each of the previous 11 seasons for the 49ers and Redskins.

11. Josh Barrett, S, Broncos
This rookie started the year on Denver’s practice squad, but the Broncos gave him a chance late in the year and he took advantage. Barrett played in six games, totaling at least six tackles in three of them.

10. Grey Ruegamer, G, Giants
The journeyman former ASU Rose Bowl tackle turned NFL guard played in all 16 games for the third straight season for defending champion New York. While not a starter, his longevity in a young man’s league earns him a spot in the Top 10.

9. Terrelle Smith, FB, Cardinals
This blocking back played in 15 games and started six for the Super Bowl runner up Cardinals. While he didn’t take a handoff, he played a significant role in one of the league’s best offenses.

8. Marvel Smith, OT, Steelers
The nine-year NFL vet would normally make the top five of this list, but injuries limited him to just five starts in 2008. He has been a regular starter for the Super Bowl champions since 2001.

***Don’t miss the Sun Devils ranked No. 7 to No. 1!***

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Let us know who we mis-ranked, or share a memory of a favorite NFL Sun Devil in the comments below!

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5. ASU 70, Notre Dame 61 (women’s hoops, 2005) … Kylan Loney scored eight of her 20 points in the final 1:29 as the Sun Devils rallied from a 13-point deficit to upset the 11th-ranked Irish and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1983. ASU’s been to the tourney every year since.

4. ASU 9, Cal State Fullerton 8 (baseball, 2005) … The underdog Sun Devils exorcised their Fullerton demons — and got a huge monkey off Pat Murphy’s back — by rallying from a five-run deficit against the defending national champs to win the deciding game of the Fullerton Super Regional. The win sent ASU to the College World Series for the first time since 1998.

3. ASU 61, UCLA 58 (men’s hoops, 2009) … Facing a Bruins squad that had advanced to three straight Final Fours, the Sun Devils held their opponents without a field goal for 12 minutes as they ground their way back from an 11-point second-half deficit. It was ASU’s first road win over a top 10 team since 1998. (Read our weekend recap.)

2. ASU 9, Arizona 8 (softball, 2007) … Kristen Miller’s two-run single in the bottom of the sixth led the Sun Devils to their first sweep of the Wildcats in 20 years. The win over the two-time defending national champs spurred the Sun Devils to the Pac-10 crown and their first national title ever.

1. ASU 19, Nebraska 0 (football, 1996) … The top-ranked Cornhuskers had won 26 straight games and back-to-back national championships before they were ambushed by Derrick Rodgers and the Sun Devil defense. The win propelled ASU to an undefeated regular season, a Pac-10 championship and one of two Rose Bowls in program history.

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Did we leave a landmark win off the list? Where does Saturday’s upset of UCLA rank? Let us know in the comments!

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In the wake of news that BYU was dumping ASU from its football schedule in favor of Oklahoma, it’s been trendy to assume that ASU was the victim of another program’s greed.

With a solid core of talent back – including former Sun Devil Max Hall at quarterback – the Cougars were positioning themselves for a BCS title run by adding a marquee game against an elite program. At least that was the most obvious way of looking at things at the time.

But as Lee Corso might say, not so fast my friends.

Salt Lake City’s KSL Newsradio caught up with BYU athletic director Tom Holmoe during halftime of the Cougars’ hoops game the other night and Holmoe basically called ASU chicken before dropping one-liners about Dennis Erickson’s momma.

Quoth KSL.com: “In the interview, Holmoe made clear that Arizona State asked off of BYU’s schedule, and that the BYU-OU game helped facilitate that request.” (Link.)

Ouch.

That’s the sound of a once-proud Pac-10 power kowtowing to a Mountain West program—a program that used to have its players scraped off the cleats of Woody Green and the Malone boys annually during the WAC days.

We guess it’s not all bad. The Sun Devils will now face Idaho State and Louisiana Monroe prior to their historic foray into SEC country to play Georgia.

As Echo from the Buttes commenter Tom Bevan mentioned yesterday, “We will have a green QB and will be retooling an ineffective running game. I would rather put those two things to the test against (Louisiana Monroe and Idaho State) vs. throwing our new troops into the fire and possibly flush the rest of the season down the toilet with a really bad loss to BYU.”

How did it ever come to this?

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Are we better off without BYU on the schedule? What does all this say about the state of the Sun Devil football program? Let us know in the comments below.

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USC’s trouncing of Penn State in the Rose Bowl ended an up-and-down-and-back up Pac-10 football season.

A slew of embarrassing non-conference losses in a single weekend took some shine off a Pac-10 season that skewed improbably when Oregon State upset top-ranked USC.

But in the end order was restored. The Trojans claimed yet another conference championship and the Pac-10 won all five of its bowl games.

What does all this mean? Well, the Seattle Times took a stab at ranking the 2008 Pac-10 and predicting what things will look like next season. They ranked ‘em USC, Oregon, OSU, Arizona, Cal, Stanford, ASU, UCLA, WSU and Washington.

Not sure why we’re ranked below Stanford after finishing with an identical record and swamping them 41-17. But we digress. Besides, we’re done looking backward. After a forgettable season, we’re ready to look forward.

As for our 2009 Sun Devils? Quoth the Times: “Most disappointing team in the conference this season and with Rudy Carpenter graduating, hard to tell how much improvement the Devils will make next year. Feeling in Tempe, however, is that Dennis Erickson is improving the talent base and the long-term prospects remain bright.”

We don’t disagree with their assessment of 2008, but we’re not sure we’re buying their take on 2009 (even without BYU on the schedule). What do you think?

What’s Your Take, Sun Devils?
Will ASU rebound in 2009 or is going to be another long season for our Sun Devils? Let us know in the comments below.

P.S. If you insist on looking back, you may enjoy this opinionated retrospective on the 2008 Sun Devil season.

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