Is Arizona State Football Due For A Rude Awakening? Plus, Alternative Arizona Cardinals Realities…

Is Arizona State Football Due For A Rude Awakening? Plus, Alternative Arizona Cardinals Realities…

What is up, guys? Welcome in to yet another edition of the Ben Garcia Show. It’s a little scuffed today. Um, for those of you that can’t tell, I am on vacation, but you just you just can’t keep me away. There are so many things that I want to talk about that it couldn’t wait till I got home. And then on Wednesday, we’ll have a normal edition of the Bengaria Show. for today. We are live in Carl’sbad, California, San Diego, right on the border of those two cities and just taking a little time off before the football season really begins. However, if there’s some waves in the background, if there’s some honking in the background, that is that’s just what we’re going to have to deal with today. But with that being said, do me a favor, hit that like, share, subscribe button to the Ben Garcia show, because even on vacation, I am dedicated to you guys, the listeners, to you guys, the viewers. I know that the camera could be a little bit better if I flipped it around. And I understand that. I’m not crazy person, but look at this view. Look at this view. If you can’t if you get annoyed with looking at me, just look look back there. But with that being said, we have a lot of things to talk about. I want to talk the ASU I want to talk some ASU Sunundevils and I want to talk some Arizona Cardinals. So, we’ll get into both those. I understand I missed the regularly scheduled program at 7 a.m. I forgot to tell you guys I was on vacation. I’ll be back Wednesday at 7 a.m. I’ll be back Friday at 7 a.m. and we’re going to have a special guest later on this week talking Cardinal Saints. But with that being said, let’s start here. So ASU took on NAU on uh Saturday and I watched pretty much the entirety of that game outside of the fact that half of it was blacked out because ESPN and their plus whatever subscription just didn’t do the job that it’s advertised to do. But overall, I thought ASU looked pretty good. And I think too many ASU fans are falling into this because we had one good season and and they did. ASU did my alma mater that now we are held to the standard of prime dynasty Alabama. That’s that’s not this team. You’re not going to fix a program completely and turn it into a powerhouse after just what is Kenny Dillingham’s third season in Arizona. That that doesn’t happen. It takes time to change a program. So, yeah. Was it sloppy at times? Sure. But I warned you about this two, three, a month ago, two two weeks ago, three weeks ago. a month ago where I said we are not used to being the hunted. We are used to being go after and beat a Washington at home when the sixth ranked team, beat an Oregon at home when they’re the fourth ranked team. Go after those teams, take them out and storm the field. And that’s your Super Bowl national championship for the year. Now it’s the inverse. Arizona State is the hunted and NA was the Hunters. NA will not play a bigger game all year long. Maybe in the next, if ASU falls flat on their face, NA will not play a game that big in potentially the next half decade. That’s how big that game was for NA. And so what did they do? NA is not a bad football program. They’re just an FCS school. Should ASU have handled them maybe more easily in that first half? Probably. But Brian Wright and NAU and company coached up a good game. And it’s easy to get yourself psyched up when a team just a few miles down in the Arizona State Sundevils went to the College Playoff just months ago. and you’ve had all year, all summer, all off season to circle that game on your calendar and say, “We’re going to upset that team.” None of us ASU fans or media actually think they were ever going to upset them. But did we think with an extra little juice ready to go, ped up, ready to go for that game, did they think that they weren’t going to come out there and with their heads on fire? You’re crazy. They were always going to come out and treat that game like it was their national championship. NA will not play a bigger game in potentially the next half decade because as ASU is on the rise, NA wanted to be the team that came down there and humbled them. But with even all of that NA extra juice and all of that pent up aggression from NA ready to take on Arizona State, look at the statistics. The game was not close. And so I know you want to treat ASU like they’re in the prime of Alabama’s dynasty, but they are not there yet. They are still building. I’m not holding ASU to the standard that they have to get to the semifinals this year. Honestly, if ASU makes it to the playoff and loses again in the first round, that’s okay. That’s what taking time does. This is a slow cook. This isn’t sticking in the microwave. Next year, yes, we’ll change the standards a little bit, but I’m not going to go from a down andout college to a prenal national championship contender every year. Those were high expectations and that’s a U issue. That ain’t an ASU issue. And so, let’s take a look at the statistics since everyone wanted to get a little uneasy about how ASU looked. Sam Levit had nearly, if I I mean, if my math is correct, Sam Levit had nearly 400 all-purpose yards. He had 73 yards on the ground, including a 52yd scamper for a touchdown. He threw for 257 yards. He he threw one pick and I don’t think it was that bad. He had two touchdowns, 14 incompletions. Uh I thought ASU could have ran the ball more effectively. We’ll get to that in a second. Jordan Tyson had 12 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns. And the one of the things that ASU fans and media were kind of getting upset about was the fact that Jordan Tyson had 12 receptions for 141 yards and two touchdowns and the rest of the wide receivers I think had like one reception. When your star wide receiver has 12 receptions and two touchdowns, then it kind of makes sense that no other wide receiver really got into the fold. If we’re talking about Jordan Tyson having three catches and the rest of the wide receivers having three catches, then we can have a real argument about if the wide receivers are going to be an issue this year. But if Tyson’s open, throw it to him. I’m not spreading the ball around to make you feel better about the third string wide receivers or in Malik Mlan or you know Mate. Like I don’t care about that. If I’m dumping it off to Relique Brown and Kanye Udo, go for it. But this idea that you should be worried about the wide receivers is crazy. And this is what happens when you uh uh do a show right outside. People are arguing right behind me. I don’t know if you can hear the the uh honks behind me. People are fighting over parking spots right now right behind me. But in terms of ASU, your standard was a little too high. I appreciate you holding your team to a higher standard. I’ve asked you to do that, but let’s not hold a team that is a uh a college football playoff contender, but not a college football playoff national championship contender. And let’s look at the STE team statistics really quickly as well, because this is something as well that I wanted to talk about. But ASU had 460 total yards. NEU had 331. And a lot of that was garbage time late in that game. Uh, in terms of rushing, in terms of rushing yards, ASU had 203, NAU had 89. And the possession leaned more in NA’s favor than it did ASU’s. The only concern that came out of that game between NA and ASU was the penalties. The penalties were really inexcusable. But if you wanted to make an excuse, you could say it was the first game jitters. Guys are really amped up to go and they’re just more suscept more susceptible to making those mistakes. And in that first game of the season, sometimes that happens. Guys get amped up. Guys have uh uh uh you know that pent up aggression that I was talking about with NA. And sometimes it happens. However, penalties like that in the first game of the season where it’s 12 penalties for 93 yards. I love Kenny Dillingham. Really, I do. But that’s a Kenny Dillingham issue. I’m not saying Kenny Dillingham is a bad head coach. I’m not here saying Kenny Dillingham’s got issues that can’t be fixed. That that is not me at all. And I I and I don’t want it to come off like it’s me at all, but When you have 93, that’s almost a whole football field of penalties. 12 penalties for 93 yards. You’ve got to reel your team in. Especially in a week one game against NA. You don’t need to try to time the snaps. You are the better team. Ridiculous false start or offsides penalties, hands to the face, pass interference. Those types of things can never happen if you’re Kenny Dillingham. Now, I’m going to let it go because for all of Kenny Dillingham’s positives, he’s got one negative. Uh, his team was a little too aggressive in the first game. But next week against Mississippi State, that’s what we’re going to be looking out for. It’s week two. You know, some of the things that you got caught for, and Kenny Dillingham needs to ring that in because in any other game that is not NA where you have 12 penalties for 93 yards, you probably lose that game. you have 93 yards in penalties against Mississippi State, you’re probably losing that game. And in a in a season where you can’t afford many losses, the Big 12 champion is probably going to be a two loss team, you cannot have cheap losses to teams like NAU. So, I understand in totality the casual ASU fan or media member that is angry at ASU for not coming out and fullthrottling NA from start to finish. But what I am asking you to do is I appreciate that you’re holding your team to a higher standard. We’ve talked about this numerous times, but that’s a little high. ASU was a team that was dead in the water for years and now they’re a college football playoff contender. Hold them to that standard. Don’t hold them to a national championship contender. Otherwise, you your expectations are going to come up short. And that’s a you issue, not an ASU issue. So, I appreciate all the fans and media holding them accountable. But in a game where they had But in a game where ASU had 460 total yards to NU’s 331 passing yards, 257 to 242, 203 rushing yards to 89 rushing yards, and had had the ball 3 minutes less than NA did. And in a game where ASU nearly doubled them in points, ASU looked fine. They looked fine. I’m not saying that they were a team that looked unbeatable, but I thought ASU still looked like a team that is going to contend this year for the College Football Playoff and a team that I’m still picking to um to win the Big 12. And Saturday’s contest changed none of that for me. I thought the offensive line was a little shaky. I thought the penalties were really bad. But outside of that, ASU looked like a team that is on the up and up and used to be trying to find their way, but is now a prenial college wall playoff contender and a favorite in the Big 12. And so ASU needs to clean up a couple of things, but for the most part, I thought they looked pretty good. And in totality, the best thing about that game was Raleique Brown looks really good, Jordan Tyson looks unguardable, and Sam Levit looks like he’s taking another leap in year two as ASU starter, and that is a really good place to be. So, I understand there’s some negatives, but it’s week one, shake them off. It’s NA playing their biggest game in probably a half decade trying to knock off the Big 12 champions from just one year ago. I know it gets a little frustrating, but ASU won the game, nearly doubled them in points, and I thought looked pretty good doing it. They have some things to clean up, but that’s all it is, just a couple of things to clean up. All right. you know, uh I wasn’t planning on doing a show today because I’m on vacation. Um but, uh uh my wife’s parents decided they want to go, you know, take a dip out in the in the ocean in the beach. And uh I thought to myself, okay, let’s whip out let’s whip let’s do 25 minutes. And so I want to go here. Um, I didn’t I want to talk about this season for the Arizona Cardinals and I want to talk about what happens if things go well, if things go poorly. And this is inspired by watching the original Spider-Man’s uh this past weekend just on the way up or in my bed watching the original Spider-Man and thinking of all the alternate realities that could have happened in those Marvel movies. Of course, that one’s probably one of my favorites. But let’s talk about Marvel style. What happens if the Arizona Cardinals season falls flat on their face this season for the Arizona Cardinals? There is so much at stake. And don’t let anyone else tell you any different. This season has a ton at stake. If the Arizona Cardinals miss the playoffs this year and let’s say they win six, seven games, Jonathan Ganon and Monty Oenfor are immediately on the hot seat. Kyler Murray is not the quarterback of this team next year. And the biggest worry about any of this is you aren’t going to have a draft pick bad enough to select a new quarterback. And then you’re wondering, are you getting rid of Drew Petting, too? This season has so much writing on it. If the Cardinals fall flat on their face, people are losing their jobs. And players that were on this team this year will not be here next year. And I’m talking about guys like James Connor maybe getting dealt for a late round pick. Buddha Baker getting moved because you realize you aren’t close. Wondering if you have the right guy and Marvin Harrison Jr. questioning whether you need to move on from Kyler Murray, but is Bidwell man enough to swallow that massive cap hit and bring in a new guy? Jonathan Ganon, all the stock we had in him, we’re saying to ourselves, is he just a lot of talk? Is he just a lot of sizzle but not really a lot of stake? Monty Austin for if this team falls flat on its face it means his ro it means his draft picks did not come ready to play correctly and you’re talking about okay so Rabbit Taylor demonson maybe took a step back or Jordan Burch wasn’t what we thought he was Walter Nolan missed most of the year these are all real concerns for the Arizona Cardinals and so to act like this season is just big for Kyler Murray would be disingenuous because Jonathan Ganon and Monty Austin had multiple different chances to to get a different quarterback, but they decided Kyler Murray is their guy. So whether they like it or not, whether they’re okay with it or not, they have tied their futures to one Kyler Murray. So, if this season goes poorly, let’s say, let’s say Kyler Murray just gets hurt. Let’s say Kyler has a torn pec or has a bad tears his hamstring, one of those injuries that isn’t career ending but takes him out for the rest of the season, breaks his collar bone, or let’s just say Kyler has a high ankle sprain. He’s out for five, six weeks. The Cardinals have tied themselves to Kyler Murray. But even more specifically, Monty Austin and Jonathan Ganon have tied themselves to Kyler Murray. So, as much as you and I are both like this season, a lot of it rides on Kyler. It’s not just that. There is much more to this Kyler Murray thing, meaning Kyler Murray has to perform so that other uh people on this staff don’t lose their jobs. So, this season has a lot writing on it. And I’m not saying this is the direction the season’s going. If you’re telling me Kyler Bur either won MVP and got and Jonathan Ganon got coach of the year or the Cardinals fell flat on their faces. Injuries aside, let’s say that there was no injuries. I’m taking the first of the two things. I believe this team is ready to compete now. I have concerns about Kyler. For some reason, you guys have painted me as anti- Kyler Murray. And that is just like that is the stupidest argument you could make. If you are someone that is coming after me for hate, for you know being anti- Kyler Murray, specify why you think that because my life is 10 times better if Kyler Murray is good. I’m rooting on the guy to succeed this year. But I have pessimistic expectations because I look at the last six years and if you don’t do that, you can live in La La Land. I’m not going to do that. I’m rooting for Kyler. I think there’s a world where he can be awesome and I’ve seen him at a at the peak of his powers. It makes it incredibly difficult to quit him. Now, let’s go to the other Marvel Universe alternate reality. What happens if the Arizona Cardinals are bleeping awesome this year? What happens if the Redbirds are a game away from the conference championship game or they make the conference championship or they make the Super Bowl? That’s a little far-fetched even for me. But still, I am very bullish on this team and I’m kind of really bullish on Kyler, even though I’m trying not to be because I’ve seen what he’s been over the last six years. But this is the best team Kyler Murray has ever had. This is the best team Jonathan Ganon has had. Maybe I I’d argue this Cardinals team on paper is on par with the Philadelphia Eagles team that went to the Super Bowl. I know Jaylen Herz was really good then and and maybe I’m being a little too bullish and and and I’ll wear that. I will wear that. That might be a little far, but if you told me that this Cardinals team went to the conference championship game this year, you had a crystal ball and you were telling me the future, I would believe you because I believe this team one through 52, 1 through 53 is really talented. Really freaking talented. This is a top 10 roster in football. You might not like their wide receiving room, but I do. I like Michael Wilson. I like Z Jones. I love Trey McBride, James Connor. The offensive line, yes, I have some questions about it, but they did get some depth. Kelvin Beichchum, John Gaines, uh, uh, Will Hernandez is here again. It’s got some good depth. The biggest question for the Arizona Cardinals last year was this defensive line, and I believe they solved it. It’s why I’m not upset that they didn’t get Mah Parsons. I’m allowed to change my opinion, but if the Cardinals turn into a legit playoff threat and not just contender, we’re talking about a few different things. Jonathan Ganon and Monty Austinfort are getting fat extensions. Kyler Murray is getting extended whether you like it or not. And then you’re talking about this team probably not winning the Super Bowl, but knowing maybe they’re a piece or two away and knowing that even with some concerns about Kyler and I think even the biggest Kyler Murray fan if they were honest with you would tell you he’s got some concerns and even with the biggest concerns for Kyler. You look at Brock Pury, you look at Jaylen Herz and I think Kyler Murray is on par with those guys. And if that’s the case, then we have to say to ourselves, you can win a Super Bowl with Kyler. So then you go into next season and you’re saying, “Okay, this team made it to the divisional round. We are one or two pieces away. Let’s strike while the iron is hot.” And I don’t know what that looks like. Maybe it’s a another premier pass catcher or a premium blue chip cornerback or def or uh uh maybe it’s a blue chip defensive back or a blue chip pass rusher. I do think that that could genuinely be the case for the Cardinals this year. They add one more guy to the mix. And so in totality, if we’re talking about alternate realities or, you know, whatever they call it in Marvel, maybe not alternate realities, but uh um whatever you guys know what I’m talking about, it’s in the Spider-Man movies, but alternate realities for this team. We’re talking about it going one of two ways. If this team completely blows it up because their season went incredibly arry, we’re talking about Jonathan Ganon maybe uh being on the hot seat next year. Monty Austin for being on the hot seat as well as Kyler Murray. Uh or do we have a new quarterback? And then if this season goes incredibly well, which I am more bullish on believing it will than believing it won’t. So don’t paint me as that guy that think it’s going to be a bad year. I’ve already picked the Cardinals to win the NFC West. But let’s say they win the NFC West, they go to the playoffs. I believe this team this time next year, we’ll be talking about adding one more piece. But let’s talk about the worst thing that can happen, the absolute worst thing that can happen. Because then we don’t know where we stand. Let’s say the Cardinals make the playoffs and Kyler Murray looks horrendous in a playoff game. Are you getting rid of him? He made the playoffs. Or let’s say Kyler Murray looks good or good enough and this team just misses the playoffs. Well, who’s the problem? Jonathan Ganon, Drew Petting, Kyler Murray. That’s the worst thing that can happen is this team makes the playoffs and Kyler Murray looks awful in a playoff game or Kyler Murray looks awesome and they just missed the playoffs because then you don’t know what you’re doing at quarterback. If you make the playoffs, are you getting rid of Drew Petting? They improved again. And then defensively, were your draft picks bad or did you not target the right guys in free agency? Should you have made that big trade? At least if this season goes horribly, you can point out what the problem probably is. And if the season goes incredibly well, you know who you’re handing out extensions to. The worst thing that can have is that you’re in the middle because then you don’t you really don’t have a good draft pick to select a new quarterback or some premium position. You don’t know who the issue is. Are you getting rid of Ping? Are you getting rid of Kyler? Well, one guy’s making a lot of money. This season needs clarity. Whether in a good way or in a bad way, we need to be able to select who the problem is or who the solution was. So, with that being said, my final prediction live from Carl’sbad, uh, California, San Diego, right on the border. I believe this team, God, why am I saying this? I believe this team wins the NFC West. God, why am I saying this? I’ve been the realistic fan all year, but I have to I I gotta say it. I believe this Cardinals team wins the NFC West and they make the conference championship game and they lose. You either believe in Monty Austin and Jonathan Ganon’s culture and and coaching. You either believe in these draft picks or you don’t. You either believe in Jonathan Ganon and Monty Austin for coaching and culture or you don’t. You either believe in Kyler Murray that he can have a consistent season, not even an MVP season, or you don’t. And I’ve been very realistic on this team over the past few seasons. I didn’t take them to win the NFC West last year, but because of this roster, because I believe Kyler Murray can take that next step, because I like James Connor and the leadership of this team in Buddha Baker as well. If I’m making my final predictions of the year, I’m not saying they’re going to make the Super Bowl. I’m not saying they’re going to win the NFC, but I believe because the NFC is so bad, because I saw Jaylen Herz and Brock Party the last couple years, not just make the conference championship game, but make the Super Bowl. The last few quarterbacks in the conference championship game, Jared Goff, Jaden Daniels, who was a rookie, uh uh uh Brock Pery, Jaylen Herz, those were the guys. So, you’re telling me Kyler Murray can’t fit in that group? I do. And because I believe in Ganon, the culture, the draft picks, Monty, this is my prediction. I believe this Cardinals team wins the NFC West and makes the conference championship game and loses. And this time next year, we’re talking about Kyler Murray extension or this time next year, we have a Kyler Murray extension. the GM and head coach are getting extended and we are pinpointing one player maybe two to go all in on push the chips in the table Chandler Jones 2014 2015 style and bringing in that blue chip player to help get this team to where they want to go and that is ultimately a Super Bowl but I feel really good about this team this year so there you go for all the people that pessimistic Cardinal fan no I’m just honest and if I’m wrong I will absolutely wear it. But this team is too good to fail horrendously or miss the playoffs. And if they do, we’re talking about major changes. Guys, thank you for tuning in to a special edition of the Ben Garcia Show. I am so sorry the camera quality is not great, but look, look at this beautiful view. You got all this back here. Normal showtime on Wednesday at 7 a.m. Again, on Friday at 7 a.m., we should have I’m trying to get Ross Jackson of Locked On Saints to come on and do a show with me as well. I’m sure he will. He’s a really nice guy. If he can, it’s probably just cuz he’s really busy and he’s one of the biggest Saints reporters, if not the biggest. So, appreciate you guys tuning in to the show. Do me a favor. Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe. Uh, follow me on all social media platforms at Bengarcia Show. And until Wednesday, guys, thank you so much for tuning in to this very long edition of the Bengarcia Show. We will be back in my regularly scheduled time slot and studio on Wednesday. Appreciate you guys. Cannot wait to talk to you guys. Until then, go birds. Go Devils. Don’t forget to like, share, subscribe, and until Wednesday, I’m Benjamin Garcia, and well, it’s been the Ben Garcia Show. [Music]

The Arizona State Sun Devils crush their opposition in the NAU Lumberjacks on Saturday at least statically, so why is everyone worried about the Sun Devils now?

Plus, it’s game week for the Arizona Cardinals, what could Kyler Murray, Monti Ossenfort’s and Jonathan Gannon’s careers look like in one year from now?

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