Diablos del Sol | Arizona State Sun Devils

[The JZA]

Back-to-back losses...

[redsox907]

Left standing broken-hearted in a puddle of piss, huh?

I deserve that

Oof. Losing to the cats stings. Good season looks like a failure after the one.

i thought for sure we'd have that one in the bag. Cost me 200 dynasty points too

Back-to-back losses...

our luck we'll pull someone like Georgia or Bama in the bowl game (they both had .500ish seasons) and get molly whooped one more time

[redsox907]

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Arizona State Fighting To the Wire For Several Recruits Before Championship Weekend

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Sun Devils still working diligently to bolster 44th-ranked recruiting class with December's Early Signing Day fast approcahing

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The Devil's Due Mailbag — Week Thirteen Recruiting Update By Diego Alfaro

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Published: November 29th, 2026

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Arizona State may have fallen flat on its face to close out the 2026 regular season, but behind the scenes the recruiting engine is chugging steadily along.

Fredrick McNutt, the twitchy athlete out of Windsor, CT., finally put pen to paper over the weekend, marking him as the highest-rated recruit the Sun Devils have in the cycle. Just because he's the highest rated recruit, doesn't mean he isn't bringing company with him.

McNutt is one of six total Sun Devil recruits to fall within the Rivals Top-500 ranking, and the Sun Devils aren't done swinging for the top tier talent.

One of the bigger news of the weekend, however, didn't come from someone who chose the Sun Devils outright.

CB Ahmad Malik from nearby Tucson, Arizona had the Cal Golden Bears in the mix throughout his recruiting, with Arizona State and Arizona in the mix. Two weeks ago, he went to his socials to announce his intent to join with Golden Bears football program.

He would later say, his heart was never in it.

"My pops is an alum. He passed away two years ago, and I thought the right way to honor him was to attend his alma matter," said a solemn over the weekend. "But, after talking with my grand-parents, they assured me my Dad wouldn't care where I went, so long as I was happy."

"And that's why, I'm staying close to home and joining the Arizona State Sun Devils."

Emotions aside, it is a boon for the Sun Devils as Malik fits the exact mold of defense the Sun Devils are trending towards, according to an insider, with physical man-corners being an area of need.

Malik may have flipped his commitment, but the Sun Devils are hoping for more conventional means of getting recruits with their last surge in the recruiting cycle.

FS Cecil Queen (#434 / Alabaster, AL) was a late addition to the Sun Devils board, but once they saw the tape on the hard-hitting safety, they doubled down on their recruiting efforts. When asked about Queen, Zek Williams gushed about his potential.

"If you want a comp for Cecil, the Sun Devils already have one in house: Lyrick Rawls. He hits like a truck, has the speed to play at all three levels, and doesn't quit. He needs to refine his coverage skills, but if you bring him in as a heat-seeking missile, he will detonate."

In addition to Cecil Queen, the Sun Devils recruiting team of Zek Williams and Josh Omura added LB Quin Boger (#468 / Richland, NJ), DT Kyle Brink (#470 / North Richland Hills, TX), HB Taylor Faulk (#476 / Waverly, IA) and WR Markelle Hughes (#584 / York, NE).

"Scouting is never over until the period closes. As our board started to clear up, whether by guys signing, us dropping out of races, or whatever it may be, spots open up. You can't just sit around and twiddle your thumbs, you keep searching. Keep watching tape, trying to find the next stars of the game," rationalized Omura about the late additions.

"No matter when you get added to the board, once your name is up there in ink, it means we think you've got the talent, dedication, and commitment to excellence to represent this proud university."

While Coach Kenny Dillingham and staff sit back and prepare for the bowl announcements, the work never stops for Omura and his team of evaluators.

2026 Recruiting Class of 2030

Arizona State Sun Devils Recruiting Board

Player	Pos	St	★	Natl	St Rk	Pos Rk	ASU Rank	Stage
Emmett Palczewski	WR	AZ	3	338	4	57	2nd	Committed (Col)
Fredrick McNutt	ATH	CT	3	365	2	35	1st	Committed
Darrius Witherspoon	CB	NY	3	391	4	38	2nd	Committed (Pitt)
Tahj Cheeseman	DE	FL	3	403	46	38	1st	Committed
Jose Swoope	MLB	LA	3	412	15	21	1st	Committed
Cornell Conte	CB	NC	3	431	16	41	10th	Committed (Mizz)
Cecil Queen	FS	AL	3	434	12	17	10th	Verbal Commit
Leo Merrick	T	WA	3	439	7	34	1st	Committed
Barry Seitz	LB	AZ	3	449	5	34	1st	Committed
Quin Boger	LB	NJ	3	468	14	39	2nd	Top 3
Kenyon Brink	DT	TX	3	470	52	28	1st	Top 3
Taylor Faulk	HB	IA	3	476	7	67	1st	Open
Donnie Morris	LB	CA	3	477	50	40	1st	Committed
Ahmad Malik	CB	AZ	3	514	6	46	1st	Committed
Mike Hendricks	DE	OH	3	552	21	54	1st	Top 5
Markelle Hughes	WR	NE	3	584	1	104	1st	Top 5
Alexander Lacina	LB	CA	3	588	60	51	3rd	Committed (Cal)
Mo Ajayi	CB	IL	3	625	22	55	10th	Committed (Northwestern)
Nick Nava	ATH	NV	3	654	8	44	1st	Committed
Byron Higdon	ATH	AZ	3	679	11	91	1st	Committed
Jamerson Bettis	WR	HI	3	769	6	139	1st	Top 5
Clifton Slade	MLB	HI	3	801	7	40	2nd	Verbal Commit (Cal)
Dennis Minnis	TE	AZ	3	824	17	38	2nd	Committed (Arizona)
Deacon Jones	QB	CA	3	918	80	53	10th	Open
Alex Hoke	QB	AAZ	3	993	19	61	1st	Committed
Juan Yeast	T	CA	3	995	89	66	1st	Committed
Maurice Stewart	WR	AZ	3	1148	23	201	1st	Committed
Vernon Toone	TE	AZ	3	1171	24	70	1st	Committed
Rashard Connors	T	CA	3	1187	112	74	4th	Committed (New Mexico)
Matt Strong	ATH	AZ	3	1310	26	107	4th	Committed (BSU)

National Top 25 Recruits

Rk	Player	Pos	St	★	Top 3 Schools	Status
1	Marquise Burd	HB	CA	5	BYU/gc]	Committed
2	Amare Seigler	DE	TN	5	Texas A&M	Committed
3	Marcus Humber	DE	OR	5	Washington	Committed
4	Al Roth	CB	MD	5	Ohio State	Committed
5	Quincy Kpassagnon	HB	TN	5	Georgia	Committed
6	Davante Harris	ATH	FL	5	Georgia	Committed
7	Steve McQueen	DE	MI	5	Michigan	Committed
8	Sergio Tabor	DT	NJ	5	Notre Dame	Committed
9	Walter Slayer	WR	TN	5	Georgia	Committed
10	Micah Kumah	WR	LA	5	Georgia	Committed

[Count]

damn dude already in the championship week, good shit tough loss to Arizona though, that one hurts

[redsox907]

damn dude already in the championship week, good shit tough loss to Arizona though, that one hurts

we rolling on thru

losing to Zona was the worst smh

[redsox907]

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Who's On the Hot Seat Ahead of Championship Weekend?

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Lincoln Riley, Barry Odom, Jeff Lebby, and more could be served walking papers

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By Emilio Suarez November 31st, 2026

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The 2026 regular season is in the books, and while Kenny Dillingham and the Sun Devils are gearing up for a bowl game after a 7-5 finish, plenty of programs around the country are staring down a much different offseason. Here's where the hot seat landscape stands heading into December.

Sitting in the Flames

• Scott Abell - Rice
1-11 / 6-19
Abell inherited a rebuild and hasn't been able to turn the corner. A one-win campaign has boosters openly calling for a change.

• Scott Satterfield - Cincinnati
3-9 / 18-31
Satterfield has had flashes, but four years in the program and only one winning season will likely result in Satterfield coaching somewhere else in 2027.

• Kirby Moore - Washington State
3-9
Moore may be in only his first-season, but the lack of competitiveness from the team was stark in the final four games of the season. It's early in his stint in Pullman, but the writing may already be on the wall.

• Kyle Whittingham - Michigan
6-6
Michigan can say whatever it wants, but we all know Whittingham wasn't their first choice. Or second, or third. You get the picture. Whittingham would have had to return the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff picture to fend off those calling for his head. With Bryce Underwood reportedly contemplating entering the portal, Michigan is desperate to persuade the former #1 overall recruit to stay in Ann Arbor.

• Lincoln Riley - USC
5-7 / 40-25
The flashiest hire in the sport almost five years ago, Riley fell from 9-4 last year to 5-7 this year. It's only his first losing season in SoCal, but they don't stand for many of those. With a sour 3-6 conference record, he's facing real question marks.

Feeling the Heat

• Barry Odom - Purdue
1-11 / 8-19
Three wins in two years simply isn't going to get it done. The sorry state of the Boilermakers program prior to his hiring may earn him one final year, but if it goes like the last two, he won't see the end of it.

• Jeff Lebby - Mississippi State
6-6 / 13-24
Lebby had his best season in Starkville at 6-6 this year, but someone with Lebby's baggage needs to do better to justify their continued employment. If Mississippi State was smart, they'd send him packing. Better to lose with dignity, than lose with scum.

• Bill Belichick - North Carolina
3-9 / 7-17

Two years without a winning season. Bill is a Hall of Fame NFL coach, but his two years in the college ranks have been a disaster of epic proportions.

• Brent Key - Georgia Tech
3-9 / 30-29
The ACC got deeper, and that only pushed the Yellow Jackets closer to the bottom of the barrel. Key has been at .500 for much of his career, but dropping to 3-9 this year may convince the programs leadership to search for a new voice.

• Dave Aranda - Baylor
5-7 / 36-37

There have been flashes under Aranda, but not consistency. The fan base, and leadership, are growing tired of having patience. He might survive this cycle, but if Baylor doesn't surge ahead next year, Aranda is as good as gone.

• Kalen DeBoer - Alabama
5-7 / 25-15
The first losing season in 20 years may not be enough to get just anyone fired. But at Alabama, it's unforgivable. The last time Alabama finished before .500, Nick Saban was coaching for the Miami Dolphins. No one could have filled Nick Saban's shoes adequately, but it's safe to say that DeBoer never measured up the same.

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Arizona State fans may not be calling for their own coaches head, but they'll have a keen eye on the bloody Black Sunday. With every coach that looses their job, the rumor mill will surely look Kenny Dillingham's way. The Sun Devil faithful may not be worried about the likes of Baylor or Georgia Tech, but USC is a real possibility. And of course, Michigan went hard after Dilly last year and if Whittingham is really done after one season, they're likely to continue their efforts.