With rumors of a Pac-12 football season on the horizon sooner than expected, Arizona State football coach Herm Edwards joined the inaugural “Maroon Monsoon” radio program on 98.7 FM Thursday night hosted by the voice of the Sun Devils, Tim Healey, to discuss the potential change of course for the conference.

Edwards said he has the good vibes for this week started for him with a return to the Tempe All Saints Newman Catholic Center on Sunday for his first in-person Mass in months.

“It was a good Sunday, to say the least,” Edwards told Healey. “And all of a sudden … things seem a little brighter. I left Mass, and all of a sudden Monday, I’m hearing some good news, and Tuesday, the news is getting better. And hopefully, we’re going to have a Pac-12 coaches’ meeting tomorrow and things will be a lot better for players, for fans, for everybody that likes football. Especially Pac-12 football.”

In addition to the coaches’ meeting planned for Friday, September 18th, the Pac-12 CEO group is also scheduled to meet on the final day of the workweek. Edwards said he hopes a decision to start the football season will be made.

“We’re hopeful that that will be the decision made by the conference,” Edwards said. “And I think with the medical people obviously leading the discussion, and now I think with the ability to test players at a rate where you can get the information back quickly … I’m excited about getting on the conversation tomorrow.”

Edwards said if the decision is made to start football in the fall semester, teams would need six weeks of practice before beginning games. He said he expects a schedule of between six and eight games. His goal would be for the Pac-12 and Big Ten champions to still meet up and play the Rose Bowl.

With the potential of a season starting before the end of this calendar year, the conversation between Healey and Edwards shifted to something not on the minds of too many recently; the 2020 Sun Devils. Edwards talked about his goals for the season and the adjustments his team will have to make leading up to the season’s kickoff.

Edwards said, “there’s a lot of work to be done” due to having new offensive and defensive schemes. ASU will be running a different offense under first-year offensive coordinator Zak Hill. The Sun Devils on defense will be shifting from a 3-3-5 system to a 4-3-4 under Marvin Lewis and Antonio Pierce, who return from last year’s staff but are now ASU’s co-defensive coordinators.

“You got some new players as well, but you have a new offensive coordinator, new defensive coordinator,” Edwards explained. “And the defense is a pro front. The offense is entirely different. It’s a pro offense. It’s a lot of motion, a lot of shifts, a lot of personnel groups. Quarterback under center, quarterback in gun some. There’s a lot going on. It’s fun to watch. I’m kind of excited to see what it’s going to look like, and here again, we have what, nine seniors on the whole team, that’s it. So, it’s a very young football team.”

Edwards also discussed his starting quarterback Jayden Daniels and the steps he needs to take following a terrific freshman campaign where he threw 17 touchdowns and only two interceptions. Edwards said he would like to see his quarterback be more aggressive this season and increase the offensive output that had a 24.8 point average, which was ninth in the Pac-12.

“He was very careful with the football last year,” Edwards stated. “Which you want quarterbacks to be. I still want him to be careful, but I want him to take more shots.”

As far as the desired defensive improvement, Edwards wants his team needs to be better at limiting big plays on defense. In 2019, the Sun Devils gave up ten plays of 40 or more yards, which was tied for third-worst in the Pac-12.

“We gave up too many big plays,” Edwards said. “We got to stop that. That number has to go down. The big explosion plays.”

Edwards also mentioned how he was happy to have Michael Turk, one of the best punters in college football, back on the team. Turk declared for the NFL draft after a terrific redshirt-sophomore season where he averaged 46 yards per punt.

Turk was a first-team All-Pac 12 selection in 2019, his first year at ASU after transferring from Lafayette College. He established a school record averaging 46 yards-per-punt. 23 of his 67 punts traveled over 50 yards, while he had only seven touchbacks. Furthermore, 36 of his 67 punts landed inside the 20-yard line.

He signed with an agent and went through the draft process but went undrafted. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he was not able to work out for any potential suitors, and therefore the NCAA granted him a waiver to be able to return to the Sun Devils for his junior year.

“… He can change field position for you with his leg,” Edwards said. “When you’re backed up, sometimes you need to change field position. With his ability to punt the ball, that helps you. There’s no doubt about that, and it was great to get him back.”

2020 has not only been marked by the pandemic. It has also been a time where there has been increased awareness of systemic racism in the United States. Healey brought the topic up to Edwards on the program Thursday, and Edwards said he has been telling his players to use their platforms to create change.

“And I’ve told our players, look, you have this wonderful platform, but when you use it, make sure you use it, and you’re the person with solutions along with being a good listener,” Edwards said. “As we walk through this minefield we’re trying to walk through right now as adults as well as young people. And I said what you do now, you might not reap the benefits of this, but your children will.”

“Maroon Monsoon” will air on 98.7 FM every Thursday from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.