Cook With Zona Football Is Back! Beyond The Huddle
competition between Gardner Minshew and rookie Carson Beck now front and center, there’s genuine intrigue about what this offense looks like under a new system. Nobody’s predicting a playoff run. But there’s something refreshing about a fresh start with low expectations and a coaching staff that has a real vision. Meanwhile, up in Tempe, the Sun Devils are entering what could be a fascinating season under Kenny Dillingham. After an 8-5 campaign in 2025 that was hampered by injuries and a brutal turnover margin, ASU has reloaded aggressively through the transfer portal, headlined by wide receiver Omarion Miller from Colorado, who is already drawing first-round buzz for the 2027 draft. The quarterback competition between Kentucky transfer Cutter Boley and Michigan transfer Mike Keeney will likely define which direction this team goes. The schedule is genuinely tough, including a road trip to Texas A&M and a Big 12 opener against Kansas played in London. Sportsbooks have ASU at 6.5 wins, but Dillingham has a history of outperforming expectations. In short: football is back, it’s local, and both of your Arizona teams have something worth watching. Get out to State Farm Stadium while you still can.
August means training camps, preseason games, and the slow-building anticipation that only football season can create. Here’s what to watch in Arizona. There’s a particular feeling that hits sometime in late July and carries right through August, the smell of cut grass, the sound of pads popping, and the creeping realization that football is genuinely almost here. For West Valley fans, that feeling is especially alive right now with both the Arizona Cardinals and the Arizona State Sun Devils generating real reasons to pay attention. The Cardinals reported to training camp at State Farm Stadium on July 22, and for once, the storyline heading in has nothing to do with Kyler Murray. The new era under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur kicked off with seven open practices available to the public, free admission, free parking, and a Kids Interactive Zone that includes a quarterback toss and a 40-yard dash for younger fans. The annual Red & White practice wraps camp on August 9, and the team opens preseason play on August 6 with the Hall of Fame game in Canton. With the quarterback
8 Estrella Publishing - Mountain View magazine
August 2026
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