D.J. Foster is one of the most heralded recruits ever to sign with ASU football, having been a USA Today first-team All American selection when he was a do- everything star at Scottsdale Saguaro High School. Now he is one of the leaders of the nationally ranked Sun Devil football team—a dynamic player who can both run the ball and catch passes.
The Entertainer!: It was a big deal for ASU to get you to come here. Now that you’ve been here for a couple of years, what do you think? Is it what you expected?
D.J. Foster: I’m 100 percent happy with my decision. Coming here, I knew I would have a chance to play early. The people I’ve met, the coaching I’ve got here, and the community, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Surely you were well prepared. But is there anything about big-time college football that surprised you?
Just how many people are really involved. How many people truly care about their college football team all across the country. And the Sun Devil community, it’s amazing to me how many people are paying attention, how much support they give. It’s definitely a blessing.
What are you majoring in?
Communications. I’m kind of still shopping around, figuring out what I want to do. When it’s all said and done, I want to be an entrepreneur type, own my business. Or work in sports broadcasting. Something along those lines.
Do you think you’ll play all four years? Or will the NFL come calling a year early?
I really don’t think about it too much. I’ve been getting asked that a lot. At the end of the day, you can’t control that. As long as you take care of business in what’s in front of you, everything else will fall into place. I don’t put too much thought into that. I have a long season ahead of me.
When you were a senior at Saguaro, they had a freshman named Christian Kirk. Now he’s a senior. Are you involved in any recruiting or are you steering him here?
He’s a friend of mine. At the end of the day, that’s all he is. It’s tough to define that line, between a friend, and I’m also here trying to push him one way. He knows how I feel. He knows I would love for him to come here. But the most important thing I can do for him is be a friend and be a big brother to him. No matter where he goes, I’m going to support him. Of course, I’d love for him to come here. But at the end of the day, I just want him to be happy.
Coach Graham is really talking you guys up this season. Are you as good as you’re cracked up to be?
I think we are a very good team. But I try to tell my teammates, “Don’t listen to all that stuff. Don’t even worry about that.” We’ve always had our backs against the wall. I feel year in and year out, we have a little chip on our shoulder. I’d rather play like that. I’d rather be the underdog, third in the Pac-12 South. I like that. Presea- son means absolutely nothing. It’s just a prediction. That’s all it is. I like to prove people wrong.
What would it take for this team to run the table, other than getting good luck here and there?
To be honest, our second string. I think that’s huge. In a long season, our two-deep guys have to be paying attention. It’s going to somebody who hasn’t been playing much. It’s going to come down to our second-team guys, our third-team guys to make a play and not lose a step. It’s very important.
Are there any new players that those of us on the outside don’t know about, that you know about, that we should be looking for?
Our running back group. Demario Richard has come in, right when camp started, and he’s made a tremendous effort. I think he’ll be a great running back in this program. And there are guys who have been here, like (receiver) Gary Chambers, who have progressed and matured so much since I’ve been here. Those are guys to watch coming up.
