In good years, the Devils tend to draw fairly well. In the not so good years, not so much.

Athletic director Steve Patterson, a guest of Arizona Sports 620's Doug and Wolf during "Newsmakers Week", said fan support has a direct effect on the team's chance for success.

"I've been very transparent and had some difficult conversations at times," Patterson said. "I think people in the community have the opportunity to be part of the solution or part of the problem.

"And you can wake up every day and look at that in a lot of aspects of your life. Are you part of the solution or part of the problem?"

Football fans may be leaning towards becoming part of the solution, as Patterson said ticket sales are up for the 2013 season. However recent history is littered with instances where fans have not been as generous with their support. Patterson said the university is working hard to change perception of the school and make people feel good about being ASU alums, but added if they want to see top-level success they'll need to step up, too.

"If you really do love ASU and you really do want us to go somewhere," Patterson said, "and you really do want to see great athletic teams and see our athletes graduate, which they do at far greater rates...and you want to see them continue to have success, then you need to opt in to being part of the solution and support the school.

"You know, we're going to have good years and bad years, we're going to have good players and bad players. These are not professional athletes, these are student-athletes that are trying to get their degree and doing the best they can every day to win their events that they're involved in."