Former ASU Tailback Loren Wade Guilty of Murder

Symbolic of Arizona State's decline the last three years, former Arizona State star tailback Loren Wade was found guilty of second-degree murder Thursday. Wade shot and killed teammate Brandon Falkner in March of 2005, apparently in a fit of jealousy.

Prosecutors claimed Falkner was shot because Wade saw him talking to his girlfriend. Falkner was 25.

Wade faces a maximum of 22 years in prison when he's sentenced.

There's a cost to killing a man in cold blood, and Wade's going to pay it here.

At one point he was a promising sometimes-starter as a freshman before a benefits issue and the murder charge derailed his career. In his absence the Sun Devils struggled to run the ball on offense until they finally found a reliable tailback last year. Falkner's murder, Wade's benefits scandal and murder arrest and the Keller/Carpenter quarterback situation all contributed to the termination of former coach Dirk Koetter.

Strangely, the ASU Athletic Department decided to play with fire again in hiring the controversial Dennis Erickson to be their new football coach. Wherever he's gone, suspicious program behavior has followed. Somehow we don't think Arizona State is out of the woods, yet.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-08-2007 @ 11:07PM

Mark Rafferty said...

Hey, a tragedy happened here. To infer that Dennis Erickson and the ASU program will let this action happen again is a horrible thing to say. To say that we have declined over the last three years is also a false statement, considering we've been rather mediocre for some time now. If you're going to post here, make some sort of journalistic attempt to tell people about what led up to the murder, rather than blatantly attack the Arizona State athletic department. By the way, the athletic director who was in charge during this time is now the AD at Ohio State.

6-08-2007 @ 9:55PM

Brian said...

I am not inferring that Dennis Erickson and the ASU program will let that action happen again.

I'm pointing out that he's a curious choice as the clean up after the messes of both Koetter and Wade considering that his teams are usually of checkered history.

It is factually correct that the program has declined in the past three year. In 2004 ASU was 9-3 and very nearly beat Kansas State in the bowl game. Since then it's been downhill with the record and with these incidents.

I realize the athletic director in charge at the time is now at Arizona State. Once again I'm simply pointing out that Erickson was a curious hire in light of all this. That isn't an attack on the athletic department.

I think you need to sit the next few out and re-read what I wrote at another time and hopefully it will make more sense.

6-09-2007 @ 8:03PM

In 2004 the Sun Devils beat Purdue in the Sun Bowl with Sam Keller...the K-State game was in 2002. I just thought your post was misinformed since the Loren Wade incident was only a minor reason ASU didn't make it to the next level. Incidents that had much more effect:

1) Terry Richardson trying to be a leader by being instrumental in getting Sam Keller kicked off the team, then not being able to stay on the field himself due to grades.
2) Our special teams play.
3) Derek Hagan and every other receiver who couldn't make a play in clutch situations.
4) INJURIES, like any other team.
5) Rudy Carpenter struggling.

Dirk never had what it took to coach these guys to the next level, and with Erickson that can all change; that is why he was hired. It's up to the rest of the ASU athletic department to handle player conduct as well, don't prejudge Erickson because rules don't apply to Miami players.

6-15-2007 @ 6:45AM

mike said...

hey sorry but f all you people that ACT disgusted with loren wade and his situation....none of u truely know what went on and yes he should not have put himself in the situation he was in but that gives people no rite to comment on someones LIFE...there were many bad and illegal things that probably took place in the program, as do most, LIFE to develope his course of action...and mind you the complaints of his past were from jealous greedy people that are in denial of their own issues... all I'm saying is that people need to look in the mirror before judging a persons LIFE on one mistake no matter what the circumstances....