Herm Edwards was waived Sunday after just three games into his fifth season at Arizona State. The mistake that brought Edwards to that point remains too laughable to write down.
When he was hired, Edwards was recognized as an experienced and honorable alternative to inexperienced con artists. No problem, said athletic director Ray Anderson, Edwards’ former agent. This will be his NFL model with Herm serving as his CEO coach. Someone else will take over details such as hiring.
Critics were told not to worry about Edwards as a recruiter. Although he hadn’t coached in college in his 29 years, Edwards would have been at ASU as the front man. If you he’s Bobby Bowden and you created the program from scratch, no problem. It’s another thing to inherit his half-baked Pac-12, which had never really been planned.
Edwards wasn’t bad (26-20). He probably has ongoing offers to return to ESPN as the thoughtful, grandfatherly analyst type. , was not suitable for the program of the difficult conference.
Now, as an Arizona State fan, you have to trust Anderson to lead the search for coaching. We also have to trust President Michael Crow. tipped over edwards Faster than an uptempo attack.
I’ve always said it’s hard to screw up Arizona. weather. west coast. The town of Tempe. You should be able to find 85 skilled guys who would kill to play there. Well, ASU’s last Rose Bowl was in 1997.
Here are the best candidates to get Arizona out of the desert.
1. Carolina Panthers Coach Matt Rule: Clubhouse leader if interested. Anderson (obviously) loves NFL guys. If Luhle leaves the Panthers and doesn’t get caught by Nebraska, it shouldn’t be a hard decision for Arizona State. Baylor’s Dave Aranda is still using a player left by the rules that helped them win the Big 12 last season. A complete program His builder will find himself at home in the desert.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich: The former Marshall star quarterback is in his fourth year as the Bucks’ offensive boss. Tom Brady loves him. Leftwich already has a Super Bowl ring. Bruce Arians said he wouldn’t have returned to the Bucks without Leftwich. An underrated talent you believe Anderson has on his radar. NFL teams might also be interested.
3. ESPN Analyst Dan Mullen: Mullen has to rebound after his experience in Florida. He’s been on a typical TV analyst rehab tour for a year to get his name out there. Arizona needs an identity. Mullen with aggressive chops is its identity. Yes he is quirky. Maybe more. But with the current structure, Mullen could beat the Pac-12. later.
4. Todd Monken, Georgia Offensive Coordinator: Monken needs a head coach job – now. If for no other reason than he acquired quarterback Stetson Bennett and made him one of the best offensive players in the country. Monken has a wealth of experience in his NFL. It’s more recent, unlike Harm, who hasn’t coached at all since 2008 before he got his ASU. A head coach’s experience in a short and unsuccessful run at Southern Miss.
5. Liberty Coach Hugh Freese: Keep inserting Freeze’s name in this place. Sooner or later, the Power Five program will be successful. It wouldn’t be much of a risk. Time heals the wounds of all NCAA investigations. Freeze is a great offensive spirit with a ton of head coaching experience who can scrutinize past mistakes but is ultimately overcome by Crow.
6. Brian Hershin, Auburn Coach: Perhaps sometime this week, Hersingh could become the next coach.Don’t be bored by failures in Auburn To Auburn. Harsin said he wasn’t a good fit for The Plains, but it wasn’t his fault. he was there from the beginning. Harsin is a West Coast man whose style and personality are perfect for the Southwest. If Arizona State doesn’t scoop him up, I fully expect him to return to Boise State one day.
7. Deion Sanders, Jackson State Coach: Anderson went off script for being hired by Edwards. Why not throw another knuckleball? I don’t know if Sanders’ coaching chops at the highest level match his mouth but I’ll buy a front row seat and watch Arizona State University his Pac-12 top his program No, but you definitely need a shot of adrenaline. Given that Florida is unlikely to open, Sanders would be a bold choice.
8. Tom Harman, CBS Sports Network Analyst: Herman has been away for too long. OK, it’s been less than two years since he left Texas, but he still has a lot to give to the college game as head of playcalling as his coach. Remember when Herman was the hottest at Ohio State and Houston? There’s still plenty of that energy left.
9. Florida Coach Mike Nobel: A month ago, Nobel was the #1 runaway candidate to replace Edwards. Then the season kicked off and Arizona State headed south, in the middle of what looks like a turnaround at Florida State, Novell he’s 3-0. ASU will be his fallback as the former Sun Devils offensive coordinator.
10. California Coach Justin Wilcox: Wilcox is a great defensive mind that needs room and budget to grow. It’s a constant struggle at Cal, which doesn’t put as much emphasis on soccer as other programs in the conference. Not so in Arizona, pay the right people.
11. CBS Sports Network Analyst Rick Neuheisel: Neuheisel, 61, lives in the Phoenix area and has a great football spirit with deep ties to the West Coast. He doesn’t necessarily fit Anderson’s young recruit profile. I have a solution. Arizona will likely need something of its own as it will likely be on NCAA probation. Crow is an intimidating presence that turned Edwards upside down in an instant. He splits the baby in two and makes Neuheisel the new man’s associate head coach/offensive coordinator.