Arizona State Sun Devils football
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The Arizona State Sun Devils football team represents Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Pac-12 Conference. Arizona State University has fielded a football team since 1897. The Sun Devils are led by head coach Kenny Dillingham and play their home games at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The Sun Devils have won seventeen conference titles.[2]
A number of successful and professional football players once played for ASU. The school has 3 unanimous All-Americans and 16 consensus selections.[3] Among the most lauded players the school has produced are Pat Tillman, Terrell Suggs, Jake Plummer, Mike Haynes, Darren Woodson, Charley Taylor, and John Henry Johnson. In addition to its players, ASU's football program has had several notable head coaches, including Hall of Famers traditional rival, losing to the Wildcats only twice between 1963 and 1979.[4][circular reference ]
HistoryEarly history (1896–1957)Frederick M. Irish served as the first head football coach at the Territorial Normal School, renamed Tempe Normal School in 1903 and now known as Arizona State University, coaching from 1896 to 1906 and compiling a record of 12–8. Territorial Normal did not field a football team in 1897, 1898, or 1901. George Schaeffer served as the head football coach at Tempe Normal School from 1914 to 1916, compiling a record of 7–8. Aaron McCreary oversaw the school's football program from 1923 to 1929. During this time, the school changed its nickname from the Owls to the Bulldogs and the name of the school was changed to Arizona State University.[5] McCreary left ASU with a 25–17–4 record.[6] Ted Shipkey led the Arizona State football program from 1930 to 1932, compiling a record of 13–10–2.[7][8] Shipkey was replaced by Rudy Lavik, who led Arizona State to a less impressive 13–26–3 mark in his five seasons.[9] Dixie Howell served as ASU's head coach from 1938 to 1941, compiling a record of 23–15–4.[10] In 1947, Ed Doherty became head coach at Arizona State, where he compiled a 25–17 record from 1947 to 1950. He left ASU five days after defeating rival Arizona, 47–13, because he felt that he didn't have enough job security.[11] Clyde Smith took over the reins of the Arizona State football program in 1952, and under his leadership, they compiled a record of 15–13–1.[12] Smith resigned following the 1954 season.[13] On February 5, 1955, Michigan State assistant coach Dan Devine accepted the head coaching position at Arizona State.[14] Joining him as an assistant was Frank Kush, who would have even greater success at the school after Devine's departure. During his three years, Devine compiled a record of 27–3–1 (.887), including a spotless 10–0 mark during his final campaign.[15] In that last season, Devine's team led the nation in total offense and scoring, averaging just under 40 points per game in the latter category.[14] Devine's success at Arizona State resulted in an offer from Missouri, which he accepted on December 18, 1957.[16] Frank Kush era (1958–1979)
Frank Kush was promoted to the position of head coach at Arizona State, which he would hold for the next 22 years. During his time at Arizona State, Kush was known for being one of the most physically demanding coaches in the game. His daily football practices in the heat of the Arizona desert are still the stuff of legend today. During his lengthy career in the desert, Kush compiled a record of 176–54–1, with only one losing season. In his first 11 years, he captured two conference titles and finished runner-up five times. That success led to him accepting the head coaching job at the University of Pittsburgh on January 4, 1969. However, just five days later, Kush had a change of heart and returned to Arizona State.[17] Kush's return would begin a memorable era in Sun Devil football history with five consecutive Western Athletic Conference championships as the team won 50 of 56 games from 1969 to 1973. During this time, Arizona State won the 1970 Peach Bowl and the first three editions of the Fiesta Bowl. In 1974, the team dropped to 7–4, but bounced back with authority the following year when they went 12–0, capping the year with a thrilling 17–14 win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Fiesta Bowl, a game in which Kush's son, Danny, kicked three field goals, including the game winner. A down year in 1976 saw the team fall to 4–7, but another comeback resulted the next year with a 9–3 mark. In that year's Fiesta Bowl, the Sun Devils lost a bowl game for the only time under Kush's leadership, with a 42–30 defeat to Penn State. In 1978, Kush's team once again finished 9–3, this time defeating Rutgers in the Garden State Bowl. In September 1979 former Sun Devil punter Kevin Rutledge filed a $1.1 million lawsuit against the school, accusing Kush and his staff of mental and physical harassment that forced him to transfer. The most dramatic charge was that Kush had punched Rutledge in the mouth after a bad punt in the October 28, 1978, game against the Washington Huskies. During the next few weeks, overzealous fans turned things ugly when the insurance office of Rutledge's father suffered a fire and the family's attorney received two death threats.[18]
On October 13, 1979, Kush was fired as head coach for interfering with the school's internal investigation into Rutledge's allegations.[19] Athletic director Fred Miller cited Kush's alleged attempts to pressure players and coaches into keeping quiet. The decision came just three hours before the team's home game against Washington. Kush was allowed to coach the game, with the Sun Devils pulling off an emotional 12–7 upset of the sixth-ranked Huskies, fueled by the angry crowd incensed by the decision. After the game ended, Kush was carried off the field by his team.[18] The win gave him a 3–2 record on the season, but all three victories were later forfeited when it was determined that Arizona State had used ineligible players. Future NFL players who played under Kush at Arizona State include Charley Taylor, Curley Culp, Danny White, Benny Malone, Mike Haynes, and John Jefferson and Steve Holden. Baseball Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson also played a year of football at Arizona State for Kush on a football scholarship before switching to baseball.[20] Darryl Rogers era (1980–1984)Darryl Rogers replaced Kush and led the Sun Devils to a 37–18–1 record in five seasons.[21] The best season of the Rogers era came in 1982, a 10–2 campaign that resulted in a Fiesta Bowl win and a No. 6 ranking in the final AP and Coaches' polls.[22] Rogers accepted an offer to serve as head coach of the NFL's Detroit Lions and left ASU after the 1984 season.[23] John Cooper era (1985–1987)John Cooper left his post as Tulsa head coach and became the head coach at Arizona State in 1985. His teams played in three consecutive bowl games, including the 1987 Rose Bowl.[24] Notably, he was just 0–2–1 against arch-rival Arizona. He accepted the job as head coach at Ohio State on December 31, 1987.[24] The 1986 team won the school's first Pacific-10 Championship and went on to defeat the Michigan Wolverines in the 1987 Rose Bowl.[24] Larry Marmie era (1988–1991)ASU promoted Larry Marmie from defensive coordinator to head coach to replace Cooper.[25] Marmie's tenure was marked by mediocrity and disappointment, with a 6–5 mark in 1988,[26] a 6–4–1 record in 1989,[27] a 4–7 campaign in 1990,[28] and a 6–5 season in 1991.[29] School administrators fired Marmie following the 1991 season, amidst fan impatience.[30] Bruce Snyder era (1992–2000)national championship, as they would have been the only undefeated major-conference team in the nation. For his efforts that season, Snyder won a number of national coaching awards, including the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award and the Walter Camp Coach of the Year Award.[31] Snyder stepped down as ASU head coach following the 2000 season.[31]
Dirk Koetter era (2001–2006)Boise State head coach Dirk Koetter was hired to replace Snyder in 2001.[32] At Arizona State, Koetter compiled a 40–34 record and four Bowl appearances in six years.[33] Under Koetter the Sun Devils were known for a vertical passing attack. On November 26, 2006, Koetter was terminated as the head football coach.[34] His final game was the 2006 Hawaii Bowl on Christmas Eve, a 41–24 loss. Dennis Erickson era (2007–2011)Seasoned coaching veteran NFL with the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers .
Arizona State paid $2.8 million to Koetter and a $150,000 buyout to Idaho to complete the hiring of Erickson to a five-year contract. He immediately paid dividends for ASU, leading the Sun Devils to a 10–2 regular season record in Las Vegas for their fifth consecutive loss.
Todd Graham era (2012–2017)Pittsburgh, informing his players and assistant coaches of his decision to leave Pitt for ASU via text message.[39] Graham also previously served as head coach at Rice for one season and Tulsa for four seasons.
In his first season at Arizona State, the Sun Devils went 8–5 securing their first winning season since 2007. With a win in the North Carolina State, 31–52. Graham and Arizona State agreed to part ways on November 26, 2017, following a 7–5 regular season.[44][45]
Herm Edwards era (2018–2022)On December 3, 2017, longtime NIL.[50] On September 18, 2022, Arizona State fired Edwards the day following a 30–21 loss to Eastern Michigan.[51]
Kenny Dillingham era (2023–present)On November 27, 2022, Kenny Dillingham, previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Oregon, was named as Arizona State's head coach.[52] His first season with the team resulted in a 3–9 finish,[53] with a notable 15–7 loss to the eventual National Champion runners-up Washington Huskies.[54] Conference affiliations
ChampionshipsConference championshipsArizona State has won 17 conference championships, seven in the Border Conference, seven in the Western Athletic Conference, and three in the Pac-12 Conference.
† Co-champions Division championshipsArizona State lost the 2013 Pac-12 South division championship.
Unclaimed National ChampionshipsDespite being the only team to finish undefeated in the 1975 season, ASU was ranked 2nd place in both the AP and Coaches rankings. However, on January 17, 1976 Sporting News Ranked ASU as the #1 team in College Football for the 1975 season.[55] The National Championship Foundation also recognized ASU as the #1 ranked team in the nation. ASU was also ranked #1 in 1970 by the Poling System (1935–1984).[56]
Bowl gamesArizona State has played in 33 bowl games in its history. The Sun Devils have a bowl record of 15–17–1.[57]
Head coaches
Home stadiumsThe Sun Devils play their home games at Frank Kush Field at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Mountain America Stadium, formally known as Sun Devil Stadium, was constructed in 1958 and originally held a capacity of 30,000.[59] On September 21, 1996, the playing surface was renamed Frank Kush Field after the long time ASU coach in a 19–0 upset of then top-ranked Nebraska.[59]
Prior to the construction of Mountain America Stadium, the Sun Devils played their home games at the following locations:
Culture
Arizona State fields a more-than-300-member marching band that performs at all home football games, bowl games, and the rivalry game with the University of Arizona. In addition to halftime shows and stand tunes, the Sun Devil Marching Band always play the Arizona State fight songs and the Alma Mater. RivalriesArizonaArizona State's longest and most intense rivalry is with the The Duel in the Desert , and the winner of the game receives the Territorial Cup. Arizona State won the first matchup in 1899 by a score of 11–2. Arizona holds the all-time series lead with a record of 51–45–1.
Since becoming a university in 1958,[60] Arizona State has the overall lead in the rivalry series with a record of 31–24–1. Since ASU and Arizona became Pac-12 Conference members in 1978, Arizona leads the series 19–16–1. In recent contests, an unranked Sun Devils team upset a ranked Arizona Wildcats team 30–29 in Tucson in 2010. After a strong start in 2011, ASU ended the season with a 31–27 loss to Arizona in Tempe. The Sun Devils finished the 2012 season with a win over the No. 24 ranked Wildcats in Tucson by a score of 41–34. In 2013, the No. 13 ranked Sun Devils beat the Wildcats 58–21 in Tempe. In 2014, the Wildcats hosted the game and beat the Sun Devils 42–35 to claim the Pac-12 South championship. Practice facilitiesBill Kajikawa Practice FieldsBill Kajikawa Practice Fields, located on Sixth Street and Rural Road, is normally where Sun Devil football team practices when weather permits.[citation needed] Camp TontozonaAn Arizona State University property, is a 36-acre (150,000 m2) camp just outside Payson created by former legendary coach Frank Kush was used as a bonding place for his players. Tontozona has marked the unofficial start of the Sun Devils' seasons from 1960 to 2008. Due to the knack of losing practices to rainouts, short and torn up fields leading to excessive injuries, and travel costs, the team decided to move camp back to Tempe campus with the arrival of the Devil Dome.[61] After a 4-year absence the Sun Devils returned to Camp Tontozona starting in Aug 2012.[62] The team was able to make the return after a short fund raising effort by fans and alumni brought in over $160,000.[63] Verde Dickey DomeFormerly opened as Devil Dome and nicknamed,"The Bubble", $8.4 million practice facility broke ground on May 15, 2008 Retired numbers
All-Americans
† Consensus All-Americans ‡ Unanimous All-Americans College Football Hall of Fame Members
Pro Football Hall of Fame Members
Other notable players
Future Big-12 opponentsOn November 1, 2023, Arizona State's Big-12 opponents from 2024 through 2027 were revealed, with their rivalry game against Arizona being a protected annual game.[69]
Future non-conference opponentsAnnounced schedules as of November 19, 2023.[70]
References
External linksWikimedia Commons has media related to Arizona State Sun Devils football. |