Arizona State Football

Arizona State and the Pac-12 have canceled the program's second straight game due to the Sun Devils' COVID-19 outbreak.

The Pac-12 announced Sunday that ASU won't have the minimum number of healthy scholarship players to face off against Colorado on Saturday:

Under the conference's COVID-19 policy, teams must have 53 scholarship players available. That group has to include one quarterback, seven offensive linemen and four defensive linemen.

This past Friday, Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson didn't specify the extent of its outbreak but confirmed the program had "multiple student-athletes and coaching staff members" test positive. Head coach Herm Edwards is among the positive cases.

Anderson addressed the situation again Sunday:

"We regrettably have to invoke the Pac-12's football game cancellation policy for this week's game at Colorado due to positive COVID-19 cases among student-athletes and staff. The cancellation of another game is very difficult to accept for all of us, but it continues to be the right decision under the circumstances. The health, safety and welfare of our student-athletes is our number one priority and will continue to be at the forefront of every decision."

Fifteen FBS games in Week 11 were either postponed or canceled, and already, three games in Week 12 have met the same fate. UAB announced it would be unable to play UTEP on Friday, and the MAC wiped Tuesday's encounter between Ohio and Miami (OH) from its slate.

Colorado vs. Arizona State is ruled a no-contest. Depending on how the rest of the week unfolds, the Buffaloes, who improved to 2-0 with a 35-32 win over Stanford, might be able to take the field nonetheless. UCLA and California arranged an impromptu game when their original opponents couldn't play because of COVID-19-related issues.

Former NFL defensive back Ryan Clark spoke out about his son, Jordan, being called a racial slur at a Whataburger in Arizona recently.

Appearing on Friday's Get Up, Clark said his son has "faced racism and he's heard the word, but it never affected him in this way": 

A sophomore defensive back at Arizona State, Jordan Clark tweeted about the encounter Wednesday, describing how a white woman directed the slur at him and some of his teammates (warning: tweets contain uncensored slurs):

Echoing what he said on Get Up, Ryan Clark responded to his son's tweet for not preparing him for the racism he would face in America.

Jordan's teammates, Nolan Matthews and T Lee, also tweeted about their experience at the restaurant that night. 

Arizona State President Michael Crow issued a statement Wednesday:

“We are aware of the situation our student-athletes reported happening last night (Tuesday) at Whataburger where they were subjected to racist behavior and name calling by a customer. 

"There is no excuse for this. It is a continuation of gross ignorance, racism and hatred that permeates facets of our society. We understand that Whataburger has stepped-up and requested more information. We strongly encourage Whataburger to fully investigate this situation and assess what steps it must take to deal with customers who exhibit this kind of behavior. It cannot be tolerated.

"Sun Devil athletics is in continuous dialogue with student-athletes about the issue of racism in our society and will use this instance as a learning moment. Our commitment to all of our students is that we will provide an environment free of racism and that when confronted with it, we will not shy away from addressing the issue and that we will provide resources and tools to help students navigate and manage through these situations.”

Whataburger's official Twitter account also responded to Jordan's tweets, writing they "apologized to the players and their families for this terrible experience" and would reinforce "training with our employee on how this incident was handled." 

Arizona State punter Michael Turk announced Wednesday his final two years of collegiate eligibility have been restored after he didn't get picked during the 2020 NFL draft and went unsigned in the weeks following the event in late April.

ESPN's Kyle Bonagura reported the NCAA made the "unprecedented move" of making Turk eligible to play for the Sun Devils again. An ASU spokesperson confirmed the school helped him draft the appeal, which was based on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, and noted he hadn't received money from his agent.

Turk entered the draft as a redshirt sophomore after a strong 2019 season for Arizona State. He tied for 11th in the country with an average of 46 yards per punt and had a long of 75 yards, which came in a game against Kent State where he averaged 63 yards on five punts.

The Dallas native, the nephew of former NFL punter Matt Turk, was selected First Team All-Pac 12 during his first season with the Sun Devils.

Turk started his collegiate career at Lafayette College, an FCS program, in 2017. He averaged 42.9 yards per punt as a true freshman with the Leopards.

In January, he told Brad Denny of AZFamily.com he knew it was "unconventional" for a punter to declare for the draft early, but he wanted the chance to prove himself.

"One of my thought processes was that I know I'm going to work harder than I ever have in my life at becoming a better punter," Turk said. "I'm confident that, God willing, once I do get those workouts and opportunities to prove that I'm a professional punter, I'll be able to do that."

Although he did take part in the 2020 NFL Scouting Combine, the subsequent pro days and individual meetings with teams were wiped out because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now he'll return to the Sun Devils, who accepted punter Logan Tyler on a graduate transfer from Florida State last month after Turk's departure. Tyler is also expected to compete for ASU's kicking job, per Bonagura. That could leave room for both players to earn consistent playing time.

"Throughout the season, I started to understand different parts of the field, what I have to do, what type of punts I need to hit," Turk told Denny. "I'm by no means done, but at the end of the season, I have a much better comprehensive understanding of all the different dimensions of punting."

He'll be eligible to re-enter the NFL draft in either 2021 as a redshirt junior or in 2022 after his final collegiate campaign.

Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis will become the new co-defensive coordinator at Arizona State, according to Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com.

He had previously served as a special adviser to head coach Herman Edwards but will now be a full-time member of the staff.

Antonio Pierce will work as the other co-defensive coordinator.

Lewis spent 16 years leading the Bengals' coaching staff. He compiled 131-122-3 record during the regular season and earned seven playoff appearances, but the team failed to win a game in the postseason.

The 61-year-old Pennsylvania native mutually parted ways with Cincinnati following the 2018 season and spent the 2019 campaign as a special adviser to Herm Edwards at Arizona State.

In June, Lewis said during an appearance CBS Sports Radio (via Dave Clark of the Cincinnati Enquirer) he didn't envision himself returning to an NFL sideline.

"I don't think so. I'm fine," Lewis said, adding he didn't miss the NFL.

In all, the 2009 AP Coach of the Year has nearly four decades of coaching experience dating back to serving as a linebackers coach at Idaho State, his alma mater, starting in 1981.

Lewis was selected to serve as a head coach for the 2020 NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January and discussed his love of the college game.

"My coaching career started at the college level, so it's always held a special place in my heart," he said in a press release. "I'm looking forward to working with some of the country's best prospects at the Collegiate Bowl and helping prepare them to succeed as professionals."

Arizona State now adds another experienced coach to the staff as the squad tries to improve upon its 8-5 record from this past season, which included a win in the Sun Bowl.

The defense ranked 35th in the country at 22.4 points allowed per game.

Lewis has the potential to attract recruits thanks to his name recognition, but there's still a learning curve for someone entering that role for the first time.

Herm Edwards is set to coach the Arizona State Sun Devils through at least the 2024 season.

The school announced its decision to extend Edwards' contract two years on Monday, which means it runs through the 2024 season. Vice president for athletics Ray Anderson provided more context to the decision: 

"We are pleased to announce this two-year contract extension for Head Football Coach Herm Edwards. Dr. Michael Crow (ASU President) and I are extremely encouraged with the overall direction of the football program under Coach Edwards and his staff.  They have built a foundation that is recruiting at unprecedented levels and we must ensure the continuation of that effort. This five-year commitment to Coach Edwards will demonstrate to prospective student-athletes and their parents the long-term commitment the University has toward his valued leadership."

Arizona State hired Edwards prior to the 2018 season in something of a surprise move seeing how he had never been a head coach at the collegiate level.

However, he had plenty of experience coaching from his days leading the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. He reached the playoffs four times in eight years as an NFL head coach and was an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Chiefs and San Jose State in the past as well.

In two seasons with the Sun Devils, Edwards has a 15-11 record with appearances in the Las Vegas Bowl and Sun Bowl. This season's Sun Bowl win over Florida State marked the program's first postseason win since the 2014 campaign when Todd Graham was the head coach.

Arizona State improved from 7-6 in Edwards' first year to 8-5 this past year and made national waves with a victory over the Oregon Ducks that helped shape the College Football Playoff.

Anderson pointed to the recruiting efforts in his statement, and Edwards brought in the 28th-ranked class in the country for the 2019 cycle, per 247Sports' composite rankings. The Sun Devils are 24th in the 2020 rankings and already have a 4-star prospect for 2021.

Edwards now has additional contract security as he looks to parlay those recruiting successes into continued improvement on the field.

Chad Johnson Jr. is now officially a member of the Arizona State recruiting class after signing his letter of intent Wednesday.

His father, former NFL star Chad Johnson, also provided his thoughts on the move:

The younger Johnson is a 4-star recruit, considered the No. 60 receiver in the class by 247Sports. He initially committed to Arizona State in October 2018 and kept his word more than a year later to head coach Herm Edwards.

Edwards, who spent the majority of his coaching career in the NFL, has led the Sun Devils to a bowl game for the second straight season in 2019.

Additionally, former Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis is currently a special advisor to the football team, further extending the relationship to the Johnson family.

Chad Johnson spent 11 years in the NFL, eight of those seasons playing under Lewis.

With the newest signing one of five 4-star recruits already signed in the 2020 class, Arizona State is on its way toward contending in the Pac-12.

Highly touted wide receiver Johnny Wilson flipped his commitment from Oregon to Arizona State on Wednesday.

ASU made the announcement in the following video:

Wilson is the No. 16 wideout and No. 89 player overall in the 2020 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. A native of Calabasas, California, he's also the 11th-best player from his home state.

He announced his commitment to the Ducks in July but decided to join the Sun Devils and head coach Herm Edwards instead.

Wilson was a prolific receiver through his first three years at Calabasas High School. According to MaxPreps, he caught 141 passes for 2,274 yards and 35 touchdowns in 37 games.

Speaking with colleague Josh Newberg in August 2018, 247Sports' Greg Biggins offered this assessment of Wilson: "Wilson is the top WR out West in the 2020 class and a top 25 player nationally. He's a big kid who can run, strong hands, very good body control and when healthy, can be a dominant player. He was banged up a lot this past offseason but looks good now, should have big junior year."

Although Wilson missed some time as a junior due to injury, it did little to hurt his stock.

Biggins alluded to Wilson's frame. At 6'6" and 224 pounds, he presents obvious problems for opposing defensive backs. Defenders don't have much of a counter when Wilson is able to get up and high-point the ball. That will make him an obvious target in the red zone right away for Oregon if he's inserted into the offense.

Along with that, Wilson is a reliable pass-catcher on shorter throws, and he has the agility to make would-be tacklers miss in tight spaces. The extra yards he'll fight for add up over the course of a game.

Arizona State is 14-11 in its two seasons under Edwards, and the Sun Devils are guaranteed their third straight winning season overall in 2019.

ASU has struggled at times offensively this season, however, as they are just 94th in the nation in points per game.

The continued development of freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels will help in that regard after he threw 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season, and the arrival of Wilson will give him a big, athletic target in 2020.

With leading receiver Brandon Aiyuk set to graduate and join the NFL, Wilson has a legitimate chance to be a big-time factor as a freshman.  

Arizona State's coaching staff already has some NFL flavor, and there reportedly could be another former head coach from the professional ranks joining the mix. 

According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, former Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson "has emerged as a strong candidate" to join the Pac-12 program as an offensive coordinator. Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis, who worked with Jackson at the NFL level, is already a special adviser to Sun Devils football.

This comes after Devils Digest noted head coach Herm Edwards, who was also a coach in the NFL, announced he will not retain offensive coordinator Rob Likens, tight ends coach Donnie Yantis and wide receivers coach Charlie Fisher on the staff.

Arizona State was solid but unspectacular during the 2019 regular season, finishing with a 7-5 record that included high points such as wins over Oregon, Michigan State and archrival Arizona and low points such as a four-game losing streak after a 5-1 start.

The offense was inconsistent on its way to 25.2 points per game but was also operating with a freshman quarterback in Jayden Daniels against defenses that often stacked the box to deal with running back Eno Benjamin.

Jackson did not experience much success as a head coach, going 11-44-1 with the Browns and Oakland Raiders. He never reached the playoffs or finished a season with a winning record and was infamously in charge of the Browns when they went 0-16 during the 2017 campaign.

However, he was successful in an offensive coordinator role with the Bengals under Lewis in 2014 and 2015. The team made the playoffs both years and featured an offense that finished seventh in the league in scoring in 2015 with playmakers such as Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, Jeremy Hill, Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert.

Jackson would be an unconventional choice for the Sun Devils given his lack of recent experience in the college game, but he is familiar with the Pac-12 and was an assistant coach for programs such as USC, California and Arizona State in the 1990s.

This would mark a return to the Sun Devils for a seasoned veteran who has shown the ability to succeed as an offensive coordinator in the past.

Herm Edwards is going to be working with lead blockers and lede paragraphs at Arizona State. 

On Thursday, the Pac-12 school issued a press release that revealed Edwards is joining the faculty of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication in addition to his responsibilities as the head football coach.

He will be a professor of practice who serves as a guest lecturer and facilitates discussions about sports and the media.

"I am humbled and honored by this incredible opportunity," Edwards said. "As coaches, we are teachers first and foremost. I am looking forward to sharing the knowledge I have accumulated as a player, coach and member of the working media with the students at the Cronkite School."

While Edwards was an NFL coach for eight years with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs and is entering his second season at the helm for the Sun Devils, he does have experience in sports media.

He worked for ESPN from 2009 to 2017 and appeared across a number of platforms for the network.

What's more, the school's press release noted he was honored by the Football Writers Association of America as the Super 11 Coach of the Year for his willingness to work with journalists who cover Sun Devils football.

Arizona State hired former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis as a special advisor for the football program, the school announced Tuesday. 

Sun Devils head coach Herm Edwards discussed Lewis' arrival:

"Marvin Lewis is one of the most respected minds in our game. Whether as the winningest coach in the franchise history of the Cincinnati Bengals, or the architect of one the greatest defenses in NFL history, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens, Marvin has succeeded everywhere he has been and he has done it the right way. His passion for teaching will be an incredible benefit not only for our coaches, but also for the young men we are responsible for as students and athletes."

ESPN's Matt Barrie reported Lewis will "analyze film of opponents to contribute to game strategy" and head up special projects in his new role.

This move continues Arizona State's trend of turning to former players and coaches with vast NFL experience.

The Sun Devils made their intentions clear when they brought Edwards aboard in December 2017, despite the fact he hadn't coached on the college level since 1989. The school's press release touted the football program was instituting a new leadership model, "similar to an NFL approach using a general manager structure."

The strategy didn't produce immediate results. Arizona State went 7-6 in 2018, matching its record from the season before. But the Sun Devils are obviously taking the long view and weren't going to rethink their approach after one year.

Lewis spent 16 seasons as the Bengals' head coach, leading them to the playoffs on seven occasions. He departed as the franchise's all-time winningest coach, compiling a 131-122-3 record.

Before taking this job, Lewis had a previous connection with Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson. Anderson represented Lewis during his time as a sports agent.