Demario Richard: ASU will be contender if Herm Edwards becomes coach
Dec 1, 2017, 2:23 PM | Updated: Dec 2, 2017, 2:15 pm
Arizona State's Demario Richard celebrates a first-half touchdown against Texas Tech during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017, in Lubbock, Texas. (Mark Rogers/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal via AP)
(Mark Rogers/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal via AP)
TEMPE, Ariz. — Arizona State running back Demario Richard got Friday’s media availability off to a humorous start. When asked if the players wanted to win this game for outgoing coach Todd Graham, Richard dropped a Herm Edwards reference.
“You play this game to win,” Richard said with a smile. “You all might have got that quote from somebody before.”
Many of the Sun Devil players interviewed didn’t want to comment on reports that Edwards will be the next Sun Devils coach. Junior quarterback Manny Wilkins shut down all questions regarding the coaching search, and receivers N’Keal Harry and Jalen Harvey confessed they don’t know much about Edwards despite his dated NFL history and on-air presence at ESPN.
Richard, an outgoing senior, was the only one to comment at length about Edwards.
“He’s a hell of a guy, hell of a coach,” Richard said. “I watched him growing up so I know what he’s capable of. I know he’s a motivational speaker. I know he’s strong. I know [athletic director] Ray [Anderson], he wants the best for his program, too, because at the end of the day, it’s his resume.”
Richard said it doesn’t bother him that Edwards hasn’t coached since 2008 (he went 54-74 in eight NFL seasons), and hasn’t coached in college since 1989 when he was a defensive backs coach at San Jose State from 1987-89.
“I don’t care if he hasn’t coached in 20 years,” Richard said. “He knows the game. He’s been around some guys. He’s coached some dogs so I’m not really mad about that.
“I guarantee they’ll be a contender within the next year and a half to two. Quote me. Watch the offense, and the defense, too, because he’s a defensive genius. I’m telling you, watch, they’re going to be right.”
Redshirt freshman Chase Lucas, a Chandler High product, said the timing of Graham’s firing and Edwards’ immediate emergence, as a candidate through interviews with ESPN and 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station, was shocking.
“I understand what Ray Anderson is talking about and his reasoning for it, but I feel like he could have done it differently,” Lucas said. “Especially after the bowl game.”
Lucas said all of the players would want to win their upcoming bowl game anyway, but having Graham on the sideline will make it all the more meaningful.
“I’m just happy that they gave him the opportunity to coach in the bowl game,” Lucas said. “We’ve just got to go get this W for him.”
Wilkins said no matter who coaches the team, the players have a job to do.
“It is what it is,” Wilkins said. “Regardless of what happens, I’m going to put my all into this program. I understand that coaches come in, coaches go out, but I came here to be a Sun Devil and that’s what I represent.”
