Zak Hill reportedly expected back as ASU offensive coordinator

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Offensive coordinator Zak Hill told “those close to him” Thursday that he expects to stay on coach Herm Edwards’ staff with the Arizona State Sun Devils, reports 247 Sports’ Brandon Marcello.

Hill was in the running for the offensive coordinator opening for the Auburn Tigers under head coach Bryan Harsin, who worked with Hill from 2016-19 at Boise State.

But Auburn appeared set to move on from Hill in replacing fired OC Mike Bobo on Tuesday, reports Al.com’s Tom Green.

Florida State OC Kenny Dillingham, Texas A&M assistant Dameyune Craig and Georgia assistant Dell McGee remain in the running, according to Green.

Hill has been ASU’s play-caller for the last two seasons and is coming off of a year in which the Sun Devils won eight regular-season games, the most for the program since 2014.

In then-freshman quarterback Jayden Daniels’ first year as the signal-caller in 2019 — the season before Hill’s arrival — Arizona State finished in the bottom half of the Pac-12 in points (24.8) and total yards (372.1) per game.

But in each of the last two seasons under the offensive coordinator, ASU’s offense finished in the top half of the conference and 2021 saw the Sun Devils put up an average of 29.7 points on 402.1 total yards per game, 204.5 of which came on the ground.

However, the Sun Devils have been ranked 11th in the Pac-12 the past two years in the passing game after failing to average 200 passing yards per contest.

A big reason for that has been not having a perennial pass-catcher after wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was drafted in the first round in 2020.

ASU also had an All-Conference running back in Rachaad White, who has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Hill and Daniels will complete their second season together with a matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Las Vegas Bowl on Dec. 30.

The QB has already announced that he will be returning to Tempe for his senior year.

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