Ray Anderson: ASU’s ‘NFL’ model came before coaching search started
Dec 8, 2017, 12:53 PM | Updated: Dec 9, 2017, 12:16 pm
More than a week has passed since Arizona State’s Vice President of University Athletics Ray Anderson announced the new era of Sun Devils’ football.
Along with the hiring of former ESPN analyst and NFL coach Herman Edwards to lead the football program, Anderson announced a new general manager-like model for the program, similar to what would be found in the NFL.
The model, as explained by Anderson, will use both a sports and administrative division, which Anderson said will “operate as distinct, but collective units focused on elevating all aspects of Sun Devil Football.”
“The new Leadership Model will allow for resource sharing and strategic planning between the football staff and administrators who are directly involved in the program,” Anderson added. “In the spirit of innovation, our vision for this program is to have a head coach who serves as a CEO and is the central leader with a collaborative staff around him that will elevate the performance of players and coaches on the field, in the classroom and in our community.”
With the new model and coach in place, which came first?
Anderson joined 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Doug & Wolf Friday to discuss the hiring and new model for the football program. When asked, Anderson explained that the coaching search was dependent on the candidates approving of the new model.
“If we’re going to change the way we are, if we are going to agree that status quo was neither an option or strategy that we wanted to continue to utilize here, we had to figure a way to do it differently,” Anderson said.
Anderson explained that he took a look at other Pac-12 schools when thinking of the new model, referencing the different sports markets they are in and player development under current coaches.
He decided that a change needed to be made.
“I came to the decision that we weren’t going to be able to match up against those folks,” he said. “That’s what drove our decision, meaning me and Dr. Crow. We have to find a different way of going about this or else we will not overcome the circumstantial and advantages those universities have over ASU.”
After the new model was developed, the coaching search began. Anderson was determined to find a candidate that would “set their ego aside and try something different.”
Along came Edwards, and although contrary to numerous speculations, Anderson said that he was not the only candidate for the job.
“We talked to the representatives and others for other candidates,” Anderson said. “You can believe we did that.”
Whether or not the new model will work remains to be seen, as Edwards will officially join the Sun Devils’ after his final day with ESPN on Friday.
