ASU DC Gonzales promoted to assistant HC, Aguano hire official
Jan 11, 2019, 2:10 PM | Updated: 6:55 pm
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
(AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
It’s the offseason for the Sun Devils, but there’s no slowing down for Arizona State.
The team officially announced the hire of former Chandler High School head coach Shaun Aguano to the running backs coach position, while also promoting defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales to assistant head coach.
Aguano replaces John Simon, who held the position for three years before taking a job as the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator with Memphis this offseason.
“Shaun brings a combination of coaching knowledge, connection with the community and the fact that he is a great man, father and husband to ASU,” head coach Herm Edwards said in a press release. “Shaun understands the culture at ASU.”
Aguano coached the Wolves for eight seasons, creating one of Arizona’s top power houses in the process. Last season, he led Chandler to a 13-1 record and the team’s third straight state championship.
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“Shaun is someone I have admired for a long time,” offensive coordinator Rob Likens said. “His Chandler teams were always extremely prepared and executed at a championship level.”
He heads to a talented running back room led by sophomore Eno Benjamin and junior Isaiah Floyd.
On the other side of the ball, second-year DC Gonzales made the move to assistant head coach on Friday.
According to the team, Gonzales will retain his coordinator duties.
Although he boasted one of the country’s youngest units, Gonzales and the defense showed noticeable improvement.
ASU allowed the fewest points (332) since the 2012 season and held nine of their opponents to under 30 points.
In the fourth quarter, the defense stepped up. The Sun Devils held opponents to 3.5 points in the final quarter this season, the fifth lowest in FBS.
A big part of Gonzales’ defense in 2018 was freshman linebacker Merlin Robertson.
Robertson not only took home the Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year award, he also earned Freshman All-American honors from FWAA, 247 Sports and The Athletic.
