Lewis, Pierce to run Sun Devils’ defense
Tony White was named Arizona State’s defensive coordinator six weeks ago, just before the Sun Devils faced Florida State in the Sun Bowl. But his tenure in that position is already over as White has accepted the same position at Syracuse under coach Dino Babers.
White was named defensive coordinator in December after Danny Gonzales took the head coaching position at his alma mater New Mexico. The move will take White back to where he grew up and his mother still lives in New York.
“That was a huge factor but it was only one of many. When you have a chance like this you weigh everything,” White said. “You’re really splitting hairs and thinking of everything when it comes to a decision like this.”
Syracuse came after White twice, doing so first in December but eventually hiring then-San Diego State coordinator Zach Arnett. But Arnett left just weeks later to take the same spot at Mississippi State for Mike Leach. That prompted Babers to come after White a second time.
The opportunity came up on Monday but since White was in the mix the first time, both parties had already done their respective homework. When the parties talked again for the second time, it didn’t take long for an agreement to be finalized.
White and Babers worked together at UCLA in 2007 when White was a graduate assistant and Babers was on staff as running backs coach and assistant head coach under Karl Dorrell.
White sees the Syracuse program on the rise.
“I look at it as a program in the same place ASU was in here when I came in,” White said. “It’s very much the same trajectory. It’s really about ready to take off and it will be fun to be part of that. I’m also excited about coming back and being able to coach in the East for the first time.”
In the meantime, coach Herm Edwards has opted to make linebackers coach and associate head coach Antonio
Pierce and his special advisor and longtime NFL coach Marvin Lewis codefensive coordinators for 2020.
Both have NFL experience and Super Bowl rings to show for their efforts.
Lewis, 61, joined the Sun Devil football staff last year. In addition to setting the Bengals’ franchise record for career wins (131), Lewis also set the club’s head coaching standards for longest tenure (16 seasons), playoff appearances (seven), consecutive playoff appearances (five) and division titles (four). The seven playoff berths the Bengals achieved with Lewis equaled the number the club had in the 35 seasons prior to his arrival.
He previously served as defensive coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. His six seasons there (1996-2001) included a Super Bowl win in 2000, when his defense set the NFL record for fewest points allowed in a 16-game campaign (165). That unit clipped 22 points off the previous mark, an achievement that always has the 2000 Ravens as an entry in discussions regarding the best NFL defensive units of all time.
“Marvin Lewis is someone that I have come to trust wholeheartedly during my career and his coaching acumen will prove to be invaluable as we continue to push this program forward,” Edwards said. “He has coached at the highest level of football and spearheaded some elite defenses in the process. That kind of experience cannot be measured and his passion for teaching will extend beyond the student-athletes, but also to our coaching staff itself.”
Pierce, 41, came into the ASU program with Edwards two years ago. Pierce, who has also been serving as ASU’s recruiting coordinator, played 137 regular season games (and seven playoff games) with the Redskins (2001-04) and Giants (2005-09).