Sun Devils can Graham after six seasons
Coachowed$12m andhasthreeyears remaining on pact
Todd Graham changed the culture at Arizona State, adding a dose of discipline to a program that had been missing it. He helped the Sun Devils become better in the classroom and upgrade their facilities because of his penchant for connecting with donors.
The one thing Graham did not do, at least consistently enough: Win games.
Arizona State fired Graham after six seasons Sunday, a day after an emotional comeback 42-30 victory over rival Arizona.
“I don’t judge by emotion, I judge by body of work,” Arizona athletic director Ray Anderson said. “At the end of the day we’re still average, middle of the pack and going to a low bowl game. Frankly, that’s not what we aspire to be. I don’t think anyone on staff was satisfied with that.”
Graham energized Arizona State’s program when he left after one season at Pittsburgh season in 2012. The fast-talking Texan cracked down on the free-and-loose Sun Devils, turning them into a yes-sir, no-sir program with rules on everything from profanity to hair length.
The players responded to Graham’s old-school approach, playing and practicing with more discipline, getting better grades — 2.2 collective GPA to 3.0 — and winning games. Only the winning tailed off. Arizona State went 17-19 the past three seasons, missing the postseason in 2016. This season, the Sun Devils (7-5, 6-3 Pac-12) finished second in the Pac-12 South to Southern California and will be headed to a lower-tier bowl.
“I’m a Sun Devil and I think I always will be,” said Graham, 46-31 at the school. He will coach the Sun Devils in the bowl game.
Graham, 52, has three seasons left on a contract that runs through the 2020 season and is owed $12 million.
Anderson said the school will not use state taxes or student fees to pay for the buyout but will use athletic department-generated revenue.
Florida hires Mullen
Florida has hired Mississippi State’s Dan Mullen as its next football coach, bringing back the man who helped turned Tim Tebow into a standout quarterback.
The Gators announced the deal Sunday, after Mullen told his team he was returning to Gainesville.
Mullen previously spent four years (2005-08) as Florida’s offensive coordinator and won two national championships while guiding Tebow to the top of the school record books. The Gators averaged 36.3 points a game and 7.1 yards a play during Mullen’s tenure.
“I have such great memories of the championships we won during our time here and have a love for Florida,” Mullen, 45, said in a statement. “We will give relentless effort in everything that we do on and off the field. Our commitment will match the passion that the Gator Nation has for this program.”
Mullen spent nine years at Mississippi State, posting a 69-46 record, including 33-39 in the Southeastern Conference. He is 5-2 in bowl games.
Texas A&M fires Sumlin
Kevin Sumlin was fired Sunday after six seasons at Texas A&M, all of which ended in bowl games for the Aggies. The first black head coach in program history was 51-26 and 2523 in the Southeastern Conference. His downfall was not being able to match his first year at the school, in 2012whenhehadheismantrophy-winning quarterback Johnny Manziel, The program moved from the Big 12 to the SEC that season, posting an 11-2 record. That earned him a new contract and $5 million annual salary, but the Aggies have not won more than nine games since.
The Aggies ended their regular season on Saturday at 7-5 overall, 4-4 in the SEC, by losing to LSU.
Sumlin, 53, had two years left on his contract, which calls for a $10 million buyout to be paid within 60 days of his termination. Texas A&M said the terms of the deal would be honored. Sumlin leaves with a .662 winning percentage that ranks only behind R.C. Slocum (.721) among A&M coaches since 1930.
Tennessee backs out
A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Tennessee is no longer pursuing Ohio State defensive coordinator Greg Schiano to be the school’s coach.
The school and Schiano were close to an agreement earlier Sunday, but the school backed out after widespread backlash that included a protest on campus and complaints on social media from fans, state representatives and gubernatorial candidates.
Their complaints stemmed from Schiano’s background as an assistant at Penn State during Jerry Sandusky’s tenure as the Nittany Lions’ defensive coordinator. Sandusky is serving 30 to 60 years in prison for his conviction on 45 counts of sexual abuse.