14 days until Kickoff: Dan Kush fit right in to the family business

Firmly in the family ties section of our countdown, yesterday we highlighted the career of Dave Graybill, the first of three generations of Sun Devils (so far). As we hit the two week mark until kickoff, we look at the son of an undisputed football legend, placekicker Dan Kush.

Playing as the coach's son always comes with a certain stigma. No matter what, there is always a small thought of "Does he really belong?" That wasn't the case when Dan Kush set foot on campus in 1973.

The third Kush to be a part of Sun Devil football (his uncle Joe was coached by Frank from 1961-63), Dan hit the ground running (or kicking, as it were), setting himself apart as more than just the coach's son when he converted 8 PAT attempts in a 67-24 win over New Mexico in Albuquerque.

As a freshman, he would challenge Juan Cruz's records for PAT conversions and attempts in a season, finishing just short in both categories with 50 conversions on 61 attempts. Though he was just 1-for-4 on extra points in the 1973 Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh, his outstanding freshman season was enough to earn himself Honorable Mention All-WAC honors.

The 1974 season saw the Sun Devils struggle to a 7-5 record with no bowl appearance, but Dan led the way in scoring for the Devils, converting 22 PAT attempts and 9 field goals for 49 points scored.

Then came the legendary 1975 season. Everyone knows the story, the Sun Devils started the season unranked, playing to a perfect 11-0 record in the regular season and rising to No. 7 in the nation, setting up a date with No. 6 ranked Nebraska, co-champions of the Big 8 Conference, in the Fiesta Bowl. Seen as the little brother trying to play with the big boys, not many around the country gave the Devils much of a shot to compete with the mighty Cornhuskers.

In a mostly defensive battle, the Devils stayed in the game with the score 14-6 entering the 4th quarter, thanks to two field goals by Kush. After a Fred Mortensen pass to John Jefferson (followed by Mortensen's pass to Larry Mucker) tied the game, the Sun Devil defense stood strong and handed the ball back to the offense. That following possession produced the biggest kick of Dan's career.

With 4:50 remaining in regulation, Dan's kick sailed over the uprights and gave the Devils a 17-14 lead, their first lead since the first quarter. The defense would force a Nebraska fumble to preserve the win, securing the No. 2 ranking and a perfect 12-0 record to finish the season, and cementing Dan's legacy in one of the most successful seasons in program history. Dan would once again end the season by earning Honorable Mention All-WAC honors.

Dan would go on to be named Honorable Mention All-WAC for the third time in his career as a senior in 1976. While the Devils finished the season 4-7, Dan's kicking game was one of the top in the conference.

He finished 4th in the WAC in PAT conversions (22) and PAT attempts (25), 4th in field goals made (7), and 3rd in field goals attempted (13). His field goal percentage of 53.8% and 43 points kicking also ranked 4th in the conference, capping off a stellar career.

After graduating with his Engineering degree in 1978, Dan's career took him outside of football but his roots remained in Arizona. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Chandler Chamber of Commerce since 2007, and has served as the chairman of the Frank Kush Youth Organization since Frank's passing in 2017.

Dan represented his father when Frank was posthumously inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor Class of 2019, and will be enshrined with the rest of the 1975 football team in the Sun Devil Hall of Fame Class of 2025 this fall.

The Kush name is synonymous with Arizona State football due in large part to Frank's contributions as head coach for 22 years. It's only fitting that his son Dan shares in that legacy from his playing years in the 1970's. 14 days remain until kickoff, making today Dan's day in the spotlight.