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ASU Football: Sun Devils Hire New Offensive Line Coach

By Hunter Robinson

Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham calls a timeout against the Washington Huskies during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham calls a timeout against the Washington Huskies during the fourth quarter at Husky Stadium. Washington won 44-18. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports /
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After a season where ASU football quarterbacks were sacked a combined 41 times, the Sun Devils hired former Louisiana-Monroe offensive line coach Rob Sale to take over at the same position.

Sale comes to ASU after coaching at Louisiana-Monroe for a season. Before that, Sale held the same position at the University of Georgia for a season and at McNeese State from 2012-14.

While Sale has moved around frequently, he has a track record that speaks for itself. While at Georgia he constructed an offensive line that only allowed 15 sacks all season, something that will be celebrated if he can create similar results at Arizona State.

For ASU, this is a hire that needed to happen. Not only because ASU’s newly hired offensive line coach, Josh Henson, left after a month on the job, but because Sale is a proven offensive-line guru. In his five seasons as on offensive line coach, Sale has never had a season where his offensive-line has allowed more than 25 sacks.

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With the quarterback situation how it is, it is imperative that Arizona State has a good offensive-line. Last season the Sun Devils started three separate quarterbacks due to injury, both injuries happened behind the line of scrimmage. With a pocket-passing quarterback potentially starting this upcoming season, the offensive-line play will even be more magnified than when a running-style quarterback, like Manny Wilkins, is under center.

Realistically, the offensive-line can’t improve that much. You can expect there to be less sacks than 41, there should always be an expectation that your offensive line won’t allow that many sacks, but don’t expect this offensive line to be one of the best in the nation. Unfortunately for ASU, they don’t have the personnel to compete with a USC-caliber offensive-line.

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While the personnel may not be there this season, this hiring is more focused on what is to come in the future. With Sale having the opportunity to recruit his own linemen, granted he doesn’t leave after one season, Arizona State may be able to compete for the title of best offensive-line in the country come 2018 or 2019.

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