In 2021, Herm Edwards and Staff took the Sun Devils to another 8-5 season finishing third in the Pac-12 South and a berth in the Las Vegas Bowl.
Unfortunately, the Devils lost that matchup with the Wisconsin Badgers 20-13 and Arizona State entered an offseason that saw a large number of key contributors leave in the transfer portal.
Going into 2022 the assumption has been that this ASU program is entering something of a rebuild, but for the sake of optimism let’s take a look at how next season might be the best yet for Edwards and the Sun Devils.
With so many changes there are a lot of questions surrounding this team but if this program is to be successful next season there are five keys that will help them reach 10 wins and a first-place finish in the Pac-12 South.
Offensive Coordinator Glenn Thomas brings valuable experience
New offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas has the resume to impress and will help create a balanced offense capable of winning games.
After replacing Zak Hill as offensive coordinator in January 2021, Thomas is stepping into a program that has a quarterback problem on its hands after the departure of Jayden Daniels.
Luckily, Thomas is perfectly suited to navigate those challenges with his wealth of experience coaching quarterbacks at both the pro and college levels including a stint as Matt Ryan’s QB coach with the Atlanta Falcons from 2013 to 2015 which includes Ryan’s MVP season.
As a play-caller, he has had successful stints at Temple, UNLV, and Baylor including a season with an 11-3 record and a spot at No.7 in the AP Poll.
Although known for his work with quarterbacks, his time at UNLV produced a running back that broke multiple school records and showcases his balanced approach to offense that has helped his teams be incredibly productive on that side of the ball.
Thomas bringing his record of success to the ASU offense is Key No.1 to a successful 2022 campaign.