Sports360AZ
When Todd Graham was named the new head football coach at Arizona State on December 14, he promised change. Change not only on the field, but off it, as well.
There was a bridge which needed to be gapped. A dis-connect between the school and its former players who helped put ASU football on the map.
“The way the season ended last year, I think everybody could see something needed to happen, not only on the field, but around that whole building,” former All-American quarterback and Pac-10 Player of the Year Jake Plummer told Brad Cesmat on ‘Big Guy on Sports’ Tuesday afternoon. “There needed to be a shift in the direction.”
Through the first three months of Graham’s tenure in Tempe, he has begun to follow through on those promises.
There is talk the Sun Devils could be returning to Camp Tontozona for part of their pre-season workouts and former players have been impressed with Graham’s no non-sense approach on the practice field, as well the facilities where players are asked to remove hats and earrings when entering a building.
Plummer believes ASU President Michael Crow and Vice President for Athletics Lisa Love hired the right man for the job.
“They made a great selection,” explained Plummer. “Now days [being] a head coach in the NCAA involves in a lot more than just x’s and o’s. You’re not just hiring a guy to coach, you’re hiring a community leader. Someone that’s out there trying to build his brand and build his team up so that there’s [high expectations] when they walk into Sun Devil Stadium.
Graham and the Sun Devils returned to the practice field this week after taking last week off while the players were on Spring Break.
The annual spring game is set for April 21 at Sun Devil Stadium.
