Three freshmen quarterbacks entered school this semester at Arizona State, which is unusual since the presence of one quarterback in a recruiting class often scares off the others.

It’s a good story that would be difficult to tell at many universities, because college football coaches are among the few active dictators in America. At many schools, media access to players and assistant coaches is severely limited, and some don’t allow freshmen to conduct interviews at all.

That’s not Herm Edwards’ style.

ASU’s coach doesn’t muzzle his players and assistants, nor does he keep freshmen in bubble wrap.

Last week, all three freshmen quarterbacks were available at media day before the start of spring practices.

This, of course, is great for reporters, but that’s not why Edwards might have the most liberal media policy of any major-college coach in the country.

“You have to develop their skills, not only on the field but off the field,” he said. “First game of the season, whoever the starting quarterback is, he’s going to have to step out there and do it.

“Coaches? They can talk. I tell them: ‘Just make sure before you open your mouth you’ve researched what you’re about to say. Don’t just say stuff. And if you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything.’”

Edwards’ philosophy in dealing with the media is the exception, not the rule, in college football.

During the regular season, Edwards meets with reporters twice during the week and after games. The starting quarterback has a weekly press conference, as do offensive coordinator Rob Likens and defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales. All are available after games, too, and other players and assistant coaches are available upon request.

At many schools, that week’s interview subjects are picked by the coach; it doesn’t matter who the media might want.

For instance, at Arizona, coach Kevin Sumlin had one press conference each week last year. Assistants were not available during the regular season, and quarterback Khalil Tate, in general, was available only after games.

At Iowa State, freshman quarterback Brock Purdy was off-limits to the media all season. At Alabama, coordinators aren’t available during the season and freshmen aren’t permitted to do interviews.

That's a small but representative sample of how most schools operate.

Edwards isn’t critical of coaches with restrictive policies, but that’s not his personality. Even as an NFL coach he was media-friendly, and he spent nine years working for ESPN prior to taking the ASU job in December of 2017.

He loves cameras and microphones, and they love him back.

But Edwards’ goal in allowing players and coaches to be interviewed is not to help reporters do their jobs. His priority is for those under his charge to grow, and in the process, sell ASU’s program.

It’s a small part of the “NFL model” Edwards is using to shape ASU football. Players at ASU are promised they will be prepared to play at the next level, and part of that preparation is how to deal with the media.

That’s why the three freshmen quarterbacks underwent “media training” last month and were available to reporters last week.

Those players who aren’t prospects also will be better off because they weren’t sheltered in college, Edwards said.

Edwards’ policy is liberal, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t oversight. Before each season, Edwards gives his coaches a packet of 10 or so pages that outlines the goals and points of emphasis for that year.

Every day he meets with coaches and players, emphasizing bullet points. Usually, those points have something to do with putting the team first and embracing competition.

Like all coaches, Edwards loves to hear players and coaches repeat those points in interviews. It means his message is getting through.

There's a risk players will say something dumb, but Edwards smiles at that notion.

“They will,” Edwards said, smiling. “Just like coaches will say something dumb. We all say something dumb. That’s part of it.

“That’s part of the learning process, though. You have to trust them. These players know I trust them, and the coaches know I trust them. I have no hidden agenda. I’m trying to help them be good men, be a great student, and be a really good teammate. That’s the deal here.”

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Reach Somers at kent.somers@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @kentsomers. Hear Somers every Monday between 4 and 4:30 p.m. on The Drive with Jody Oehler on Fox Sports 910 AM.