Herm Edwards is the new head coach for Sun Devil football

Photo by Ben Moffat | The State Press The ASU marching band welcomes the football team to the field before a game against New Mexico on Friday, Sept. 18, 2015 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona.

By Mark Harris | 12/03/2017 9:18pm

Former NFL head coach and ESPN NFL analyst Herm Edwards has been named the head coach of ASU football.

The news was originally reported on Wednesday by SunDevilSource.com, and was approved by ASU president Michael Crow over the weekend.

In his press conference after firing of Todd Graham, Vice President for University Athletics Ray Anderson expressed his desire to retain assistant coaches Billy Napier and Phil Bennett, and it appears that ASU wants Napier to continue to run the offense, according to Dan Wolken of USA Today.

Anderson also said that he wanted the next head coach for ASU football to have previous head coaching experience, and Edwards provides that.

Edwards, 63, last coached for a team in 2008 – he worked for the Kansas City Chiefs, but was fired in January of 2009. He also coached the New York Jets from 2001 to 2005 before going to Kansas City in 2006.

Before coaching, he played in the NFL from 1977 to 1986 with the Philadelphia Eagles, Atlanta Falcons and Los Angeles Rams as a defensive back.

He accumulated a 54-74 record in the NFL with four trips to the playoffs and two career playoff wins.

Edwards last coached for college in 1989 as a defensive backs coach for San Jose State.

Edwards has coached for the Under Armor All-America game for the past eight years, and recently said on SportsCenter that it contributed to him wanting to return to the coaching world.

Anderson, who spent over eight years as the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, was an agent and used to represent Edwards.

Anderson said that he wants the new coach to be a "dynamic recruiter," and one that can elevate the program to "top three in the Pac-12" and "top 15 in the nation" on a consistent basis.

ASU fired head coach Todd Graham on Sunday, Nov. 26 after the Sun Devils finished 7-5 in the 2017 season.

Editor's note: This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Reach the reporter at mpharri7@asu.edu or follow @Harris_Mark7 on Twitter.

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