Sometimes it's best to zag when everybody zigs. At least, that's what Arizona State is hoping after hiring Herm Edwards as its head football coach.

While other notable teams hired the best young assistants from the country's preeminent programs, the Sun Devils went with an energetic 64-year-old who hasn't been on a sideline in 10 years. If nothing else, he'll bring plenty of attention to a program that has largely been an afterthought since 2013.

Edwards and athletic director Ray Anderson will run the Sun Devils like an NFL team, with the football and administration sides working together. The former New York Jets head coach has maintained he'll take a CEO-style approach, delegating much of the schematic work to his coordinators.

After initially hoping to retain coordinators Billy Napier and Phil Bennett, Edwards instead promoted wide receivers coach Rob Likens to offensive coordinator and hired San Diego State defensive coordinator Danny Gonzales.

Offensive philosophy

Under Likens, the offense should look very similar to last season.

Quarterback Manny Wilkins will be the key to the unit in 2018. He showed promise last season, averaging a respectable 8 yards per attempt to go with a 63.4 completion percentage, 27 total touchdowns, and just eight interceptions. His biggest weapon will be potential first-round pick N'Keal Harry, who's one of the best big-play threats in college football.

Likens wants to speed up Wilkins' decision-making process so ASU can play at a faster tempo with more success. The offense will be littered with RPOs (run-pass options) in an effort to keep defenses on their toes.

The most striking difference in this year's offense will be a more consistent ground attack. Edwards has advocated for just that. It's a philosophy that clashes with Likens' air-raid approach, but the head coach usually gets what he wants. Sophomore running back Eno Benjamin, who had 23 carries for 142 yards in the Sun Bowl, will likely benefit most from the increased focus on running the ball.

But Benjamin, Harry, and Wilkins won't see their expected uptick in production if the offensive line can't hold up its side of the bargain. In 2017, ASU ranked 115th in adjusted sack percentage - partly due to Wilkins' propensity for scrambling but mostly due to poor play from the offensive line. Hopefully, Stanford transfer Casey Tucker can settle into the left tackle position and shore up the upper class-laden unit.

Defensive philosophy

After hiring their offensive coordinator from within, Edwards and Anderson looked elsewhere for their new defensive coordinator, settling on Gonzales after he wowed Edwards in his interview.

Gonzales, ASU's third defensive coordinator in as many years, will bring his exciting 3-3-5 defense from San Diego in an attempt to solidify a leaky Sun Devils defense. Last year, ASU ran a 4-2-5 defense under Phil Bennett.

The main benefit of playing a 3-3-5 defense instead of a 4-2-5 is more speed. Replacing a defensive lineman with a hybrid safety/linebacker allows the defense to better match up with fast, spread-system teams.

Gonzales' 3-3-5 variation will look to confuse opposing offenses with well-disguised blitzes and coverages.

Luckily for Gonzales, who only has one year of defensive coordinator experience, he's inheriting a veteran defense - particularly in the secondary.

The biggest name returning to the ASU defense is Koron Crump. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound linebacker is one of the best pass-rushers in the nation, and the coordinator will likely move him all over the defensive formation in search of favorable matchups.

Outside of Crump, ASU has a nice crop of defensive backs returning, headlined by Chase Lucas and Demonte King. When he was at SDSU, Gonzales' secondaries were known for their ball-hawking ability. SDSU has the most interceptions in the country since 2015.

Season outlook

Edwards' main selling point was his potential recruiting ability, and he's making good on that expectation already. Even with a shortened recruiting window, he was able to rescue the class with a last-minute commitment from a couple four-star recruits, improving ASU's recruiting ranking from the 70s in January to the 30s after signing day.

While former coach Todd Graham struggled to bring blue-chip talent to Tempe, that may not be a problem for Edwards. However, Graham's failure on the recruiting trail will undoubtedly reveal itself in 2018.

This season will be tough. With games against UTSA, Michigan State, San Diego State, and Washington to start the season, Edwards' charisma and ability to motivate will be put to the test.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely to result in many wins. If ASU sneaks into a bowl game, it'd be a huge achievement.



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John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.