Ray Anderson, Vice President of University Athletics
“We have made the decision to make a change in the leadership of our football program, effective immediately. By mutual agreement, Coach Edwards and I have determined that he will relinquish duties as our head coach. At the core of this is doing what is best for our current team, staff and university. I understand the frustrations out there. We must do better and that starts with our decision today.”
HIS ARIZONA STATE TENURE
On December 3, 2017, Edwards was named the head coach of the Arizona State football team. Edwards earned his first win with Arizona State on September 1, 2018, against UTSA. He earned his first win against a ranked opponent on September 8, 2018, against the 15th-ranked Michigan State Spartans. Arizona State finished with a 7–6 record in Edwards’ first season.
The 2019 season began with Edwards choosing true freshman Jayden Daniels to quarterback the Sun Devils. Arizona State would start the season with a 3–0 record, including Edwards’ second consecutive win over a ranked Michigan State Spartans team. The team finished 8–5 with a Sun Bowl victory against the Florida State Seminoles.
On June 16, 2021, ASU confirmed that NCAA is investigating the football program over recruiting high schoolers players during the COVID-19 dead period in 2020. Throughout the course of the 2021 season, multiple assistant coaches were placed on administrative leave. After the 2021 season had ended, multiple coaches including Zak Hill and Antonio Pierce resigned. 17 players including quarterback Jayden Daniels and All-American linebacker Eric Gentry, entered the transfer portal as a result of the investigation and NIL. Despite the mass exodus, Edwards remained as head coach for the Sun Devils.
On September 18, 2022, Arizona State fired Edwards the day following a 30–21 loss to Eastern Michigan.
Edwards is a professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
COURTESY ARIZONA STATE AND WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
