Arizona State football coach Herm Edwards will return in 2022 despite an ongoing NCAA investigation.
Silencing speculation, athletic director Ray Anderson informed the team after Saturday’s 38-15 win against rival Arizona that their coach would be back for a fifth season in Tempe.
“I had no plans of leaving,” Edwards said. “That was nice of Ray and (school president) Dr. Michael Crow to be in there and show support of what we’re trying to do here. It’s nice when your players react the way they reacted.”
The Sun Devils finished the regular season with an 8-4 record, including 6-3 in the Pac-12. They are 25-17 overall under Edwards, including 1-1 in bowl games, and are awaiting a bowl invitation.
The NCAA started investigating the program earlier this year for allegedly hosting recruits during the 15-month non-contact period brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Three assistant coaches were placed on administrative leave last summer.
Edwards, 67, was the head coach of the NFL’s New York Jets (2001-05) and Kansas City Chiefs (2006-08) and spent many years as an ESPN analyst before taking over at Arizona State.
Edwards receives an annual salary of $3.7 million and is due a $200,000 raise on Jan. 1, according to The Athletic. His contract runs through Dec. 31, 2024.
–Field Level Media