Shaun Aguano takes the reins of Arizona State football, for now

TEMPE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- A new, perhaps temporary, era of Sun Devil football began on Monday.

Following Sunday’s news that Herm Edwards was out as Arizona State’s head coach, the program announced that running backs coach Shaun Aguano would assume the head role on an interim basis.

“Shaun is a very, in our opinion, deserving of this opportunity,” ASU athletic Director Ray Anderson said Sunday, stressing that Aguano held the entire staff’s respect. “His fellow coaches are fully supportive of him, so we don’t anticipate any additional staff changes.”

Aguano said that he found out about the coaching change Sunday afternoon and immediately accepted the opportunity to become the interim head coach. On Monday, he addressed the media for the first time as the leader of the program.

“Our kids and our coaches have been through a lot in the last 24 hours,” Aguano. “My focus now is the next nine games, conference games. How do I inspired these guys to play fast, physical football? That’s my number one. Making sure that I take care of the kids, that’s the most important thing to me.”

On the heels of ASU’s 30-21 loss to Eastern Michigan, Aguano mentioned that some moves would be made to get the season back on track.

“There’s going to be subtle changes, not drastic changes,” said Aguano.

There will be no time to ease into the role for Aguano. ASU opens up Pac-12 play with three straight games against ranked opponents: No. 13 Utah this Saturday at home, a road trip to No. 7 USC, and then back home to face No. 18 Washington.

“I like the challenge of competing with the three top 20 teams right off the bat,” Aguano said.

Aguano is in his fourth year with the Sun Devil program. The team’s running backs have had great success during his tenure, featuring 1,000-yard rushers in Eno Benjamin (2019) and Rachaad White (2021), both of whom are now in the NFL.

Prior to his time in Tempe, Aguano built Chandler High School into a powerhouse. In eight seasons at the helm, the Wolves posted an 88-19 record and won four state championships, while producing many future college and NFL players.

With those local ties, Aguano emphasized that the recruitment of local players will be a priority, and that he is uniquely qualified to find success in an area in which ASU has long struggled.

“We have to make sure that these kids want to go nowhere else but Arizona State,” Aguano said. “My conversations with these kids will be personal because I understand them. No other coach, I think, can recruit to Arizona State with the knowledge base that I have here in Arizona.”

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