Arizona State boldly proclaimed a new leadership model in its December 2017 hire of Herm Edwards. Though the coach's path to Tempe was unconventional -- Edwards hadn't coached in a decade, and hadn't coached in college football in three decades -- the result wasn't. Edwards was let go three games into his fifth season.
But in hiring his replacement, Arizona State really have pioneered a new model in major college football coaching. So long as this works.
FBS's youngest head coach has surrounded himself with more youth. Kenny Dillingham, 32 years old today but 33 by kickoff of the 2023 season, has surrounded himself with more youth.
On Tuesday, FootballScoop confirmed Ra'Shaad Samples will leave the Los Angeles Rams to coach ASU's wide receivers and serve as passing game coordinator. Samples is 27.
It was reported later in the day that TCU offensive analyst/recruiting coordinator Bryan Carrington will join the staff as cornerbacks coach. Carrington, 32, will take his first on-field role in Tempe.
FootballScoop has not confirmed the move, but this photo, taken when Samples and Carrington were support members of Tom Herman's Texas staff, feels like pretty good confirmation. Samples is on the left, Carrington on the right.
-- Offensive coordinator Beau Baldwin is 50.
-- Defensive coordinator Brian Ward, 49.
-- Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Charlie Ragle, 46.
-- Running backs coach Shaun Aguano is the elder statesman of the group. He's 51.
-- Defensive line coach Vince Amey, 47.
-- Linebackers coach AJ Cooper, 38.
That's a young staff. With two roles still to fill, the average age is somewhere around 41.
More importantly, it's a staff heavily invested in recruiting experience. Of the nine coaches either hired or reported to be on the staff, all but Baldwin either coached high school football or held a role in college football explicitly focused on recruiting. Six played at Arizona State and/or hail from the Phoenix area. The other three (Baldwin, Southern California), Samples (Dallas) and Carrington (Houston) all call important recruiting markets home.
I can't tell you how many games Dillingham's Arizona State teams are going to win. But I can tell you this staff is going to recruit its tails off, especially in the Phoenix area.