Arizona State Self-Imposes Bowl Ban for 2023 Season Over Violations Under Former Coach Herm Edwards
ESPN-August 27, 2023
On Sunday, Arizona State University announced that it has self-imposed a one-year ban on its football program for the 2023 season. This decision comes in response to violations committed under former coach Herm Edwards. Athletic director Ray Anderson released a statement confirming the self-sanction, stating that the university has informed both the NCAA and the Pac-12 conference.
“In light of the ongoing investigation and our membership obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the matter, we will not be commenting further at this time,” Anderson said.
The news of the bowl ban was delivered to the team on Sunday morning, and the players, particularly the more than 20 seniors, were reportedly devastated by the decision. The ban will prevent Arizona State from participating in any postseason games.
The NCAA began its investigation into the university in June 2021. The focus was on allegations of rule violations, particularly in recruiting, during the tenure of former defensive coordinator Antonio Pierce. Pierce, who also served as the school’s recruiting coordinator, was said to have fostered a culture that rewarded breaking rules.
Specifically, Arizona State allegedly flagrantly disregarded NCAA-mandated dead periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. The gravity of the violations was evident as some staff members maintained a group text to document them. In May 2021, a dossier outlining the violations was sent to the NCAA.
The investigation had severe ramifications for the coaching staff, with five full-time coaches, including Pierce and former offensive coordinator Zak Hill, departing or being fired.
As of now, the NCAA has not formally sent a notice of allegations to Arizona State. However, the ongoing investigation and the university’s decision to impose a self-sanction indicate that significant violations did occur.
Herm Edwards, who coached the Sun Devils from 2018 to 2022, left the position under a mutual agreement three games into the 2022 season. He then joined ESPN as an analyst in November of that year.
This unfortunate development comes at a time when Arizona State was projected to finish 10th in the Pac-12 conference for the upcoming season, according to the conference’s preseason media poll. The Sun Devils will be playing their final season in the Pac-12 before transitioning to the Big 12 in 2024, along with three other current members of the Pac-12.