Sun Devils hire Hines Ward to lead talented wide receivers group

(Photo: Marina Williams/WCSN)

TEMPE — Just under a week after it was announced that Arizona State football wide receivers coach Ra’Shaad Samples would be departing for Oregon, head coach Kenny Dillingham announced Saturday that former four-time Pro Bowler and two-time Super Bowl Champion Hines Ward would be joining the staff as the new wide receivers coach.

Dillingham seemed ecstatic about the hire, breaking out into a huge smile anytime he talked about Ward in his post practice press conference.

“Hines Ward is our wide receivers coach,” Dillingham said. “The agreement is done, and he was out here today. He drove out here with his wife. We’re excited to have to have him part of the brotherhood.”

Ward brings a level of extensive NFL experience not normally found in assistant coaches across college football. Across 14 seasons as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ward racked up over 12,000 yards on exactly 1,000 receptions, punching the ball into the end zone 85 times. The peak of Ward’s career came in 2005 when he won Super Bowl MVP for his performance in Super Bowl 40.

Before even highlighting him as a potential assistant coach, Dillingham found it interesting that a player as high-profile as Ward would begin a career in coaching from the very bottom. After his time as an offensive assistant in New York, Ward was the receivers coach at Florida Atlantic before becoming the head coach of the XFL’s San Antonio Brahmas.

However, it wasn’t Ward’s level of NFL or coaching experience that convinced Dillingham to make the hire. It was his character.

“The thing that really stood out to me most was anytime you hire somebody who’s been successful, you say, ‘Okay, do they want this? Do they want the grind? Why do you want to work 100-hour weeks when you don’t have to,’” Dillingham said. “When I asked him that question, he said, ‘I love it, and I want to prove to people I can do it.’”

If one thing has made itself extremely clear in the first year and the change in Dillingham’s tenure, it’s that he is a character guy. He constantly preaches about how all of his players are here because they want to be here. It is a requirement for him when recruiting players in both the transfer portal and at the high school level.

So, when Ward came to him combing elite pedigree and experience with a high “wow” factor — as well as the character that matches his vision for the the Sun Devil program — it was a dream come true. Ward appears perfect for recruiting visits across the country.

“(Ward) hit up somebody to ask about me, and the first question (Ward) asked was,‘Is (Dillingham) a good person?’” Dillingham said. “Well, the first thing on our board when you walk in be a good person, so if he’s asking you about me, and that’s his first question, then what do you think he values? That fits the culture that I’m trying to build here. On top of that, he wants to be here. He doesn’t want to move around. He wants to find some stability in this coaching world.”

Ward’s impact off the field will be paramount as he is replacing Samples, an elite recruiter that helped established the “Texas-2-Tempe” recruiting pipeline, but Ward should have just as much impact in living rooms. On the field, he could add a whole new level to a wide receiver room already boasting extremely exciting talent.

Elijah Badger returned for his senior season. Senior Troy Omeire has been a highlight of spring football so far, and his 6-foot-4, 215-pound frame projects as a solid outside threat. Senior Jake Smith will finally get back on the field after being denied the ability to play last season by the NCAA.

“There’s a skill set in the room, and there’s some youth, too,” offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo said. “There’s a lot of youth, there’s a ton of room to grow. I like the character of the kids that are in there. I think it’s a great group. I think they gel well together. I think there’s a talent pool in there but again, character sets the floor.”

One receiver left out of that list above is sophomore Jordyn Tyson. After sitting out all of last season with an ugly leg injury, Tyson has returned fully healthy and is beginning to turn some heads this spring. During Saturday’s scrimmage under the lights, Tyson caught two touchdowns and looked like he was establishing a connection with Michigan State transfer quarterback Sam Leavitt.

“Number 10 is taking big steps every time we get on the field,” Tyson said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “Our connection keeps getting better because he knows what I’m gonna do, so it makes it easier on him.”

Tyson’s two touchdowns came on two very different plays. On the first, Leavitt was forced into a bit of a scramble drill, and Tyson kept the play alive, drifting to the back of the end zone, where Leavitt found him for the score. Then, a few drives later, Tyson ran a corner route to the back-left corner of the end zone, where Leavitt found him wide open on the pylon for his second score.

“I couldn’t be more proud of him,” Dillingham said of Tyson. “He’s making plays. He’s blocking. He’s trying to finish harder. He’s getting mad if he gets a penalty for blocking, and that’s the stuff that you want to see from him because he’s still young.”

WIth the portal opening up again in a few weeks, losing Samples could have been a huge reason a couple of receivers could have transferred out. But, with Ward now on board, ASU’s wide receiver room could become a unique blend of talent and culture. Ward provides a well of experience for a room that has both young and veteran players.

“I am truly honored and excited to join Arizona State University Football as the Wide Receivers Coach,” Ward said in a statement on Sun Devil Football’s social media. “It’s an incredible opportunity to share my passion for the game with a talented group of young men and help them reach their full potential. The culture and energy here in the Valley is special, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”