In April of this year, ASU hired two-time Super Bowl champion and NFL legend Hines Ward as the football program’s wide receivers coach. With an illustrious amount of experience at the next level and being a role model to young players, Ward is bringing his wealth of knowledge and expertise into Tempe as Arizona State begins a new era in the Big 12 Conference this season.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!While the change of scenery to Arizona could alter some aspects of his life, the strong love and passion he has for football will never disappear.
After calling it a career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011, Ward transitioned into coaching when he became an offensive intern in 2017 with the NFL team he played 14 years for. He has also been an offensive assistant with the New York Jets (2019-20) and the head coach of the UFL team, the San Antonio Brahmas (2023).
In 2021, however, the 48-year-old switched to the college game when he was the special assistant to former head coach Willie Taggart at Florida Atlantic University. He received a promotion to wide receivers coach as the Owls finished 5-7 overall and 3-5 in Conference USA in his lone season there.
Now that he is a part of the Sun Devils program, the Korean looks forward to helping the next generation of young talent achieve success for ASU and make it to the next level.
Ward has high expectations, demands full effort
ASU receivers coach Hines Ward watches his wideouts during a spring practice at the Kajikawa practice fields in Tempe on April 16, 2024. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Coming into the season, Arizona State currently has Jordyn Tyson, Xavier Guillory, Melquan Stovall, Troy Omeire, Jake Smith, Max Ware, Kaleb Black, Deric English, Jamaal Young II, Armon Collins, Derek Eusebio, Korbin Hendrix, Justice Spann, Zechariah Sample and Coben Bourguet as its receiver core.
Ward has been able to get to know who he will be working with this upcoming season with the Sun Devils’ preseason training camp in Tempe in full swing. Finding out what makes each player click on the field and at a personal level, analyzing their tendencies and identifying areas where an individual can improve, Ward has swiftly been able to build a bond with everyone in such a short amount of time.
“I had to establish the trust and understanding, I think we built that,” Ward said following the first day of training camp on July 31. “I talk to these guys each and every day. They call me ‘Unc.’ They are like my nephews, I got nothing but love for them. They have bought into everything that I have been teaching them and coaching them.”
For the past two seasons, ASU finished 3-9 each year. Adding along to the fact that they are stepping up in terms of competition from the Pac 12 to the Big 12, bringing in someone with an established pedigree like Ward will set the bar high and get the most out of these players.
When talking about what he demands of his team to do, Ward is focused on coaching to the best of his ability and expects his receivers to match his effort.
“I’m going to be hard on them more than anybody because I played the position, so you can’t tell me the excuses,” Ward said. “I got very high standards, and I’m not lowering my standards for anyone. I got to push these guys. These guys came out, they’ve done everything I asked them to do. We’re going to continue to grow and get better 1% better each and every day.”
Sun Devils need to sacrifice as a collective unit
ASU receivers coach Hines Ward runs a drill with his wideouts during a spring practice at the Kajikawa practice fields in Tempe on April 16, 2024. © Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
Setting the tone and direction from the jump will require everyone to buy into the objectives and goals they set. Having that like-minded drive to persevere through adversity and push every ounce of blood, sweat and tears on and off the field will see the entire group reap the rewards in the long haul.
Whether someone messes up or completes something flawlessly, Ward will motivate his guys and teach them how they can excel in a direct and helpful manner.
“My job is to coach my butt off to get the most out of our players,” Ward said. “At the end of the day, you respect that because all players want to be coached. I don’t care what level you are, if you want to go where these kids are trying to go, then you got to coach hard… Make sure when they do something good, I praise them and when they do something bad, I try to correct the problems so that it doesn’t happen again.”
Continuing to build a culture of grit and toughness, ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham is adamant that Ward fits right into a program that demands hard work and dedication.
“At the end of the day, you are a reflection of their coach, their parents and their mentors, you are a reflection of who you hang around with,” Dillingham said. “When you are around Coach Ward all the time, you better buckle your chinstrap whether in the media room or the field, you better give everything you got because that is who he is. He plays the game, he lives life with a chip on his shoulder. Why is he here? Not everyone thought he could coach wide receivers at certain levels, so guess what; he is going to prove everyone wrong because that is what has been doing his whole entire life is proving people wrong.”
“You better buckle your chinstrap whether in the media room or the field, you better give everything you got.”
Our @AlecCipollini asked Arizona State HC Kenny Dillingham about the receiver core and the addition of Hines Ward as WR coach.#ASU #ForksUp #SunDevils pic.twitter.com/tsAFX0ylJz
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Out the gate, the receivers are listening to Ward, asking him questions and exemplifying what he is directing them to do in different scenarios. Up against their defensive counterparts, the receivers have displayed speed, agility, physicality and footwork skills that will only improve with time.
Making the switch to ASU, Ward is grateful for the opportunity he has, will do whatever it takes for every player and will demand them to reciprocate.
“I know what I signed up for, I know the sacrifices that I have made,” Ward said. “My wife is all on board. I tell these guys all the time that you got to sacrifice. In order to get to where we want to go, each and every individual on this team got to sacrifice. I sacrifice my time away from my wife and my daughter to be here. I spend more of my time with these guys than my family, so they have to understand that, understand my sacrifice and I want the same in return.
“I want them to put that extra time into the playbook as well as academics. I know a lot of these kids’ parents, they want their sons to get their education. At the end of the day, I know where these kids want to go. Every kid in here wants to play at the next level, so my job is to give them a good foundation so they can have the tools, skillset and technique. If you are blessed enough to make it at the next level, you are already prepared, developed and ready to go. Just carry all the things that I said and taught in the classroom and on the field and it will carry along with you in life. I am honored and glad to be here. I am proud to be the Arizona State wide receiver coach, and I am going to coach my butt off.”
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers ASU Athletics, the Phoenix Mercury and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
