Hines Ward looks to his NFL experience to mold ASU’s wide receivers
Although the process of searching for a new wide receivers coach to replace Ra’Shaad Samples was swift, it resulted in headlines that traveled well beyond Tempe. Pittsburgh Steeler great, Hines Ward, said that a random phone call by ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham was all he needed to get the wheels turning in his head and make the next move in his coaching career.
“I was sitting at home on the couch, debating if I want to continue coaching and stuff,” Ward recalled. “My wife, of course, wanted me to sit at home and be with her and watch ‘The Kardashians’ all day.
“Just out of the blue, get a call from Coach Kenny and asked me if I was interested in the wide receiver job and relayed it to my wife, and, you know, thank God it was Phoenix. She said, ‘Hey, that might be something’, and I always I'm a firm believer, and God dropped this opportunity in my lap.”
What prompted the Dillingham call was word of mouth from the Sun Devils’ Chief of Staff Matt Butterfield who worked with Ward in the XFL during Ward’s stint as the San Antonio Brahmas’ head coach. As Butterfield told DIllingham about the type of person Ward was, Dillingham’s direction changed as a candidate started to make his way to the front of the line.
“Now, that really wasn't the direction I was thinking of,” Dillingham said. “But, we talked to five or six guys. And when you leave a conversation with him, you feel empowered, you feel better. So not only is that impactful for the player, that's going to be impactful in recruiting, that's gonna be impactful on the program.”
Tuesday marked Ward’s first day with the team on the field, and for Dillingham, Ward’s personality characteristics, minus the playbook, were all he needed to see. Additionally, Dillingham sees a drive in Ward that he wants to see in his players, surely, as his players' goal is the NFL.
“He still has that drive to prove people wrong,” Dillingham stated. “Which made him great as a player. And you see him out there today. He's running around, he's got energy, he doesn't know one play. He'll be there; he knows it. But he's going to coach the energy, the effort, the passion, he’s going to coach the person. And in college football, coaching a person is just as important as coaching in the scheme.”
Dillingham, of course, would be effusive in his praise for the new hire, but for Ward himself, his philosophy coming in is more than just what's between the sidelines. Every player on a college roster, of course, won’t make it to the NFL, and Ward sees that as an opportunity for players to hone the skills that are needed post-football.
“They have to understand that there's more than life and football,” Ward said. “So I get it, they love the game. Play as long as you possibly can. And by the end of the day, it's not just about football, it's about the man that I'm trying to improve, you know, my big motto was to get 1% better each and every day. If we do that, by the end of the year, we'll be 365% better as men.”
Looking deeper into the root of this attitude, Ward understands the hardships of youth as he is open about not having the greatest relationship with his father. As much experience Ward has in the professional ranks playing and coaching, the learning experience that awaits is one he is surely anticipating.
“It's a lot different than the pros, Ward said. “I tell you you know, just with these kids man, it's more than just X's and O's you know some of these kids come from broken backgrounds, broken homes. You have to deal with student academics and things like that so it's gonna be a learning curve you know, I did a year at Florida Atlantic (University) which was great, great experience so I don't feel like a fish out of water being here.”
Ward is emphatic about his players' off-the-field development, but on the field, Ward is not ashamed of using his own experiences to his advantage when teaching. The former 92nd overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft did not get there because he was a sought-after star at the University of Georgia but because of the work he put in, which made his career the byproduct of that ethic.
“Listen, I wasn't the biggest the fastest, I had to work my tail off for everything I got,” Ward said. “There was nothing ever given to me, and I wasn't a first-round pick.
“So I just teach from experience, come in, I put my head down, I grind each and every day, I come out here and work on my craft each and every day. So, you know, the good thing about me, being a receiver coach here, I'm not telling these guys, anything that I didn't do as a player. I'm just telling these guys the same thing.”
That head-down mentality gave Ward the reputation of being a hard-working player who racked up 1,000 career receptions, scored 85 touchdowns, and accumulated more than 12,000 receiving yards while also being the ultimate run blocker. Therefore, Ward holds himself true to what he tries to teach, and the first order of business was emphasizing the trait that would be his calling card as a way to communicate what he expects of his players.
“Oh, a reflection of me and we're gonna block our tails off you don't block? You don't get the rock. That's my whole motto. But you're gonna be playmakers. You know, I don't really care about stats, I just care about making plays when it presents itself and doing your job.”
Even with a fresh set of thinking coming out of the receivers room, Ward still has the formidable task of becoming a prime recruiter, especially when filling in the shoes of Samples, who, in just one year with the program, has proven his prowess in adding talent to the roster. Nevertheless, Ward is plenty ready to assume those responsablties.
“I’m looking for players; I need dawgs,” Ward remarked. “Of course, you want to keep the top talent in the state of Arizona. I've been on phone calls already talking to and persuading guys and stuff like that. You know, who wouldn't want to come to ASU?
“If you want to be a wide receiver here at ASU and get coached by somebody who played the game, who coached in the NFL. I'm your guy. I’m the guy who can help you, develop you, and hopefully get you where you want to go.”
Join your fellow Sun Devil fans on our premium message board, the Devils’ Huddle, run by the longest-tenured Sun Devil sports beat writer, to discuss this article and other ASU football, basketball, and recruiting topics. Not a member yet? Sign up today and get your daily fix of Sun Devil news!
