Arizona State Coordinator of Football Operations John Sanders has a diverse football background that spans more than three decades and includes coaching stops at the Division I and professional level. Most recently, he spent five years locally at Saguaro High, where he won four championships in five seasons.

Recently, Sanders sat down for an interview about his role with the Sun Devils.

ASUDevils.com: At Saguaro you had to focus on a million different things. Here you can be more focused. How exciting is that?

John Sanders: Well it is awesome for me. But still at times I find my head on a swivel because I am so used to all those responsibilities. Then with the resources here - when coach (Todd) Graham goes, "hey, you do this, you do that," it's like wow, that's not me. There is some real enjoyment to getting back to just the game of football. And I say just the game but it's clinics, it's camps, it's recruiting, it's all of these things but it's all football. I'm not taking attendance. I'm not going to facility meetings. And I'm not dealing with parents about grades. So there is a big difference and it's very refreshing, for me, to get back to college football. There is less stuff that is out of my realm and a bigger part is the game and what contributes to winning football games.

ASUDevils.com: What are your impressions with this coaching staff now that you've been here working with them for a bit? It seems like a very energized and organized group?

Sanders: That starts with the boss. Todd Graham is like his hair is on fire around here all day long. He has a lot of great concepts, a lot of great ideas, he's very enthusiastic, very excited. We as a staff have to put our arms around all these different projects and ideas that Coach has. He has assembled the best coaching staff I have ever been around. It's as diverse a group I've seen not only as a staff member on staffs but also as a high school coach, evaluating staffs that have come to Saguaro to talk to my kids and stuff. You hit it on the head there. They're very organized, detailed oriented and lots of energy. Lots of energy. And they're coaching those kids from the time. All I have been able to witness is our seven days we are doing mat drills. But from the time that kid comes through that door at 5:15a.m. his position coach is coaching him and they don't stop coaching him. And he may be coaching him about going to class, he maybe coaching him about a fundamental or techniqe, but he's coaching him. It's a great staff. I can't say enough good things about the staff coach Graham has put together. And they're great guys to work with. They really are. It's a lot of fun being around them.

ASUDevils.com How much, if at all, do you want to say at all about the Saguaro situation (Sanders was fired after winning four state championships in five years)?

Sanders: You know, realistically I have put it behind me and I am not a big guy at looking in the rearview mirror. I look through the windshield; it's a much better picture. And I go forward with things. And I look forward to being here with the Sun Devils and winning a Rose Bowl. I told everybody that I'm not wearing my championship high school rings any more. The next ring I'm getting is a Rose Bowl ring. And that's really what I am excited about and look forward to doing. I've had some great years at Saguaro, I have great relationships with the kids but I'm looking through the windshield not the rearview.

ASUDevils.com: Your perspective is as good as any on this: What does ASU have to do to get it done recruiting locally? And is this staff better situated to do the things that it's going to take to make it happen?

Sanders: Well first of all coach Graham has a plan in place for in state recruiting of which I am happy to be a part of. It's a deal where it has to be a priority or it's not going to change. It's very clear to us as a staff that this is a high priority to coach Graham and he recognizes the value of 4.5 million people within this area, the valley. His comment to us all the time, "If we can't fine 22 kids out of 4.5 million..."

ASUDevils.com: It might be harder to recruit local kids because they're more aware of some of the issues that have kept ASU from being successful, like the local support.

Sanders: Especially though in recruiting they don't have the same perspective because they've grown up with it. Kids that come out of state, this place isn't tough to recruit too. If you can't recruit to ASU you better get out of college football because this is as good as a place to recruit to as their is in the country. Coach Graham has made it a definite priority to get the in-state kids. He asks me for a daily update on in-state kids. Who they are, who's offered them, what my opinion of them is and it's a high priority. I will tell you the 2013 recruiting class will be the best that ASU has had in a very long time. And you will see we will have a tremendous-- I thought we had a great state recruiting year with a short amount of time with this staff, but wait till next year. We will get more than our share.