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Arizona State Football: 5 reasons Todd Graham is on the hot seat

By Erich Hilkert

Jan 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham coaches against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the second half of the 2016 Cactus Bowl at Chase Field. The Mountaineers won 43-42. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2016; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham coaches against the West Virginia Mountaineers during the second half of the 2016 Cactus Bowl at Chase Field. The Mountaineers won 43-42. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 16, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham talks to his players against the UTSA Roadrunners at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 16, 2016; San Antonio, TX, USA; Arizona State Sun Devils head coach Todd Graham talks to his players against the UTSA Roadrunners at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /

5. High expectations

Part of the pressure Graham is feeling is because of himself. Graham set lofty expectations with a strong first season and a Pac-12 Championship Game appearance in season two. Additionally, Graham has surrounded himself with immense talent, but that has led to high turnover.

Arizona State improved from 6-7 to 8-5 in Graham’s first season. His first season included close wins against Cal, Arizona and a lopsided bowl victory against Navy.

In year two, the Sun Devils took another strong step forward, reaching the Pac-12 Championship Game and finishing the season 10-4. Arizona State lost to ranked Stanford twice, including a lopsided loss in the Pac-12 championship game, lost a nail biter to Notre Dame and lost the underwhelming Holiday Bowl to Texas Tech (and Kliff Klingsbury, another coach on the hot seat).

The 2014 season marked a similar final record, but without the shine of a Pac-12 title game. What made 2014 even more painful is the Sun Devils were in position to go to the championship, but the team lost to Arizona, 42-35. So, Arizona went instead.

As previously noted, 2015 and 2016 were both disappointing losing seasons.

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