Report: Sun Devils Hire Defensive Backs Coach Aaron Fletcher
Over the summer, Arizona State placed three assistant coaches on paid administrative leave for their involvement in alleged recruiting allegations that took place in 2020, one of which was defensive backs coach Chris Hawkins.
Hawkins was placed on leave Aug. 9, with no real answer as to when he or either of the other two coaches (wide receivers coach Prentice Gill and tight ends coach Adam Breneman) would be back.
Their timelines, and ultimately their job security, were unknown (at least from an outsider's perspective).
However on Thursday afternoon, we may have a glimpse into Hawkins' future.
According to Yahoo!'s Pete Thamel, the Sun Devils are hiring Missouri cornerbacks coach Aaron Fletcher for the same position.
Fletcher spent just one season with the Tigers. The six seasons prior were spent at Tulsa, where he also coached defensive backs.
Last season, Missouri's pass defense ranked No. 29 in the nation, allowing only 206.8 passing yards per game. Before that, Fletcher helped lead Tulsa to three bowl-game appearances between 2015-20. The Golden Hurricane pass defense ranked in the top five of the AAC the past three seasons, including a conference-leading and eighth-best national mark of 174.6 yards per game in 2018.
Now, Fletcher arrives to lead an Arizona State secondary that will have two new starters on the boundary, as cornerbacks Chase Lucas and Jack Jones have moved on to the NFL Draft. Defensive backs Tommi Hill and Cam Phillips have entered the transfer portal as well.
ASU, known for continually having one of the top defensive backfields in the Pac-12, will hope to once again solidify their pass defense with a fresh face in the program.
The Sun Devils, expecting to hear back from the NCAA's investigation into the aforementioned recruiting allegations sooner rather than later, have already begun to see changes within their football program.
Fletcher figures to be a another strong leader under head coach Herm Edwards while the school continues to build their mold for 2022. And although no one knows for sure the future of the three coaches placed on administrative leave, Fletcher's arrival doesn't appears to be good news for Hawkins and his future in Tempe.