TEMPE, Ariz. – Rob Sale, a veteran of 11 years of offensive line coaching, including stints at Georgia and Alabama, has been named Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator at Arizona State University.
The hire is one of a series of coaching appointments announced today by Arizona State Head Football Coach Todd Graham. In addition to the hiring of Sale, Rob Likens has been promoted to Co-Offensive Coordinator, Michael Slater joins the staff as Defensive Line Coach and Running Backs Coach John Simon has been promoted to Assistant Head Coach.
"I'm very proud of the coaching staff that we have assembled at ASU and they will be under the leadership of two excellent coordinators in Billy Napier (OC) and Phil Bennett (DC)," says Graham. "It speaks volumes about ASU on how we are perceived nationally by other programs in being able to attract top-flight coaching talent."
Sale comes to ASU from Louisiana-Monroe, where he served last season as offensive line coach. In 2016, the Warhawks ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference in rushing, averaging 181.3 yards per game, while finishing in the upper half of the 11-team league in fewest quarterback sacks allowed (19).
Sale previously served as offensive line coach at Georgia in 2015, where the Bulldogs averaged 375 yards total offense per game. Prior to his tenure in Athens Sale also served as offensive line coach at McNeese State in 2012 and 2013, adding the duties of co-offensive coordinator in 2014. He also served as Strength and Conditioning Assistant and Offensive Analyst at Alabama for five seasons (2007-11).
Likens, a 25-year college coaching veteran, joined the ASU staff in December as Wide Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator, following a two-year stint as Offensive Coordinator at Kansas. Likens also served as Assistant Head Coach and Passing Coordinator at California, working with quarterback Jared Goff, who went on to be the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Likens currently has seven wide receivers he coached in the NFL as well. He will work alongside Offensive Coordinator Billy Napier, and will continue his duties with ASU's wide receivers.
As is the case with Likens, Slater comes to the Sun Devils from Kansas, where he served as Defensive Line Coach this past season. In 2016, the Jayhawk defense topped the Big 12 Conference in pass defense (219.8 yards per game) and lowest opponent third-down conversion percentage (35.6). Slater coached defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., who, as a sophomore, became the first unanimous all-Big-12 Conference selection in KU Football history.
Simon just completed his first season on the ASU staff, coming to ASU from Louisiana-Lafayette.
The hires are pending ASU Human Resources Paperwork approval.
SALE AT A GLANCE
Alma Mater: LSU, 2003
Hometown: Monroe, LA.
Wife: Amanda
Children: Tripp and Briggs
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Present, Arizona State (Offensive Line Coach, Run Game Coordinator)
2016, Louisiana-Monroe (Offensive Line Coach)
2015, Georgia (Offensive Line Coach)
2012-14, McNeese State (Offensive Line Coach, co-Offensive Cordinator)
2007-11, Alabama (Strength and Conditioning Coach, Offensive Analyst)
2006, Point Coupee High School, LA. (Offensive Line Coach)
SLATER AT A GLANCE
Alma Mater: Texas State, 1993
Children: Kyle
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Present, Arizona State (Defensive Line Coach)
2016, Kansas (Defensive Line Coach)
2012-15, Rice (Defensive Line Coach)
2009-11, Rice (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line)
2004-08, Alief Hastings High School, Houston, TX. (Defensive Line Coach, Special Teams Coordinator)
1997-2003, Alief Taylor High School, Houston, TX. (Defensive Line Coach)
—www.thesundevils.com--
The hire is one of a series of coaching appointments announced today by Arizona State Head Football Coach Todd Graham. In addition to the hiring of Sale, Rob Likens has been promoted to Co-Offensive Coordinator, Michael Slater joins the staff as Defensive Line Coach and Running Backs Coach John Simon has been promoted to Assistant Head Coach.
"I'm very proud of the coaching staff that we have assembled at ASU and they will be under the leadership of two excellent coordinators in Billy Napier (OC) and Phil Bennett (DC)," says Graham. "It speaks volumes about ASU on how we are perceived nationally by other programs in being able to attract top-flight coaching talent."
Sale comes to ASU from Louisiana-Monroe, where he served last season as offensive line coach. In 2016, the Warhawks ranked third in the Sun Belt Conference in rushing, averaging 181.3 yards per game, while finishing in the upper half of the 11-team league in fewest quarterback sacks allowed (19).
Sale previously served as offensive line coach at Georgia in 2015, where the Bulldogs averaged 375 yards total offense per game. Prior to his tenure in Athens Sale also served as offensive line coach at McNeese State in 2012 and 2013, adding the duties of co-offensive coordinator in 2014. He also served as Strength and Conditioning Assistant and Offensive Analyst at Alabama for five seasons (2007-11).
Likens, a 25-year college coaching veteran, joined the ASU staff in December as Wide Receivers Coach and Passing Game Coordinator, following a two-year stint as Offensive Coordinator at Kansas. Likens also served as Assistant Head Coach and Passing Coordinator at California, working with quarterback Jared Goff, who went on to be the number one overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft. Likens currently has seven wide receivers he coached in the NFL as well. He will work alongside Offensive Coordinator Billy Napier, and will continue his duties with ASU's wide receivers.
As is the case with Likens, Slater comes to the Sun Devils from Kansas, where he served as Defensive Line Coach this past season. In 2016, the Jayhawk defense topped the Big 12 Conference in pass defense (219.8 yards per game) and lowest opponent third-down conversion percentage (35.6). Slater coached defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., who, as a sophomore, became the first unanimous all-Big-12 Conference selection in KU Football history.
Simon just completed his first season on the ASU staff, coming to ASU from Louisiana-Lafayette.
The hires are pending ASU Human Resources Paperwork approval.
SALE AT A GLANCE
Alma Mater: LSU, 2003
Hometown: Monroe, LA.
Wife: Amanda
Children: Tripp and Briggs
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Present, Arizona State (Offensive Line Coach, Run Game Coordinator)
2016, Louisiana-Monroe (Offensive Line Coach)
2015, Georgia (Offensive Line Coach)
2012-14, McNeese State (Offensive Line Coach, co-Offensive Cordinator)
2007-11, Alabama (Strength and Conditioning Coach, Offensive Analyst)
2006, Point Coupee High School, LA. (Offensive Line Coach)
SLATER AT A GLANCE
Alma Mater: Texas State, 1993
Children: Kyle
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Present, Arizona State (Defensive Line Coach)
2016, Kansas (Defensive Line Coach)
2012-15, Rice (Defensive Line Coach)
2009-11, Rice (Graduate Assistant, Defensive Line)
2004-08, Alief Hastings High School, Houston, TX. (Defensive Line Coach, Special Teams Coordinator)
1997-2003, Alief Taylor High School, Houston, TX. (Defensive Line Coach)
—www.thesundevils.com--