Shawn Slocum

Former NFL assistant and long-time college assistant coach Shawn Slocum enters his sixth season as the associate head coach/special teams coordinator at ASU.   “Coach Slocum has a Super Bowl ring to show for his work as a special teams coordinator and has had a tangible impact on the performance of our specials teams in just three years,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards said when he announced that he was retaining Slocum in January 2018. “Shawn comes from an incredible football pedigree and knows what it takes to succeed at all levels of this game and I feel he will provide a much-needed presence to our program this season.”   “I’m excited to have opportunity to work with Herm Edwards given his background in the National Football League and the time that I spent there as well,” Slocum said. “I think this is a great opportunity. It’s a great time to be at ASU and there are great things to come.”   In 2019 the Sun Devil special teams units had another tremendous campaign under Slocum’s tutelage.    Senior wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk who earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors for his contributions on offense received the same recognition as a return specialist as he helped ASU finish seventh in the nation in kickoff returns and 17th in in punt returns. Aiyuk’s 2019 highlights included a 97-yard kickoff return against USC and a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown at Oregon State.   Punter Michael Turk earned All-Pac-12 first-team honors and was a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award after finishing first in the Pac-12 and 11th in the nation in punting (46.0). Turk’s high and booming kicks enabled ASU’s punt coverage unit to finish 12th in the nation in net punting (41.6). Turk was honored as the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week and the Ray Guy Punter of the Week following a week one performance in which he set the NCAA, Pac-12 and ASU record for highest average yards per punt in a game with a minimum of five attempts (63.0 yards per punt) in ASU’s season-opening 30-7 win over Kent State.   Also helping the Sun Devils rank among the top units in punt coverage was true freshman Case Hatch who earned first-team All-Pac-12 recognition as a specialist after recording the majority of his 11 tackles and a forced fumble on special teams.   A late replacement in the season opener due to injury, Cristian Zendejas assumed the team’s primary placekicking duties and would go on to finish ninth in the nation in field goals per game (1.8) and 20th in field goal percentage (85.2).   The Sun Devils had the highest-graded special teams unit in the nation in 2016 according to Pro Football Focus and the second-highest graded group in 2015. Despite replacing three NFL players in 2017 (placekicker Zane Gonzalez, punter Matt Haack and kick returned Tim White), ASU still had the 29th-highest graded special teams unit in the nation in 2017.   Brandon Ruiz was among the top freshmen kickers in the nation in 2017, finishing tied for first in the country among freshmen with 19 field goals made. His 52 total touchbacks were 10th in the nation as well while his 69.33 percent touchback percentage was first among all freshmen in the country and 12th nationally. As a sophomore in 2018, Ruiz finished 21st in the nation in field goals per game (1.38) and 27th in field goal percentage (81.8).   One of the units biggest highlights of 2018 came in ASU’s win at USC in which Sun Devil wide receiver/punt returner N’Keal Harry returned a punt 92 yards for a touchdown. In addition to Harry’s outstanding athletic ability, the return was also made possible by a few key blocks executed by punt return unit. In addition to earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors as a wide receiver, Harry also earned second-team recognition as a return specialist.    The Sun Devils led the Pac-12 and were second nationally in 2017 with six total blocked kicks on the season while the team’s five blocked punts were first in the nation.   After posting a number of impressive accomplishments in 2015, Slocum’s special teams units performed at an even higher level in 2016. Leading the way was placekicker and 2016 Lou Groza Award winner Gonzalez, who became just the third player in the history of the Sun Devil football program to receive unanimous All-American honors after setting numerous NCAA records during his illustrious career. Gonzalez, who was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the seventh round of the 2017 NFL Draft, was fourth in the nation and first in the Pac-12 in field goals (23) and seventh in the nation and first in the Pac-12 in field goal percentage (920). Gonzalez made an FBS-leading 14 field goals from at least 40 yards and was a remarkable 7-for-9 on attempts from 50 yards or more. That mark, the second-most ever from long distance in an FBS season, includes the longest FG of the year, a 59 yarder that was also the kick to give him the all-time record for career points by a kicker.   Matt Haack turned in a brilliant campaign in 2016 as he finished 18th in the nation and third in the Pac-12 in punting (43.9). As a unit the Sun Devils finished fifth in the nation and second in the Pac-12 in net punting (42.0). Also contributing to ASU’s outstanding special teams play in 2016 was Tim White, who finished 10th in the nation in combined kick return yards (963/709 on kickoffs and 254 on punts). In addition, White (punt return) and DJ Calhoun (kickoff) both scored touchdowns on returns.   On the defensive side of the ball, Slocum’s outside linebackers were led by Koron Crump, who led the Sun Devils in sacks in 2016 (nine for minus 68 yards) while recording three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. Crump, who was named to the Lott IMPACT Trophy Watch List for the 2017 season, also added an interception to go along with his 37 tackles (28 solos stops).     In 2015 Gonzalez continued to be among the best in the country as he finished the season second in the nation in field goals per game (2.0) and 10th in scoring (10.0 ppg). Also turning in a standout season was White, who finished second in the Pac-12 in kick return average (27.0). In addition, White was one of only five Pac-12 players to return a kickoff for a touchdown in 2015 and his 210 combined punt/kickoff return yards vs. West Virginia in the Motel 6 Cactus Bowl were the most in a game by a Pac-12 player last season.   Slocum’s coaching also helped Sun Devil linebacker Antonio Longino post an outstanding senior campaign that culminated with Longino earning Pac-12 Honorable Mention recognition. A two-time Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week in 2015, Longino led the Pac-12 with 22.5 tackles for and 11 sacks, and ranked third in the FBS in tackles for loss and 11th in sacks. His 22.5 tackles for loss ranked as the sixth-highest single-season total in school history.   Slocum started his coaching career as a volunteer assistant at Texas A&M, under his father R.C. Slocum. In 1990, he served as a graduate assistant at the University of Pittsburgh, where he coached the defense. He returned to Texas A&M, coaching tight ends, linebackers, and special teams, from 1991 to 1997. From 1991 to 1993, Slocum helped the Aggies win three straight Southwest Conference championships. Between 1994-97, he coached two all-Americans – Shane Lechler and Lombardi Award winner Dat Nguyen – who both went on to play in the NFL.   During his seven-season coaching tenure at A&M, he was part of a staff that led the Aggies to five bowl games, including four Cotton Bowl Classic appearances. Texas A&M’s record was 94-28-2 from 1991–1997. The 94 wins were the sixth-most in the country and also the most wins by any Texas Division I school in any decade.   From 1998-1999, Slocum coached at the University of Southern California, where he tutored Butkus Award winner Chris Claiborne, Zeke Moreno, and Markus Steele. He returned to A&M again and coached the secondary and special teams from 2000-02. In 2005, he became assistant head coach and linebacker coach at Ole Miss, where he coached star linebacker Patrick Willis.   On February 6, 2006, Slocum joined the Green Bay Packers, becoming the assistant special teams coach. He was promoted to special teams coordinator in 2009. During his time in Green Bay the Packers won Super Bowl XLV in 2010, 31-25 over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Arlington, Texas. The Packers also claimed five division championships (2007, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014), played in three NFC Championship games (winning one, 2010) and appeared in the NFL Playoffs seven times (2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014). Slocum also was invited to coach in three Pro Bowl games.   Shawn’s father, R.C. Slocum, was head coach for Texas A&M from 1989 to 2002 and is the winningest coach in Texas A&M football history.   Born in Monticello, Arkansas, on February 21, 1965, Slocum graduated from Bryan High School in Bryan, Texas, in 1983 and attended Texas A&M University, where he played football as a linebacker. Slocum earned one letter with the team in 1984. He graduated with a B.S. in construction management degree in 1987 from the Texas A&M College of Architecture.   Slocum is currently married to the former Michelle Biehl and the couple has four children.