Danny White on return to ASU: ‘It’s genetic with me’

Danny White is more than a name-only addition to the Arizona State football coaching staff.

But that doesn’t take away from the symbolic importance of ASU’s greatest player rejoining the program. White stood No. 1 in an Arizona Republic 2013 ranking of the top 50 Sun Devils and tops most other such lists since starring as a quarterback and punter from 1971-73.

“I wanted to hire a Sun Devil,” said Todd Graham, going into his sixth season as football coach. “Danny’s a great Sun Devil. He loves this place.”

Graham hired White and former Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen as consultants before the start of spring practice, now in its second week. White also will work as an ambassador with the Sun Devil Club booster arm. Both are regulars at practices, where they are not allowed to directly coach but can contribute to staff evaluations and film study, and in the fall, game planning and grading.

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“I’m still figuring it out, what I can and can’t do,” White said. “The job description is pretty open. There’s a lot of things they’d like for me to help with. Right now, it’s learning all the coaches’ names and the system and how it’s working. All the guys are learning the defense and offense and terminology, and I’m right there with them, more like a player mentally than a coach.”

White, a championship and Hall of Fame head coach in the Arena League for 16 years, and Christensen, with 35 years of college coaching tenure, will have the Xs and Os down soon enough. Already, they are providing what Graham wanted, veteran eyes to see things others might miss.

Graham promised a hard look at all facets of his team after a sixth straight loss, 56-35 at Arizona, ended a second straight losing season. He has five new full-time assistants, including both coordinators. Not all the staff changes are directly related to ASU’s 11-14 record since 2015, but it’s clear that Graham, under contract through June 30, 2021, followed through with a willingness to make changes.

Graham said hiring consultants came from a “self awareness standpoint, I need to get better. I just want to win. Whatever it takes to win. Every single day, they’re giving me input. Here’s a couple of guys that have a lot of diverse years in football. There’s already been little things that Danny has said you might want to look at this,” regarding where quarterbacks were holding the ball. “Sometimes just to have someone to sit back and say you might to look at this, this is something over here we might need to have attention to.”

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For White, the chance to positively impact his alma mater is gratifying and comes at a crossroads in his life. His wife, Jo Lynn, died last year and his father, Wilford “Whizzer” White, a football giant at ASU from 1947-50 (No. 9 on Arizona Republic top 50), died in 2013. He has been a Dallas Cowboys radio analyst since 2011 (White played for the Cowboys from 1976-88) and will continue in that role, but at 65, he is ecstatic to be back on the field.

“It feels really good to be standing there during practice watching and evaluating,” said White, who went 32-4 while playing for ASU with wins in the first three Fiesta Bowls. “It’s what I’m made to do. I know my dad’s happy for me to have this opportunity, to be a member of the family with some input and able to help. It’s all because of Coach Graham, this was his idea and I love him for it. I’m so impressed with the staff’s work ethic, the way they work together and how dedicated they all are to get ASU back where it belongs.

“It’s coming at a great time for me. It’s important to me to be involved not only with football but football at ASU. It’s genetic with me. I can’t help it. I was born with ASU blood in me. It wouldn’t be nearly as satisfying if I was doing it someplace else. The guys are a lot younger and a lot of things have changed, but it’s still ASU and still the Sun Devils. It’s always been a second home for me.”