Arizona State imposes 1-year bowl ban for potential violations under Edwards

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State has issued a self-imposed one-year bowl ban amid an NCAA investigation for possible infractions incurred under former football coach Herm Edwards.

The ban announced Sunday is a preemptive step as the NCAA investigates the Sun Devils for alleged recruiting violations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Arizona State University has informed the NCAA and Pac-12 conference that it will self-impose a one-year postseason ban on its football program for the upcoming season," Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson said. "In light of the ongoing investigation and our membership obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the matter, we will not be commenting further at this time.”

The NCAA has been investigating the program since 2021, looking into allegations that the Sun Devils hosted recruits during the NCAA-imposed ban on in-person recruiting during the pandemic. The NCAA shut down official visits to campus by high school prospects in all sports and banned coaches from taking recruiting trips for more than a year because of COVID-19.

Several assistants resigned or were fired due to the investigation.

Arizona State fired Edwards three games into last season, his fifth with the program, and gave him a $4.4 million buyout instead of firing him for cause. Former Oregon offensive coordinator Kenny Dillingham was hired as his replacement.

The ban is a big hit to the new coaching staff and more than 50 new players who were not a part of the program when the alleged infractions occurred.

“Like I told the guys: you can't control it,” Dillingham said after practice Sunday. “Not one person in the country feels bad for us. As a matter of fact, a lot of people are happy about it because people love to see other people down. It's the world we live in. If we allow people to feed off this circumstance for us, then that's on us.”

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