Todd Graham Doesn't Receive Contract Extension for 1st Time at ASU

Arizona State has chosen not to extend head football coach Todd Graham's contract for the first time in his five-year tenure at the school.

Graham had previously received one-year extensions to his deal to keep it at its original five-year length throughout his tenure, per Jeff Mecalfe of the Arizona Republic.

The Sun Devils have gone 11-14 over the last two seasons after being 28-12 over his first three years at the school.

"We continue to have the right culture in terms of what we expect from our student-athletes and their leader as their football coach," Arizona State vice president for athletics Ray Anderson said. "I think we have recruited at a high level. I think we have been able to bring on coaching and staff for those that left that will elevate us.

"The notion that sometimes you have to look in the mirror and change how you do things and incorporate the advice and counsel of others gives me great confidence that those things are going to translate into a very successful season in football."

Graham is under contract through the 2020 season. His contract includes language that says Arizona State is expected to ask the board to extend Graham by one year on a rolling basis, should there not be grounds for termination. However, Anderson said it was "not an automatic provision in the contract."

The 52-year-old previously coached at Rice, Tulsa and Pittsburgh before coming to ASU after the 2011 season. The 2016 season was the first time Graham failed to take one of his teams to a bowl game since 2009.

Graham has nonetheless been an unquestioned success after taking over for Dennis Erickson, who failed to make a bowl in three of his final four seasons.