By Todd Milles
The News Tribune
After 30 consecutive seasons of coaching in college football, Dave Christensen took a much-needed hiatus in 2016.
Christensen had just been mysteriously let go as the run-game coordinator after one season at Texas A&M, so he and his wife, Susie, settled back in Missouri. He played lots of golf. He hosted a radio show in St. Louis. He also traveled to the College Football Playoff semifinals to watch his alma mater — Washington — play Alabama in Atlanta.
Then out of the blue last March, Arizona State coach Todd Graham called. He wanted an extra set of experienced eyes on what was going on with the Sun Devils’ program, and offered the former Wyoming coach a job — as the team’s non-coaching consultant.
“I jumped back in here,” said the 56-year-old Everett native and Everett High School alum who has a winter home not too far away in Phoenix.
What does being a “non-coaching consultant” mean exactly? Just like a regular staff coach, Christensen reviews film, sits in on position-group meetings and gathers with other coaches, including Graham, to devise a weekly game plan.
This week, the Sun Devils host the No. 5 Huskies on Saturday night in Tempe.
The only difference from what Christensen did at previous stops at the UW (1989-90), Idaho State (1990-91), Toledo (1992-2000), Missouri (2001-08), Wyoming (2009-13), Utah (2014) and Texas A&M (2015) and now at ASU is that he does not instruct players on the field.
“It is more of being back in the role as a head coach where I wasn’t doing a lot of on-field coaching,” Christensen said. “It is being involved in football from a different aspect. I am right here doing that every single day.”
It is a full-time job that takes up 12-14 hours a day, Christensen said.
The position is structured much like it was at the UW last season when former California coach Jeff Tedford served as a consultant under Chris Petersen. Tedford is now the coach at Fresno State.
Huskies offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith said having Tedford around for a year was nothing but beneficial.
“He brought some really great nuggets of wisdom as we went through it,” Smith said, “It is about the right fit. … and that is why (Tedford) was so good. He would come in and say, ‘Hey, maybe (here’s) an idea. If you like it, great. If you don’t, whatever.’ He came in with no ego.”
Much like Tedford did with the Huskies, Christensen mainly helps with ASU’s offense.
Where this role ultimately takes him, Christensen said he has no idea.
“I don’t worry about that as much as I used to when I was younger,” Christensen said. “I have trust and faith that I will end up where I am supposed to.”
Extra points
Smith, a former Oregon State quarterback (1998-2001), has had his name linked to the Beavers’ head coaching job. Former coach Gary Andersen resigned suddenly Monday morning after his team got off to a 1-5 start. “I’ve got a great job here,” Smith said Wednesday after practice. “Obviously I’ve got great memories there and what not, but I’ve got extreme focus really on us.” … UW athletic officials announced Tuesday that limited tickets are still available for the Huskies’ remaining home games, including 500 for the Apple Cup against Washington State.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
