TEMPE, Ariz. -- Most media events with college football coaches are like droning tennis matches -- back and forth, back and forth. With Arizona State coach Todd Graham, however, it's more like downhill skiing, perhaps the giant slalom. The media sit down and Graham explodes out of the gate, weaving between myriad topics without any need for reporters to participate, much less ask questions.
The good news is it's informative and pretty amusing. Graham, as is his wont, will undoubtedly overflow with optimism, never betraying any concerns over his depth chart, except retroactively. As in: Yes, he was "scared to death" about replacing nine defensive starters in 2014, an admission that inspired a smug celebration inside the head of at least one reporter, "Yesss! I knew it!"
What's obvious is Graham is comfortable and enjoying himself as he holds court in his spacious office, tall windows providing a nice view of construction workers banging away at the $256 million renovation of Sun Devil Stadium. The 2013 Pac-12 Coach of the Year has led the Sun Devils to consecutive 10-win seasons for the first time in 39 years, as well as three consecutive bowl appearances. He took over a team that had posted just one winning conference record in the previous seven seasons and has gone three for three.
Twenty-eight FBS schools hired coaches prior to the 2012 season, 17 of whom remain at those schools. Of those 17, Graham, at 28-12, has posted the fourth-best overall record, behind only Ohio State's Urban Meyer (38-3), UCLA's Jim Mora (29-11) and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin (28-11), whom he will meet to open the 2015 season in one of the nation's marquee nonconference matchups.
All this is said to support the notion that it's not just Everything-is-Awesome! coachspeak when Graham opens his pre-spring practice news conference talking about Pac-12 and national championships. Even a skeptic sees plenty of maybe on his 2015 depth chart.
"No doubt in my mind we're going to have a lot better football team next year," he said of a squad that finished 10-3 last year with a final No. 15 ranking.
Though he welcomes back two solid specialists, he said his chief concern is special teams, which has become a bit of a thwarted obsession for him. He's successfully imposed his will on just about every aspect of the program, from improved discipline and academics to aggressive, Devils-may-care styles on both sides of the ball, but most Arizona State defeats the previous two years included forehead slapping moments on special teams.
He also has to replace both starting offensive tackles, including first-team All-Pac-12 performer Jamil Douglas, as well as first-team WR Jaelen Strong, a potential first-round NFL draft pick who hauled in 10 TD passes last year. Further, his run defense was mediocre to poor and most of the unit's 39 sacks came from high-risk, high-reward blitzes rather than one of four men winning a one-on-one battle.
What Graham doesn't seem concerned about is his new starting QB Mike Bercovici. While departed starter Taylor Kelly was a smart player, good runner and great leader, Bercovici might own the best arm in the Pac-12 this fall. His three starts last year for an injured Kelly and extended playing time in important situations also mean the fifth-year senior arrives with plenty of seasoning.
Said Graham, "We've got a guy who has a lightning release. I mean, this guy can throw the football. We're obviously adapting everything to that."
In terms of playmakers, Graham is excited enough about his depth at running back to move versatile D.J. Foster -- a 1,000-yard rusher for goodness sake -- to slot receiver. Graham also gushed about running back/return man De'Chavon "Gump" Hayes and redshirt freshman receiver Jalen Harvey.
As for his defense, it reverses course from last year in that nine starters are back, and Graham raved about his depth at all three levels. He believes touted JC transfer Davon Durant will provide an instant boost to the pass rush at the devil-backer spot, where Carl Bradford was so productive in 2013.
The sum total is an intriguing team, one of five from the Pac-12's rugged South Division that figures to be ranked in the preseason. But national rankings and 10-win seasons are now been-there, done-that for the program.
"I think people know we are serious about it now," Graham said. "We want to win a national championship. We want to win a Pac-12 championship. Anything less than that ... that is the expectation."
Graham then raced ahead, slaloming through to other topics -- the value of national polls, his team briefly entering the College Football Playoff race in 2014, special teams, being pleasantly surprised by his defense last fall, etc. -- but his opening point stood out.
Graham expects Arizona State to continue to climb in 2015, and that's meaningful because there's not much space above that separates the Sun Devils from the national title hunt.