Jason Watson's time as ASU volleyball head coach has gotten off to a relatively slow start. His record in his first four years was just 55-75.
But ASU has remained patient with Watson which has allowed him to build a team that's quickly becoming ASU's next powerhouse.
In today’s era, it’s rare for losing coaches to survive. Generally three to five years is enough time to decide whether a coach will make it. For example, about half of Division I FBS football coaches are in their first, second or third year on the job.
At Watson's previous school, Brigham Young University in Utah, he won 80 percent of his games in three seasons. But in his first four years at ASU, he won just 42 percent of the time. ASU finished eighth twice, ninth once and 10th once in those four years with a conference winning percentage of 25 percent.
Part of the issue in Tempe was the conference's depth. Other programs have much more decorated histories, which obviously makes it easier to recruit top talent.
In 2012, ASU broke through, reaching the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2006, and finishing more than a game over .500 for the first time since 2002. Not coincidentally, 2012 was outside hitter Macey Gardner's first year with the program. Gardner's on pace to set ASU's all-time kills record in a few games, and will be high up in the conference's all-time mark at the end of the year.
From 2012-14, ASU went 59-42, qualifying for the NCAA tournament all three seasons. But even with much better win-loss records lately, ASU has been sixth, eighth and seventh in the Pac-12 over the past three years, and Watson has never finished .500 or better in conference play at ASU.
The Pac-12 is as deep as ever in 2015, with the AVCA Coaches' Poll consisting of No. 3 USC, No. 6 Washington, No. 7 ASU, No. 8 Stanford, No. 13 UCLA, No. 14 Arizona and No. 18 Oregon ranked.
This year, optimism is higher than ever. The Sun Devils are undefeated through non-conference play and their No. 7 ranking is tied for the team's highest ranking ever.
Additionally, the 11-0 start is the team's best ever in the Pac-10 and Pac-12 era. ASU also boasts a loaded senior class, with Gardner and starters Bianca Arellano, Whitney Follette and Mercedes Binns paving the way.
When you consider ASU had a 43 percent winning percentage in the 16 years before 2012, the turnaround to today's team is truly historic. Pac-12 play will ultimately determine whether ASU's one of the conference's elite and whether they can contend nationally.
A 33-6 mark in non-conference sets, including victories vs. now-No. 9 Illinois and No. 19 Colorado State, set the stage for perhaps a very special season.
Related Links:
No. 10 ASU volleyball upsets No. 6 Illinois in five sets
More players get time on court in No. 10 ASU volleyball's win over Texas Southern
Reach the columnist at jmjanss1@asu.edu or follow @jjanssen11 on Twitter.
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