Tight ends coach Nic Cardwell is in his first season on the ASU staff after a successful four-year playing career in the Black and Gold.  

The Kernersville, N.C. native came to ASU as an unknown walk-on in 2003 and finished his career as a co-captain and three-time national champion. He overcame a career-threatening neck injury to play in all 56 games from 2003-07. Four of Cardwell’s nine-career receptions went for touchdowns, three of which occured in the postseason (one vs. Coastal Carolina in the 2006 opening round and two vs. Richmond in the 2007 semifinals).

Cardwell graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2008.