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The past six months have been a very turbulent time for ASU football. From a season-ending losing streak to the departure of Dennis Erickson to the hectic coaching search and Todd Graham's work on the recruiting front, the past half year has been very eventful. Now things should start coming back to normal, with spring football in the air and recruiting season behind us.
Or so you'd think. Nope: Graham has injected a level of intensity into spring practice that just might parallel the craziness of the football program over the past six months.
He made a point about being "the hardest working team in the country" at his introductory press conference; it turns out that Graham intends on making that a reality.
Players and media members alike have said that these practices are far more intense than those of a year ago. There's lots of discipline, activity and focus in the air. Even VP of Athletics Lisa Love has taken note. She provided her thoughts on Graham's practices on Arizona Sports 620:
"It's different, it's different...just because of the energy that Coach Graham and his staff insist upon from his team."
"Even when I go from field to field and watch practice, just because of the speed with which they coach I find myself walking faster."
No, it doesn't look like ASU football will be getting much of a break anytime soon. Graham is pushing his kids hard, and he continues to answer the question about whether Love and the athletic department made a sound decision in choosing him as Erickson's replacement. The real question that has yet be answered, though, is how many wins Graham's discipline and focus can produce in Tempe once September rolls around.