Oct. 17, 2012

Four new Ring of Honor members will be recognized in a halftime tribute during the ASU/Oregon game Thursday night, but the 2012 edition of the Sun Devil Ring of Honor was celebrated during a reception Wednesday night at Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale.

This year's imprints include Sun Devil Athletics Hall of Famers: Junior Ah You, Bob Breunig, JD Hill and Jim Jeffcoat.

"It is a honor to be selected to be a member of the Ring of Honor at Arizona State University," said Hill. "There is a scripture that says your latter days should be greater than your former and I'm living it today."

The new inductees were presented with maroon jackets by former Sun Devil Ron Pritchard, while surrounded by six of the thirteen past inductees on stage. Members of the inaugural class including Frank Kush, Randall McDaniel, Ron Pritchard, Danny White and Wilford "Whizzer" White, as well as 2011 inductee Curley Culp, were on hand for the festivities.

Vice President of Athletics Steve Patterson welcomed the crowd, which consisted of many former Sun Devil football standouts like Terry Battle, Shante Carver, Darryl Clack, Bob Kohrs, Juan Roque, Dan Saleaumua, Ryan Torain, Andrew Walter and Darren Woodson.

Special guest speaker head football coach Todd Graham went straight from the team dinner to the event to show his appreciation for the traditions of Sun Devil football. "It is a very great honor and responsibility that I represent you," said Graham. "To know that you strapped that Sun Devil helmet on, that is sacred. That is more important that any check that is written. It is so important to remember the price those paid that came before us. I represent you."

Membership to the Ring of Honor is limited to four inductees per year. To be eligible, a player must have been out of college for a minimum of 20 years and broadly acknowledged to have had an outstanding career at Arizona State. The player-led initiative also includes a scholarship component whereby former players help propel Sun Devil football successfully into the Pac-12 Conference.

The 2012 Ring of Honor class will eternally be represented at Sun Devil Stadium, which plays host to the No.2 ranked Oregon Ducks Thursday night.

"This game has been so good to me and I am so grateful to be at ASU and I'm so proud to be your coach," Graham said. "I am looking forward to tomorrow night and creating a memory and I can tell you this, our guys will represent you with class and character and we will play every single play until the end of the whistle."

More on the 2012 Ring of Honor Inductees

About Junior Ah You, Defensive End/1969-71 Ah You was named co-outstanding player in the Sun Devils' 1970 Peach Bowl victory over North Carolina and outstanding defensive player in the 1971 victory over Florida State in the Inaugural Fiesta Bowl. Ah You was a three-time All-Western Athletic Conference selection at defensive end. In 1971, he was selected to United Press International's second-team All-American. Following his Sun Devil playing days, he went on to a distinguished Canadian Football League career. Inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in 1984.

About Bob Breunig, Linebacker/1972-74 Breunig led ASU to the 1972 WAC title and to consecutive Fiesta Bowl wins in 1972 and 1973. Picked as first-string All-America linebacker by Football Coaches, Sporting News, and Time in 1974, Breunig was also the second team All-America selection of AP and UPI that same year. Breunig is a three-time All-WAC pick who ranks third all-time in career solo tackles (206) and fifth in career tackles (353) at ASU. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Breunig played for the Dallas Cowboys from 1975-1984. Inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in 1977.

About JD Hill, Football, Basketball, Track/1967-68, 70 Hill was a multi-star athlete at ASU, lettering in football, track and basketball from 1967-68 and 1970 before being selected in the first round of the NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills as a wide receiver. Hill was Sporting News and Time Magazine's first-team All-America, and Associated Press's third-team selection in 1970 as a wide receiver for the unbeaten 11-0 WAC and Peach Bowl Championship ASU team. Inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in 1976.

About Jim Jeffcoat, Defensive Lineman/1979-82 One of the best defensive linemen to wear a Sun Devil uniform, Jeffcoat was named Football News third team, Associated Press honorable mention, and Sporting News honorable mention All-America in 1982. He garnered first team All-Pac-10 honors and played in the 1983 East-West Shrine and Senior Bowl games. He earned 1981 honorable mention All-Pac-10 accolades, and was the catalyst of the Sun Devils' No. 1ranked Division 1-A defense (228.9 yards/game) in 1982. He finished with 20career quarterback sacks. He collected 95 tackles, four QB sacks, four passdeflections, and forced two fumbles during his senior season. Jeffcoat was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round, 23rd overall, in the 1983 NFL Draft. He was a member of the 1983 and '94 Dallas Cowboy Super Bowl Championship teams. Inducted into the ASU Hall of Fame in 1994.