Sun Devils relish in fun periods to break practice monotony

A mantra recited by Arizona State coaches, players, and facility, since head coach Kenny Dillingham’s 2023 arrival, is, “Have more fun working harder than anyone else in the country.”

The saying has been a staple in how the team prepares and the standard they hold themselves to, and during Monday mornings, fall camp practice, Dillingham brought out a game that certainly brought the fun. 

A basketball hoop was wheeled onto the turf of the Bill Kajikawa practice fields, and the players participated in a knockout tournament. Each position group got to pick one player to represent them, with defensive back Kyan McDonald coming away with a narrow victory over kicker Carston Kieffer. And the winner gets to choose the soundtrack in practice for the rest of the week.

As the Sun Devils enjoyed a fun way to break up the tedium of practice, they also had to respond to positive emotions and focus themselves for the remainder of practice. Less than one minute after the knockout tournament ended, the players were back playing live 11-on-11 football and were still competing at a high level. 

“Part of the reason we do some of those weird breaks is that I want guys to check in and out of emotions,” Dillingham said. “The game is so emotional, and there’s no way to completely remove the emotion from the game. You know, even if you want to, as a coach, 18 to 23-year-olds are going to be emotional in a football game. I think part of that is just getting our guys to snap from fun and emotional to lock in in 25 seconds.”

The aspect of enjoying the work that players put in is also a cornerstone of the program’s decision to mix in a fun game during practice. The players laughed, made jokes, and dunked throughout the knockout match, creating memories that’ll last beyond football. 

“Like some of y’all have a day and a half left of college camp for the rest of your life,” Dillingham noted on many seniors. “It’ll never happen again. And even though nobody thinks camp is what they look forward to, you don’t see many miserable people out here; they’re enjoying it.”

The ability to respond to adversity on either side of the coin is precisely the mindset that Dillingham has wanted the players to resonate with throughout fall camp. During last Saturday’s scrimmage, the offense struggled to find the end zone, even after it drove deep into the red zone on multiple occasions. And while they didn’t dominate today’s session, they were plenty motivated to get rid of the bitter taste of that scrimmage and turned in one of the better August practices.

“The offense was talking about, ‘man, that felt like we lost a game on Saturday,’” Dillingham said. “Perfect. It’s how it should feel. I want to see how they responded. They came in yesterday. They had a great attitude, right? And they had a good day today. So, I was really happy with how practice went today.” 

As the Sun Devil Nation goes back to school on Thursday, the players will be taking a few days to get accustomed to the swing of classes as well. For Dillingham and the coaching staff, Wednesday marks the final day before week one preparations begin ahead of the matchup with Northern Arizona on August 30. 

That also means the announcement of ASU’s official scout team will be on Friday, before the weekend, and game prep begins. Although fall camp is nearing a close, the growth amongst young players on the roster is still an important goal for Dillingham.

“I think now more than ever, our scout team is going to run our defense on scout. I want our scout team players to get better at our defense,” Dillingham noted.

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Coming off a career year posting 32 catches, 302 yards, and five touchdowns, senior tight end Chamon Metayer is preparing for another pivotal year at tight end with Arizona State, bringing both skill and leadership to a deep, competitive room. Head coach Kenny Dillingham sees Metayer as the type of player with NFL potential.

“I think Chamon’s gonna play on Sundays,” Dillingham said. “He’s super intelligent, he’s savvy, and he blocks people. His best skill set are the ones a lot of people don’t want—being about that life in the box. He enjoys that part of the game, and he’s really good at it. But he also has the ability to stretch the field. I think he’s going to play for a long time.”

Metayer’s growth is evident not only in his physical play but in the way he guides and mentors teammates. Tight ends coach Jason Mohns highlighted how Metayer’s experience provides a living example for younger players.

“We’re watching Chamon strike at the first level, get his trail hand tight, and climb the block,” Mohns said. “Chamon Metayer can pull Khamari aside and say, ‘Hey, think about this, try this.’ Sometimes, a player explaining it connects differently than a coach. Having his experience here has gone a long way to get guys up to speed.”

Metayer has embraced leadership both on and off the field for the Sun Devils. He sets the tone in practice, communicates expectations, and encourages teammates, earning trust throughout the tight end room and the broader offense.

This is undoubtedly the most talented tight end group ASU has had in recent memory, and it all begins with Metayer. With returning experience, young players like AJ Ia, newcomers such as Khamari Anderson, and a culture built on accountability, Metayer’s leadership and playmaking will be vital this season.

“He’s not always looking to be the center of attention, but when he speaks, people listen,” Mohns noted. “Guys know he puts in the work. When you put in the work and lay it on the line, guys respond.”

Alongside Anderson, Metayer, and senior Cameron Harpole have become a dominant trio throughout camp, each finding ways to impact different personal packages and team success. 

“I think we’ve got three guys for sure at the top right now that can get on the field and do anything we ask them to do at any given time,” Mohns noted. “Then you can put them on the field together, and they complement each other as well.” 

Although Anderson had just five receptions for 29 yards, at 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds last season at Kentucky, he is a physical player who has good hands and top speed to boot. 

“In a limited sample size, I thought it really fit like our prototype of what we were looking for, and then everything you heard about the kid, there were no red flags,” Mohns noted when scouting Anderson. “So, when we got him here, we only loved him that much more. Since he’s been here, he’s only elevated his standing as far as you know, on and off the field. He just does things the right way. He’s exactly what we’re looking for.”

Harpole has continued to improve throughout his time in college. Harpole has had to battle for every moment on the field. In his last year at San Diego State, he registered seven catches for 69 yards in 11 games, so when he got to ASU, he found another way to continue impacting the game. 

In 2024, Harpole had a top-15 pass blocker grade in the Big 12 among tight ends, a testament to his work ethic that’s seen him add five to seven pounds of muscle and trim much of his body fat. 

“He just transformed his body,” Mohns said of the 6-foot-3, 250-pound tight end, “Put a lot of work into it. Very subtle, but those little subtle differences, I think, allowed him to stay on the field longer, not gas out quite as fast, a little bit more explosive. He’s a guy that we trust, I trust at any situation, any moment, in any position.” 

With a tight end group that is the deepest unit seen in Tempe since 2006, when the brothers Zach and Brent Miller, along with Jamaal Lewis, donned the maroon and gold, this group has added significant firepower to the Sun Devils’ offense and opened the door wide open to more innovative approaches.

“When you’re scheming and you’re looking to try to find mismatches, I think everybody has something that they do really well,” Mohns remarked. “I think (Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo) does a really good job of personneling, getting guys into the best spot to be successful, taking advantage of matchups and things like that. I think we can do a good job with our personnel usages, even when it’s just one tight end on the field, making sure we have the right one in for the job that we’re asking to do.” 

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As the start of the season approaches, senior quarterback Jeff Sims has settled back into his role as the backup quarterback behind Sam Leavitt, maintaining a team-first mindset while staying prepared for any opportunity. While the spotlight naturally falls on Leavitt, Sims has embraced the challenge of a high preparedness level and stated that the atmosphere in the quarterback room has only strengthened that mindset.

“I feel like it’s just playing your part, being selfless. At the end of the day, I’m here to help the team, whichever way that looks like, that’s what we do,” Sims said.

It’s a close-knit environment where accountability drives performance, and veterans set the tone for younger players. Sims is focused on helping ASU win rather than trying to unseat Leavitt, and in doing so, he’s helping Leavitt grow just as much as Leavitt helps him.

“There are times where I’m talking to Sam and he’s listening,” Sims reflected,  “and there are times Sam’s telling me something about myself. I think that just helps us grow and helps us become better leaders for the young guys.”

Despite starting just one game last year and with Leavitt set to lead the offense again, Sims said his decision to stay in the program reflects a long-term vision. Returning was a “no-brainer” as learning under Arroyo and Dillingham’s system would set him up for success better than anywhere else.

Entering his second season in the same system, Sims has grown more comfortable with the playbook, timing, and tendencies of his receivers. After consistent reps throwing to Jaren Hamilton, Jalen Moss, and other newcomers, the game is starting to slow down for him, and chemistry is beginning to take shape.

The camaraderie extends beyond the field. Monday’s basketball knockout game highlighted the mix of competitiveness and fun that defines the program’s culture. Even players like Leavitt, who was knocked out early, carried that intensity into every drill, keeping the team’s competitive fire alive.

“Oh yeah, it was fun. We’re always doing something to mix it up a little, catch us off guard,” Sims remarked. “We have a little team comp during practice, get the guys going, get them competing…Sam’s really competitive, and he swears he is a hooper. He’s good, but he got knocked out, so I give it an F.”

(George Lund contributed to this article)