ASU rewarded for their diligence, land Oregon offensive lineman

Cody Shear recalled Arizona State as being one of the very first schools to contact him when he entered his name in the transfer portal. The communication process that took place between both sides for months now, culminated with an unofficial visit to Tempe today and a subsequent announcement that the Oregon offensive lineman will transfer to ASU.

“It feels great,” said Shear. “I’ve definitely been in contact with them for a while but haven’t got the chance to come down here, and it feels good to final things up. This wasn't my first time on campus. I was actually there with coach Graham’s staff and coach Chris Thompson back in 2016. I came on a visit the same time I was visiting Arizona (a school he committed to in July of 2016). Honestly, my decision had nothing to do with what I’d seen before.

“What it came down to is this new coaching staff. I think any player that passes up an opportunity to get to play for a coaching staff with this much expertise is making a big mistake and the second that I found out that these guys were interested in me, I knew I was interested in them. There’s not much recruiting that needs to be done when you have coaches that are that qualified and are that impressive and they are the definition of pros. They don’t need to do much recruiting. If you’re a smart kid who wants to learn from the best, you don’t need too much talking done on their end.

“They told me their background, and the second that I heard how much experience they have, I was hooked.”

The lineman said that the ASU staff did a formidable job from the moment they first contacted him introducing themselves and thoroughly explaining why joining the Sun Devils would be beneficial.

“I didn’t really have to do too much talking,” Shear recalled. “They kind of gave me the background on themselves. Obviously, kids all across the country know who coach Herm Edwards is, and on top of that you got coach Christensen, the head O-line coach, who played at University of Washington, he’s been a head coach at Wyoming, he’s been an offensive coordinator, he’s been an offensive line coach at big-time schools like Texas A&M, and has so much expertise under his belt.

“And then on top of that you have coach Kevin Mawae who’s getting inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this year. It was a really easy decision to be honest. I think they wanted to see me in person and make sure that I was interested in them just like they were interested in me.”

Shear commented that he isn’t one to describe his skills or strengths, but said that one trait of his was repeatedly mentioned by the Sun Devil staff as a proficiency that both sides agree makes him a good fit for the team’s scheme.

“The coaches talked a lot about how they like to move their linemen,” Shear explained, “and that’s why I definitely think that I’m a good fit in this offensive line. They’re not absolutely massive offensive linemen, but they move really well and they like to utilize the speed of the big guys that they have.

“Coach Christensen said that he sees some serious potential in the fact that I move well for an offensive lineman. I just like to listen to coaches who know what they’re talking about, and these coaches are experienced.”

Shear, a graduate of Eugene Sheldon High School played primarily right tackle for the hometown Ducks. Injuries in back-to-back seasons kept him off the field, which is why he’s excited to have a fresh start in Tempe and be healthy so he can contribute.

“We have not talked about any specific position at this point,” Shear said of his projected position with ASU, “they just said they want me to come in and be ready, and I’m just going to do what I can. I know Arizona State already has a great offensive line, I haven’t got to meet those guys yet but I have a ton of respect for the guys that are already there, and I’m just looking forward to being a part of them.”

This transfer signals the first time Shear will be living outside his hometown of Eugene, yet he does see this change in lifestyle as a positive and being now in the Valley of Sun won’t be totally foreign to him in terms of having familiar faces around.

“I get to take a step out of my comfort zone,” Shear remarked, “and push myself to the absolute limit with no distractions. I’m out here strictly for football, so I think it’s a good thing.

“The biggest thing coming here was probably just the fact that I have my uncle, my dad’s brother Mike Shear, who lives in Scottsdale. I’m really close with my family, and the fact that this is a Pac-12 school with that coaching staff and family here, it really made my decision a no-brainer.”

Shear added that the depth chart at ASU, a team with six seniors on the offensive line and no upperclassmen returning players in 2020, was naturally a significant selling point in the recruiting process.

“If you’re a football player or any athlete, and you’re a competitor, you want to go someplace where you have a chance to play,” Shear said, “and put yourself in a good position to play with good guys around you. Yes, it’s clearly a big opportunity but at the same time nothing’s handed to you at this level, there are some great players on the offensive line already. So, although it’s a big opportunity, nothing’s for sure, but I am excited about the fact that there will be some opportunities to come.

“My goal right away is to learn the offense, obviously that’s maybe not something that’s super easy to do coming in on such short notice, but I know that I’ll work as hard as I can to get that squared away. I want to get to the point where I don’t have to think too much when I’m on the field and just get out there and play and try to put myself, but more importantly the team, the Sun Devils, in the best situation that I can for this upcoming season and years to come.”

It’s unclear yet whether Shear will have to sit out the 2019 season, and then have two years of eligibility remaining, or will his petition with the NCAA result in immediate eligibility which will grant him three years of eligibility for a player who left Oregon as a redshirt sophomore.

Chris Gleason contributed to this article