Brooklyn OL Armon Bethea loses 40 pounds in quarantine, scores ASU offer
Quarantine has been boring. The hours repetitive. Activities are monotonous. Ignited have been the far-off pet-projects and hobbies one always longed to pick up and now did because, heck, there’s nothing else to do.
Armon Bethea, a 6-foot-6 offensive lineman from Brooklyn, felt the same longing to pick something new up. He chose weight loss.
Bethea played his junior season at around 350 pounds, always under the assumption that college football’s trenches are dominated by the biggest bodies, regardless if it’s made up by good or bad weight.
After the season, his coaches at Erasmus Hall High informed him of his misconception. They told Bethea that, in fact, big-time colleges are seeking leaner lineman whose speed isn’t bogged down by their weight.
The COVID-19 pandemic helped spark the change. For the last four-or-so months, Bethea has been on a strict diet that includes eating vegan three days a week. Before that, he ate “a lot of food,” most of it far from healthy.
On top of his diet, the Betheas cleared out their garage and began compiling weights and other workout equipment so their son could train regardless of the latest ruling on the gyms.
“Five days a week, a lot of speed and agility drills,” Bethea said. “I can already see a major difference.”
In total, Bethea dropped nearly 40 pounds. He’s slipped into a 6-foot-6, 310-pound frame that instantly increased his mobility quickened his feet and allowed him to pop off the ball like he weighed 150 pounds.
College coaches have taken notice.
Bethea attended the FBU Top Gun Showcase in Naples, Fla., showcasing the new, lighter Armon Bethea, The results came quickly. He earned an invitation to the 2021 All-American Bowl and picked up 10 power-five offers, boosting his total list to 14 schools.
Of those, Arizona State gave Bethea his most recent offer on August 7. Bethea guessed that his camp video made its way to Antonio Pierce, as the Sun Devils’ co-defensive coordinator, reached out to him a few weeks ago before extending an offer last week.
Along with Pierce, Bethea has been on the phone with head coach Herm Edwards and co-defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis, both of whom praised Bethea’s work ethic during quarantine and lauded him for losing so much weight under challenging circumstances.
As Bethea heard more and more from Tempe, he began to research their program and their coaches, blown away by the NFL-influences like Edwards, Lewis, Pierce, and offensive analyst Kevin Mawae.
“It’s very amazing,” Bethea said. “With all their coaches with NFL experience, I feel like if I do become a Sun Devil, I would gain a lot of knowledge.”
While he said he was unsure about when he wanted to commit, he noted everything from New York’s scheduled spring football season to the final decision from all conferences about their college football season to when he may be able to take an official visit has been on his mind.
Regardless, he admitted, the Sun Devils would “definitely be in my top list.”
Right now, Arizona State has 19 commits in the 2021 class, which includes a quintet of offensive lineman (albeit one or two who could ultimately line up on the side of the ball). How that may be impacted after the Pac-12’s decision to cancel all fall sports until, at best, January 1, is still yet to be known.
In any case, it seems Bethea is precisely what the Sun Devils have targeted this offseason, a lengthy lineman who has a chance to reach his ceiling under the Sun Devil coaches.
“I’m very physical. Very nasty. Very aggressive,” Bethea said. “I hate to lose. I’m truly a competitor.”
Bethea was rarely overmatched in high school, his film a highlight reel of pancakes and domination. In college, technique because more necessary.
“I’m looking for a school that can help me grow both on and off the field,” Bethea said. “And then a coaching staff that can not only help me get to the next level but can provide me a solid foundation for life after football.
Asked how ASU is doing in that respect, Bethea responded quickly.
“So far, so good.”
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