Arizona State redshirt junior tight end Raymond Epps likes to keep things light and not take himself too seriously.
The opening line in his Twitter bio links to that personality, stating simply, “I love football I’m handsome.”
But besides commenting on his own looks and worrying about social media, Epps is trying to take things serious where it matters most – on the football field.
“I try to keep it balanced,” Epps said. “I don’t want to be known as the jokester all the time. On the field, I try to be serious, but I do try to keep things light and make sure the team is having fun.”
Part of that renewed focus comes on him looking at fine-tuning his game. Just a year ago, he was a junior college transfer from Arizona Western College just trying to grasp a new school and new playbook. Now, he’s studying to make sure every part of his game – from his catching ability to even where he places his hands to start his route.
“My focus has definitely been on the small things like just getting my second step, my hand across, just the small things because the small things get better,” Epps said. “The big plays and stuff like that come second. I definitely was worried about the big picture [last year] rather than the small portions of the season that I should have been worried about.”
Epps couldn’t reach the heights of his high expectations in his first season in Tempe, struggling with drops and learning the system before finishing the season with four catches for 52 yards and a touchdown. It humbled him.
“It was a little challenging,” he said. “It was something new for me, a different opportunity and just different obstacles that I had to climb. I definitely tried to make the best of it I could…[I started feeling more comfortable] midway through last season. I just started playing more, getting more opportunities and they put their trust in me more. I definitely started to feel more comfortable.”
His shining performance came in the regular season finale against Cal, where he tallied a career-best three catches for 37 yards and scored what appeared to be the game-winning touchdown until the Golden Bears drove back down the field for the victory.
“[That game] welcomed me well to college football, because that’s probably the most I’ve had a chance to prove myself and show my talent,” Epps said. “That built my confidence to where I am now.”
In order to correct the issues, Epps wants to be more serious with his approach. His new tight ends coach, Del Alexander, has taken notice.
“[Raymond’s] focus and his experience that he’s learned from last year, I can see that he’s trying to do those little things,” Alexander said. “First step, second step, trying to be a blocker as well as a receiver.”
For Epps, it’s personal as well. His goals are high for his junior year setting tasks, not just for himself on the football field – he’s been working with the second team as a tight end and has been working his way into the rotation – and off.
“It’s definitely one of the most important years of my life,” Epps said. “I actually graduate in December, so it should be a real good year for me. I want to do big things in my junior year, so I definitely want to make this my best year yet…I just want to be trusted. I want my team to look at me to make big plays and just go out there and give it all I have.”
Epps will be part of arguably the deepest tight end group in Todd Graham’s tenure with the program. When fully healthy, Epps, redshirt senior Kody Kohl, redshirt junior Grant Martinez and sophomore Jay Jay Wilson each have an opportunity to contribute and provide a versatility out of the position that is required for new offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey’s system.
“You want to be able to do everything,” Epps said of the group. “All of our tight ends can put their hand in the dirt as well as split out. We don’t have any tight ends that can’t do the next [thing], so it’s definitely a good offense for us to show what we can do in the box as well as split out.”
The depth within the group also opens the doors for something Graham has said he has wanted to implement for years – a consistent two-tight end set that will help the Sun Devils become more balanced, and that would also take a lot of pressure off of whoever the first-year starting quarterback winds up being.
