Growing up as an ASU fan joining the Sun Devils was an easy decision for the Mesa Red Mountain offensive lineman
Playing close to home may not be for everyone, but for Ben Bray, it was ultimately a benefit that couldn’t be minimized, let alone ignored. Even before Mesa Red Mountain went on to post a 12-2 campaign as the state championship runner ups the ASU staff had recognized his talents early in the process. Their trust in Bray was rewarded not only with a pledge but also his play his senior year as part of an offense that averaged 46.3 points and 250 rushing yards per game.
In this feature, Bray talked about his early football career and how playing various sports helped him with his development, as well as the challenges and expectations he will face as an early enrollee at ASU.
“I started playing organized football in the third grade. I played flag football all the way until I was in fifth, sixth grade. I was watching the Arizona Cardinals a lot too. I was a tall wide receiver in fourth grade. Things change you know. My First season playing offensive line was the end of my sixth-grade year. I kind of took a break from it because I was too big for the league with the weight limit so because of that I started back up again in high school.
“I just remember playing with my friends, having a good time just kind of blow off stress and my whole family was watching. I played with my brother all the way until high school football. It was always fun to hang out with him and play football with my buddies. But because of the weight limit thing, I stopped playing in the sixth grade and then didn't play again until ninth grade. But I didn’t stop playing sports. I played volleyball all the way up until my sophomore year and also played basketball in junior high. It helped me a lot later on playing football, improving my footwork for a lineman, getting steps in early. Having good feet as you’re growing into your body is always a good thing. I'm thankful I did volleyball it helped a lot in being quick.
“I played Varsity for three years starting in my sophomore year. I didn’t think I was good enough to play in college until my junior year honestly. I just played to have fun. I love the kids on my team, especially the people I just graduated with. That camaraderie just made me stayed there. My head coach, coach Peterson, told me my junior year ‘hey, you’re good enough to play college ball.’ And I’m thinking to myself ‘I guess?’ telling my coach ‘we’ll see what happens’ and he says ‘there’s no let's see what happens. You're going to play college ball. I’m not sure where yet, Ben but you have the skills to do it.’
“Coming from my head coach that meant a lot. So, I really took it to heart and rolled with the whole recruiting process not knowing anything about it, which I’m really grateful for my coaches helping me out. Coach Christensen was the first person at ASU that I had contact with. He watched me during weight training in the spring of my junior year. The first time we got to talk over the phone is when he offered me. Footwork and flexibility are really big with him and he liked that about me. He thought I had the ability to really develop and grow stronger and those are all good things for a lineman.
“He said I possessed all of those skills and I’m super grateful for him. He thought I could play well in a faster offense, that I could pull well for the team that will be good running on the outside and also running power and just bringing speed to the offensive line. I was recruited as a guard but I’m open to playing any position. I know my pulling has improved drastically from my freshman to senior year, and my pass sets as well. I was giving up the inside as a young player, and I don’t struggle with it now. But I still need to get better at it.
“I grew up an ASU fan. As a young kid, I didn't go to a lot of games and mainly watched them on television. My dad and my mom both graduated from ASU. Go Devils was always in my family. Todd Graham talked to our team once and that was pretty cool. Everything in my family's life surrounded ASU. So even though I had many options like Cal and Oregon State, some Ivy League schools which were intriguing, but then again didn’t see myself playing in cold weather, ASU was really the only real option I saw, mainly because it was close to home.
“Having my family and friends nearby was important to me. But it wasn’t just the support that I have, but the support I can give for freshmen that are coming from out of state. They can come to meet my family and my mom will always cook a meal for somebody. Just giving that kind of support for people that don’t have it because they didn’t grow up here is important. My house is open also for that.
“Coming to ASU was also about having more opportunity to play, and more opportunity to grow as a unit. When you don’t have a lot of guys on the team that will leave after one year, that gives you more time to build camaraderie and chemistry. Those are things that are so important to the offensive line because all it takes is one missed block to ruin the whole play. You have to have a teammate you can rely and trust on either side of you, having that good guy next to you that you can always hang with off the field. When you have a teammate like that you want to play well for them, not just for you. I talk to Ladarius Henderson a lot and also to Jacob Nunez, but I’ve met most of the linemen already.
“Seeing ASU play as well as they did last year and it was great seeing that building block laid for the program. It’s cool to know that I will be part of that and really is truly amazing. Having a quarterback like Jayden Daniels that I want to block for changes the game as well. I really like ASU because you can tell that they will allow young players to develop and learn. That’s part of being a young team, having your ups and downs, but I saw the older guys take the lead and making it work.
“Coach Christensen opened up the idea of graduating early and I already had the credits to graduate early anyway. Before he talked to me about it, that never crossed my mind to do it. But just the benefits definitely outweigh the risks. So, I was super excited to come in early and have the opportunity to get stronger, learn the playbook and get those six extra months of college under my belt and not be rushed coming in the summer starting my classes and everything gets thrown at you right before the season starts.
“But I don’t feel that pressure of playing as a freshman just because I got to ASU early. Getting stronger and knowing the playbook is why I wanted to come in early. Maybe there is some pressure to help out the freshmen who do come in the summer. But when it comes to playing time (as a freshman) I don’t feel that pressure. I want to play to the best of my abilities, but I don’t feel any pressure that I have to start or be in the two-deep this year.
“Biggest adjustment on the field is just playing at that collegiate speed because the game is so much faster and stronger than high school. Off the field, the challenge is just balancing your athletics with your academics. You have to improve as a football player but also at the same time making sure you’re getting a degree and that’s a big challenge.
“Even though I’m coming off one of the best seasons Red Mountain has had, I don’t think it gives you momentum going into college. It’s almost a different sport and you’re definitely playing at a different speed. But coming in with that winning mentality is always good and believing that you’re going to win is always half the battle. And at the same time losing that championship game and dealing with adversity does build character.
“It’s crazy that I was dreaming of playing at ASU all these years and now I’m doing it. I know it’s going to be hard, but it’s still going to be the best four, five years of my life.”
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