In my own words: T Lee

An effective recruiting process can bridge over long distances such as the 1,880 miles that sperate Buford, Ga. and Tempe, Arizona and defensive back T.Lee is a shining example of that. ASU’s incoming freshman who actually just arrived on campus today shares his football journey with us, details his relationship with ASU and what he expects from himself as an early enrollee.

“The first time I picked up a football was probably around fifth grade or sixth grade when I lived in Jacksonville, Florida. I played running back but I also became a big baseball guy after that. I started out at running back because I just wanted the ball so I can score touchdowns. I loved playing that position. I remember when I was younger in one of my first ever games, Georgia was my favorite team and (running back) Knowshon Moreno was my favorite player. I tried to hurdle over a player like he did and almost broke my wrist (laughs). I did clear him but when I came down, I almost broke my wrist when I landed.

“Baseball was probably my best sport then. I was on the USA National team, and did all the perfect game circuits. So, I ended up quitting football until the eighth grade. But then I told my dad I got to play football. He asked me ‘are you sure you want to do this?’ and I said ‘yes, I’m sure.’ and ever since then I’ve been playing. Looking back, I’m kind of surprised I did quit football for a few years. I was always the one running the ball and was the most energetic player on my team. That’s why I had to get back to it. I was good at baseball but my heart was always in football.

“So, when I got to high school it was strictly football. Going into my freshman year I thought I was good enough to get a scholarship to play football in college. I played on a 7 on 7 team called Pro Impact with a lot of top tier guys like (Ohio state cornerback) Shaun Wade who I talk to all the time. I made that team as an eighth-grader. I played some wide receiver as a high school freshman but it was mostly defensive back. I played varsity as a freshman in a high school in Alpharetta, Georgia and I played there as a starter until my junior year when I started at Buford.

“First time I got contacted by an ASU coach was my junior season, I want to say around week 6 or 7. Coach AP (linebackers coach Antonio Pierce) saw me in the weight room, and after that, I called him on the phone and he offered me. Just like that. Being in Georgia I didn’t know much about the school and the only thing I really knew was that I loved the uniforms. Even before I got contacted by Arizona State for the very first time, I was always chose Arizona State playing them on video games because of their uniforms. I always wanted to see what kind of (uniform) combo I could play with.

“Coach Tony White was the Arizona State coach I talked to the most. He was very genuine. On that first call, he showed me that he was different than other coaches who only brought up the good parts of the game. He would critique me and told how he can help out to improve my game. That made a big impression and he was on the money and that’s what really opened my eyes. He was talking about playing with more patience, not backpedaling too fast, how to use my eyes, hands, and hips…stuff like that.

“When I went on my first visit to Arizona State, I was really eager to get there. I already visited Nebraska and Virginia and I wanted to check them (ASU) out. I was there in November 2018 for the UCLA game. It was it was a great environment. All the coaches were pumped up, and everybody knew me already. I was very excited to see that. Me and my mom got to talk to coach Herm for the first time and we got to see how chill of a guy he was. That really made an impact. So, I ended up committing after that first visit. I liked how when we talked to him it's not all about football but really about life and everything else. Personal questions really getting to know you. That’s what I like about all the coaches at Arizona State. You can sit down and talk to them about everything, not just football. That really helps you connect deeper with that person.

“I was surprised that I committed that early and to a school far away from home. But the minute I came back from my Arizona State trip I knew I was committed. It was kind of crazy and what was even crazier is that a week after I came back I started getting offers from Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, Notre Dame and all kinds of schools. So, there was a time when I was asking myself ‘did I make the right decision?’ I obviously stayed with it. It was super hard to stick with the decision, and there were times I was sitting up in my bed talking with my dad, asking him ‘dad, is it all good?’ So, there was a time where I was a little nervous, but we talked through it and I stayed committed to Arizona State.

“There were actually times when we're talking to some of the Arizona State coaches and they knew I was getting all these offers and they were asking me ‘T, are we all good?’ They weren’t saying much else or pressuring me and just making sure my head was on straight and that I was still on board. People ask me why I went to play so far from home but for me, the distance was never a factor. I was never worried about the distance. I know Arizona is very different than Georgia in a lot of ways. It shouldn’t be hard even though it's gonna be definitely different. I should be straight. I did want to move away and be my own man. I see so many of my friends following the same pattern going to ACC schools, schools in Florida and Georgia…I was always looking at a lot of schools away from home.

“Moving far away from home and seeing what Arizona State did in 2019 helped a lot in validating my decision. The coaches see me at safety because of my knowledge of the game and I’m in 100 percent agreement with them. They see me as someone who can play close to the box because as a safety it’s not enough to just be able to just run and cover. Hitting is one of the better parts of my game. I don’t care if you’re big or fast I’m going to come up on you and make a play. But I’m still fast to cover receivers too.

“I did get to talk to my new coach Chris Hawkins. He seems like a cool guy. It helps that he’s a young guy (24 years old) that can relate to his players. That makes a big difference because the game has changed so much and you have a coach that has played in the same era as you. I also liked how coach White was promoted to the defensive coordinator. I know on the one hand I won't get that much one-on-one coaching by him, but I like him a lot and I’m super excited for him. Getting coach Herm to coach us too…I can’t wait for that.

“When I get there this month I obviously need to get used to the speed of the game. The playbook expands so much from high school, so you have to make sure that you really know it. Off the field, you have to get used to living on your own, getting up on your own to go to class and manage your time. Getting there in the spring will help, but I also know it probably puts some pressure on you to contribute early. But that’s one of the reasons I wanted to come early and that’s to be an early contributor on defense. It's going to be a pressure, but I think handle it.”

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