For some ASU players, the transition to the Big 12 conference may be an eye-opener. For others, like J'Mond Tapp, the changeover would require much less of an adjustment. This is why the Texas defensive lineman transfer is excited to begin his Sun Devil career as he continues his college career in an environment that is anything but foreign to him.
For some ASU players, the transition to the Big 12 conference may be an eye-opener. For others, like J'Mond Tapp, the changeover would require much less of an adjustment. This is why the Texas defensive lineman transfer is excited to begin his Sun Devil career, continuing his college career in very familiar surroundings.
As is the case with many out-of-state newcomers, the first contact with an Arizona State staff member begins with a FaceTime call, giving the player a taste of what Tempe will look and feel like ahead of the visit.
“(Defensive Grad Assistant) Tyree Thompson reached out to me first,” Tapp recalled, “and told me that I really need to come to visit and see it for myself because that's the only way you're gonna really get a good answer if this is where I should go. Everything he told me made sense, and I just felt that he was being real and wasn't trying to fake it.”
Knowing his fellow Texas transfers who had already been on campus since the previous year, fellow defensive lineman Prince Dorbah, and wide receiver Troy Omeire only helped Tapp gain a better perspective about the school.
“I didn’t know too much about Arizona State and how much of a good place it is,” Tapp commented. “I talked to them, and they told me how the coaches will always keep it real with you, and it’s gonna be a good fit for me. They said if I came there, I wouldn’t have to try to be somebody else, and I wouldn't have to worry about somebody judging me or anything like that. It's all genuine.
“When I came on my visit, I saw how nice it is out here and how low key it is. It’s beautiful out here, and I didn’t expect to see mountains. The weather doesn't match the environment because it’s so hot, but when you look around, it’s so beautiful you feel like you’re on vacation.”
His visit to the Sun Devils was also one during which he quickly learned about the culture that head coach Kenny Dillingham wanted to establish, an environment that resonated with the defensive lineman.
“Coach Dilly said he doesn't want any players that are going to affect his culture,” Tapp explained. “He doesn't care how good of a player someone is. He doesn’t care what he heard about this and that and about you. He knows that if you’re gonna mess up his culture that he had got going over there, you’re out of the question.
“That's the first impression I got from him when I visited. As the visit went on, and he started to talk to me more he could see who I am actually. He got to know who I am, know who my real self is. And once he learned that he was like, ‘It's a no brainer, you should come here.’”
Tapp was unaware of ASU's defensive line coach, Diron Reynolds’ NFL resume, when the Sun Devils recruited him. Nonetheless, he was thoroughly impressed with his vast college coaching experience and, more importantly, the in-person impression he projected.
“When I met Coach Reynolds, I knew he was exactly what I was looking for in a coach,” Tapp explained. “Coach Bo Davis was the coach who recruited me in Texas, and I knew he was the perfect fit for me, and he would help me exceed my potential. Seeing Coach Reynolds and knowing that he has the same background as Coach Davis because they had the same mentor, I can see the similarities. I like how Coach Reynolds works his room, and he puts everything together. He lets the players lead.
“Everything I saw with my naked eyes helped me get to know him and process everything about the program, and it all made sense why it would be a good fit for me.”
Tapp, who has three years of eligibility, posted eight tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss for the Longhorns last year. He was a Top-80 national recruit in the 2022 class and also ranked No. 4 among weak-side defensive ends. The graduate of Assumption High School in Napoleonville, La., was ranked as the No. 7 prospect in that state. At 6-3 255 lbs., he serves as a heavier pass rusher on the front four and fills the void Anthonie Cooper left after tearing his ACL in the spring practice a few months ago.
“I know the coaches like me on the outside,” Tapp stated, “but I know I could do both and play inside too. We’ll see how it is and let it play out, but I know I could do both, and it depends on what the coaches want me to do. I know I have all the tools I need.”
Tapp has been pleased with how smooth the acclimation to the team has been and how he has been able to connect with his new teammates. Having a good number of players from Louisiana, such as himself, has naturally aided the shift to his new surroundings that much more. He joked that he sometimes gets mistaken for actually being from Texas since he gets along so well with several of the ASU players hailing from the Lone Star State. And this is where his former Longhorn teammates Dorbah and Omiere prove to be significant in his acclimation.
“When I was at Texas, I actually got to know them for the people they are,” Tapp said, “and when I came here, it's not like I gotta sit here and try to get to know them. So, they can sit here and be in my ear and give me all the information that I need. Probably nobody else on the team could sit here and tell me all that stuff because they don't know me like that.”
The defensive lineman approaches the 2024 season with much anticipation. There’s the natural excitement of being on a new team and wanting to prove himself, as well as the enthusiasm of facing many of the teams he played against last year.
“I think playing in the Big 12 is a big advantage for me,” Tapp noted. “I know what to expect. I’m not the type of player that has much experience, but I have everything but experience. But me being in the Big 12, knowing what is to come, and then going to the Big 12 championship and winning it, I can see what it takes even if I don’t have experience and experience that is something that will come.
“Me being motivated and showing everyone what kind of player I am was gonna happen regardless of where I was going to play. For me to play well, I know I have to be accountable for the team, showing my teammates how important they are to me so they can see how important I am to them. That’s why it’s good that the players get to know me before I get on the field and know who I am and why I'm as good as I am on the field. I’m showing them why it's important for me to contribute and not make a barrier for myself. I'm right there with everyone else, leveling myself out with everyone on the team.”
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