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Paul Tyson excited for his new college career chapter at ASU

The Alabama QB transfer is eager to help the Sun Devils any way he can (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)
The Alabama QB transfer is eager to help the Sun Devils any way he can (AP Photo/Vasha Hunt)

You only have one chance to make a good first impression, and judging by the recruiting process that took place with Alabama QB transfer Paul Tyson, the Sun Devils did precisely that. As one of ASU's 2022 additions tells us, the initial conversation between him and the Arizona State staff was so impactful that a mere few days after he entered the transfer portal, he decided to join the ranks in Tempe.

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“I very quickly grew a great relationship with (head) Coach (Herm) Edwards along with (offensive coordinator) Coach (Zak) Hill,” Tyson recalled, “and I just felt a great fit. The fact that they wanted me and thought that I could help the team improve in any way possible that’s why I’m excited about it. Coach Hill said that I have the skill set to run his offense and that I would be a good fit.


“I’m more of a pro-style quarterback. I played at Alabama under (offensive coordinator) Coach Bill O’Brien is fantastic. I’m more of a drop-back passer that can make any throw. I really like Arizona State’s entire pass game from the RPO standpoint to play-action pass, to drop back…really of those aspects.”


Tyson, who is Alabama’s legendary head coach, Bear Bryant’s great-grandson, did not play in the 2019 and 2020 campaigns for his school. In 2021, he played in 12 games both as a holder and backup quarterback and recorded 10-16 passes for 150 yards. Tyson was a four-star prospect in the 2019 class and prepped at Trussville Hewitt, where he finished as the 2nd all-time career completion percentage quarterback in Alabama high school history with 68 percent as he passed for 78 touchdowns and 7,695 yards. He was an Elite 11 finalist period to his senior season.


Tyson politely declined to name the other schools who were pursuing him after he entered the portal but did state that ASU was not the only Pac-12 school, or power five programs for that matter, that did recruit him. The signal-caller admitted that he didn’t know much about Arizona State prior to his first contact with the team but was certainly intrigued to learn more about them as both sides communicated more and more.


“I knew Coach Edwards, obviously, very well and heard much about him and how great of a coach he was,” Tyson commented. “I took an unofficial visit there Friday (Jan. 14); it was a super nice campus and a big city. I got to check out Phoenix along with Tempe and all the way down to Scottsdale? I went to some good food spots. One of my favorite places was like a hole in the wall, and it was called The Chuckbox. I’ll tell you the truth, I thought it was unbelievable.


“I was most impressed on my visit with how great the people are. Everyone was so welcoming, the coaches and the players, and really just how great they all were. I took other visits and checked out other places, and this was the visit I enjoyed the most.”


Tyson enrolled earlier this week for ASU’s spring semester and will be part of the team’s spring practice. In comparison to the other six known transfers to date that have joined the team, he enters having perhaps the toughest path for a starting job out of his fellow newcomers, as Jayden Daniels is a three-year starter at quarterback and is expected to retain that niche this season as well.


“Coach Hill wants me to come in and support the team in any way I can,” Tyson remarked, “no matter what that means, and that’s what I came to do. I’m excited to get started. Coach Saban and the whole Alabama staff…I don’t have one salty feeling in my mouth at all. I love Alabama, and it was definitely a hard decision to make to leave there.


“But I’m also very excited about this journey that I have ahead of me, and yeah, I might be out of my comfort zone a little bit, just because I’ve never been outside of Alabama much. But I’m extremely excited and can’t wait to get to work.”


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