Whether it was being an integral part of blocking for an elite running back or becoming a significant element in the passing game, the tight end role at ASU returned to the prominence that many fans were yearning for. Its position coach, Jason Mohns, discusses in detail the elements that contributed to that success, reviewing the current players in the room as well as the new additions, and discusses what is needed to elevate his unit in order to surpass what was established in a special 2024 season.

Devils Digest: Reflecting on the 2024 season, what are your thoughts about the tight end group's performance?

Jason Mohns: “I think Chamon [Metayer] established himself as a top performer in the room and had an all-conference type of a season. So, I think he had a heck of a year. He really was what we were looking for as a complete tight end who made plays on the ball and was a big-time threat in the red zone. But I think, more importantly, he was a really physical factor in the run game. I thought the way he competed in the run game and in protection was a huge part of our success. Obviously, with our running game with [Cam Skattebo], the O-line gets the credit a lot. And obviously, we had a special one [Skattebo], but I think the tight end play was part of that. And I thought Chamon really excelled in that.

“[Cameron] Harpole was a kid that we asked to do a lot of different things for us and was what we anticipated being our utility knife a little bit in the tight end room. He was able to play big in 12-personnel-type settings and was able to spell Chamon at times late in the year. So, we're excited about him, and I think he didn't get a ton of opportunities on the ball. But he is a guy that we have a lot of faith in that he can be a productive player, as he gets those opportunities. I’m excited about what he brings going forward.

“So, with those two guys coming back, we're excited about it. I think Chamon has the ability to build on what was a pretty stellar junior season.”

Devils Digest: Is the fact that Metayer was a post-spring addition an aspect that should impress people even more? It’s hard to hit the ground running in fall camp without having the benefit of a spring practice acclimation?

Jason Mohns: “No doubt. I think it's a testament to him, and that was the thing that jumped out when he came on his visit. We were watching film, and he was asking questions that were high football IQ-type questions. I was like, ‘All right, this kid understands ball.’ That allowed him to come in and pick things up quickly; he tweaked his hamstring in summer workouts. So, he didn't really start going until we got to Camp T, which was his coming out party. He had great practices there. Obviously, in the scrimmage, he had that exceptional one-handed catch in the corner of the end zone that made everybody go, ‘Okay, who's this kid?’

“We had been seeing it, and I think where he really established himself first was his physical play at the line of scrimmage. That's what we've been preaching and what I've been preaching for our room: that everything starts with the physicality up front. Guys that want to get on the field and want to have opportunities to catch the ball, you got to establish yourself first up there and show us that you have the willingness and the toughness and the technique to do that.

“That was really where he had established himself. And then, obviously, as he got opportunities on the ball, he made play after play and became a guy that we game-planned ways to get him the ball. That's obviously what you want. You want to have guys in your room that [Offensive Coordinator Marcus Arroyo] wants to game-plan ways to get them the ball.”

Devils Digest: Did you see signs in fall camp that not only Metayer but the tight end group as a whole could have a special year? Were those indications in August proved to be what you actually saw in September through December?

Jason Mohns: “Absolutely. That (fall camp) was when it started flashing, and we didn't get a ton of looks at Chamon from when he came back from his tweaked hamstring when he wasn't full go. So, it was really Camp T when we really got a chance to look at him full speed. He had something to prove, and that came out. He elevated the room as a whole; I think it brought the best out of the other guys because of the way he practiced; he practiced hard, and he played hard. I never had to beg and plead for effort from him. That's the culture of our team: guys that play hard, love to compete, and I think Chamon fits that to a T.”

Devils Digest: What do you think should be on the to-do list for Metayer for spring practice to take his game to that next level that you think he's capable of?

Jason Mohns: “Get his body right. He took a lot of snaps for us last year, and right now, we're focusing on getting him healthy and getting him right, which is just a little bit of time for his body to recover. I think as we go in there, we're going to spend a lot of time working on his ball skills, pass-catching, and those are the things that sometimes, because of what we're asked to do in the run game and in protections, we don't get as much time to just work on the receiver skill set.

“So, putting those guys in position running routes, catching balls, getting comfortable doing that, I think is huge for him. I'm really looking for him to take on even more of a leadership role. He came in late, and I think rightfully so he deferred leadership a little bit early on. He established himself as a leader with our guys. And so, I think now, coming back into year two having a full spring ahead of him; I think that's really what I want to see from him is coming back as a guy that's one of our highest productive returning players to step in and take guys under his wing and show them, ‘Man, this is how we did it last year. This is how it needs to be done.’ To really bring those young guys up around him.”

Devils Digest: And for a guy like Harpole, is it just a matter of making significant strides in the receiving aspect of his game to match his blocking aspect?

Jason Mohns: “I think he's gonna be in a position to get a lot of snaps this spring. I know he and Sam [Leavitt] already have a great relationship, and I know Sam has trust in him. I think for [Harpole], it's just him establishing himself as a guy that we can count on consistently in those situations.

“Some of it is just opportunities, and I think he's gonna get a lot of those opportunities this spring. He looks great. He's stronger and faster, even more than he was in the season. He's a guy that we have a lot of confidence and belief in. So, I think it's just another season, another year where he's continuing to build that trust and relationship with Sam and with Coach Arroyo and those guys to know, ‘Hey, when Harps on the field, he's a guy that we can go to.’ I know guys feel that way about him, and I think he's gonna have a great spring.”

Devils Digest: What did you see from the development of the younger guys who redshirted in Jayden Fortier and James Giggey this past year?

Jason Mohns: “With James because he was healthy and ready to go from the jump. I think he's a guy that brings a different skill set to the room. He's like a throwback, fullback-type body, but he's long, and he's athletic, and he's a big, strong kid. I know Coach Joe (strength coach Joe Connolly) has been really impressed with him in the weight room. He's got great energy. He's a hard worker; he's strong. And I think there's a role on our team for him. I think he showed guys that he's got physicality.

“He showed guys that he's got some football acumen. He understands the game, and he's not afraid to put his face on people. He makes some plays. He's pretty darn athletic. He does some stuff surprisingly athletically in route running and with his ball skills. He's a kid that's gonna be fun to watch. When we get into some heavier sets and in around the goal line and short yardage, I think he can have a real role. We'd love to see him continue to grow into not just being a fullback or not just being a package guy, but really being able to be a complete tight end.”

Devils Digest: Fortier's unfortunate injury in the Oregon state championship game prevented him from arriving at ASU last spring, and he was never fully healthy until maybe very late in the season. But even under those circumstances, what did you see from him last year?

Jason Mohns: “He’s a kid that comes with great energy. He's a long, athletic kid who has great ball skills. It was tough when you came in late because so many of the guys come early now, and you see the advantage of coming early because the guys that do come in the summer, got catching up to do. So, it was the double whammy of number one coming in during the summer and then still having to rehab from the injury. You're a young player in a new place; you leave Oregon when the weather's great, and you come to Tempe when it's at the peak of its heat. It's a transition period. As the season went on, especially once he got cleared to go, there was definitely a spark of energy from him getting back in the mix.

“I know he did some really good stuff on the scout team, and I had several different times where the defensive student assistants and analysts running the scout offense would give some rave reviews on Jayden and some of the things that he was doing. They were excited about him, and he was making plays and going up against our first-string defense. We definitely know he's got it in him.

“I think for him, it's just getting mentally and physically getting back to 100% and being ready to go. And obviously the spring is going to be a really important period for him. It’s gonna be his first spring, and it's weird because even though you feel like you've had a guy here a year, he's never been through a spring ball. So, this will be a huge opportunity for him to get through all the installs, to get through the indy (individual) drills, and to have the meeting time. Cause we get so much quality meeting time with our room. I think that's going to do wonders for him to feel like he's back on the same page as everybody else.”

Devils Digest: Let’s discuss the two additions, first from the portal Kentucky transfer Khamari Anderson. What have you seen from him since he arrived on campus?

Jason Mohns: “When I got back from the road and around the talking to guys, Khamari is impressing everybody who comes in contact with him. He's working his tail off, he's a great-looking kid, and he's got an incredible personality. He also has an incredible work ethic, and he's been in the office every day, watching films and spending time with my tight end student assistant, Jeremy Platt. They're in there watching film and doing tight end tests.

“He's already done two or three different kinds of tight end tests to check his understanding of formations, motions, and concepts. So, he's coming in hungry, and he's really impressed early in workouts. We're excited about him, and he’s a kid who is still only 19 years old. He's played two years in the SEC and hasn't used a redshirt year, so he potentially has three years of eligibility left (pending an NCAA ruling that would increase the number of eligibility seasons from four to five). We're very, very excited about him. I think who he is as a young man is exactly what we're trying to bring to Tempe. ”

Devils Digest: When you watched Anderson on film, what caught your eye as you started recruiting him?

Jason Mohns: “I just felt like he was a complete tight end for how we use our, wide 11-personnel sets. He's played with his hand down in the core and he's got some twitch and pop off the line of scrimmage, which is stuff that I thought flashed also with Chamon, his ability to come off the ball, play with leverage and he knocks guys off the ball. He's got some twitch, and he's got some experience doing that in a big-time conference. And then you add that with his skill set, his ability to run and catch, and his ball skills. He didn't really get a lot of opportunities to make plays on the ball, but really, as a whole, in that offense, I don't think they had a tight end that was over 100 yards receiving. So, none of the tight ends were really put in a position to make plays on the ball very often.

“But when he was put in that position, he was very fluid athletically; you saw his change of direction, his acceleration, his tracking of the ball, and his natural ball skills. That is just some stuff that showed up that got us really excited, and we honed in on him early. We felt like he was a good fit for our offense and how we use our tight ends. So far, we've been very happy with what we've got from him since he's been on campus.”

Devils Digest: AJ Ia is a four-star incoming freshman who is already on campus. What have been your first impressions since he arrived?

Jason Mohns: “Going into week three of (winter) workouts, I've had probably ten different people since I've been back from the road come up to me and say, ‘Oh man, AJ wow,’ He's a physical specimen. He looks the part; he runs well, and he's really athletic. He's working his tail off. And I think the sky's the limit for him. There's a lot of work to do in the techniques and the things that he’ll be asked to do. But I think the skill set that he's coming in with is very advanced for his age. We couldn't be any more excited about him.”

Devils Digest: When you started recruiting him, what are some of the attributes that initially jumped out?

Jason Mohns: “Well, just the way he moves for his size, he's 6-foot-6, 245-250 pounds, high school kid that stretches the field vertical and has short area quickness and catches the ball. He has really soft hands, and he tracks the ball and catches it with his hands at a very high level.

“Usually, those guys that are those kinds of big guys at the high school level, that's the area where they struggle, the way they move in the open field and the way they change directions. That's really his strength. He was the offensive player of the year in the (Southern California High School) Trinity league. I went back and asked some guys that I know who are coaching in that league, and nobody can remember a tight end ever winning that award.

“They've (Trinity league) had the best of the best when it comes to quarterbacks and receivers and running backs. I think that tells you a lot about this kid's skill set when you can win that accolade. I don't even say, arguably, the best high school football conference in the country against the best of the best players that you're going up against every week.

“I think that just tells you that he's a very talented player. He's done it against the highest level of competition that you can see at the high school level. And he's got an extremely high ceiling for development here at ASU.”

Devils Digest: Going into spring practice with six scholarship tight ends, is that an ideal number, or do you think there's a chance that you would still search the portal in April for another player?

Jason Mohns: “Well, I think ideally, we're going to have seven scholarship tight ends. I think as we go to this new model (of 105 scholarship players), I think we'll have seven scholarship tight ends in our room. We'll have to evaluate it. I think you look at a guy like Coleson Arends, who's done a great job for us; I don't think you could find a better walk-on. From the moment he came in, he worked his tail off. He's physical. He contributed to special teams as a redshirt freshman this year and was our fourth-string guy last year. He took quality reps all year in practice, and he was in situations where he was on the field against 2’s consistently. He also had some opportunities to get reps in 12-personnel against the 1’s.

“He's a kid who I think we want to see him continue to progress, but I think he's in a position to work his way to stay on. I think that opportunity is there for him. And I think that's what you want to do. You want to create the type of program that rewards kids who come in, work hard, and contribute. If he can continue to do that, he's got a chance. We feel pretty good right now.

“We've got two seniors (Metayer and Harpole), Khamari who's a junior with an asterisk because he could potentially have three more years. The room's pretty balanced right now when you look across the board and the eligibility that we have left. When we get into spring, we’ll see where our guys are at, obviously knock on wood that we keep everybody healthy. And if we do that, then I don't know that we've got to jump into the portal to bring in anybody who's experienced. I think we feel pretty good about the experience in our room right now. At the end of the day, it's a constant evaluation, and guys have to come out and perform. They have to show us that they can contribute. And obviously, we've got to stay healthy, So we'll do that, and then we'll see where we're at.”

Devils Digest: You were born and raised in the Valley and followed ASU for decades. It seems like since the days of Chris Coyle, the fans have been clamoring for an offense that truly is going to highlight the tight end in the receiving game. What do you think really changed to make this offense so tight end friendly?

Jason Mohns: “Number one, coach Arroyo and his system is multiple pro-style offense. Everything we do is based on running the ball and play-action shots and things like that. I think when you do that, the tight end becomes involved. Coach Arroyo has got the system to be very friendly and to be able to move guys around and put guys in position to target them.

“We put a lot of emphasis on getting our guys the ball, getting our best players involved, obviously find ways to get (wide receiver) Jordyn Tyson involved in different ways and move him around and not always lining up in the same place. I think we do the same thing with our tight ends. We can move our tight ends around; we can take advantage of their skill sets.

“Tip of the cap to Coach Arroyo, the play caller, and for the play design to find a guy like Chamon and understand his strengths, find ways to highlight that, and put him in a position to make plays. We've only been in this system for one year, and we’ll continue to build up the talent level in the room and we’ll continue to grow as an offense. To be able to go in and have another full spring together where we're not all learning things together for the first time, we'll be in that much better of a situation for us, to expand on the usage of our tight ends. We've got some nice weapons that we've added to give Coach Arroyo some more tools to get creative.”

Devils Digest: If you go back to February of 2024, were there some signs or a certain writing on the wall that showed you that 2024 could be the special season it turned out to be? And fast forward to present time, do you feel those signs are still there that could be an indicator that another special season is ahead?

Jason Mohns: “I think it just started with the chemistry of our team, You just felt like we've got good people here that care, like to work hard and they're competitors. This is a group that loves football and likes being around each other. Our coaches enjoy being around each other and guys are hanging out with each other outside of football. It doesn't feel like it's a task when we have to do things outside of the office.

“That chemistry only continued to grow and expand. And obviously, when you have success to show for it, it reinforces that the things that we're doing are working. We feel like where we are now, we feel like we've established the foundation and we have the blueprint for what it looks like to be successful and what are the things that it takes to be successful.

“So, now for us, it's to hammer that home that it's easy to show up and work hard and have a chip when everybody's picking against. Now that people are telling you you're great, and their expectations have changed. Can you have the same level of camaraderie, commitment, and work ethic? If we just put our heads down and went to work, didn't worry about what anybody said about us, and went to work, we could succeed. And I think our kids understand that.

“I will say, we definitely saw glimpses last spring, and I think they only grew as time went on and you could see when we came home from Camp T we were saying, ‘Man, every practice our kids practice hard.’ We didn't have one practice where we had a low energy day, or we didn't feel like our kids practiced hard. We had days where it wasn't our best or most productive day, but it wasn't because we didn't practice hard. That's the sign of a good team when they consistently practice hard.

“And then we came home and it was the players’ first day off in forever. We had like 30-something of our kids hanging out together, and coach sent a picture to our coaches’ chat saying, ‘Hey, we got something special here.’ And I still feel that these kids enjoy being around each other. After being on the road, you get back in the building and see people, and the guys are excited to see each other with big smiles. Players are coming to talk to recruits on their day off because they believe in what we're doing and, they care about their coaches, and they're willing to help out.

“I think that the culture is very strong but we have to work that much harder to sustain it and to take that next step. That's the commitment between now and when we head back up to Camp T this summer, to make sure that we just keep our heads down and we continue to grind and we continue to pour into each other in the relationships. When people asked us what do you think about Texas? And do we have a chance in the Peach Bowl? I was like, ‘Here's what I know. These guys are extremely talented, and they were the No. 1 team in the country for a good chunk of the season.’ But I said, ‘The one thing I know about our team is that we play hard and we care.’ I've been around enough football to know that when you have a team full of guys who play really hard, care about each other, and sprinkle in some really special players like we have on our roster, you have a chance to be really good.

“I still feel that way. I feel like our guys understand that, and we're excited to get back and continue to build on the solid foundation that we laid last year and even in the year before.”

Devils Digest: For you personally, last season going into year two versus year one of coaching at the college level, what have you noticed from your own development that allowed you to be part of the success that we've seen from the Sun Devils?

Jason Mohns: “When I first got here every different period that I went through was the first time going through it. And so, I think for anybody, when you're going through those things for the first time, there's a little bit of that, just the unknown. I don't want to say it's the fear of the unknown, but maybe it's the anxiety that's created by not knowing what to expect.

“After having a full cycle, going through a college football calendar, and knowing what everything is gonna look like with the ebbs and flows of the calendar, the different time commitments, recruiting cycle, the in-season and off-season grind…going into year two, you say ‘All right, I've been through this before. I know what to expect.’ My family's adjusted. I know my wife and my kids are good, and I felt way more at ease and comfortable with my day-to-day. That helped me focus my attention on trying to be the best coach I could be for the tight ends. I felt like I had taken a step forward. Just because, like anything else, when you get experience, you learn, you grow, you develop, and you find out how you fit. You find out the areas where you need to take on more, and you find out the areas where you may need to take a step back.

“It’s the same with Coach Dillingham; how much better was he as a head coach in year two than in year one? You sometimes don't know what you don't know, and you have to go through the experience to learn. The guys who are successful are the guys who continually evaluate themselves and find ways to grow, learn, and get better. For me, that was the difference between year one and year two. And in year two, you try to be a little bit better. I think going into year three, I'll be that much better because I've had the opportunity to grow and develop.”

(Ryan Myers contributed to this article)

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