Following a Big 12 championship and a trip to the college football playoffs in one of the most thrilling seasons in ASU history, there has been considerable anticipation for ASU football to return, and on Tuesday, March 25th, it has. The first spring football practice signaled the start of a new season and new beginnings for both the Sun Devil players and coaches.

ASU was fortunate to return a significant level of production from last year’s 11-win team, approximately 80% on each side of the ball. The 2025 roster will be defined by vast experience and a substantial number of proven players from the two-deep that remain at Arizona State.

There were many lessons learned from the incredibly successful 2024 season, and these days, some of the team veterans have taken on the obligation of playing larger roles for the upcoming season. Jordyn Tyson, a junior wide receiver, the Big 12’s Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year, and a First-Team All-Big-12 selection, is among those who are already making an impression as a lead-by-example player.

“The way that he’s able to catch certain balls and understand space and positioning,” Sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt said. “He’s a really special player. I know that’s going to be there, so I’m just trying to figure out everybody else right now.”

“You see Jordyn Tyson out here catching everything,” said junior running back Kanye Udoh.

Catch everything Tyson did, as with multiple highlight catches in spring’s first session, including two contested touchdown grabs, it appeared to be extremely easy to dismiss any doubts about his collarbone injury suffered at the end of last season. Now he can look forward to 2025, when he will be ready to take on new responsibilities as the leader of this new-look wide receiver group.

Among those departing the position group were outgoing seniors Xavier Guillory and Melquan Stovall, who made an appearance at the Sun Devils' first practice, unsurprisingly showing their support for their former teammates. Jalen Moss, a Fresno State transfer, and Noble Johnson, a Clemson transfer, are among others who have arrived in Tempe hoping to make an impression.

“I like all of them,” Tyson remarked on the newcomers. “I think we added depth, I think we added a lot of guys, and I think they definitely made us better…I think they picked up the offense pretty well; I think they’re going to have a good spring.”

Some of the players are new to being the team's ‘veteran’. Tyson had a taste of that role at the close of last season with not only the team's success but also his individual performance as the focal point of ASU's aerial attack. On a year-to-year basis, that can be part of the adjustment. Players get used to having someone to look up to and be the outspoken leader, and then all of a sudden, that weight shifts on them.

One of the players dealing with that type of change is junior running back Kyson Brown. Last season, Brown was Cameron Skattebo's primary backup and was named First Team All-Big-12. He is now in his third year with the Sun Devils. With Skattebo's departure, Brown became the longest-tenured member of the running back group, recognizing his role as Skattebo's successor in leadership.

“It’s weird to see that I’m the old head,” Brown admitted. “I’ve been here the longest out of most of the running backs in the room, so it’s feeling weird…I’ve seen Skatt coming through here, I got to uphold the standard and show these younger guys the ropes a little bit.”

Brown improved dramatically last season, playing an important role in ASU's strong running game. He'll most likely play an even larger part, this time poised to splitting responsibilities with Udoh, who has transferred from Army. Moving from West Point, New York, to Tempe, Arizona, could not be a more drastic change, therefore being able to rely on the steady and experienced Sun Devil will play an important role in his adjustment to his new surroundings.

Coming from a rigid environment like Army requires focus and determination. Udoh may be another new face on the team, but he is by no means unable to step into a leadership role quickly. Brown has seen just that from the transfer.

“You can just see it in the way that he carries himself, he’s a professional,” Brown described. “So that just allows him to be that kind of a leader in the room… he’s a great back. I feel like he can do some good things out of the backfield. I’m just here to get my little piece in the offense, and hopefully, I can contribute a lot.”

What Brown brings as a returning contributor is also what senior wide receiver Malik McClain intends to bring. McClain, in his second year at ASU, had a more supporting role last season due to the stability of the wide receiving core, as well the fact that he had redshirted. Yet, now that a handful of wideouts left the team and the same number was added, McClain's presence gives plenty of reassurance in a returning player who shined in limited postseason opportunities with an intriguing potential for the upcoming campaign.

Even with an expanded role on and off the field, Tyson has clearly made an effort to express his admiration for those around him. Demonstrating his early outspokenness in transitioning to being now also the vocal leader of the group by consistently encouraging his teammates, and in McClains' instance, elated to see his abilities and level of contribution to the offense.

“Malik is an amazing player,” Tyson remarked. “I love the way he plays his game, and I think you all should expect big things… I think he’s a true X (field wide receiver), I think he’s a well rounded X too, he can run routes and he can run the fade ball. Him being able to be in the X, and me being in the slot and the Z (boundary wide receiver), I think it’ll work out perfect.”

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