When the ASU football team stopped making annual trips to Camp Tontozona many felt the team was abandoning a very important tradition. Aside from grueling practices, Tontozona is known as a place where Sun Devil football players bonded and became more than just teammates and in 2012, the team’s first year back, that is exactly what happened.
“This camp has been absolutely incredible,” coach Todd Graham said. “We have had all types of different experiences. We had a little teambuilding last night … had a camp fire and had a few guys singing by the camp fire.”
In addition to campfires, the team has also done simple things that cannot be done in Tempe such as hiking Mount Kush and jumping off a cliff into the water. While the players have enjoyed getting away from the city, they have also appreciated the opportunity to learn more about their teammates.
“I’ve made so many new relationships with guys on the team,” freshman running back D.J. Foster said. “Everyone’s had a good time and we’re all becoming a lot closer.”
Junior safety Alden Darby echoes Foster’s sentiments and spoke about Wednesday night when approximately 30 players walked around for an hour and a half doing nothing particular, just talking, laughing and enjoying each other’s company.
“That alone brought us together,” Darby said. “No cell phone service and the dorms with different dudes is really bringing us together and I appreciate that.”
Darby has used the five days in Payson to develop a relationship with redshirt junior cornerback Robert Nelson, while Foster has strengthen his bond with redshirt senior running back James Morrison.
“Jay Mo was my roommate (at camp) in Tempe,” Foster said. “I feel like he’s my big brother now. I look up to him. Just the way he plays and the way he is as a person. After he graduates he is someone I want to keep in contact with.”
Practice Notes:
- Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kevin Anderson appears to be switching positions as he spent Wednesday working with the cornerbacks and received reps in both 7-on-7 and team periods. Anderson’s position change is likely to create depth at the defensive back position. “The biggest thing that stands out is lack of depth,” Graham said. “We need to develop a fourth corner … We’ve got to have some guys on the depth (chart) step up.”
- While long touchdowns have been prevalent throughout the practices at Camp Tontozona, Friday’s practice saw plenty of explosive plays. The first two plays of the team session were 80 yard touchdown passes. On the first play redshirt freshman quarterback Michael Eubank hit senior wide receiver Rashad Ross and redshirt sophomore quarterback Taylor Kelly hooked up with redshirt junior receiver Alonzo Agwuenu on the second snap. Overall there were six touchdown passes of over 50 yards.
- Graham has constantly stressed the importance of ball security for the team and in the quarterback race and sophomore Mike Bercovici threw two interceptions, one during a team period and the other in 7-on-7.
- Walk-on kicker Jon Mora again received the first reps, but redshirt sophomore Alex Garoutte remains the starter although Graham does acknowledge a competition for the job. “There is definitely a competition going and Alex has had a great camp and we have a lot of confidence in him.”
Reach the reporter at william.boor@asu.edu
