Week two of Fall camp off to a strong start ahead of Camp T

The second week of fall camp got off to a hot start for Arizona State, with a balanced and strong collective team effort capitalizing on the momentum 38 hours earlier after a session at Mountain America Stadium, which head coach Kenny Dillingham tabbed as the best practice ASU conducted this far in fall camp.

The team will have another practice on Tuesday, centered around special teams, before taking a 90-minute journey up North to Camp Tontozona, a tradition that started back in 1959 under legendary head coach Frank Kush. The Sun Devils will spend four nights packed into cabins, sleeping in bunk beds and trekking uphill to take a shower, all part of the ultimate team bonding experience.

The Camp T tradition has turned into a favorite amongst ASU fandom, and for someone such as Dillingham, who grew up in the Valley of the Sun as an ASU fan, this period of time during fall camp is extremely meaningful to him.

“My favorite photo, other than my wedding photo and the photo at the birth of my son, is the photo on the (Camp T field) with the entire team right before we sing the fight song,” Dillingham said. “That’s the definition of ‘if you could sum up college football in a photo.’”

The camp is typically a turning point in the team’s connectivity and camaraderie simply because of the isolation and lack of distractions. Wireless connections are spotty, and every player is a captive audience to the atmosphere, which is the exact reason why coaches, players, and fans enjoy the break away from Tempe.

With the additional time for players to get to know each other and enhance team chemistry, the situation can often force younger players or transfers out of their shells and continue getting to know each other. The young players on the roster have continued to grow as fall camp progressed, and with a heap of NFL scouts, 11 of them just today, coming through the Bill Kajikawa practice field doors over the last five practices, Dillingham has been excited to see his team get the exposure even if it’s not the level he expects just yet.

“It’s great, they deserve it,” Dillingham said about his players being scouted by NFL teams. “It should be a standard that this is a place that you come to, and this is a place you stop at. It’s nice that they’re coming, but then they leave in one day. Teams that compete for national championships, and scouts stay for two days.”

Taking a trip up to Camp T also allows for ASU to spend time on the field in different ways, unlike practices in Tempe. The team will participate in numerous live-action, team-oriented situations, including an intersquad scrimmage on Saturday. The yearly scrimmage and the rest of camp are open to the public, allowing fans to be in attendance, adding extra motivation for the players to compete at a high level.

“I love scrimmages,” Dillingham commented. “I love it when coaches are off the field and nobody can be like ‘hey relate to three’ or ‘hey watch pressure’, that’s not real football. That’s football with a crutch. When the coaches are on the sideline, we’re in a scrimmage, we’re at Camp T, and there are fans there. It’s not a game, but you wanna be successful.”

During scrimmages and real games, oftentimes, the moments of uncertainty are decided by leaders. On the defensive front, no one embodies leadership more than two-time Pat Tillman Leadership Council member, senior defensive lineman Clayton Smith.

Smith is entering his final season of college football and his last stint at Camp T, as this final year marks significant growth for him on and off the field. After transferring in 2023 from Oklahoma, Smith faced challenges as a teammate, requiring selflessness and maturity. One clear indication of his development is being named today to the 101 Freak List​ college players, No. 61 to be exact, a list compiled by The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman. The defensive end added 15 lbs. in the offseason, now standing at 6-foot-4, 252 lbs. and hit 22.1 mph on the GPS with a max acceleration of 8.18. In the weight room, he has personal bests of 565 lbs. squatting, 335 lbs. benching, and 330 lbs. cleaning.

Since being a part of the council in 2024, Smith has not only embraced that title but also embodied the role as one of the team’s senior captains.

“(Being on the leadership council) has helped me grow a lot because you can’t just think for you,” Smith said Monday, “because you got young guys watching you. If you’re on the council, you have to hold yourself to a different standard. Being on the council has helped me really transform the way I approach life.”

Smith has a noticeably charismatic personality. With that, he brings a unique hobby that not many of his teammates want any part of: his love for snakes. Smith owns reptiles himself and is taking the opportunity at Camp T to spend some time delving into a passion and maybe scaring some of his teammates in the process.

“We go to that little creek as soon as practice is over,” Smith noted. “I got my little hook, and we’re going to find us something. My goal is to catch me one and scare some people with it.”

Camp brings out personalities, not just through the obscurity of snake hunting, but it also allows players the opportunity to bond in ways that aren’t fabricated or forced. Smith noted that the trip up to Camp T is what helps to push the team over the edge with its camaraderie.

“It’s just the icing on the cake,” Smith remarked. “To get us ready to get our minds right, and really show that these guys care. Everybody is doing the same thing and the same work. Everybody is tired. It brings us closer together, and I really think that’ll transition into the season.”

A player who enjoyed a more simplistic lifestyle in the mountains in 2024 was then-transfer linebacker Zyrus Fiaseu. He arrived from San Diego State after having a dominant season with 66 tackles in 2023 and being named Team MVP for the Aztecs. Going into his final trip to Camp T, the senior relishes the pure football nature when away from Tempe.

“It’s just football up there,” Fiaseu described. “Whether you’re hanging out with the boys or playing football or practicing football, everything is about football. When I wake up, I see my guys; when I go to sleep, I see my guys. I’m just trying to take it in because it’s my last one, and I’m just trying to give it my all, just like every senior is.

“It’s cool because we do campfires, and growing up, I probably only had a handful of s’mores before. So, it’s cool because sometimes we make those. It’s a fellowship. We do things with the linebackers and the little groups that we have. So, it’s cool to see someone else’s life and what they’ve been through.”

Throughout fall camp, it’s evident Fiaseu is aiming to maximize his final collegiate year by “giving it his all.” Although he isn’t a bona fide starter, the linebacker has proven to be an impactful player for ASU already. The first snap of 2024 saw him score a pick-6 against Wyoming, and he hasn’t let his foot off the gas pedal since.

“I’m really just trying to love this sport,” Fiaseu elaborated. “I do love it, but I’m just trying to make sure that I give it all my love. Sometimes you don’t know when football is going to end for you, so I’m just trying to give it my all and see where it takes me. I’m just doing what I do, just better.”

It’s expected Fiaseu will give his all and be a presence during the intersquad scrimmage Saturday, along with all the other players looking to put on a show for any fans that travel to the campgrounds for a free footballing display. The intimate style of spectating, with trees and hills surrounding the play, makes it interesting for players to absorb the atmosphere of Sun Devils fans while having some time for photos and autographs after as well.

“It’s beautiful to see the support that we have,” Fiaseu said. “Those fans don’t know me personally, I don’t know them, but when I see them, I give it my all because I love the fans, especially with this team too. Some people drive over an hour, and some people fly into Arizona just to come see it, so if you can’t give back to the fans, then what are we doing?”

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