FRISCO — Former Allen wide receiver Jordyn Tyson returned to D-FW Tuesday to represent Arizona State at Big 12 Media Days at The Star in Frisco.
In his return to North Texas, Tyson credited his former high school coach, Chad Morris, for preparing him for college football.
Related:Big 12’s Brett Yormark doubles down on preferred College Football Playoff format
“[It’s the] best football in a lot of the country, being in Texas 6-A, biggest division, best division,” Tyson said. “I definitely took a lot. I had a good coach there… He definitely prepared me for a lot of the stuff I’m seeing in college, so I feel like I had a head start for sure.”
Texas College Sports
In the 2024 season, Tyson recorded 75 catches for 1,101 yards and 10 scores for the 11-3 Sun Devils.
It was during an October game against Kansas when ASU head coach Kenny Dillingham realized his offense, including Tyson, could win games for the team.
The team was down in the last two minutes of the game and quarterback Sam Leavitt said that the team was going to “march down and score again.”
Then, with 16 seconds left, Leavitt threw to Tyson for the game winning touchdown.
“It was a game where [Tyson] overcame adversity versus Kansas, and Sam showed that he can do it in the biggest moments,” Dillingham said.
While Tyson didn’t play in either the Big 12 Championship or College Football Playoff quarterfinal due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the last regular season game, he was still named Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
“[The injury] motivated me a lot, just especially seeing my team when they lost, seeing them play their last game of the season, seeing everybody crying,” Tyson said. “It really hurt me, especially because I know that I can help them.”
A three-star recruit out of high school, Tyson played one season at Colorado before hitting the transfer portal and joining ASU.
He only played three games in his second collegiate season, his first with Arizona State, due to an ACL injury from November 2022.
Going into his second full season with ASU, Tyson said it it’s the first time he will have the same coordinator, coach and quarterback in back-to-back years.
“Just having that, shoot, the sky’s the limit,” Tyson said.
He said he is more mentally and physically prepared than he was last year. A lot of that, he and Dillingham attributed to the work he has done with wide receiver coach Hines Ward.
“Now he’s a guy who’s early, a guy who’s always getting treatment, a guy who doesn’t leave the building, guy who’s always up watching extra tape,” Dillingham said of Tyson. “His preparation to be great is something that I’m super proud of and because of that he’s gained over 10 pounds, and he’s a mile and a half faster than he was this time last year, because he’s preparing like a pro.”
Welcome back:! See photos from Big 12 Media Day at Ford Center in Frisco
View Gallery
Find more college sports coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.