ASU’s Will Sutton honored to wear PT42 jersey
Apr 11, 2013, 11:02 PM
Alden Darby was the first to wear it.
Now, Will Sutton is the second.
“He’s earned (it),” head coach Todd Graham said Thursday. “I see a huge difference in him this spring.”
The PT42 practice jersey was presented to Sutton during a team meeting prior to practice.
“This is not going to be some fluff deal,” Graham said. “I said, ‘Will has earned this jersey. The key to our success is that he keeps it.’ We challenged him with that.”
Sutton, named the Pac-12 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year last season, understands the significance of wearing PT42.
“It’s an honor because (Tillman is) somebody who did a lot for this university and for our country at the same time. It means a lot.
“Doing everything right,” Sutton continued on why he is just the second player to wear the jersey in practice. “Coming out, working real hard and doing everything off the field also. I worked kind of hard this spring, getting good grades and on the field doing everything right.”
Sutton did just about everything right his junior year, leading the team in tackles for a loss (23.5) and sacks (13) in becoming ASU’s 18th Consensus All-American.
He prefers to lead by example.
“They want me to be a little more vocal,” he said. “I’m working on it, trying to see how it is. It’s a little uncomfortable.”
Graham said it’s up to Sutton how long he’ll continue to wear PT42.
“You’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to bring it every day,” Graham said. “I’m telling you, (Sutton has) been bringing it every day. He’s coaching the other guys. He’s telling guys this is not acceptable. He didn’t do that last year. He was a great player last year but he didn’t do all those things.”
