Pat Tillman legacy embraced by Arizona State football leaders in new apparel

FRISCO, Texas — The Arizona State football team is on quite a roll. The Sun Devils were one of the star attractions as Big 12 football media days got underway at The Star in Frisco. ASU is the reigning conference champion, and the athletic program was recognized as the top team in the conference, combining athletics and academics.

The Sun Devils may have also been the best-dressed team, too. Early in the day, the players sported uniforms for interviews and photo shoots. After lunch, the players emerged in suits. Not just any suits. The suits had inside linings emblazoned with Pat Tillman Foundation branding. The pockets featured white handkerchiefs, with the Pat Tillman statue peeking out.

All players also had pitchfork lapel pins gifted to them by ASU athletic director Graham Rossini earlier in the day.

Sophomore quarterback Sam Leavitt was the easiest to spot. He was decked out in powder blue. His favorite target, junior Jordyn Tyson was in gray. Xavion Alford donned dark blue with center Ben Coleman in another shade of the color.

ASU had six players at media day, but all 11 members of the team’s leadership council have the same Tillman-emblazoned suits for other team-related occasions.

“We started the leadership council when I first got here, and Pat Tillman is an iconic person in ASU history,” safety Xavion Alford said. “It feels good to represent that legacy. We want to embrace that and make that a foundation for what we are doing.”

Alford said it was the leadership council’s idea.

“We wanted to show it off,” he said. “We feel like it’s a badge of honor to come here. Our team unity is why we play the way we do on the field, and this probably shows that off a little bit. We play hard for each other because we really care about each other.”

Some players were willing to pass around compliments when asked if they were the best-dressed team.

“I have to give credit to Kansas State. They’re pretty decked out too,” Coleman said. “They have good colors to work with, which helps.”

(This story has been updated to add new information.)