ASU security guards ready to take the field after missing season due to injury

Despite playing in one of the most violent sports, Arizona State sophomore free safety Montana Warren has managed to stay injury-free through his freshman season with the Sun Devils.

When Warren received the news from team doctors that he had broken his collarbone, he was understandably shaken as he prepared to enter uncharted territory. Warren sustained the injury while working out at Camp Tontozona near Payson in early August 2023. To make matters worse, Warren was just getting into his stride and intercepted two balls before falling to the ground.

“We expected him to play for us from the beginning,” said Bryan Carrington, ASU's defensive backs coach. “Injuries are unfortunate. Physically, he was a guy who could have played for us last year. Not having him there was definitely a blow.”

Warren said he broke his collarbone in training the day before the diagnosis.

The process was disorienting for Warren.

“It really messed me up, I'm not going to lie, because I've never been injured before,” Warren said. “I didn't know what it was like. I never knew what it was like to not be able to play football because my body was failing. That's never happened to me before. It completely threw me off track.”

He spent two hours a week, seven days a week, for six weeks, rehabilitating his broken collarbone.

While he was off the field, Warren was able to refine other aspects of his game.

“I had to take some time off to get back on my feet mentally,” Warren said. “That really helped me realize that football is more than just football. I always watched film, but I couldn't play football, so I had to prepare differently. I just kept watching film. It's like getting reps. That's something I had to learn by watching Shamari (Simmons), Jordan (Clark) and everybody else that was out there. I got mental reps so that when I got healthy, I could come back and not miss a step. That really helped me become a student of the game.”

Now, after a successful rehab and offseason, Warren is healthy again and ready to contribute to ASU's secondary – one of the strongest units on defense. The safeties are perhaps the best position on the entire team. Shamari Simmons, Kamari Wilson, Myles “Ghost” Rowser and Warren lead the pack.

Simmons was one of the players Warren relied on most during his recovery from injury.

“We got really close in camp last year because we did all the drills at the safety position,” Warren said. “I always watch him. Even during the game, I'm on the sidelines injured and I still ask Shamari questions. He tells me things in the middle of the game. That really helped me a lot.”

Warren, who played high school football at East Texas and was a three-star recruit, said he relied mostly on his athleticism when he arrived at ASU. “I just ran around, moved as fast as I could and used what God gave me.” But now, after working on the details like his footwork and spending more time in the film room, he hopes to unite his mind and body.

Carrington was the one who specifically recruited Warren, first getting him committed to join the team at TCU before getting him to transfer to ASU when Carrington was hired there. He says the difference in Warren is noticeable.

“His body has improved a lot more in his sophomore year than it did last year,” Carrington said. “He's 195, 200 pounds now. We're excited about the Montana Warren sandlot. As a redshirt freshman, I have four years to play here – a very promising future.”

While the roster is still being assembled ahead of the season opener at home on Aug. 31 against Wyoming, Carrington is pleased with what he sees from Warren.

He is looking forward to using the athlete he had to recruit twice.

“The sky's the limit for this guy,” Carrington said. “Physically and athletically, he has everything you want in a DB (defensive back), especially in our secondary.”

ASU security guards ready to take the field after missing season due to injury

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