Growing up, 6-foot-6, 240-pound Arizona State freshman tight end AJ Ia always stood head and shoulders above the competition – literally and figuratively.
Since arriving in Tempe this spring, not much has changed. He still towers over most of his teammates and has showcased the potential to impact ASU’s offense in his first year with the Maroon and Gold.
Arizona State freshman tight end AJ Ia looks like he’s going to fit in just fine in Tempe. pic.twitter.com/KGQdfNx2s9
— Anthony Totri (@Anthony_Totri) March 27, 2025
Yet, his personality doesn’t seem to match the flashiness of his razor-sharp route running or elite catch radius that the vertical threat tight end offers.
The freshman is quiet-natured, rarely opts for excessive celebrations and quickly demonstrated a level of maturity beyond his years in his short time as a Sun Devil.
“I really don’t talk to anybody unless they start something with me,” Ia said. “I’m never really that guy to start something and then keep on going after the play.”
According to his parents, Aron and Ponā Ia, it stems from his “humble beginnings” and an upbringing that was laced with tough love.
The Ias keep it real. Sugarcoating and pampering weren’t in the parenting playbook for Aron or Ponā.
“Nothing was peachy with them growing up,” Ponā said. “[They got] tough love from the beginning.”
As the only boy among the four children, he received special treatment from his parents, just not in the way one might expect. Rather than coddling or favoring their only son, they remained extra critical of AJ.
“He got the worst out of everything,” Ponā said. “Right now, I baby him because he’s come so far. But when he was little, he got the most yelling. I never babied him.”
So proud of this kid and how far he’s come. So happy to be here to witness all the hard work he’s put in at ASU. Love you son! pic.twitter.com/Itw8EHpXWg
— Ponā Sitagata-Ia (@nannerz143) April 18, 2025
Ranging from trivial tasks like household chores to how he played on the field, Ponā never let her son fall into complacency.
“It’s a mind game that she plays with her son,” Aron said. “It obviously works because that’s is her only son and for him to look at it like, ‘Damn mom, I’m your only son. You’re not going to spoil me?’”
However, this game yielded a noteworthy product that proved to be helpful to AJ going forward in his football career: discipline.
When AJ got to high school, he faced more tough love. But this time, it wasn’t from a family member. Instead, it came from Orange Lutheran High School head coach Rod Sherman, who made him earn the respect of the coaching staff before granting him a solidified spot on the varsity team.
Despite being one of the more physically gifted players at his age, Ia played for all three levels in his freshman year.
His only crack at a consistent role on the varsity team?
Special teams.
A unit that he couldn’t even manage to stay on during his first season, according to Aron, who serves as a defensive line coach for the Lancers.
AJ’s relentless work ethic and unwavering passion for his craft made sure this didn’t last for long. Ultimately, it only took one year with Sherman and former Orange Lutheran offensive coordinator Aaron Corp for Ia to build a strong bond and become aligned in vision with the coaching staff.
“It took his freshman year to play all three levels in order to trust Sherman and his plan and understand what Sherman was talking about,” Aron said. “By sophomore year, they were like gravy. And it grew to where he became a voice on the team.”
Eventually, the two grew close in his four years at Orange Lutheran, with the Santa Ana native holding fond memories of playing for Sherman.
“I feel like I’ve lived my best years so far over there. Coach Sherman was like another father figure to me,” AJ said. “Our relationship really grew … with him developing me as a player and giving [me] extra coaching tips. He also coached me in how to be a man and how to handle myself in certain situations.”
Throughout his time in high school, Ia amassed gaudy numbers on the gridiron, including a senior campaign which saw him rack up 566 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. It earned him Offensive MVP honors in the prestigious Trinity League last season and an invitation to the Polynesian Bowl, where he suited up next to some of the top high school recruits from across the country.
He also played a vital role in lifting the program from the depths of the Trinity League to being placed among the state’s top teams this past fall. His team made a run to the semifinals of the Division I CIF playoffs after finishing with an 8-4 record in the regular season. It marked the most wins in a single season for Orange Lutheran since 2008.
With a completely new coaching staff upon their arrival, Ia’s graduating class helped establish a new culture at the school.
“They built the bond of family and brotherhood with that program that brought us to another level and that’s why Olu will always be a family-oriented football community because of what the boys had implanted before they left,” Aron said.
When presented with an opportunity to build a new culture with a school at the collegiate level, AJ became intrigued.
From the start, the Sun Devils were all in on Ia. The school came in as his first offer and became his first official visit in April of 2024 – almost exactly one year ago.
Tight ends coach Jason Mohns built an especially strong relationship with AJ and his family, in hopes of luring the 4-star prospect to Tempe. Additionally, other coaches remained active in communication with members of the staff, such as offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo, pitching in to recruit Ia to ASU.
The dedication impressed AJ, who only needed to set foot on campus once before becoming convinced. Without even taking any other visits, he knew he’d found his next home.
“We went to the hotel, and he sat us down and said, ‘I’m going to commit.’ I’m looking at him like I haven’t taken all the visits yet,” Aron joked. “But he shut everything down and said, ‘This is it.’ I want to come to ASU.”
The commitment helped the freshman realize a dream that he’d always aimed to fulfill: playing Division I football. Once again fueled by family experiences, it’s an opportunity that Ia doesn’t take for granted.
“I’m really the first guy [in my family] to come to a Division I college,” AJ said. “All my big cousins, I always looked up to them, they made it to the junior college level. I grew up watching all of them, so I feel like it really inspired me to be able to put on for my family and my last name.”
So far, he’s done enough in spring camp to do more than just make his family proud. His highlight plays and rapid development have caught the eye of many on the coaching staff, including head coach Kenny Dillingham.
“His care level is elite,” Dillingham said of Ia. “When you’re a guy with that size, that athleticism and your care level is that high, you usually play … He may be a guy that we have to get on the field. I don’t play people; They make us play them. He may be a guy who makes me play him.”
Still, like high school, the change of scenery and lifestyle has taken some time for him to adjust to.
And when asked about the biggest adjustment he’s had to make since coming to Tempe, only one thing, or two people, came to mind.
“Not being able to see my parents every day,” Ia said. “Just adapting to living by myself and becoming an adult.”
Leave a Reply