In my own words: Zeth Thues
In the era of NIL and the transfer portal, landing in-state recruits is more challenging than in years past. But for defensive back Zeth Thues, the genuine vibe and the values instilled in him during his upbringing made his decision to stay home quite easy.
The Peoria Liberty defensive back, who also played for Scottsdale Saguaro, arrives this spring in Tempe with a formidable resume. He is a two-time state champion, and among his honors are being named 6A Desert Valley – Region Player of the Year, placed on the Inaugural 2025 Hispanic Football Hall of Fame High School All-Americas list, and named as NBC12’s FridayNightFever Defensive Player of the Year.
In our exclusive interview, Thues talks about his football journey, the recruiting process with the home team, and his expectations as a true freshman with the Sun Devils.
“The first time I played football was when I was four years old. I’ve been playing football more than half my life, so it means a lot. It’s played a vital role in my life growing up and it just created a lot of bonds and memories throughout life. I grew up playing with many people I’m still friends with today. We used to travel a lot for youth football, go to California tournaments, go to Florida tournaments.
“In 8th grade, I knew that football was a real serious part of my life.? I was going into my freshman year at Saguaro High School. They just won the Open (championship) that year, and I had high expectations for myself. My coaches had high expectations for me to get on the Varsity team, go to camp with them, and all that. So, from that point, I can kind of tell this could go somewhere. Jason Mohns was my head coach back then, and we had a great relationship. He played a big role in me playing on that varsity team my freshman year. He also demanded a lot out of me, and he pushed me, especially as a freshman. He held me to the same standard that he held all the senior players. It was good to get to play under him for one year and learn everything I could.
“When he went to ASU (to become the Sun Devils’ tight ends coach), He was a big part of my recruiting process, and helped me a lot. He preached to me, in some ways, about how the recruiting process works, and told me to stay on my grind, stay on my path. He helped me keep my head right. Obviously, he went to ASU, and they ended up offering me the opportunity, and I just felt very appreciative of that. He was on me a lot once I got my (ASU) offer. I talked to him a good amount after that (offer), and it always kept it in the back of my mind.
“I always liked how he coached. I loved the energy and everything he brought to the table, to the team. Even though I only had one year with him in high school, that played a big role, too. Even though he’s not going to be my position coach, just knowing he’s on staff and that he’d vouch for me and have my back is good.
“After my freshman season, I knew I was good enough to get a college scholarship offer from a power conference school. I knew it was only up from here, and there was so much more I could expand on in my game. I feel like I set a pretty good standard, being one of the top freshmen on Varsity, one of the only freshmen on a very good varsity team, which was probably one of the top two in the state at the time. Since then, honestly starting games against very big teams, making play after play, and getting my film out, I knew that I had a good opportunity to be able to open some doors to certain colleges.
“I transferred to Liberty (High School) in the back half of my sophomore year, so after we won the 6-A championship at Saguaro. Honestly, Coach Mohns going to ASU didn’t really play a role in me leaving. We ended up getting a new head coach that year (former ASU offensive coordinator Zak Hill), but just knowing that that coach had a high chance of leaving (Hill did stay at Saguaro for just one season), I kind of figured that it was going to be a repetitive cycle of having to make a new bond with a new coach and regain his trust and all that. So, I kind of knew Saguaro was going to be iffy for the rest of my high school years there, and if I had stayed there, we wouldn’t have had a stable head coaching job, which plays a vital role in high school football.
“I knew I had to get out of there and find a better situation. I kind of already knew how things would pan out in Liberty, or what was expected, to a certain extent. I always knew they were a very disciplined team. They may not be the most skilled, but they will outwork you. My first day at Liberty, just watching them work out and seeing how they just attacked every single day, it really stuck with me. I knew that was the place I wanted to be, and a place that a person like me should be, because I always pride myself on being competitive, and I just wanted to be the best at everything I do. Just seeing how much they compete in every aspect of life, honestly, I kind of knew I was home, and I was bound to be there.
“Arizona State was my first offer. I believe I was talking to Coach Carrington (ASU cornerbacks coach Bryan Carrington) at the time,
and I was just super excited. I was born and raised in the Valley, so my family and I were celebrating that offer because it was a very big accomplishment, especially in my freshman year, when you’re not really expecting to get looks like that. I was blessed enough to be in that position, and I was very thankful and excited, for sure.
“Since my first time meeting Coach Dillingham, I could just tell he was true and genuine. There are a lot of coaches out there who kind of try to sell you on a dream, but when a team offers you, and they do that badly (ASU was 3-9 in 2023), there’s no dream to sell. They have to be genuine; they have to show what it’s all about because there’s no hype around the name. There’s nothing that can really persuade you to come, but just being themselves. He did a great job with the Activate the Valley movement. I think just from the start, I want to say the summer of 2024, tell the Valley is starting to rally.
“Obviously, they had a great run that year, making it to the playoffs, and just seeing all that pan out and how much Coach Dillingham was just true to that. He really just helped the program take a next step. The community bought in this year, and every home game was sold out. Just seeing how much the culture and everything have changed for the better, I knew I was home and wanted to go out and play for my family and friends.
“Truthfully, I’ve always wanted to go away from home in Arizona and play somewhere else. I was blessed with so many opportunities to visit all kinds of places across the country. I was talking to a good number of schools that I was very interested in going to, and they had a lot to offer, not only for football, but academically too. Honestly, when I visited those places, I got the vibe that it wasn’t for me. But being at ASU every single time, no matter what kind of event it was, I felt like I was gravitating toward ASU. I felt that consistently since they started recruiting me. I always felt like a power to be there, and it was just meant to be. A week and a half before I committed. They had a home game (against UCF), and I was sitting in the stands with one of my closest friends. It was a very tight game, and we’re on the verge of either winning or losing on our last drive, and ASU has high hopes of being in the Big 12 Championship game.
I told him, ‘Man, if they score, I’m committing, bro.’ And we scored, and we won. And then everything’s great. Vibes are great. And that following week, I want to say I called the coaches and I verbally committed.
“I’ve talked to Coach Ward (Defensive Coordinator Brian Ward) a lot, especially about where he sees me playing. He plays with the three-safety system, and he sees me being able to have an ability to play strong, free, and nickel. Being at Liberty, it kind of helped me as well because we played the same scheme, but I didn’t play those other two safeties; I was more the Rover and down guy. But I knew all those positions and the calls for them, so I feel like I fit his system. In spring practice, I believe he wants me to learn that boundary safety position, because that’s what he sees me playing the most. And then, obviously, if I can get that down pretty fast, then I can adapt to those other positions and start spreading out.
“I like this system, how everybody is used in it and how they play. There’s so much movement behind the scenes, and there’s so much that goes into the defense and all the small details. A lot of the players on defense are very physical all around, even the corners. There are just so many things that I can see myself doing well in, in that defense, and in any of those roles.
“When I get to ASU, I want to make sure I adapt and find a very good way of managing my time and balancing that schoolwork and on-field stuff. I want to make sure I’m staying in tune with that while also taking care of my business on the field, of course, making sure my body’s right, just adapting to that college life. I know it’s a different step from what I’ve taken from 8th grade to high school. That’s a big change, and high school to college is an even bigger change. So I just want to make sure I find a balanced lifestyle in the mix, which will make everything easier.
“Honestly, throughout the recruiting process and no matter what school I was talking to, I’ve never really asked about NIL or how much they would offer to pay me or anything like that. I’ve adapted this from my parents, that you earn everything you get. Meaning, if it’s meant for you to make that money, then you’ve got to earn it. You’ve got to put in the work. Obviously, money is great, and at the end of the day, that’s what you’re hoping to get out of a football career, of course, or any career.
“I’m not truly sold on the fact that you can just go anywhere to play football. It just wasn’t in my vibes. I know the coaches, especially on the staff at ASU, they’re kind of the same way. Their morals align with mine. They don’t just go out there throwing a bunch of big money around to big names. It’s more, you come over here, if it’s right for you, you earn what you get, and that’s just how it goes.”
