LONDON — Blazen Lono-Wong waited a long time for his turn. Years.
In the current climate, it's easy for college athletes to go to another school if they're not getting the playing time they think they deserve. Lono-Wong, a native of Waimanalo, Hawaii, was never tempted to leave Arizona State.
The wait has paid off. Lono-Wong is now a starter on the defensive line for an Arizona State football team that will play Kansas on Sept. 19 in the first Union Jack Classic at Wembley Stadium. It will also be the Big 12 conference opener for both schools.
Lono-Wong is in his fifth year in the ASU program, which makes him the lone holdover from the previous coaching regime. He was brought in during the Herm Edwards tenure, although his lead recruiter was running
backs coach Shaun Aguano, the lone holdover from Edwards' coaching staff.
Aguano's presence was a huge factor.
"I had faith in this program," Lono-Wong said. "A lot of that had to do with Coach Aguano. Maybe there was a new head coach, but Coach Aguano told me to believe in Coach (Kenny) Dillingham, and that went a long way with me because I trusted him. He was right, and I'm glad I did."
Part of the reason Lono-Wong had to wait his turn was physical. The closer a play is to the ball, the more strength and size are factors. So it is unusual for offensive or defensive linemen to get significant playing time as true freshmen. Time in a college weight and nutrition program is integral in preparing to battle more experienced veterans.
Aguano said that when Lono-Wong arrived, he weighed roughly 220 pounds. Lono-Wong doesn't think he was quite that small. He thinks he was closer to 240. But that wasn't going to cut it either. The 6-foot-4 standout now checks in at 305 pounds.
He could be a little leaner as a defensive end, but he was moved to tackle as a sophomore, which made the additional weight more important.
"Scouts are asking me about him now, which is great," ASU defensive line coach Diron Reynolds said. "Here you take a guy that (strength and conditioning) coach Joe (Connolly) has had for five years and shown what you can do, put a guy in the oven like he has, grown from 215 pounds to a lean, mean 300-pounder. Man, he's really taken ownership of his spot this year. He's earned it."
Lono-Wong started once last season, that being the second game of the season at Mississippi State. He ended up playing 336 snaps on defense and another 185 on special teams. He managed 16 tackles, after totaling 11 total in his first three seasons combined.
He has started the first two games this season, right alongside senior C.J. Fite.
Lono-Wong said that while waiting his turn, he tried to soak everything in from his more experienced peers, most notably Fite.
"C.J. is a guy, he's always in his playbook," Lono-Wong said. "He gets the job done. I look up to guys like that. I know I can ask him anything, and he'll have the answer."
Aguano said he was fairly certain Lono-Wong wasn't going to transfer, and credits his parents, Antonio and Tiana.
"One thing I know about Blazen and his family: they're very loyal people," Aguano said. "I didn't think he was going to waver at all. I just know what type of individual he is and what kind of family he comes from. I knew academics and graduation were important to him. I knew the loyalty was in his DNA, and I knew he was going to work until he got in there," Aguano said.
While Lono-Wong's expertise may be on the defensive side of the ball, he has had some eye-opening moments on special teams.
He had a 19-yard reception from punter Kanyon Floyd in the first quarter of ASU's win at Colorado. The play came off a fake punt with ASU trailing 7-3 in the first quarter of a game the Sun Devils eventually won 42-17.
Even bigger was the one he had in the Peach Bowl against 14-point favorite Texas. That was a 32-yarder on a similar play in the first half. ASU lost that in double overtime, but it was, no doubt, a play that left everyone talking.
All are happy for Lono-Wong's success because he earned it.
"It says a lot about his character, but it also says something about the culture that coach Dillingham built here," Reynolds said. "We don't just give guys things; they have a chance to earn them. When they earn them, why would you leave something when you've earned it? We give guys a chance to grow. We don't just run them out of the building. A guy like that who continued to grow and own it is the kind of guy you want in your program."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona State's Blazen Lono-Wong earns moment after 5-year wait
