Nov. 24, 1997
Sun Devils Renew Rivalry in Tempe
#12 Arizona State Sun Devils (8-2, 6-1)
Nov. 28, Sun Devil Stadium/Frank Kush Field, 4:30 p.m. (MST)
ASU seeks to capture back-to-back Pac-10 championships against in-state rival Arizona, Friday, November 28 at 4:30 p.m. at Frank Kush Field/Sun Devil Stadium. The game will be televised live to a national television audience on Fox Sports Net. A victory would assure the Sun Devils of a co-championship which would represent ASU's third-ever Pac-10 title and first back-to-back job. ASU would be the first Pac-10 champion to repeat since Washington won or shared three straight crowns from 1990-92. The Sun Devils have assured themselves of a bowl bid, but where that may be is yet to be determined. Arizona comes into the game with a 5-5 overall mark, 3-4 and in sixth place in the Pac-10.
Pretty Good Of Late: ASU has been on a roll of late. The Sun Devils won four of their final five games in 1995, put together an 11-1 record in '96 and have eight wins heading into their last regular-season game of 1997.
- ASU has won five straight and 23 of its last 27 games, including 19 of 21 regular-season contests.
- ASU has won 11 of 12 and 13 of its last 15 home games.
- ASU has won 10 of 11 road games.
- ASU has won 14 of 15 and 17 of its last 19 Pac-10 games.
- ASU has won 7 straight Pac-10 home games.
Senior Salute: The season finale will be the last home game for 22 ASU seniors who have compiled a 28-16 record in the past four years, won a Pac-10 championship, recorded an undefeated regular season in 1996 and have the Sun Devils on the verge of another Pac-10 title in 1997. The Class of 1997 includes:
Vince Amey, DL Paul Reynolds, OLB Jeff Boyer, LB Damien Richardson, SS Malchi Crawford, RE Zack Romero, TE Glen Gable, RT Shane Shafer, LB Scott Gorczya, FB Jason Simmons, CB Jeff Hoffman, WR Thomas Simmons, FS Anthony Jones, OL Creig Spann, WR Michael Martin, TB Jeremy Staat, DL Hamilton Mee, DL Pat Tillman, LB Kyle Murphy, OG Kevin Tommasini, FB Robert Nycz, PK Marcus Williams, P
Defending the Title: Regardless of any other outcome, ASU can repeat as Pac-10 champions for the first time in its 19 years as a member of the league - capturing its third-ever Pac-10 title. The Sun Devils captured their first Pac-10 title in 1986 before running the table for their 1996 crown. ASU has totaled 16 conference championships, picking up seven each as a member of the Border Conference and WAC. In its 15 previous title defenses, ASU has repeated as champion five times - winning back-to-back Border crowns in 1939-40 and picking up five straight trophies from 1969-73 in the WAC. On average, ASU has won 7.4 games the year after a conference crown.
Police Toy Drive: Sun Devil and Wildcat fans are asked to bring unrapped sports toys and equipment to the UofA-ASU game as part of the 1997 Police Toy Drive. Bins for both Sun Devil and Wildcat fans will be outside the stadium to collect toys benefiting needy Arizona children. Those not able to bring toys to the game can drop them off at participating merchants statewide.
The Year After: Four of the previous 10 Pac-10 champions went on to repeat the following year. USC and Washington each won or shared three consecutive titles, the Trojans from 1987-89 and the Huskies from 1990-92. A look back at how the champion(s) have fared the following year:
Year Champion Next Year
1986 ASU 7-4-1, 4th
1987 USC 10-2, 1st
UCLA 10-2, 2nd
1988 USC 9-2-1, 1st
1989 USC 8-4-1, 2nd
1990 Washington 12-0, 1st
1991 Washington 9-3, 1st
1992 Washington 7-4, ineligible
Stanford 4-7, 7th
1993 UCLA 5-6, 5th
Arizona 8-4, 2nd
USC 8-3-1, 2nd
1994 Oregon 9-3, 3rd
1995 USC 6-6, 5th
Washington 9-3, 2nd
1996 Arizona State ???
Series Summary: This year's meeting will be the 71st between in-state rivals Arizona and Arizona State. The Wildcats lead the all-time series 40-29-1 on the strength of 20 wins in the first 22 contests between the two schools. ASU head coach Bruce Snyder is 6-3-1 in his career against the Wildcats, 2-3 while ASU's head coach and 0-2 against the UofA in Sun Devil Stadium.
Over the Air: Fox Sports Network will televise the game to a national audience, the fourth national telecast of an ASU game this season. Barry Tompkins and Tom Ramsey will call the action wil Carol Lewis on the sidelines. Westwood One will broadcast the game to a national radio audience with Steve Buckhantz and Shea Walker on the call. KMVP (860 AM) is the flagship station for the Sun Devil radio network. Tom Dillon, the Arizona Sportscaster-of-the-Year 16 years running (1981-96), and the voice of the Sun Devils since 1979, once again will handle the play-by-play duties. Former Sun Devil QB and 1987 Rose Bowl MVP Jeff Van Raaphorst (1983-86) returns for his second season as the color analyst. KMVP has teamed with AudioNet to provide all Sun Devil radio broadcasts on the internet. Each broadcast can be accessed at www.audionet.com/schools/asu.
The Polls: Arizona State is tabbed at No. 12 in both the AP poll and ESPN/USA Today coaches poll, the highest ASU has been ranked in either poll this season. Arizona is not ranked.
On A Roll: Replacing the likes of Jake Plummer, Keith Poole, Terry Battle and Juan Roque--all NFL draft picks--was not an easy task, but ASU's offense has grown into its own of late. The difference can be seen in comparing the numbers between ASU's first five games (when ASU was 3-2) and its last five games (5-0).
Category Last 5 First 5 Difference Points P/G 38.0 20.2 + 17.8 First Downs P/G 22 18 + 4 Yards Rushing P/G 237.4 158.8 + 78.6 Yards Passing P/G 248.4 185.4 + 63.0 Total Yards P/G 485.8 344.2 + 141.6 Avg. Gain Per Play 6.3 4.8 + 1.5 3rd Down Conv. 42% 34% + 8% Touchdowns 22 11 + 11 Turnovers 6 12 - 6 Time of Possesion 29:20 30:58 - 1:38
All-Academic Team: LB Pat Tillman (3.82, Marketing) and SS Damien Richardson (3.26, Bio-Engineering) were named to the 1997 GTE Academic All-District VIII Football Team last week. Tillman and Richardson lead the Sun Devils with 80 and 66 tackles, respectively. Tillman was an Academic All-District member and second-team All-American last year while Richardson was on the Pac-10 All-Academic squad the past two seasons.
Triple Threat: Head coach Bruce Snyder "loves" tailbacks and his 1997 crop of Michael Martin, J.R. Redmond and Marlon Farlow must appear to be a three-headed monster for ASU opponents. Add fullback Jeff Paulk to the mix, and you have a lethal combination. Combine Martin, Redmond and Farlow's numbers for an ASU tailback total and you get 2,034 yards and a 6.0 per carry average.
The Stretch Run: The Sun Devils have assured themselves of a bowl bid this season, just where the Sun Devils might go is yet to be determined. The Pac-10 has arrangements with four bowl games for its member institutions and any team not going to the Rose Bowl is also available to the Bowl Alliance. Finishing strong has been a Sun Devil trait during the Snyder era at ASU. The Sun Devils are 12-6 in November under Snyder (6-3 at home), but three of those losses came in one year -- 1994. Other than that year, ASU has finished strong under Snyder.
Record in Final Five Regular Season Games Under Snyder Year Record Note 1992 3-2 Won Final Two 1993 4-1 Includes wins over UW & UCLA 1994 1-4 Finished season 3-8 1995 4-1 Began Stretch of 23 wins in 27 games 1996 5-0 11-0 regular season 1997 4-0 Outscored opponents 155-97 Total 21-8
Last 27: ASU's 23-4 record in its last 27 games is among the top 10 marks in the country over that span. Here's a look at the top teams in the country over their last 27 games:
Record Over Last 27 Games Team Record Pct. Nebraska 25-2 .926 Florida State 24-3 .889 Tennessee 24-3 .889 Arizona State 23-4 .852 Florida 23-4 .852 North Carolina 23-4 .852 Ohio State 23-4 .852 Penn State 23-4 .852 Virginia Tech 23-4 .852
Last Meeting: ASU registered its largest win over Arizona since 1958 with a 56-14 win in Tucson to cap an undefeated regular season. The Sun Devils racked up 651 yards en route to its first win over the Wildcats since 1992. Terry Battle ran for 143 yards and three touchdowns while Marlon Farlow pitched in 93 yards rushing and Jeff Paulk ran for 82 yards. Jake Plummer completed 10 of 19 passes for 201 yards and three TDs.
Kealy at the Helm: Redshirt freshman Ryan Kealy is distinguishing himself as the top freshman quarterback in ASU history and among the best in Pac-10 history. Kealy won a battle with junior Steve Campbell for the starting QB job in fall camp by showing the poise and promise he has displayed since starting the season-opener against New Mexico State. ASU opened up its offense for the USC game and Kealy has since responded. In ASU's last five games, Kealy is 89 of 159 (.560) for 1,216 yards (243.2 per game) with 11 TDs, 3 INTs and a 139.3 pass efficiency rating. Overall, Kealy has posted a 128.21 efficiency rating, completed 54.7 percent of his passes for 2,089 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Kealy Game-by-Game Passing Opp. Att Comp Int Pct Yds TD Lg New Mexico State 19 11 0 57.9 107 1 23 at Miami 26 18 1 69.2 239 1 40 BYU 29 12 0 41.4 153 0 36 at Oregon St. 24 14 2 58.3 194 1 38 at Washington 30 13 1 43.3 180 1 27 USC 34 21 1 61.8 281 3 40 at Stanford 36 14 1 38.8 195 0 46 WSU 36 23 0 63.8 245 4 39 at Cal 23 14 0 60.9 277 2 67 Oregon 30 17 1 56.7 218 2 28 Totals 287 157 7 54.7 2089 15 67
Freshman QBs: As Ryan Kealy proceeds throughout the season, he is having the best year a freshman QB has had at ASU and among the best in Pac-10 history. Kealy has already broken ASU freshman records for completions, touchdowns and yards. Kealy's performance against USC, the sixth game of his career, included 21 completions, 3 TDs and 281 yards. Jake Plummer did not have a 21-completion day until the 14th game of his career, a three-TD day until the 16th game of his career or 280+ passing-yard game until the 17th game of his career. Here's a look at the top four freshman QBs at ASU followed by the best in Pac-10 history.
Freshman QBs at ASU Name, Year Att Comp TD Int Yds. Ryan Kealy, 1997 287 157 15 7 2089 Jake Plummer, 1993 199 102 9 7 1650 Grady Benton, 1992 225 149 8 9 1707 Dennis Sproul, 1974 199 96 10 13 1438 Leading Freshman QBs in Pac-10 History Yards Name, School Year Yds. Tommy Maddux, UCLA 1990 2682 Todd Marinovich, USC 1989 2400 Ryan Kealy, ASU 1997 2089 John Paye, Stanford 1983 1971 Bill Musgrave, Oregon 1987 1936 Touchdowns Name, School Year TDs Tommy Maddux, UCLA 1990 17 Ortege Jenkins, Arizona 1997 16 Todd Marinovich, USC 1989 16 Ryan Kealy, ASU 1997 15 Steve Stenstrom, Stanford 1991 15 Brock Huard, UW 1996 13 Bill Musgrave, Oregon 1987 13 Bret Johnson, UCLA 1989 12 John Paye, Stanford 1983 10 Dennis Sproul, ASU 1974 10 Completions Name, School Year Comp. Todd Marinovich, USC 1989 219 Tommy Maddux, UCLA 1990 182 Ryan Kealy, ASU 1997 157 John Paye, Stanford 1983 150 Grady Benton, ASU 1992 149
Superb Secondary: While other defensive backfields in the conference and nation have been more heralded, very few can claim to be as effective as ASU's secondary. The main cast of Courtney Jackson, Jason Simmons, Damien Richardson, Mitchell Freedman and J'Juan Cherry have suffocated opposing teams' passing games this season. Only three teams have managed to complete more than 50 percent of its passes against ASU and five have been held under 200 yards passing. The Sun Devils are ranked 15th in the nation in pass efficiency defense as opposing QBs have combined for a 102.7 mark. That efficiency rating would be the lowest in the league since 1975 when Washington recorded an 89.0, beating out ASU's 104.2 league-best rating last year. Against the Pac-10, ASU's secondary has posted an 101.25 pass efficiency rating. In its last seven games, ASU has limited the best passing conference in the nation to 118-of-253 (.466) in the air while picking 12 passes. Here's a look at how the opposition's starting quarterbacks and a few of the Pac-10's top receivers have fared against the Sun Devils:
Starting QB Comp Att Yds TD INT Ty Houghtaling, NMSU 10 26 91 1 2 Ryan Clement, Miami 14 28 175 0 1 Kevin Feterik, BYU 17 30 328 0 0 Tim Alexander, OSU 17 41 193 0 2 Brock Huard, UW 8 19 150 2 1 John Fox, USC 8 23 70 1 1 Chad Hutchinson, Stan. 20 35 214 0 2 Ryan Leaf, WSU 24 49 447 3 1 Justin Vedder, Cal 17 31 173 1 2 Akili Smith, Ore 14 34 147 1 2 Pac-10 Receivers Rec Yds TD Roddy Tompkins, OSU 5 66 0 Jerome Pathon, UW 2 58 1 R. Jay Soward, USC 2 19 0 Billy Miller, USC 3 21 0 Troy Walters, Stan. 8 113 0 Chris Jackson, WSU 4 73 1 Kevin McKenzie, WSU 6 75 1 Bobby Shaw, Cal 6 76 1 Pat Johnson, Ore 2 28 0
Snyder Climbs ASU Coaching Charts: Head coach Bruce Snyder is in his sixth season at ASU and became the second-winningest coach in ASU history with ASU's win over Washington State. Snyder surpassed Darryl Rogers, who won 37 games in five seasons during the early '80's. With 11 victories in 1996, Snyder surpassed Larry Marmie, Dixie Howell, Aaron McCreary, Ed Doherty, John Cooper and Dan Devine on ASU's all-time win chart. Snyder's sixth year of service makes him only the fourth coach at ASU to have a tenure of more than five seasons. Frank Kush's 22 seasons and 176 wins are the most in Sun Devil history while McCreary (7 seasons, 1923-29) and ASU's first football coach, Fred Irish (8 seasons), each stayed longer than a half-decade.
Coach Years Record Frank Kush 1958-79 176-54-1 Bruce Snyder 1992-Present 40-26-0 Darryl Rogers 1980-84 37-18-1
Last Time Out: ASU captured its fifth straight win with a 52-31 victory over Oregon, ASU's seventh straight Pac-10 home win. The Sun Devils piled up 623 yards of total offense, gaining an average of 8.3 yards per play. J.R. Redmond and Michael Martin each eclipsed the 100-yard mark and Marlon Farlow gained 85 yards as each had a run of more than 50 yards. ASU totaled 405 rushing yards against the Ducks and controlled the ball for 36:04 of the game. Ryan Kealy had his third straight multiple-TD game with two scoring passes while tossing for 218 yards.
Tillman On A Tear: Senior outside linebacker Pat Tillman is leading Arizona State's defense on and off the field. Tillman, a second-team All-Pac-10 performer in 1996, was second on the team in tackles last year with 91. This year, he leads the team and is among the conference leaders with 80 stops including four sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Tillman also shares the team lead in interceptions with three, giving Tillman seven in his career. Against Stanford, Tillman registered 11 tackles, 10 unassisted, and three tackles for loss, earning him Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week honors. Tillman is also a standard for his teammates in the classroom, where he has a 3.82 GPA in marketing and was named a first-team GTE Academic All-District performer last week. Burger King also recognized his accomplishments by awarding a $10,000 scholarship to ASU in his name.
Tillman Game-by-Game Tackles Opp. UA AT To TFL-Yds. New Mexico State 1 3 4 1-2 at Miami 3 4 7 0-0 BYU 5 7 12 2-12 at Oregon St. 5 1 6 2-15 at Washington 0 1 1 1-3 USC 4 9 13 2-3 at Stanford 10 1 11 3-12 WSU 2 2 4 0-0 at Cal 10 0 10 1-7 Oregon 5 7 12 1-2 Totals 45 35 80 13-56
The Goods on J.R.: J.R. Redmond is turning heads both on and off the field. The sophomore tailback is eighth in the nation with 168.0 all-purpose yards per game and leads the team with 91.6 rushing yards per contest. He also leads the team in punt returns and kickoff returns and is fifth on the team with 15 catches. Redmond's big-play ability has been evident as he has reeled off runs of 50, 54 and 93 yards. His 93-yard touchdown against New Mexico State tied the fifth-longest run from scrimmage in ASU history and earned Redmond the AT&T Long Distance Run of the Week award. Redmond, a Doak Walker Award nominee, is also leaving defenders behind on special teams as he is averaging 9.6 yards per punt return and 22.4 yards per kick return. Redmond suffered a hip strain against USC that sidelined him for much of the second half against the Trojans and prevented him from making the trip to Stanford.
Redmond Game-by-Game Rushing
Game No Yds Avg TD
New Mexico State 10 176 17.6 1
at Miami 12 105 8.8 1
BYU 17 66 5.1 0
at Oregon St. 18 77 4.3 0
at Washington 21 76 3.6 1
USC 12 48 4.0 1
at Stanford DNP - Injured (Hip Strain)
WSU 8 35 4.4 0
at Cal 27 114 4.2 1
Oregon 11 127 11.5 1
Totals 132 848 6.2 6
Redmond Game-by-Game All Purpose Per Per
Game Rush Rec. Punts KO Total Touch Game
NMSU 10-176 1-13 3-18 2-57 16-264 16.5
at Miami 12-105 5-46 2-53 3-49 22-253 12.1
BYU 13-66 0-0 2-26 4-90 19-182 9.6
at Oregon St. 18-77 1-18 2-1 1-21 22-117 5.3
at Washington 21-76 0-0 5-52 0-0 26-128 4.9
USC 12-48 3-17 1-8 1-14 17-87 5.1
at Stanford DNP - Injured (Hip Strain)
WSU 8-35 3-36 0-0 0-0 11-71 6.5
at Cal 27-114 2-56 6-47 1-47 36-264 7.3
Oregon 11-127 0-0 1-6 1-13 13-146 11.2
Totals 132-848 15-186 22-211 13-291 182-1512 8.3 168.0
Top Five Runs in ASU history
1. 99 yds., Max Anderson, vs. Wyoming, 1967 (TD)
2. 98 yds., Mark Malone, vs. Utah State, 1979 (TD)
3. 97 yds., Art Malone, vs. Utah, 1968 (TD)
4. 94 yds., Hascall Henshaw, vs. Case Western Reserve, 1940 (TD)
5. 93 yds., J.R. Redmond, vs. New Mexico St. , 1997 (TD)
Tom Dekellis, vs. Whittier, 1938 (TD)
Defensive Stand: ASU's defense has handed in some mighty impressive performances in 1997. Arizona State is 19th in the nation (first in Pac-10) in scoring defense, 20th in rushing defense and 15th in pass efficiency defense. In a 23-12 win at Miami, ASU's defense held the Miami offense to two field goals, the first time the Hurricanes had been held without an offensive touchdown in the Orange Bowl since 1984. BYU's 13 points was the fewest it has scored in 25 games. The Sun Devils held Oregon State to 20 yards rushing, the fewest a Beaver squad had run for since 1989. ASU limited USC to seven points, 15 first downs and 214 total yards - zero, four and 50 in the second half. Stanford's 14 points was the fewest it had scored since losing to ASU 41-9 in 1996. Against Washington State, the Sun Devils held what was the second-best offense in the nation coming into the game to its second lowest point total of the season.
ASU's Defense Game-by-Game Opp. Rush Yds. Pass Yds. Total Pts. New Mexico St. 107 91 198 10 at Miami 68 220 288 *6 BYU 99 328 427 13 at Oregon St. 20 193 213 *3 at Washington 240 150 390 26 USC 114 100 214 7 at Stanford 114 285 399 14 WSU 51 447 498 31 at Cal 126 173 299 *14 Oregon 179 229 408 31 Totals (PG) 1118 (111.8) 2216 (221.6) 3334 (333.4) *155 (15.5) *does not include points scored by opponents defenses (20 total: 6 vs. Miami, 7 vs. Oregon State, 7 vs. California)
Safety Valves: ASU coaches know they can take some chances because of the two safeties they have in the secondary. Senior Damien Richardson is a member of the Jim Thorpe Award "watch list" as one of the best defensive backs in college football. The strong safety has started 32 straight games for ASU and is second on the team with 66 tackles. Richardson, an All-Academic Pac-10 selection last year, was named a 1997 GTE Academic All-District VIII member last week. Junior free safety Mitchell Freedman is tied for the team lead with three interceptions and his sack of WSU's Ryan Leaf which led to a fumble and return for TD is one of the biggest plays of ASU's season.
Looking for Lenzie: Lenzie Jackson has become Ryan Kealy's favorite target as the junior wide receiver leads the team with 48 catches for 668 yards. Jackson has been sizzling in his last five games, catching 27 passes for 397 yards and four TDs. Jackson pulled in a career-high nine catches against Washington State and turned in a career-high 132 yards against USC. Including the Rose Bowl, Jackson has a catch in 23 straight games and has 95 in his career.
Jackson Receiving Game-By-Game Opp. Rec. Yds. TD New Mexico St. 6 68 1 at Miami 2 21 0 BYU 4 64 0 at Oregon State 6 74 0 at Washington 3 44 0 USC 7 132 1 at Stanford 4 82 0 WSU 9 89 2 at Cal 2 15 0 Oregon 5 79 1 1997 Totals 48 668 5 1996 36 505 3 1995 6 37 1 Career 90 1210 9 (Rose Bowl: 5 catches)
Not Just a Blocking Bates: Sophomore tight end Kendrick Bates has proven his 6-4, 243-pound frame can do more than block. Bates is third on the team with 23 catches for 320 yards, averaging 13.9 yards per catch. Among Pac-10 tight ends, Bates is second only to Oregon's Blake Spence in catches and yardage.
Pac-10 Tight Ends Player Rec Yds TDs Blake Spence, Oregon 36 573 5 Kendrick Bates, ASU 23 320 1 Cam Cleeland, UW 19 276 2 Mike Grieb, UCLA 18 218 2 Love Jefferson, WSU 14 177 3
Martin Returns: Senior tailback Michael Martin notched his third 100-yard game in his last four contests with a 158-yard, 16-carry, 2-TD effort against Oregon. Martin reeled off the longest run of his career, an 83-yard touchdown against the Ducks that earned him the AT&T Long Distance Run of the Week. In his past four games, Martin has rushed for 407 yards even though he missed most of the Cal game with an injury. Martin returned this year from a season-ending neck injury he suffered in the UCLA game (6th of the year) last season. He took his place in the Sun Devil starting lineup against New Mexico State and rushed for 64 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries and followed that up with his second career 100-yard game against Miami. Martin in the starting lineup is a good sign for ASU as the Sun Devils are 17-1 with Martin in the starting lineup. A concussion and pinched nerve prevented Martin from practicing and starting against Washington, but he returned to the starting lineup against USC. He suffered a neck strain against Cal which held him out of the game after 3 carries. Martin has rushed for over 1,000 yards in 18 starts during his Sun Devil career, averaging 81.2 yards per start.
Martin Game-By-Game When Starting
Team Att Yds Avg TD
BYU ('95) 24 78 3.3 0
Oregon ('95) 21 79 3.8 2
UCLA ('95) 25 90 3.6 1
Washington ('96) 20 92 4.6 1
N. Texas ('96) 14 62 4.4 0
Nebraska ('96) 26 77 3.0 0
Oregon ('96) 23 161 6.4 0
Boise State ('96) 8 79 9.9 0
UCLA ('96) 2 4 2.0 0 (injured, broken neck)
New Mexico St. 15 64 4.3 1
Miami 26 103 4.0 0
BYU 16 43 2.7 1
at Oregon St. 14 66 4.7 0 (injured, pinched nerve)
USC 12 56 4.7 0
at Stanford 23 124 5.4 1
WSU 20 111 5.6 0
at Cal 3 14 4.7 0 (injured, neck strain)
Oregon 16 158 9.9 2
Total 308 1461 4.7 9
On the Road Again: Arizona State's loss at Washington snapped the Sun Devils second-longest road winning streak in school history. ASU had won eight straight road games prior to its trip to Seattle. Under Bruce Snyder, the Sun Devils are 15-14 away from home, having won 10 of their last 11 and four of five this year. Four of ASU's first seven games were on the road this season where as last year the Sun Devils didn't venture away from Tempe until the sixth game of the season.
Home Field Advantage: Sun Devil Stadium has provided ASU with a significant home field edge since its inception in 1958. Arizona State is 197-63-3 (.755) all-time in Sun Devil Stadium and 9-1 since the playing surface was dedicated as Frank Kush Field. ASU has won seven straight Pac-10 home games. ASU was undefeated at home in 1996 and has drawn five of the seven largest crowds in ASU history in the past two years, including a record 74,963 to the Rose Bowl-clinching win over California. ASU drew an average of 63,884 to seven home games in 1996, a jump of 15,003 from the previous season - the largest increase in the nation. This year, ASU drew the fifth-largest crowd in ASU history to the WSU game (73,644) and is averaging 64,481 fans per game.
Pac-10 Player of the Week: Five Sun Devils have been named Pac-10 Player of the Week following outstanding performances this season:
Player Game Note Robert Nycz Miami tied career high with 3 FGs Ryan Kealy USC 21/34, 281 yds., 3 TDs Pat Tillman Stanford 11 tackles (10 unassisted), INT Ryan Kealy* WSU 23/36, 245 yds, 4 TDs Marcus Williams WSU ASU record 53.6 yd. avg on 7 punts *first time a freshman QB has been named Pac-10 Player of the Week twice in one season since Todd Marinovich in 1989
Pac-10 All-Academic History: Arizona State ranks among the top four football programs in the conference in terms of receiving All-Academic recognition each season. Over the last eight years, only Stanford, Oregon and Washington have had more football players honored for their performance on and off the field. Below is a chart of the number of Pac-10 All-Academic players for each school from 1989-96.
School *Pac-10 All-Academic Players Stanford 73 Oregon 49 Washington 43 Arizona State 36 Oregon State 36 USC 30 Washington State 29 UCLA 28 California 25 Arizona 24 *since 1989
Academic All-America: The College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) has been selecting Academic All-Americans for more than 30 years in all sports. In the Pac-10, Arizona State has been among the all-time leaders in student-athletes honored academically on a national scale, maintaining a 3.2 GPA or higher. Here's how ASU ranks in the Pac-10:
School CoSIDA All-Americans UCLA 70 Stanford 59 Arizona 46 Arizona State 36 USC 33 Oregon 31 Oregon State 26 California 21 Washington 21 Washington State 21
Big Wins: In the past two seasons, ASU has defeated some of the most storied football programs in college football. In their last 19 games, the Sun Devils have defeated Washington, Nebraska, USC (twice) and Miami. Those four programs have combined for 2,385 wins, 118 bowl appearances and 17 national championships, having won or shared 11 national titles since 1970. Heading into this season, the ASU football program ranked 17th on the all-time winning percentage list, winning 62.9 percent of their games in 85 seasons.
High School Connection: When freshmen Ryan Kealy and Tariq McDonald hooked up for a four-yard touchdown pass in ASU's season-opener, it was the first TD both were involved in as Sun Devils. However, it wasn't the first time the two produced six points. As seniors at Phoenix's St. Mary's High School, Kealy hit McDonald for touchdowns 22 times en route to a state championship. Kealy passed for 2,682 yards and 41 TDs his senior season while McDonald was his favorite target, catching 75 balls for 1,192 yards.
Fast Start: Arizona State has developed a habit of starting fast after it comes out of the lockeroom in 1997. ASU has outscored its opponents 54-6 in the first quarter, shutting out nine of 10 opponents, and 71-41 in the third quarter, blanking five of nine. ASU has made its halftime adjustments well in each of the last two years as the Sun Devils outscored opponents 113-23 in the third quarter in 1996. The 113 points was the most by any Pac-10 team in the third quarter while the 23 points given up was the fewest by any Pac-10 team in any quarter.
Maroon Zone: Here's the numbers on how ASU's offense and defense have done inside the 20-yard line.
ASU Pct. Opponents Pct.
Inside 20 --- 39 24 ---
Scored 32 .821 21 .875
TD 22 .564 14 .583
TDs - Pass/Run 12/10 8/6
FG 10 .256 7 .292
Turnover 3 1
TOD 1 0
Missed FG 2 0
Blocked FG 0 1
End of half/game 1 1
Third Downs: Converting third downs is often dependent on how far you have to go. A look inside the numbers on ASU's and its opponents third-down efficiency:
3rd & ... 1-5 yds. 6-10 yds. Above 10 Total ASU 35/68 (.515) 19/52 (.365) 6/37 (.162) 60/159 (.377) Opp. 16/41 (.390) 15/64 (.234) 7/40 (.175) 38/145 (.262)
Automatic: Robert Nycz was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist a year ago and was once again a semifinalist this year. The senior placekicker has connected on 97 straight extra points and 123 of 124 in his career. Only a blocked attempt at California in 1995 has prevented him from being perfect. Nycz is also reliable when kicking for three points as he has split the uprights on 15 of 21 attempts this season with four of his six misses coming beyond 40 yards. He has connected on 37 of 53 (.698) career field goal attempts. He is 26 of 31 from inside 40 yards and 11 of 22 beyond 40 in his career. He was named Pac-10 Special Teams Player of the Week Sept. 15 for his career-high three field goals at Miami.
Nycz Career Stats Yr. FGA FGM Pct. Long XPA XPM Pct. Pts. 1995 16 11 .688 48 32 31 .969 64 1996 16 11 .688 46 60 60 1.000 93 1997 21 15 .714 46 32 32 1.000 77 Career 53 37 .698 48 124 123 .992 234 *Nycz was also 2/2 on PATs and 1/1 on FGs (37 yds.) in the 1997 Rose Bowl Yr. G 20-29 30-39 40-49 50+ Long 1995 11 4/4 3/4 4/6 0/2 48 1996 11 5/5 3/5 3/6 0/0 46 1997 10 4/4 7/9 4/6 0/2 46 Career 31 13/13 13/18 11/18 0/4 48
Williams A Weapon: Senior punter and kickoff man Marcus Williams has become a valuable weapon for ASU in the battle for field position. Williams is 26th in the nation with a 43.6 yard average, but more importantly - he is the main reason ASU is seventh in the nation with a 41.0 net punting average. Williams 43.6 yard average is the best at ASU since 1984 (John Meyer, 43.8) and he set a Sun Devil record with a 53.6 yard average on seven kicks against Washington State. Williams is also the Sun Devil kickoff man and has booted 27 touchbacks on 60 kickoffs (.450) as opponents are starting at an average of the 21.9 yard line after ASU kickoffs.
Special Teams: Here's some numbers pertaining to ASU's special teams:
KO Ret Avg.Against TB Avg. Opp. Starting Point
ASU 60 30 20.0 28 21.6
Opp. 39 27 20.9 8 29.3
Punts Ret Avg. Against FC Downed *-20 *-10 TB
ASU 62 31 5.2 14 13 11 6 4
Opp. 74 39 9.6 10 17 13 4 8
*fair caught or downed (includes kicked out of bounds) inside 20/10
Turnover Edge: In its last 27 games (dating back to 1995), ASU has a turnover ratio of +30 (68-38). In that span, ASU has accumulated 30 INTs and 38 fumble recoveries while opponents have registered 21 interceptions and 17 recoveries. ASU is 23-4 during the stretch. This year, ASU is +8 in turnover margin and is +9 in its last four games.
Sure Hands: A big reason for ASU's turnover advantage over the last 26 games has been the sure-handed play of its running backs. Sun Devil running backs have lost only four fumbles on a rushing play since the start of the 1995 season, a span of 33 games. That's four fumbles lost in 1,528 rushing attempts. However, three of those lost fumbles have come in ASU's last nine games.
Capitalizing: ASU has converted 26 opponent turnovers into 75 points while its opponents have used 18 ASU turnovers to score 43 points.
Turnovers Resulting In ... ASU Opponents 26 Opp. Turnovers 18 75 Points 43 9 TD 5 4 FG 3 7 Punt 4 3 MFG 1 1 Turnover 3 0 TO on Downs 1 2 End of Half/Game 1
The Century Mark: ASU has had at least one person rush for 100 or more yards in six of its 10 games in 1997, all wins. ASU is 222-36-5 (.854) all-time when it has someone top the century mark and is 23-4 (.852) since Bruce Snyder's arrival in Tempe.
Double Whammy: ASU's Michael Martin and J.R. Redmond each ran for over 100 yards against Miami, the first time that had happened to the Hurricanes since 1979. Against Stanford, Martin joined Marlon Farlow in both topping the 100-yard mark. Martin and Redmond paired again against Oregon to each to the century-mark. With those three 100-yard combos, ASU has had two rushers over 100 yards in the same game 35 times in its history, compiling a record of 33-1-1. This is the first year since 1973 that more than one combination of backs has combined for over 100 yards. Woody Green, Ben Malone and Fred Williams--in some combination--paired to rush for over 100 yards each five times. That was also the last year it has happened more than three times.
ASU in the Polls: Here's a look at ASU's path in both major polls in 1997:
Date AP ESPN/USA Today Preseason -- -- Aug. 31 -- -- Sept. 7 24 -- Sept. 14 14 17 Sept. 21 25 23 Sept. 28 25 22 Oct. 5 -- -- Oct. 12 -- -- Oct. 19 23 22 Oct. 26 20 21 Nov. 2 15 16 Nov. 9 15 15 Nov. 16 12 12 Nov. 23
Sizing up the Schedule: ASU's 1997 schedule was ranked the 10th-toughest in the nation in an NCAA preseason survey. In addition to the always tough Pac-10 slate, the Sun Devils have added nonconference foes Miami, BYU and New Mexico State. Five of the Sun Devil opponents went to bowls a year ago: Miami (Carquest), BYU (Cotton), Washington (Holiday), Stanford (Sun) and California (Aloha). The Sun Devils face all but BYU on the road. ASU's 11 opponents combined for a 70-60 mark last season while only two won less than five games. Four of ASU's first seven games were on the road this season which is in stark contrast to a year ago when the Sun Devils' first five games were in Tempe. On the flip side, ASU finishes up with three of its final four games at home.
Pac-10 Poll: Arizona State was picked to finish fifth in the Pac-10 in a preseason poll of West Coast media members that regularly cover the league. Washington received 28 of 31 first-place votes to be tabbed as the favorite for 1997. The complete poll:
1. Washington (28) 306 2. Stanford (3) 263 3. USC 228 4. UCLA 217 5. Arizona St. 175 6. Arizona 151 7. Washington St. 142 8. Oregon 114 9. California 74 10. Oregon St. 35
Preseason Pundits: As ASU headed into the 1997 season, the preseason college football annuals rank the Sun Devils anywhere from 12th to 35th in the nation while selecting ASU to finish somewhere between third and sixth in defense of its Pac-10 title. Below is a list of various preseason magazine and internet predictions for ASU:
ASU in Nation ASU in Pac-10
Lindy's 20th 3rd
Preview Sports 18th 6th
Athlon 35th 5th
The Sporting News 33rd 5th
Street & Smith's 17th 3rd
Blitz 26th
College Sports News 12th
FANSonly 25th
Mirror Image: A comparison of Bruce Snyder's five seasons at Cal and his first five seasons at ASU reveals striking similarities. Snyder's record during his five years (1987-91) at California was 29-24-4 (.544) while his record after five years at ASU stood at 32-24 (.571).
At California At Arizona State Year Record Bowl Year Record Bowl 1987 3-6-2 1992 6-5 1988 5-5-1 1993 6-5 1989 4-7-0 1994 3-8 1990 7-4-1 Copper 1995 6-5 1991 10-2-0 Citrus 1996 11-1 Rose Totals 29-24-4 Totals 32-24
Youth is Served: Thirteen of ASU's 22 opening day starters were underclassmen (juniors or younger) including nine on offense. Three starters, QB Ryan Kealy, RG Victor Leyva and LB Stephen Trejo, were redshirt freshmen.
A Game of Firsts: After losing 12 starters off of last year's squad, ASU's season-opener against New Mexico State saw a lot of firsts for many of those trying to replace them. Twenty-two players saw their first action, and 10 started for the first time. A look at who did what for the first time:
First Appearance First Start Ryan Kealy Ryan Kealy, QB Victor Leyva Victory Leyva, RG Stephen Trejo Troy Davis, RT Darrin Ransom Darrin Ransom, FB J'Juan Cherry Kenny Mitchell, WR Brian Forth Jeremy Staat, RDT Jamel Ready Hamilton Mee, RE Christon Rance Stephen Trejo, ILB Adam Archuleta Paul Reynolds, ILB Mark Polchow Phillip Brown, FS Jeff Boyer Joe Cesta First Touchdown Terrelle Smith Darrin Ransom Korey Ramsay Tariq McDonald Marvel Smith Jeff Johannesen First TD Pass Tariq McDonald Ryan Kealy Brian Jennings Steve Campbell Matt Cercone Jason Moore First Reception Che Britton Tariq McDonald (TD) Quincy Yancy
1996 in Review: ASU finished last season ranked fourth in both major polls after going 11-1 and 8-0 in the Pac-10, winning its second Pac-10 title. The Sun Devils completed an undefeated regular season, the fourth in ASU history, before falling to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Sun Devil QB Jake Plummer, OT Juan Roque, TB Terry Battle and DE Derrick Rodgers each received All-America recognition as Roque was a consensus pick and Plummer finished third in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Head coach Bruce Snyder was the consensus choice for National Coach of the Year, winning 14 of a possible 16 awards, and earned his second Pac-10 Coach of the Year honor.
#11 Hangs Forever: Danny White's joined his father, Wilford "Whizzer" White, and Bobby Mulgado as the only Sun Devils to have their jersey retired during halftime of the BYU game. Danny played at ASU from 1971-73 and was the Sun Devils starting QB each year, compiling a three-year record of 31-4 leading his team to three straight WAC titles and three Fiesta Bowl wins. A charter member of ASU's Hall of Fame, White played 13 seasons for the Dallas Cowboys and was a member of their Super Bowl XII Championship team. White is currently head coach and general manager of the Arizona Rattlers where he has won two Arena Bowl titles, including the 1997 crown.
Hall of Fame Year: Former Sun Devils Danny White and Mike Haynes each are receiving Hall of Fame recognition in 1997. White, ASU's starting QB from 1971-73, was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame in January, becoming the first Sun Devil player to ever receive that honor. Haynes, a Sun Devil from 1972-75, became the third (John Henry Johnson, Charley Taylor) ASU player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during a July ceremony.
ASU Libraries: ASU's Athletic Department forwarded $50,000 to the ASU Library System in a pregame presentation prior to the USC game. Members of the Student Athlete Advisory Board and ASU head coaches made the presentation together to the ASU Library system which has distinguished itself as one of the top 35 academic research libraries in the United States or Canada.
Hall of Fame/Homecoming: ASU inducted five new members into the Sun Devil Hall of Fame prior to its Oregon contest, which was also Homecoming at ASU. Daniell Ammaccapane (golf), Vernon Maxwell (football, Kim Neal (gymnastics), Rick Walker (track and field) and Lisa Zeis (gymnastics) comprise the Class of 1997. With its win against the Ducks, ASU is 52-13-3 all-time in Homecoming games, winning 12 of its last 13.
Returning Honorees: Five Sun Devils return from seasons that earned them All-Pac-10 recognition a year ago (listed below). However, ASU had to fill the shoes of 11 others who earned Pac-10 accolades, including five first-team performers.
Name, Pos. 1996 Pac-10 Honor Kyle Murphy, LG 2nd team Pat Tillman, OLB 2nd team Robert Nycz, PK honorable mention Grey Ruegamer, RT honorable mention Jason Simmons, CB honorable mention
Leader of the Pac: Arizona State's undefeated march to the Pac-10 championship a year ago was dominating, as evidenced by the fact ASU led the conference in all but one major statistical category. The Sun Devils' rushing offense, total offense, scoring offense, rushing defense, pass efficiency defense, total defense and scoring defense were each ranked No. 1 in the Pac-10. Only ASU's passing offense failed to lead the league, ranking fifth. Here's a look inside the numbers:
Category Score (Rank in Pac-10, margin) Rushing Offense 248.5 ypg (1st, + 18.5) Passing Offense 243.9 ypg (5th) Total Offense 492.5 ypg (1st, + 34.9) Scoring Offense 42.8 ppg (1st, + 8.4) Rushing Defense 98.0 ypg (1st, + 5.0) Pass Efficiency Defense 104.15 rating (1st, + 2.66) Total Defense 304.7 ypg (1st, + 16.1 ypg) Scoring Defense 17.8 ppg (1st, + 2.3 ppg)
Worst-to-First: After ranking last in the Pac-10 in defense in 1995, ASU's climb to the top of the conference chart was the first time in Pac-10 history a school has gone from worst-to-first in one season. ASU's top-notch defense marked the fourth time ASU has paced the league, but the first time since 1983.
Draft Success: Arizona State had eight football players selected in the 1997 NFL Draft, tied for the most in the nation with Miami and Nebraska (see chart below). In addition, ASU had six other players sign free agent contracts, giving it 14 players in NFL camps in 1997 from its 1996 squad. To break it down, of ASU's 22 starters on New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl, 11 (6 defensive, 5 offensive) are now in the NFL with the Sun Devils first string punter and two reserves joining them in the professional ranks.
Team Players Drafted 1. ASU 8 Miami Nebraska 4. Florida State 7 Ohio State 6. Colorado 6 Texas Virginia
Dodging Draft Blues: Of the eight college programs that lost six or more players to the NFL draft only ASU, Nebraska, Ohio State and Florida State are ranked in the Top 25.
In the NFL: Arizona State has 24 former players currently on NFL rosters including eight players from last year's squad. Terry Battle (Lions), Steve Bush (Bengals), Jake Plummer (Cardinals), Keith Poole (Saints), Derrick Rodgers (Dolphins), Juan Roque (Lions), Derek Smith (Redskins) and Scott Von der Ahe (Colts) all played for Snyder a year ago and are now in the NFL ranks.
Bowl Lineup: The top four finishers in the Pac-10 race are once again guaranteed bowl games following the season. Additionally, four bowls (Las Vegas, Motor City, Independence and Humanitarian) have open slots. A look at where, when and against whom the Pac-10 will go bowling after the '97 season:
Bowl Site Date TV Matchup Aloha Honolulu Dec. 25 ABC Pac-10 #4 vs. Big 12 #5 Holiday San Diego Dec. 29 ESPN WAC #1/Pac-10 #2 vs. Big 12 #3 Sun El Paso Dec. 31 CBS Pac-10 #3 vs. Big Ten #5 Cotton Dallas Jan. 1 CBS Big 12 #2 vs. WAC #1/ Pac-10 #2 Rose Pasadena Jan. 1 ABC Pac-10 #1 vs. Big Ten #1
Hula Bowl: ASU head coach Bruce Snyder will be one of the two head coaches at this year's Hula Bowl, featuring collegiate football's best seniors. Sun Devils Damien Richardson, Jason Simmons and Robert Nycz are also slated to play in the contest, January 18, 1998.
Missing the Bruins: The Pac-10 schedule includes eight conference games and the conference rotates which team a school misses every two years. ASU will miss UCLA in 1997 and 1998.
Three Dot Data: RB Michael Martin's 83-yard run against Oregon was the longest of his career and his 158-yard rushing day was the second-biggest of his career ... WR Creig Spann's 67-yard touchdown catch at California was his first career TD grab and the longest reception of his career ... it was also Ryan Kealy's longest toss, TD or otherwise ... J.R. Redmond's 27 rushing attempts at California was a career high ... ASU will end the season 2-1 against teams picked ahead of them in the annual Pac-10 preseason poll (beat Stanford, USC; lost to Washington; don't play UCLA) ... P Marcus Williams' 53.6 yard per punt average against Washington State was a school record for a seven-punt performance ... In going 2 of 12 on third down conversions, Stanford didn't convert on 10 straight third downs ... in the past five games, ASU opponents are 27-of-101 (.267) on third-down conversions ... TB Marlon Farlow set a career high with 129 yards on 13 carries against Stanford ... FB Jeff Paulk's two rushing TDs against Stanford was a career high and all three of his career rushing TDs have come at the Cardinal ... QB Ryan Kealy's career highs have come in his last five games: 36 attempts (Stanford & WSU), 23 completions (WSU), 281 yards (USC) and 4 touchdowns (WSU) ... WR Lenzie Jackson set career highs with nine catches against Washington State and 132 yards receiving against USC ... the Sun Devils 28-point win was their largest margin of victory against USC ... nine players have interceptions for ASU this year ... the Huskies are the only team to score a point against the Sun Devils in the first quarter ... ASU has given up just 10 passing TDs (4 to Ryan Leaf) and nine rushing TDs this season ... ASU's offensive performance against Washington was one of its worst in recent memory as the 231 total yards was the fewest since the 1992 Arizona game (Nov. 21, 191 yards), the 15 first downs was the fewest since Oct. 28, 1995, at Oregon (14) and the 51 net rushing yards was the fewest since Oct. 22, 1994, vs. Washington State ... FS Mitchell Freedman's 15 tackles at Washington was a career high ... LB Pat Tillman's two interceptions against Oregon State was a career high and the first time since 1991 that ASU has had a player with two picks. Adam Brass and Darren Woodson both had two INTs a piece against Cal in '91 ... TE Kendrick Bates' 38-yard catch vs. Oregon State was a career high ... ASU's 10 points against BYU was its fewest since a 31-0 loss to USC on Sept. 30, 1995 and its fewest at home since a 47-10 loss to Miami on Sept. 10, 1994 ... the 13 points ASU allowed to BYU in the loss was the fewest points allowed by ASU in a loss since a 13-6 defeat against USC in 1990 ... TE Kendrick Bates' team-high five catches against BYU was a career best ... when Michael Martin and J.R. Redmond each ran for over 100 yards against Miami, it was the first time since 1979 that the Hurricanes had allowed two rushers to do that in the same game ... the 23-12 win at Miami was the Hurricanes first loss in a home-opener since 1985 (Florida) ... the Hurricanes offense was held without a touchdown, the first time that has happened in the Orange Bowl since 1984 (Florida State) ... TB Marlon Farlow established a career high with a 63-yard run against Stanford ... TB J.R. Redmond's 176 yards rushing against New Mexico State was a career high ... Michael Martin's 26 carries against Miami is a career high ... Redmond's five catches against Miami was a career high ... WR Kenny Mitchell's 40-yard catch that led to ASU's game-clinching score at Miami was a career high ... PK Robert Nycz's three field goals at Miami tied a career high.
Bits & Bites: LB Pat Tillman enjoys rock climbing and snow/water skiing ... OG Kyle Murphy plans on a career in sports journalism ... Lou Groza Award candidate Robert Nycz's father was a linebacker at Dartmouth .... DL Vince Amey hit a grand slam in high school ... former NBA star Sidney Moncreif is a relative of DT Albrey Battle ... the 6-3, 289-pound Battle can slam dunk a basketball ... WR Ricky Boyer's uncle, Tim Boyer, played football at San Diego State and in the WFL ... TB J.R. Redmond ran a 21.9 200-meter dash without practicing ... SS Damien Richardson was nominated and appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy before choosing ASU ... with a major in bioengineering, Richardson's summer job required him to determine why accidents with appliances happened ... OT Grey Ruegamer's uncle, Bob Frisbee, played football at the University of Minnesota and for the Minnesota Vikings ... OL Mike Barnes aspires to be an athletic trainer ... Barnes' father played football and ran track at Chico State ... S Phillip Brown's uncle, Donald Smith, played for the Green Bay Packers ... QB Steve Campbell's father was a four-time football letterman at Northern Arizona University ... CB J'Juan Cherry has a family lineage that includes his brother, Jerod, who was a defensive back at California; a cousin, Khalid Shabazz, who currently plays in the backfield at Cal; a cousin, Kwame Ellis, who is a defensive back at Stanford; and an uncle, Deron Cherry, played 11 seasons for the Kansas City Chiefs ... CB Kareem Clark's cousin is former Houston Oiler Earl Campbell ... DL Leroy Hawkins is contemplating a career in the FBI ... ... Center Randy Leaphart's brother, Robert, lettered at Washington and played in the 1982 Rose Bowl ... WR Tariq McDonald's father, a semifinalist at the 1980 and 1984 Olympic trials in the 400m and 200m, was a member of the Phoenix Junior College 4x100 and 4x400 national championship team ... DL Hamilton Mee has a twin brother, Harrison, and twin sisters, Kim and Kelly ... RE Terelle Smith has eight brothers/sisters and has a black belt in karate ... FB Kevin Tommasini is one of seven kids ... Tommasini's father played football at Oregon ... LB Stephen Trejo is one of nine kids.
National Radio: Three Sun Devil games are slated for national radio broadcasts. Those three games are:
Date Game Radio Network Sept. 20 BYU Airspace Communications Oct. 11 USC Westwood One Nov. 28 Arizona Westwood One
The Bruce Snyder Show: KTVK-TV/NewsChannel 3, the exclusive television station of Arizona State athletics, is also the home of "The Bruce Snyder Show," each Saturday of the ASU football schedule. Snyder will join host Tim Healey to provide in-depth coverage of ASU football. The show airs at noon each Saturday the Sun Devils play.
Snyder on the Radio: Bruce Snyder joins KMVP host Brad Cesmat for a weekly call-in show on the Sun Devils' flagship radio station. "Talk To The Coach" airs each Tuesday from 6:45 - 7:15 p.m.
Radio Network: KMVP (860 AM) is the flagship station of the ASU Radio Network which includes:
Station City
KTAR (620 AM) Phoenix
KAAA (1230 AM) Kingman
KATO (1230 AM) Safford
KDJI (1270 AM) Holbrook
KIKO (106.1 FM) Globe/Miami
KTUC (1400 AM) Tucson
KVWM (970 AM) Show Low
KYBC (1600 AM) Cottonwood
KYCA (1490 AM) Prescott
The Facts
1997 ASU Schedule
Aug. 30 New Mexico State W 41-10
Sept. 13 at Miami (13/12) W 23-12
Sept. 20 Brigham Young L 10-13
Sept. 27 at Oregon State* W 13-10
Oct. 4 at Washington* (10/11) L 14-26
Oct. 11 USC* W 35-7
Oct. 18 at Stanford* (25/23) W 31-14
Nov. 1 Washington State* (10/10) W 44-31
Nov. 8 at California* W 28-21
Nov. 15 Oregon* W 52-31
Nov. 28 Arizona* 4:30 p.m.
All Times MST (Arizona)
(AP/Coaches) rank at time of game or this week
* Pac-10 game
1997 Arizona Schedule
Sept. 4 at Oregon* L 9-16
Sept. 13 Alabama-Birmingham W 24-10
Sept. 20 at Ohio State L 20-28
Sept. 27 at UCLA* L 27-40
Oct. 4 San Diego State W 31-28
Oct. 11 Stanford* W 28-22
Oct. 18 Washington* L 28-58
Oct. 25 at Washington State*(ot) L 34-35
Nov. 8 Oregon State* W 27-7
Nov. 15 California* (2ot) W 41-38
Nov. 28 at Arizona State*
Pac-10 1997 Standings
Tm. Conf. Total
WSU 6-1 9-1
ASU 6-1 8-2
UCLA 6-1 8-2
UW 5-2 7-3
USC 4-3 6-4
Ariz. 3-4 5-5
Oregon 2-5 5-5
Stan. 2-5 4-6
Cal 1-6 3-7
OSU 0-7 3-7
Schedule
Nov. 22
California at Stanford
UCLA at USC
Oregon St. at Oregon
WSU at Washington
Nov. 28
Arizona at Arizona State
Head Coach Bruce Snyder
In his sixth season at the helm of ASU's football program ... has led the Sun Devils to 23 wins in their last 27 games ... in 1996, guided the Sun Devils to their second Pac-10 championship, fourth undefeated regular season and second Rose Bowl ... the consensus National Coach of the Year in 1996 as well as Pac-10 Coach of the Year ... compiled 6-5 records in his first, second and fourth seasons in Tempe (1992, 1993, 1995) and a 3-8 mark in 1994 ... prior to posting a 40-26 record in six years at ASU, he was 39-37-1 at Utah State (1976-81) and 29-24-4 at California (1987-91) ... guided Cal to a 10-2 mark and No. 8 ranking in 1991 as the Bears defeated ACC champ Clemson in the Citrus Bowl ... Cal had been to just one bowl since 1958 prior to Snyder guiding the Bears to two consecutive bowl wins in '90 & '91 ... led Utah State to a pair of conference titles in his seven years ... was L.A. Rams running back coach for four years (1983-86), during which he tutored Eric Dickerson as he set the NFL single-season rushing record ... served as an assistant at Oregon, New Mexico State, Utah State and USC ... Snyder earned his 100th career win in ASU's 56-14 win at Arizona last year ... prior to the Rose Bowl, signed a new contract with ASU through the year 2002.
Former Miami Head Coach Howard Schnellenberger on J.R. Redmond:
"He runs hard and intelligently. He makes a lot of yards after contact. He's one of the best players I've seen in the Orange Bowl not wearing a Miami uniform."
ASU Head Coach Bruce Snyder on Pat Tillman:
"Pound for pound, he is the best linebacker I've ever coached."