 ranks 24th in the nation in all-purpose yards, averaging 158.0 ypg. |
Weekly Football Release
Sun Devils look to get back on track against North Texas.
September 14, 1998
THIS WEEK:
Arizona State and North Texas each seek its first victory of the season this Saturday, Sept. 19 at Sun Devil Stadium/Frank Kush Field. ASU is 0-2 after a 26-6 loss at Brigham Young last week while the Mean Green are 0-2 following a 30-0 loss at Texas Tech. Game time this Saturday is 7:00 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on the ASU Radio network by flagship station KMVP and delayed by Fox Sports Arizona on Sunday at 4 p.m.
Series Summary
ASU holds a 3-1 edge in the series that dates back to 1953. The Sun Devils won 2 of 3 games played between 1953 and 1956 and did not meet North Texas again until 1996 when the Sun Devils defeated UNT 52-7 as part of an undefeated regular season. ASU head coach Bruce Snyder (41-29, 7th year at ASU) is 1-0 against North Texas in his career. UNT head coach Darrell Dickey is in his first year as a head coach.
Snapshot
ASU UNT
1998 Record 0-2 0-2
1998 Pac-10 0-1 --
Last Meeting: ASU, 52-7 (1996)
Series Record: ASU Leads 3-1
Exposure
ASU flagship radio station KMVP (860 AM), its sister station KTAR (620 AM) and the Sun Devil radio network will carry the game live. Tim Healey and 1987 Rose Bowl MVP Jeff Van Raaphorst will handle the call. KMVP has teamed with Broadcast.com to provide all Sun Devil radio broadcasts on the internet. Each broadcast can be accessed at www.broadcast.com/sports/ncaa/arizonastate/football.stm. The game will also be shown on a tape-delayed basis on Fox Sports Arizona, Sunday at 4 p.m. Tom Dillon and Doug Plank will be on the call with former Sun Devil Kyle Murphy on the sidelines.
Last Meeting
ASU picked up its second win of its undefeated 1996 regular season with a 52-7 win over North Texas on Sept. 14, 1996. No. 18 ASU rolled up 510 yds. of total offense against UNT, then in its second year of Division I competition. Keith Poole caught six passes for 121 yds. and 3 TDs, Jake Plummer was 15 of 22 for 213 yds. and Michael Martin led the Sun Devils with 62 yds. rushing. UNT managed just 128 yards of total offense (32 rushing and 92 passing). J.R. Redmond had 59 rushing yds. on 10 carries and caught 3 passes for 24 yards in the game. Lenzie Jackson, Kenny Mitchell and Creig Spann also had receptions in the game.
Notable
After being +18 in turnover margin over the last two years, the Sun Devils have begun the 1998 season at -4 and have not forced a turnover.
Redmond Watch
J.R. Redmond had 28 yards on 16 carries and 62 all-purpose yards in ASU's 26-6 loss to BYU after 108 yds. rushing and 254 all-purpose yds. against Washington.
www.TheSunDevils.com/redmond
Pac-10
Tm. Conf. Total This Week Arizona 1-0 2-0 Iowa UW 1-0 1-0 BYU WSU 0-0 2-0 Idaho USC 0-0 2-0 Oregon State Oregon 0-0 2-0 San Jose State OSU 0-0 2-0 at USC UCLA 0-0 1-0 at Houston Cal 0-0 1-1 at Oklahoma ASU 0-1 0-2 North Texas Stanford 0-1 0-2 North Carolina1998 ASU Schedule/Results
Date ASU Rank* Opponent Rank* Time/Result TV Notes Sept. 5 8/9 Washington 18/17 L 38-42 FSN Redmond: 254 all-purp. yds, 1 TD; Kealy 20/35, 302 yds, 3 TD, 0 INT Sept. 12 14/15 at BYU NR L 6-26 espn2 ASU shutout through first 3 quarters, end game with 308 total yards. Sept. 19 North Texas 7:00 p.m. Outscored 67-9 in first two games Sept. 26 Oregon State 7:00 p.m. Beavers 2-0 for first time since 1985 Oct. 3 at USC 18/16 4:00 p.m. ABC R. Jay Soward: 256 all-purpose yds. in 35-6 win over SDSU Oct. 10 Notre Dame 23/25 TBA Trailed 42-3 at halftime of 45-23 loss to Michigan State Oct. 22 Stanford 7:00 p.m. FSN Threw 47 times and rushed for 60 yds. in loss to Arizona Oct. 31 at Washington St. TBA Scored 27 2nd-half pts. in 33-21 win over Boise State Nov. 7 California 4:00 p.m. 1-1 record after 24-3 loss to Nebraska Nov. 14 at Oregon 22/23 2:00 p.m. Scored 21 4th-quarter pts. in 33-26 win over UTEP Nov. 27! at Arizona 16/17 4:30 p.m. FSN Candidate: 110 yds. on 21 carries in win over StanfordTimes subject to change FSN - Fox Sports Net (locally on Fox Sports Arizona) *Rankings (AP/ESPN-USA Today) at time of game or, for future games, in current poll Thursday Game ! Friday Game
Polling
Arizona State dropped out of both the AP and ESPN/USA Today poll. Arizona State began the season ranked 8th in the AP poll and 9th in the coaches' poll.
Last Week
Arizona State dropped to 0-2 for the first time since 1979 with a 26-6 loss to Brigham Young in Provo, Utah. ASU's offense, which scored 38 points and piled up 544 yards of total offense against Washington, managed just 308 total yards of offense, 23 rushing yards and didn't score until the fourth quarter. Even though BYU's Ronney Jenkins rushed for 171 yards on 30 carries, ASU's defense showed improvement from week one. BYU's passing attack completed 7 of 27 passes for 166 yards.
University Libraries Day
Arizona State University libraries are the beneficiary of a $2 surcharge for the North Texas game. ASU's Athletic Department forwarded $50,000 to the ASU Library System in last year's Libraries Day.
On Deck
ASU resumes its Pac-10 schedule with Oregon State visiting Tempe. The Beavers are 2-0 for the first time since 1985 after wins over Nevada and Baylor. ASU has won four straight against the Beavers.
Jekyll & Hyde
ASU's 465 yards of total offense against Washington in its season opener was the most by an ASU squad in its season opener since 1981 when the Sun Devils rolled up 544 yards in a 52-10 win over Utah. Gerald Riggs rushed for 139 yds. and 2 TDs on 14 carries in that game. Last week, the Sun Devils scored just six points and rushed for only 23 yards. A statistical comparison between the two games:
ASU Offense Rush/Pass/Total
Washington 163/302/465
at Brigham Young 22/286/308
Average 92.5/294/386.5
Bouncing Back
Arizona State has not lost three games in a row since 1994 when ASU closed out the season with three straight losses.
Successful Program A look at some of Arizona State's recent success since the end of the 1995 season:
Leader of the Pac
If you compile the record of each Pac-10 team since 1995, Arizona State is the best team in the conference:
Combined Record Last Three Seasons ('95-96-97)
Team Record Pct.
1. Arizona State 26-11 .703
2. Washington 25-11-1 .689
3. Oregon 24-13 .649
4. UCLA 23-13 .639
5. USC 23-13-1 .635
6. Arizona 21-16 .568
7. Washington State 20-16 .556
8. Stanford 19-17-1 .527
9. California 13-23 .361
10. Oregon State 8-27 .229
Snyder Era
Bruce Snyder's first season as head coach at Arizona State was in 1992 and since then the Sun Devils have the fourth-best conference record in the Pac-10:
Team Conf. Overall
Washington 34-14-1 48-22-1
USC 30-17-1 45-26-3
Arizona 28-20-1 44-27-1
Arizona State 28-21-0 41-29-0
UCLA 27-21-0 42-28-0
Oregon 25-23-0 44-29-0
Washington State 25-23-0 42-29-0
Stanford 23-26-0 36-34-2
California 15-33-0 30-41-0
Oregon State 5-42-1 17-50-1
Notes on Offense
J.R. Redmond -- All Purpose Excitement
Sun Devil junior J.R. Redmond is one of the most exciting players to watch in college football. The Heisman Trophy candidate is, first and foremost, ASU's starting tailback. Redmond started only one game prior to this season after backing up the likes of Michael Martin and Terry Battle. Redmond has rushed for 1,302 yards in his three seasons in Tempe, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. Last year, Redmond led the Pac-10's top rushing offense with 86.5 yards per game and was named the Sun Devils' Offensive MVP in a vote of his teammates. He was also named an honorable mention All-Pac-10 player as a running back in 1997. Against Washington, he topped the 100-yard rushing mark for the fifth time in his career with 108 yards on 22 carries.
Redmond Year-by-Year Rushing
Year G/GS Att. Yds. Avg TD Lg.
1996 10/0 63 301 4.8 2 41
1997 10/1 142 865 6.1 7 93*
1998 2/2 38 136 3.6 1 22
Totals 22/2 243 1302 5.4 10 93*
*5th longest run in ASU history (8/30 vs. New Mexico State)
Running the football isn't the only facet to Redmond's game. Redmond ranks 24th in the nation with 158.0 all-purpose yards per game. His 254 yards of all-purpose yardage against Washington was the fourth time in his career he had topped 200 all-purpose yards in a game. His 68 yards receiving against Washington was a career high. He was third in the Pac-10 and 12th in the nation in all-purpose yardage for 1997, averaging 159.0 per game. As a result, he was selected to the 1997 All-Pac-10 first-team as an all-purpose player. In 1997, he led his team in punt and kickoff returns while catching the fifth-most passes. He has totaled 2,685 all-purpose yards in his career, averaging 8.2 yards each time he touches the ball, whether it be via rush, reception, punt or kickoff return.
Redmond Year-by-Year All Purpose (No.-Yds)
Per Per
Game Rush Rec. Punts KO Total Touch Game
1996 63-301 9-197 31-260 2-83 105-841 8.0 84.1
1997 142-865 15-186 24-236 14-303 195-1590 8.2 159.0
1998 38-136 7-94 5-74 1-12 51-316 6.2 158.0
Career 243-1302 31-477 60-570 17-398 351-2747 7.8 124.9
Redmond has also electrified his teammates with big plays. Below is a breakdown of his "big play" capability as defined by a gain of 20 yards or more for a run, catch or punt return and a kick return of 40 yards or more. Redmond had three such plays against Washington -- a 47 yard reception, 22 yard touchdown run and a 61-yard punt return -- all of which were or led to touchdowns. Of the 25 ASU possessions that have included a "big play" by Redmond in his career, ASU has scored 18 touchdowns and 2 field goals. The Sun Devils have scored on 18 straight possessions that included a Redmond "big play."
Redmond Big Plays
Yd Gain Total Rush Catch PR KR* Led to Score
20-29 10 5 3 2 -- 6
30-39 3 0 2 1 -- 3
40-49 6 1 2 0 3 5
50+ 6 3 1 2 0 6
Total 25 9 8 5 3 20 (18 TDs)
*Big Play Kickoff Return must be more than 40 yards
In 1998, Redmond will also try his hand as a defensive back. Head coach Bruce Snyder plans to use Redmond in certain game situations as a safety.
Ryan Kealy -- The Dealer
Sophomore QB Ryan Kealy, a Sporting News first-team Freshman All-American in 1997, distinguished himself as the top freshman quarterback in ASU history and among the best in Pac-10 history last season. This year, Kealy is averaging 271.5 passing yards per game after two games that couldn't have been more different. Against Washington to open the 1998 campaign, Kealy passed for a career high 302 yards, completing 20 of 35 passes for 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. The last time an ASU QB had passed for over 300 yards was Jake Plummer's 316 yds. against Stanford on Oct. 16, 1996. Last week, Kealy was 16 of 34 for 241 yards as the passing game was never in sync. His interception against BYU was his first in 93 pass attempts. After two games, Kealy ranks 33rd in the nation in passing efficiency (134.5) and 19th in the country in total offense (265.5 ypg.). In his last nine games, Kealy has thrown 15 TD passes with only 4 INTs.
Kealy Year-by-Year
Year G/GS Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Avg/G Eff.
1997 11/11 162-297 54.5 2137 15-7 67 194.3 126.9
1998 2/2 36-69 52.2 543 4-1 47 271.5 134.5
Career 13/13 366-198 54.1 2680 19-8 67 206.2 128.4
Kealy 1998 Game-by-Game
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg.
Washington 20-35 57.1 302 3-0 47
at BYU 16-34 47.1 241 1-1 46
Grey Ruegamer - Center of Attention
Character is something senior center Grey Ruegamer certainly has. Equally as evident are his talent, tireless work ethic and leadership. Named the top center in the nation, Ruegamer is a candidate for both the Outland and Lombardi Awards after being a consensus preseason All-American selection. A first-team All-Pac-10 selection in 1997 and an honorable mention All-Pac-10 pick in 1996, Ruegamer has been a staple in ASU's offensive line in each of the last two seasons, with ASU leading the league in rushing each year. Versatility is also a quality of Ruegamer's as he has played center, left tackle and right tackle during his ASU career. In 1997, he graded out at 85 percent or better in all but three games, including a 92% rating against New Mexico State.
Lenzie Jackson -- Leader of the Pack
Senior WR Lenzie Jackson heads an ASU wide receiving corps that has been rated as one of the best in the nation. Jackson is ASU's most consistent and dangerous pass catcher as he leads the team with 10 catches for 133 yards in 1998. Including bowl games, Jackson has a catch in 27 straight games and can tie John Jackson's (USC, 1986-89) Pac-10 record of 37 consecutive games with a reception. Last year, he led the team in 1997 with 53 catches for 733 yards and five touchdowns. The 53-catch season was tied for the sixth-best single season in ASU history and he is the ninth receiver in ASU history to pull in 50 or more catches in a season.
He also showed a new facet of his game against this year by returning kicks as he is averaging 23.1 yards per kickoff return which ranks 34th in the nation and fifth in the Pac-10. His 147.5 all-purpose yards per game ranks fifth in the Pac-10 and 35th in the nation.
Jackson Year-by-Year Receiving
Year G/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Lg.
1995 10/1 6 37 6.2 1 12
1996 11/10 36 505 14.0 3 52
1997 11/11 53 733 13.8 5 46
1998 2/2 10 133 13.3 1 36
Career 34/24 105 1408 13.4 10 52
(111 catches, 1523 yds, 11 TDs in career if bowl games included)
Jackson 1998 Game-by-Game Receiving
Game Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Lg.
Washington 4 67 16.8 0 36
at BYU 6 66 11.0 1 15
Kendrick Bates
Junior TE Kendrick Bates has proven his 6-6, 246-pound frame can do more than block. Bates finished 1997 third on the team with 23 catches for 320 yards, averaging 13.9 yards per catch. Among Pac-10 tight ends, Bates finished second only to Oregon's Blake Spence in catches and yardage last year. This year, Bates has five catches for 42 yards after two games including a 13-yard touchdown catch against Washington.
Bates Year-by-Year Receiving
Year G/GS Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Lg.
1996 10/1 7 82 11.7 1 26
1997 10/8 23 320 13.9 1 38
1998 2/2 5 42 8.4 1 13
Career 22/11 35 444 12.7 3 38
Spreading The Wealth
ASU quarterback Ryan Kealy's pass selection has been indicative of the Sun Devils' wide-open offense over the course of the first two games. In the first two weeks, Kealy has connected with eight receivers. Five of those receivers have caught two or more passes in both games and three receivers have caught three or more in both games.
Receiver vs. Wash at BYU Total
Lenzie Jackson 4 6 10
Creig Spann 4 3 7
J.R. Redmond 4 3 7
Kendrick Bates 3 2 5
Tariq McDonald 2 3 5
Kenny Mitchell 2 1 3
Brian Forth 0 2 2
Todd Heap 1 0 1
Jeff Paulk -- The Incredible Paulk
Arizona State has led the Pac-10 in rushing for each of the last two seasons as the Sun Devils have totaled 5,372 rushing yards (including bowl games) from 1996-98. While the likes of Terry Battle, Michael Martin and J.R. Redmond account for much of that total, senior flyback Jeff Paulk's lead has been a huge reason why. The 6-1, 247-pounder is ASU's most intimidating presence and is the oft-forgotten component of an ASU backfield (QB-TB-FB) that was ranked among the top 3 in the nation by three different preseason publications.
Notes on Defense
Mitchell Freedman -- Fright Night
The veteran leader of Arizona State's defense is senior free safety Mitchell Freedman. The most feared hitter in the Pac-10, Freedman is one of three first-team All-Pac-10 defenders returning this season. Having appeared in 33 games, starting in 31, Freedman has been a staple in ASU's defense for each of the last four seasons. Freedman's picked up the 200th of his ASU career against BYU when he totaled 8 tackles, including one sack. Freedman was the only freshman to be named to the All-Pac-10 first or second teams in his redshirt freshman season when he was credited with a career-high 80 tackles. A second-team All-Pac-10 selection again in 1996, Freedman gave a memorable performance against Nebraska when he forced three fumbles, recovering one, and was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week (all with a broken finger). Last year saw Freedman consistently play well, but once again shine in big games -- as evidenced by his career high 15 tackles against Washington and forced fumble that sealed ASU's win over eventual Pac-10 champion Washington State.
Freedman Year-by-Year
Year G/GS UT/AT TT TFL/Yds. Sacks/Yds. Int. PD FF FR
1995 10/9 49/31 80 0/0 0/0 0 5 4 2
1996 11/10 39/20 58 3/16 1/11 1 4 3 1
1997 10/10 25/33 58 3/18 2/16 4 4 2 0
1998 2/2 5/6 11 1/7 0.5/7 0 0 0 0
Career 33/31 118/90 207 7/41 3.5/34 5 13 9 3
Three Amigos
Freedman, senior defensive tackle Albrey Battle and junior cornerback Courtney Jackson are the only returning starters for the 1998 defense. Battle started 11 games and totalled 44 tackles in 1997 and has appeared in 32 games (18 starts) over his Sun Devil career. Jackson was an honorable mention All-Pac-10 selection in 1997 when he started all 11 games. Jackson has moved from the right corner to the left corner position for this season. He has amassed 59 tackles, two interceptions and 14 pass deflections in 24 appearances (15 starts) as a Sun Devil.
Back-to-Back
Arizona State has led the league in scoring defense for each of the last two seasons. ASU gave up just 17.8 points per game in its Rose Bowl year of 1996 and also led the league in rushing, passing and total defense. Last year, ASU had to replace six starters on the defensive side of the ball and ended the year allowing just 18.5 points per game, once again leading the league. The 1997 defense ranked third in passing and total defense and fourth against the run.
Inexperience
With only three starters returning, ASU's defense will look for previous back-ups to step into starting roles. Of ASU's 11 starters, six had started prior to this season and only four -- Battle, Trejo, C. Jackson & Freedman -- had started more than once in their career. For comparison sake, all but one of ASU's starting offensive unit had previously started a game before Washington with J.R. Redmond's one career start the fewest among them.
Other Notes
Stephen Baker -- A Weapon on Special Teams
ASU freshman punter Stephen Baker has started his ASU career in excellent fashion. He is averaging 46.2 yards per punt and the Sun Devils rank fourth in the nation in net punting, at 43.3 yards per punt. Baker is also ASU's kickoff man
Special Teams
Here's some numbers pertaining to ASU's special teams:
KO Ret. Avg. Against TB Onside Avg. Opp. Start
ASU* 9 5 26.6 2 1/1 26.8
Opp. 14 9 21.7 5 0/0 25.2
Punts Ret Avg. Against FC Downed *-20 *-10 TB
ASU 9 4 6.5 1 3 0 0 1
Opp. 11 5 14.8 0 5 0 0 2
*fair caught or downed (includes kicked out of bounds) inside 20/10
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 8 --- 10 ---
Scored 6 .750 9 .900
TD 5 .625 6 .600
TDs - Pass/Run 4/1 4/2
FG 1 .125 3 .300
Missed FG 1 0
Turnover 0 0
TO on Downs 1 1
Turnover Battle
After a +18 turnover ratio in the last two years, ASU has began the 1998 season with a -4 differential in its first two games, including -3 last week vs. BYU.
ASU Opp
4 Turnovers 0
Turnovers Result In ...
0 Points 13
0 TD 1
0 FG 2
0 TO on Downs 1
Third-Down Conversions
ASU Opp.
Washington 12/19/63% 8/15/53%
at Brigham Young 4/13/31% 2/15/13%
Total 16/32/50% 10/30/33%
Average Starting Field Position
ASU Opp.
Washington own 35 own 31
at Brigham Young own 24 own 33
Average start own 29 own 32
Draft Success
Over the course of the last two NFL Drafts, Arizona State has had 13 players picked - the third-highest total among college programs in the nation. Here's a look:
NFL Draft Picks, 1997 & 1998
Team Picks
1. Florida State 16
2. Nebraska 14
3. Arizona State 13
Washington 13
5. Colorado 12
North Carolina 12
7. Tennessee 11
8. Miami 10
9. Florida 9
Stanford 9
Sun Devils in the NFL
Arizona State had 25 former players make NFL rosters (does not include practice squads) at the beginning of the 1998 season. A list of Sun Devils in the NFL: Eric Allen (Raiders), Trace Armstrong (Dolphins), Mario Bates (Cardinals), Steve Bush (Bengals), David Dixon (Vikings), Eric Guliford (Saints), Paul Justin (Bengals), Jason Kyle (Seahawks), Randall McDaniel (Vikings), Craig Newsome (Packers), Anthony Parker (Buccaneers), Jake Plummer (Cardinals), Keith Poole (Saints), Damien Richardson (Panthers), Derrick Rodgers (Dolphins), Juan Roque (Lions), Dan Saleaumua (Seahawks), Jason Simmons (Steelers), Derek Smith (Redskins), Phillippi Sparks (Giants), Jeremy Staat (Steelers), Shawn Swayda (Falcons), J.T. Thomas (Rams), Pat Tillman (Cardinals) and Darren Woodson (Cowboys).
True Talent
Four Sun Devils from last year's squad made the NFL this year --Damien Richardson, Jason Simmons, Jeremy Staat and Pat Tillman. In addition, Vince Amey is on the Oakland Raiders practice squad. Amey, Richardson, Simmons and Tillman all played as true freshman and never redshirted while Staat was a JC transfer and also played immediately.
Unfamiliar Territory
ASU's No. 8 preseason ranking by the Associated Press was the second time in Sun Devil history that ASU has been ranked in the top 10 by AP prior to a season. ASU's only other preseason top 10 appearance was in 1976 when it was ranked third, behind Nebraska and Michigan. ASU has appeared in the AP preseason poll a total of 15 times, most recently at No. 20 in 1996.
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 1998 and is scheduled to miss Oregon State in 1999 and 2000.
On the Road Again
Under Bruce Snyder, the Sun Devils are 15-15 in enemy territory, having won 10 of their last 12.
Snyder in ASU History
Head coach Bruce Snyder is the second-winningest coach in ASU history. Snyder's seventh 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 Aaron 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 41-29-0
Darryl Rogers 1980-84 37-18-1
Sun Devil Stadium -- 40th Anniversary
1998 marks the 40th anniversary of Sun Devil Stadium. Originally constructed in 1958 with a capacity of 30,000, the Stadium has undergone a number of renovations and expansions in 40 years and is recognized as one of the best collegiate stadiums in the nation. It has provided ASU with a significant home field edge since its inception. Arizona State is 197-65-3 (.749) all-time in Sun Devil Stadium and 9-3 since the playing surface was dedicated as Frank Kush Field in 1996.
Attendance
ASU has drawn six of the eight largest crowds in ASU history in the past two years, including a record 74,963 to the Rose Bowl-clinching win over California in 1996. 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. Last year, ASU drew the fifth-largest crowd in ASU history to the Arizona game (73,682) and the sixth-largest to the WSU game (73,644). ASU bettered its 1996 average attendance by averaging 66,014 fans at home in 1997 -- 2,130 more than 1996. The Sun Devils sold over 52,000 season tickets for the 1998 season, the most since the 1987 season, and drew 72,118 to their season-opener against Washington, the 12th largest crowd in ASU history.
Turnover Edge
In its last 31 games (dating back to 1995), ASU has a turnover ratio of +26 (72-46). In that span, ASU has accumulated 32 INTs and 40 fumble recoveries while opponents have registered 24 interceptions and 22 recoveries. ASU is 24-7 during the stretch. However, ASU is -4 this year.
The Century Mark
ASU had at least one person rush for 100 or more yards in six of its last seven and 11 of its last 18 games. J.R. Redmond cracked the century mark with 108 yards on 22 carries in ASU's season-opener against Washington this year. ASU is 223-38-5 (.848) all-time when it has someone top the century mark and is 24-6 (.800) since Bruce Snyder's arrival in Tempe.
Pac-10 Poll
Arizona State was picked to finish second in the Pac-10 in a preseason poll of West Coast media members that regularly cover the league. UCLA received 16 of 30 first-place votes to be tabbed as the favorite for 1997. ASU garnered the other 14 first place votes in the closest poll in 20 years. The complete poll:
1. UCLA (16) 284 6. Oregon 157
2. Arizona State (14) 281 7. Washington State 109
3. Washington 217 8. Stanford 95
4. USC 197 9. California 81
5. Arizona 193 10. Oregon State 36
Pac-10 Anniversary
1998 marks the 20th anniversary of ASU men's sports joining the Pac-10 Conference. Since 1978, the Sun Devil football squad has finished in the upper-half of the conference standing 14 of 20 times including two conference championships (1986, 1996). Sun Devils have earned All-Pac-10 acclaim 205 times, including 57 first-team selections, 61 second-team selections and 87 honorable mentions. Since joining the Pac-10, ASU's conference record is 81-64-4 (.557) and 140-86-4 (.617) overall.
Bowl Lineup
The Bowl Championship Series begins in 1998 and for the first time the Pac-10 is a part of the equation. If a Pac-10 team is ranked No. 1 or 2 at the end of the season, it will play in the Fiesta Bowl January 4 in Tempe for the national championship. If the Pac-10 champion is not No. 1 or 2, it will automatically be part of the Rose Bowl against the Big Ten champion or, if the Big Ten champ is No. 1 or 2, an at-large team. The Pac-10 also has bowl ties with the Holiday, Sun, Aloha and Mele Kalikimaka Bowls, assuring that five Pac-10 teams will participate in post-season competition.
Bowl, Site, Date, TV, Matchup
Fiesta, Tempe, Jan. 4, ABC, National Championship
Rose, Pasadena, Jan. 1, ABC, Pac-10 #1 vs. BigTen #1
Holiday, San Diego, Dec. 30, ESPN, Pac-10 #2 vs. TBD
Sun, El Paso, Dec. 31, CBS, Pac-10 #3 vs. BigTen #5
Aloha, Honolulu, Dec. 25, ABC, Pac-10 #4 vs. At-Large
Mele Kalikimaka, Honolulu, Dec. 25, Pac-10 #5 vs. WAC #2 or #3
Fox Sports Arizona -- ASU's TV home
Fox Sports Arizona is the local television home of all Sun Devil athletic teams, including football. Head coach Bruce Snyder will appear on the bi-weekly magazine show "Running with the Sun Devils." The show will typically be televised every-other Tuesday at 7:00 p.m., including this Tuesday. Fox Sports Arizona will also show a replay of most Sun Devil football games Sunday's at 4:00 p.m.
KMVP -- ASU's Radio Home
KMVP (860 AM) is the radio home of ASU Athletics. KMVP and its sister station, KTAR 620 AM, will carry all Sun Devil football games live. Tim Healey and Jeff Van Raaphorst handle the play-by-play and color duties, respectively. Ex-Sun Devil Kyle Murphy will be part of the pre- and post-game shows this season. KMVP is also home to the Bruce Snyder Show, hosted by Kevin Ray, which airs every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ASU Athletic Director Kevin White also hosts his own show, every Wednesday at noon during the summer. The Kevin White Show will air through September 16.
Bruce Snyder Press Conference
ASU head coach Bruce Snyder hosts a press conference every Monday at noon in the Hall of Fame Room on the 5th Floor of the ICA Building. If possible, that week's opposing coach will also be available for a teleconference at the same time.
Practice Schedule
ASU typically practices on Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during game week. Players and coaches are available for interviews following the Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday practices (some restrictions may apply). All interviews must be arranged through the ASU Media Relations Office.
Pac-10 Weekly Video Feed
A half-hour football video feed will run weekly during the football season, courtesy of the Pac-10 Conference. The feed will feature game highlights and interviews with head coaches and top players regarding upcoming games. The feed airs from 11:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. PT every Wednesday beginning September 9 through November 25. Satellite coordinates are Telestar 4, Transponder 4 (C-Band).
Pac-10 Teleconference
Pac-10 head football coaches will be available on a media teleconference every other Tuesday during the 1998 season, beginning this Tuesday, Sept. 15. The teleconference begins at 9:30 a.m. PT and a taped replay will be available beginning at 2 p.m. PT and anytime following. ASU head coach Bruce Snyder is on a 10:55 a.m. PT. Refer to the Pac-10 weekly release or call the Pac-10 or ASU media relations office for more details.
Radio Network
KMVP (860 AM) is the flagship station of the ASU Radio Network which includes:
Station City
KTAR (620 AM) Phoenix, Ariz.
KAAA (1230 AM) Kingman, Ariz.
KATO (1230 AM) Safford, Ariz.
KZUA (92.1 FM) Holbrook, Ariz.
KIKO (106.1 FM) Globe/Miami, Ariz.
KYCA (1490 AM) Prescott, Ariz.
KSHP (1400 AM) Las Vegas, Nev.
KRKO (1380 AM) Seattle, Wash.
HEAD COACH BRUCE SNYDER BIOGRAPHY
In his seventh season at the helm of ASU's football program ... second only to Frank Kush in wins at Arizona State ... his 11th year as a head coach in the Pac-10 is matched by only Dick Tomey among current Pac-10 coaches ... has led the Sun Devils to 24 wins in their last 31 games and two straight bowl appearances ... under his direction, ASU posted its first back-to-back top 15 finishes since ASU strung four together from 1970-73 ... in 1996, he 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 ... 1997 saw Snyder's Sun Devils post a 9-3 mark and defeat Iowa 17-7 in the Sun Bowl, their first bowl victory since 1987 ... 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 41-29 record in seven 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 in 1996... prior to the Rose Bowl, signed a new contract with ASU through January 6, 2002.
ASU Starters
Offense
WR LT LG C RG RT TE QB TB FB WR
Washington L. Jackson M. Smith Leaphart Ruegamer Leyva T. Davis Bates Kealy Redmond Paulk McDonald
at BYU L. Jackson M. Smith Leaphart Ruegamer Leyva T. Davis Mitchell* Kealy Redmond Spann* McDonald
*started due to formation
Defense
RE RT RT RE LB LB LB SS CB CB FS
Washington Yancy Battle Reilly Ford Trejo Cesta Archuleta Rance Cherry C. Jackson Freedman
at BYU Yancy Battle Reilly Ford Trejo Cesta Archuleta Rance Cherry C. Jackson Freedman
Here's where ASU ranks in the Pac-10:
Individual
Player Category Place Stat J.R. Redmond Rushing 7th 68.0 ypg J.R. Redmond All-Purpose Yards 4th 158.0 ypg J.R. Redmond Punt Returns 2nd 14.8 ypr Ryan Kealy Passing Efficiency 6th 134.5 Stephen Baker Punting 2nd 46.2 ypp Lenzie Jackson Kickoff Returns 5th 23.1 ypr Lenzie Jackson Receptions t10th 5.0 rpg Lenzie Jackson All-Purpose Yards 4th 147.5 ypgTeam
Category Place Stat Rushing Offense 8th 92.5 ypg Passing Offense 4th 294.0 ypg Total Offense 5th 386.5 ypg Scoring Offense 8th 22.0 ppg Rushing Defense 7th 163.5 ypg Pass Eff. Def. 7th 134.1 Total Defense 8th 405.5 ypg Scoring Defense 9th 34.0 ppg Net Punting 2nd 43.3 ypp Punt Returns 1st 14.8 ypr Kickoff Returns 8th 21.7 ypr Turnover Margin 10th -2.0 pgASU in the Nation
Here's where ASU ranks in the nation:
Individual
Player Category Place Stat J.R. Redmond All-Purpose 24th 158.0 ypg J.R. Redmond Punt Returns 15th 14.8 ypr Ryan Kealy Pass Efficiency 33rd 134.5 Ryan Kealy Total Offense 19th 265.5 ypg Lenzie Jackson Kickoff Returns 34th 23.1 ypr Lenzie Jackson All-Purpose 35th 147.5 ypgTeam
Category Place Stat Rushing Offense t88th 92.5 ypg Passing Offense t15th 294.0 ypg Total Offense 43rd 386.5 ypg Scoring Offense 62nd 22.0 ppg Rushing Defense 68th 163.5 ypg Pass Eff. Defense 80th 134.1 Total Defense 85th 405.0 ypg Scoring Defense t91st 34.0 ppg Net Punting 4th 43.3 ypp Punt Returns 16th 14.8 ypr Kickoff Returns 43rd 21.7 ypr Turnover Margin 98th - 2.00 pg