 Sun Devils play host to Stanford on Thursday. |
Football Set to Host Stanford in Thursday Night Game
Sun Devils looking to even conference record.
October 19, 1998
Stanford Cardinal vs. Arizona State Sun Devils
Arizona State (2-4, 1-2) returns to conference play by hosting Stanford (1-5, 0-3) Thursday, Oct. 22 at Sun Devil Stadium/Frank Kush Field. It is the second Thursday night game in Sun Devil history. The game will be broadcast live to a national cable audience on Fox Sports Net. The ASU Radio network and flagship station KMVP will also carry the game live. It will also be delayed by Fox Sports Arizona at 4 p.m. Sunday.
Thursday History
The only other time ASU has played on a Thursday night was to open the 1976 season. Coming off a 12-0 year in 1975, Frank Kush's Sun Devils hosted UCLA on Sept. 9, 1976 and suffered a 28-10 defeat.
Series Summary
Arizona State leads its all-time series with Stanford, 10-4, having won five of the last six and 10 of the previous 12 meetings with the Cardinal. The Sun Devils have defeated Stanford in Palo Alto in each of the last two seasons, by a combined score of 72-21. ASU's last loss to Stanford came in the last game played in Tempe, a 30-28 defeat in 1995. ASU head coach Bruce Snyder (43-31, 7th year at ASU) is 4-4-1 against Stanford in his career (4-1 with ASU). Stanford head coach Tyrone Willingham (20-20-1, 4th year) is 1-2 against ASU.
Exposure
Fox Sports Net will televise the game to a national audience as Steve Physioc and Tom Ramsey will call the action. 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.TheSunDevils.com. The game will also be shown on a tape-delayed basis on Fox Sports Arizona, Sunday at 4 p.m.
Last Week
Arizona State did not take advantage of its opportunities and provided Notre Dame too many opportunities in a 28-9 Irish win Oct. 10. The Sun Devils turned the ball over four times, which led to 14 Irish points, and scored just nine points despite eight trips into Notre Dame territory. The Irish scored a touchdown in each quarter as they steadily grinded out 263 yards rushing including 109 (on 4 carries) by fullback Joey Goodspeed. ASU had six more first downs (23-17) than the Irish and 315 yards of total offense, but those eight drives into Notre Dame territory resulted in a field goal, touchdown, three turnovers, two punts and one missed field goal. J.R. Redmond had 94 yards and one TD on 19 carries. Ryan Kealy was 13 of 22 for 121 yards and three interceptions. Lenzie Jackson caught a season-high seven passes for 90 yards. Redshirt freshman Eric Fields led the Sun Devils with 11 tackles, including three for loss.Stanford suffered its first home defeat to Oregon State since 1968 with a 30-23 loss to the Beavers Oct. 10. OSU's Ken Simonton ran for 207 yards and two touchdowns on 35 carries. Stanford's Todd Husak broke a 20-year old school record with 450 yards passing, completing 26 of 48 passes for two touchdowns. Simonton broke a 23-23 tie with 5:42 left on his second touchdown run of the game.
Last Meeting
Arizona State stunned No. 25 Stanford with a 31-14 victory at the Farm, Oct. 18, 1997. Michael Martin and Marlon Farlow each ran for more than 100 yards and a touchdown as ASU piled up 259 yards on the ground. Farlow had 129 yards on 13 carries while Martin totaled 124 yards on 23 carries. Pat Tillman earned Pac-10 Player of the Week honors with 11 tackles, including three tackles for loss, and one interception. J.R. Redmond did not make the trip due to a hip injury.In that game ...
ASU Stanford Kealy: 14/36, 195 yds. Husak: 4/10, 71 yds. L Jackson: 4 catches, 82 yds. Walters: 8 catches, 113 yds. Mitchell: 4 catches, 62 yds. Walters: 45-yd punt return
Polling
Neither Arizona State or Stanford is ranked in the AP or ESPN/USA Today poll. Arizona State began the season ranked 8th in the AP poll and 9th in the coaches' poll.
On Deck
ASU travels to Pullman for a Halloween game against Washington State.
Injury Report
Starting senior OL Randy Leaphart has missed the last four games with a right knee sprain (suffered against BYU) and is doubtful against Stanford. Sophomore RE Quincy Yancy suffered right knee and ankle sprains against Notre Dame and is questionable for Stanford. Redshirt freshman CB Courtney Hysaw was lost for the season with a knee injury during Camp Tontozona.
Statistical Comparison
Category ASU Stanford Rushing Off. 162.8 (3) 94.5 (9) Rushing Def. 130.3 (2) 217.3 (10) Passing Off. 218.3 (7) 320.8 (1) Pass Eff. Def. 122.7 (8) 155.2 (10) Total Off. 381.2 (5) 415.3 (4) Total Def. 339.0 (4) 481.3 (10) Scoring Off. 22.5 (9) 23.7 (7) Scoring Def. 24.8 (6) 38.0 (10) (Pac-10 Rank)
Successful Program
A look at some of Arizona State's success since the midpoint of the 1995 season:
Leader of the Pac
Arizona State ranks best among Pac-10 schools in combined overall record over the last four seasons.
Combined Record Last Four Seasons ('95-'98)
Team Record Pct. 1. Arizona State 28-13 .683 2. Washington 28-13-1 .679 3. UCLA 27-13 .675 4. Oregon 27-14 .659 5. USC 26-15-1 .631 6. Arizona 25-17 .595 7. Washington State 21-20 .512 8. Stanford 20-20-1 .500 9. California 16-24 .400 10. Oregon State 10-30 .250
Snyder Era
Bruce Snyder's first season as head coach at Arizona State was in 1992 and since then the Sun Devils have the fifth-best conference record in the Pac-10:
Team Conf. Pct. Overall Pct. Washington 35-15-1 .710 51-24-1 .677 USC 33-18-1 .644 48-28-3 .627 UCLA 30-21-0 .588 46-28-0 .622 Arizona 30-21-1 .587 48-28-1 .629 Arizona State 29-22-0 .569 43-31-0 .581 Oregon 27-24-0 .529 47-30-0 .610 Washington State 25-27-0 .481 43-33-0 .566 Stanford 23-28-0 .451 37-37-2 .500 California 17-34-0 .333 33-42-0 .440 Oregon State 6-45-1 .125 19-53-1 .267
Notes on Offense
Offensive Trends
Arizona State's offense is stacked with weapons and is capable of putting up some tremendous numbers on the board. It has also shown itself capable of not consistently producing. ASU has scored 24 or more points four times this season. In those four games, ASU is averaging 30.0 points, 416.0 total yards, 202.0 yards rushing and 214.0 yards passing with seven turnovers. However, ASU has also scored less than 10 points twice this season. In those two games, the Sun Devils are averaging 6.0 points, 311.5 total yards, 84.5 yards rushing and 227.0 yards passing with seven turnovers.
ASU Offense Game By Game
Opponent Rush Pass Total Per Play Pts. Washington 163 302 465 5.8 38 at Brigham Young 22 286 308 4.8 6 North Texas 226 207 433 7.0 35 Oregon State 190 173 363 4.4 24 at USC 229 174 403 4.5 24 Notre Dame 147 168 315 4.7 9 Average 162.8 218.3 381.2 5.1 22.5
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. He has rushed for over 100 yards in three of ASU's six games in 1998 and is averaging 108.2 yards rushing per game to rank second in the Pac-10. Against USC, Redmond became the 12th man in Sun Devil history to rush for 200 yards as his 214 yards rushing rank as the ninth-best rushing effort in ASU history. His three touchdowns against North Texas was the most rushing TDs by a Sun Devil since Terry Battle scored 3 TDs against Arizona in 1996. He has scored at least one TD in five of ASU's six games this year and in seven of his last nine games. Redmond started only one game prior to this season after backing up the likes of Michael Martin and Terry Battle. Redmond has rushed for 1,815 yards (not including bowl games) in his three seasons in Tempe, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. He has topped the 100-yard mark seven times in his career. 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.
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 6/6 128 649 5.1 7 89 Totals 26/7 333 1815 5.5 16 93* * 5th longest run in ASU history (8/30 vs. New Mexico State) 7th longest run in ASU history (10/3 at USC)
Redmond 1998 Game--by-Game Rushing
Opponent Att. Yds. Avg TD Lg. Washington 22 108 4.9 1 22 at BYU 16 28 1.8 0 7 North Texas 15 122 8.1 *3 24 Oregon State 23 83 3.6 1 20 at USC *33 *214 6.5 1 89 Notre Dame 19 94 4.9 1 18 *Career High
Running the football isn't the only facet to Redmond's game. Redmond ranks first in the Pac-10 and third in the nation with 203.2 all-purpose yards per game. His 350 all-purpose yards at USC was an Arizona State record, and was the first time in his career that he had surpassed the 300-yard mark. He has had 200 all-purpose yards in six games during his career and three times this season. He has caught one pass in each game this season, and has set single-game career highs in receptions (six vs. USC) and receiving yards (68 vs. Washington) this year. Redmond is the Sun Devils' second-leading receiver in 1998 with 18 catches for 170 yds. He is the Pac-10's fourth-best punt returner, averaging 11.0 yards on 15 returns. On the 10 times opponents have kicked off to him, he is averaging 23.5 yards per return. 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 amassed 3,466 all-purpose yards in three seasons, averaging 7.8 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 128-649 18-170 15-165 10-235 171-1219 7.1 203.2 Career 333-1815 42-553 70-661 26-621 471-3650 7.7 140.3
Redmond 1998 Game-by-Game All Purpose
Per Per Game Rush Rec. Punts KO Total Touch Game Wash. 22-108 4-68 2-66 1-12 29-254 8.8 at BYU 16-28 3-26 3-8 0-0 22-62 2.8 N. Texas 15-122 1-9 2-32 1-38 19-201 10.6 Oregon St. 23-83 2-24 2-17 2-44 29-168 5.8 at USC 33-214 6-34 4-17 3-85 46-350 7.6 ND 19-94 2-9 2-25 3-56 26-184 7.1 Totals 128-649 18-170 15-165 10-235 171-1219 7.1 203.2
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 has had eight such plays this season, all of which part of a drive that ended in an ASU score (7 TDs, 1 FG). Of the 30 ASU possessions that have included a "big play" by Redmond in his career, ASU has scored 22 touchdowns and 3 field goals. The Sun Devils have scored on 23 straight possessions that included a Redmond "big play."
Redmond Big Plays
Yd Gain Total Rush Catch PR KR* Led to Score 20-29 14 7 4 3 -- 10 30-39 3 0 2 1 -- 3 40-49 6 1 2 0 3 5 50+ 7 4 1 2 0 7 Total 30 12 9 6 3 25 (22 TDs) *Big Play Kickoff Return must be more than 40 yards
In 1998, Redmond has also seen limited duty at defensive back. Head coach Bruce Snyder has used Redmond in certain game situations as a safety.
Redmond's Pace and the Record Book
J.R. Redmond is on a pace to end the 1998 season with 1,190 yards rushing and 2,235 all-purpose yards. If he continues his current pace he would...
Redmond to Join 2,000 Club
J.R. Redmond is 109 rushing yards away from becoming the 15th player in ASU history to rush for 2,000 yards in his Sun Devil career. Including bowl games (which ASU records include), Redmond has 1,891 rushing yards in his career.
ASU Career Rushing Leaders
Name, Years Att. Yds. Avg. TDs
1. Woody Green, 1971-73 675 4,188 6.2 39
2. Freddie Williams, 1973-76 648 3,424 5.3 19
3. Wilford White, 1947-50 505 3,173 6.3 *17
4. Leon Burton, 1955-58 373 2,994 8.0 34
5. Darryl Clack, 1982-85 534 2,737 5.1 21
6. Art Malone, 1967-69 565 2,649 4.7 28
7. Darryl Harris, 1984-87 571 2,617 4.6 22
8. Ben Malone, 1971-73 385 2,474 6.4 25
9. Robert Weathers, 1978-81 411 2,168 5.3 13
10. Nolan Jones, 1958-61 423 2,122 5.0 23
11. Gerald Riggs, 1978-81 400 2,097 5.2 17
12. Michael Martin, 1993, 95-97 422 2,087 4.9 12
13. Mario Bates, 1991-93 420 2,025 4.8 14
14. Bobby Mulgado, 1954-57 367 2,003 5.5 21
J.R. Redmond, 1996-present 354 1,891 5.5 16
*TD records incomplete during his era
Ryan Kealy
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. The 1998 season has seen Kealy post a new career high with 302 yards against Washington in the season-opener, but it has also seen him throw seven interception in his last five games after throwing one in the five games prior to BYU (including last year). Overall, he is averaging 176.8 passing yards per game this season and his efficiency rating of 125.5 ranks fourth in the Pac-10. Kealy has thrown for at least 200 yards eight times in his career and in seven of his last 11 games. He has thrown for at least one touchdown in all but two games this season and in 12 of the 17 games in his career.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. In his first three games this season, Kealy completed 55.9 percent of his passes (52/93) for 750 yards with six TDs and 3 interceptions for an efficiency rating of 138.5. In his last three games, Kealy has completed 52 percent of his passes (26/50) for 311 yards, two touchdowns, four INTs and an efficiency rating of 101.5.
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 6/6 78-143 54.5 1061 8-7 60 176.8 125.5 Career 17/17 240-440 54.5 3198 23-14 67 188.1 126.5
Kealy 1998 Game-by-Game
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Eff. Washington 20-35 57.1 *302 3-0 47 157.9 at BYU 16-34 47.1 241 1-1 46 110.4 N. Texas 16-24 66.7 207 2-2 60 149.5 Oregon St. 12-27 44.4 173 2-1 25 115.3 at USC 1-1 100 17 0-0 17 Injured Note Dame 13-22 59.1 121 0-3 24 78.0 *Career High Suffered concussion and did not play after first 3 plays
Chad Elliott - Ready When Needed
Redshirt freshman Chad Elliott saw his first extended action as a Sun Devil against USC as he was called upon after starting QB Ryan Kealy suffered a concussion and did not return. Elliott played virtually the entire game and completed 16 of 32 passes for 157 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also relieved Kealy during the Notre Dame game and completed 6 of 8 passes against the Irish.
Elliott 1998 Game-by-Game
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Eff. Washington --------- Did Not Play ----------- at BYU 4-7 57.1 45 0-0 16 111.1 N. Texas 0-1 0 0 0-0 0 n/a Oregon St. --------- Did Not Play ----------- at USC 16-32 50.0 157 1-1 43 95.3 Note Dame 6-8 75.0 57 0-0 12 124.4 Totals 26-48 54.2 249 1-1 43 100.5
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 one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award and also is a candidate for the Outland Trophy. 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 24 catches for 304 yards in 1998. Including bowl games, Jackson has a catch in 31 straight games and can tie John Jackson's (USC, 1986-89) Pac-10 record of 37 consecutive games with a reception. In the Notre Dame game, Lenzie surpassed J.D. Hill for sixth place on the ASU career receiving list as Jackson caught a season-high seven passes for 90 yards against the Irish. Jackson has caught a touchdown pass in three of his last five and 8 of his last 13 games. Last year, he led the team in 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 22.9 yards per kickoff return which ranks eighth in the Pac-10. His 91.4 all-purpose yards per game ranks 16th in the Pac-10.
ASU Career Receptions
Name, Years Rec. 1. John Jefferson, 1974-77 188 2. Eric Guliford, 1989-92 164 3. John Mistler, 1977-80 156 4. Keith Poole, 1993-96 140 5. Aaron Cox, 1984-87 136 6. Lenzie Jackson, 1995-98 126
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 6/6 24 304 12.7 3 36 Career 37/27 119 1579 13.2 12 52(126 catches, 1694 yds, 13 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 North Texas 3 27 9.0 1 14 Oregon St. 2 32 16.0 1 19 at USC 2 22 11.0 0 12 Notre Dame 7 90 12.9 0 24
Spreading The Wealth
As a defense prepares for ASU's offense, keying on one receiver is not an appealing option. Ten different Sun Devils have caught passes for ASU this year and eight of QB Ryan Kealy's targets have caught two or more passes in one game, seven three or more. Five Sun Devils have 13 or more receptions this season.
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 5,974 rushing yards (including bowl games) from 1996-98, an average of 199 yards per game. 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. Paulk has also seen the ball more often this season, especially against Oregon State as he carried the ball a career-high 11 times for 47 yards, his highest rushing output since an 82-yard effort against Arizona in 1996. Paulk has 78 yards on 24 carries for the entire year.
Notes on Defense
Rough to Run
Arizona State's defense ranks second in the Pac-10 against the run this season and the Sun Devils have been most comfortable against conference opponents. Overall, ASU is giving up 129.8 yards rushing per game, second only to UCLA's 128.3. A closer look shows that against Pac-10 opponents Washington, Oregon State and USC, the Sun Devils have given up an average of 48.3 yards per game, 1.8 yards per carry and a total of just 12 first downs rushing. In three games against non-conference opponents, ASU has given up 211.3 yards rushing per game, 4.3 yards per rush and 35 rushing first downs. while non-conference opponents have averaged 211.3 rushing yards per game against the Sun Devils.
Beaver Dam
Arizona State held Oregon State to 3 points in the Sun Devils first conference win of the year, the fewest points ASU has held a Pac-10 opponent to since Nov. 13, 1993, when ASU defeated UCLA 9-3 in Los Angeles. The Sun Devils also held the Beavers to 9 yards rushing, the fewest by an ASU opponent since California was limited to five yards rushing, Nov. 9, 1996.
Defensive Trends
Arizona State's defense has not given up more than 21 points in a game since ASU's second game of the season. While Notre Dame and USC each surpassed 21 points on the scoreboard, they scored 14 and 7 points, respectively, against the ASU offense or special teams. Here's a statistical look at the Sun Devils in each game.
ASU Defense Game-By-Game
Opponent Rush Pass Total Per Play Pts. Washington 113 318 431 5.7 41 at Brigham Young 214 166 380 4.9 26 North Texas 157 216 373 4.7 15 Oregon State 9 223 232 3.1 3 at USC 23 260 283 5.0 *21 Notre Dame 263 69 332 5.9 *21 Average 129.8 208.7 338.5 4.8 *21.2
*Does not include points not scored against ASU's defense
Mitchell Freedman - Fright Night
The veteran leader of Arizona State's defense is senior free safety Mitchell Freedman. Freedman returned to action against Oregon State after sitting out the North Texas game with a right thigh strain. 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 36 games, starting in 34, 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 a season-high eight 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 5/5 10/17 27 2/10 0.5/7 0 2 0 0 Career 36/34 123/101 224 8/44 3.5/34 5 15 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 36 games (22 starts) over his Sun Devil career. He has 15 tackles this season, including five for loss and two sacks. 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 and is fifth on the team with 29 tackles. He has amassed 76 tackles, three interceptions and 17 pass deflections in 28 appearances (19 starts) as a Sun Devil.
Archie
Sophomore linebacker Adam Archuleta was named Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Week after notching 11 tackles, his second double-digit tackle effort of the season, against Oregon State. "Archie" had five tackles for loss in the OSU game as he continually stepped in the hole against the run and picked up one sack. The Beavers were held to nine yards rushing in the game and an average of 0.4 yards per rush. Archuleta leads the team with 48 tackles this season, including a team-high nine for loss.
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. The Sun Devils are currently sixth in the Pac-10 in scoring defense in 1998, giving up 24.8 points per game.
Inexperience
With only three starters returning, ASU's defense has looked for previous back-ups to step into starting roles. Of the 16 Sun Devils who have started on defense this year, 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
Stretch Run
Under head coach Bruce Snyder, Arizona State has traditionally played its best football of the season in its last five games of the regular season. Under Snyder, ASU is 21-9 in the last five games of the season, 13-2 over the last three years. Here's a look at each of his six years:
Record Under Snyder (Regular Season)
Year First 6 games Last 5 games 1992 3-3 3-2 1993 2-4 4-1 1994 2-4 1-4 1995 2-4 4-1 1996 6-0 5-0 1997 4-2 4-1 1998 2-4 --
Stephen Baker - A Weapon on Special Teams
ASU freshman punter Stephen Baker has started his ASU career in excellent fashion. He is third in the nation and best in the conference with a 46.4-yard punting average, which would rank as the second-best average in Pac-10 history. Furthermore, ASU ranks eighth in the nation with a 40.1-yard net punting average. Baker is also ASU's kickoff man and is handling the place kicking duties, hitting three of six field goals. He has seven touchbacks in 28 kickoffs and opponents have an average starting field position of the 22.9 yard line after his kickoffs.
The Century Mark
ASU had at least one person rush for 100 or more yards in eight of its last 11 and 13 of its last 22 games. J.R. Redmond has cracked the century mark three times this season with ASU going 1-2 in those games. ASU is 224-39-5 (.845) all-time when it has someone top the century mark and is 25-7 (.781) since Bruce Snyder's arrival in Tempe.
Special Teams
Here's some numbers pertaining to ASU's special teams:
KO Ret. Avg. Against TB Onside Avg. Opp. Start ASU* 28 19 23.6 7 1/1 22.9 Opp. 31 22 23.5 8 0/0 25.8*fair caught or downed (includes kicked out of bounds) inside 20/10Punts Ret Avg. Against FC Downed *-20 *-10 TB ASU 27 14 7.7 1 6 5 4 2 Opp. 35 15 11.0 2 15 3 0 4
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 23 --- 19 --- Scored 18 .783 16 .842 TD 15 .652 12 .632 TDs - Pass/Run 8/7 6/6 FG 3 .130 4 .211 Missed FG 1 1 Turnover 2 0 TO on Downs 2 2
Turnover Battle
After a +18 turnover ratio in the last two years, ASU has a -8 differential this season. The Sun Devils scored their first points off an opponents turnover this season against Oregon State. Here's a look at what those turnovers have meant:
ASU Opp 14 Turnovers 6Turnovers Result In ... 14 Points 37 2 TD 4 0 FG 3 0 Punt 4 2 Turnover 1 1 TO on Downs 2 1 End of Half/Game 0
Third-Down Conversions
ASU Opp. Washington 12/19/63% 8/15/53% at Brigham Young 4/13/31% 2/15/13% North Texas 8/12/67% 5/13/38% Oregon State 5/18/28% 7/19/37% at USC 10/23/43% 3/12/25% Notre Dame 6/13/46% 4/11/36% Total 45/98/46% 29/85/34%
Average Starting Field Position
ASU Opp Washington own 35 own 31 at Brigham Young own 24 own 33 North Texas own 28 own 25 Oregon State own 38 own 24 at USC own 34 own 27 Notre Dame own 28 own 20 Total own 32 own 27
Turnover Edge
In its last 34 games (dating back to 1995), ASU has a turnover ratio of +22 (78-56). In that span, ASU has accumulated 34 INTs and 44 fumble recoveries while opponents have registered 30 interceptions and 26 recoveries. ASU is 26-9 during the stretch. However, ASU is -8 this year.
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.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
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.
Head Coach Bruce Snyder
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 26 wins in their last 35 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 43-31 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.
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 43-31-0 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 199-66-3 (.748) all-time in Sun Devil Stadium and 11-4 since the playing surface was dedicated as Frank Kush Field in 1996.
Attendance
ASU has drawn seven of the nine largest crowds in ASU history in the past three 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. ASU drew the seventh-largest crowd in ASU history - 73,501 - to the Notre Dame game, and drew 72,118 to their season-opener against Washington, the 13th largest crowd in ASU history. After four home games this year, ASU's average attendance is 66,602, third-best in the Pac-10.
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 82-65-4 (.557) and 141-88-4 (.614) 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. 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.
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 Teleconference
Pac-10 head football coaches will be available on a media teleconference every other Tuesday during the 1998 season, beginning 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.
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).
www.TheSunDevils.com
ASU Athletics official home page has everything you need and more. All releases, game statistics, quotes, rosters and more are available at www.TheSunDevils.com. Information regarding Heisman trophy candidate J.R. Redmond can be found at www.TheSunDevils.com/redmond.
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.
Traffic Advisory
With ASU facing Stanford at 7:00 p.m. on a Thursday night, Arizona State University has developed a contingency parking plan for students and employees with alternative driving routes to help deal with the traffic congestion that will surround a normal business day and the influx of traffic for the game. The game-day planning committee offers the following suggestions for routes onto campus for students and staff coming to campus after 3:00 p.m. on Oct. 22:A number of University Parking lots will be affected on Oct. 22 with unusual restrictions. ASU faculty, staff and students are encouraged to look for signs informing them of how their lot might be affected in the days leading up to the game. Those lots affected are:
It is also recommended that anyone leaving the ASU Main campus after 3:00 p.m . on Oct. 22 should avoid driving on Rural Rd. and Mill Ave. if at all possible.
Questions can be directed to ASU's Office of Stadium Management at 965-3933.