Game to be televised by Fox Sports Net.
  J.R. Redmond will be back for Saturday's game against USC. |
Nov. 2, 1999
TEMPE, Ariz. - Arizona State travels to Los Angeles, Calif., to face USC at the Los Angeles Coliseum, Saturday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. MST (3:30 p.m. PST) and the game will be shown live by Fox Sports Net. ASU (4-4, 3-2) is coming off a 20-17 loss at Oregon after winning three straight conference games. USC has lost three straight conference games and four overall after a 17-7 loss to California last week.
Pac-10 Picture Arizona State is one of four teams tied for third place in the Pac-10 with 3-2 conference marks. While Stanford currently holds down first place at 5-1, Washington controls its own destiny as the Huskies handed the Cardinal their lone conference loss last week and are 4-1 in league play. The Sun Devils, Arizona, California and Oregon are 3-2 and all need help to capture the conference championship. Of the six teams with above .500 conference records, ASU holds a head-to-head tiebreaker edge with Washington and loses head-to-head tiebreakers with California and Oregon. The Sun Devils still have games against both Stanford (Nov. 13) and Arizona (Nov. 27), both in Tempe. Cal and Oregon play in Berkeley on Nov. 13.
Series History
Arizona State is the only Pac-10 team that holds a series edge against USC as the Sun Devils are 8-7 all-time against the Trojans. ASU had won two straight games against USC before losing to the Trojans last year in Los Angeles, 35-24. ASU head coach Bruce Snyder, a USC assistant coach from 1974-75, is 3-6-1 in his career against USC, 2-3 while at ASU. USC boss Paul Hackett is 1-0 against ASU.
Snapshot
ASU USC
1999 Record 4-4 3-5
Pac-10 Record 3-2 1-4
Series ASU 8-7
Last Meeting USC 35-24, 1998
Notable
Since giving up 48 points at Notre Dame, Arizona State's defense has given up 48 points in the past three games. The Sun Devils held Oregon, the nation's eighth-ranked scoring offense coming into the game, to 20 points and without a touchdown until 16 seconds remained in the third quarter.
Delvon Flowers' 161 yards on 23 carries against Oregon made him the 12th Sun Devil to rush for more than 100 yards in Bruce Snyder's eight-year tenure at ASU.
1999 Pac-10
Tm. Conf. Total Next Game Stan. 5-1 5-3 at ASU (11/13) UW 4-1 5-3 at Arizona Ariz. 3-2 6-3 Washington Oregon 3-2 5-3 Washington State ASU 3-2 4-4 at USC Cal 3-2 4-4 at Oregon State OSU 2-3 5-3 California USC 1-4 3-5 Arizona State WSU 1-4 2-6 at Oregon UCLA 1-5 3-6 Washington (11/13)
Head Coach Bruce Snyder
In his eighth season at the helm of ASU's football program ... second only to Frank Kush in wins at Arizona State ... his 13 years 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 33 wins in their last 48 games and two bowl appearances in the last three years ... 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 ... has posted a 50-37 (.575) record at ASU, and is 118-98-5 (.545) in 20 years as a head coach ... during his 20- year head coaching career, he has had 79 players go on to the NFL, 60 All-Americans and 55 first-team all-conference players ... his contract with ASU was recently extended through 2004.
Snyder Coaching Career
Sheldon High School (Eugene, Ore.) 1963 Assistant Coach, Oregon 1964-71 Assistant Coach, New Mexico St. 1972 Assistant Coach, Utah State 1973 Assistant Coach, USC 1974-75 Head Coach, Utah State 1976-82 Assistant Coach, L.A. Rams 1983-86 Head Coach, California 1987-91 Head Coach, Arizona State 1992-present
Snyder Head Coaching Record
Overall: 118-98-5 (.545), 20th yearArizona State: 50-37 (.575), 8th year
California: 29-24-4 (.544), 5 years
Utah State: 39-37-1 (.513), 7 years
Most Wins, ASU Head Coaches
1. Frank Kush, 1958-79 176 2. Bruce Snyder, 1992-present 50 3. Darryl Rogers, 1980-84 37
Longest Tenure, ASU Head Coaches
1. Frank Kush 22 seasons 2. Bruce Snyder 8th season Fred Irish 8 seasons 4. Aaron McCreary 7 seasons
Most Seasons as Head Coach in Pac-10*
1. Bruce Snyder, ASU/Cal 13th season Dick Tomey, Arizona 13th season 3. Mike Price, WSU 11th season*Active Coaches Only
Polling
Neither the Sun Devils or Trojans are ranked. It is only the second time neither team has been ranked at game time (1997) and only the fourth time USC is not ranked when ASU faces them (1983, '96, '97). ASU dropped out of the polls after its loss to New Mexico State. The Sun Devils were picked to finish fourth in the Pac-10 and USC second by West Coast media members in the conference's official preseason poll.
Exposure
Fox Sports Net will show the game live to a national television audience including Fox Sports Net Arizona in the Grand Canyon state. The Sun Devil Sports Network will carry the game live on its 11-station radio network, including flagship station KGME-SportsRadio 550 (AM). Tim Healey, Jeff Van Raaphorst, Mark Asher (sidelines) and Robby Robinson (pre- and post-game) will bring the action to Sun Devil fans. The game can also be heard on the internet through ASU's official website, www.TheSunDevils.com.
Pac-10 Preseason Poll
Arizona State was selected to finish fourth in the Pac-10 by West Coast media members as part of the official preseason conference poll:
Rk. Team (1st-place votes) Pts. '98 Record '98 Finish 1. Arizona (29) 348 12-1/7-1 2 2. USC (2) 283 7-5/5-3 t3 3. UCLA (2) 281 10-2/8-0 1 4. Arizona State (2) 242 5-6/4-4 t5 5. Oregon 192 8-4/5-3 t3 6. Washington 178 6-6/4-4 t5 7. California 166 5-6/3-5 7 8. Stanford 107 3-8/2-6 t8 9. Oregon State 79 5-6/2-6 t8 10. Washington State 54 3-8/0-8 10
Most Recently
In the last half of the 1990's, Arizona State owns the Pac-10's best overall record and second-best conference winning percentage:
Overall Record, 1995-99 Pac-10 Record, 1995-99
Team Record Pct. Bowls Team Record Pct.
1. Arizona State 35-19 .648 2 1. Washington 26-10-1 .716
2. Arizona 36-20 .643 2 2. Arizona State 25-12 .676
3. UCLA 35-21 .637 3 3. UCLA 24-14 .632
4. Oregon 35-20 .636 3 4. Arizona 21-16 .568
5. Washington 35-20-1 .634 4 5. Oregon 20-17 .541
6. USC 32-23-1 .580 2 6. USC 19-17-1 .527
7. Stanford 27-26-1 .509 1 7. Stanford 20-18 .526
8. Washington State 23-30 .434 1 8. Washington St 13-24 .351
9. California 21-32 .396 1 9. California 12-25 .324
10. Oregon State 16-36 .308 0 10. Oregon State 5-32 .135
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 41-19-1 .680 58-31-1 .650 Arizona 37-23-1 .615 60-31-1 .658 USC 36-24-1 .598 54-37-3 .590 UCLA 36-26-0 .581 54-36-0 .600 Arizona State 35-26-0 .574 50-37-0 .575 Oregon 33-28-0 .541 55-36-0 .604 Stanford 30-32-0 .484 44-43-2 .506 Washington State 26-35-0 .426 45-43-0 .511 California 21-40-0 .344 38-50-0 .432 Oregon State 9-51-1 .156 25-59-1 .300
Last Time Out
Arizona State lost in Eugene, Ore., for the second consecutive season, but the contrast couldn't have been more obvious. Two years ago, ASU was embarassed 51-19, but last week the Sun Devils put forth a valiant effort before losing in heartbreaking fashion, 20-17. After ASU took a 17-13 lead on Gerald Green's one-yard plunge, Oregon drove 79 yards in eight plays and scored on a 29-yard TD pass from Joey Harrington to Marshaun Tucker with nine seconds left.
By the end of the game, ASU was playing without eight opening-day starters, five on defense. Despite patchwork that included moving Courtney Jackson to safety, the Sun Devils held the nation's eighth-ranked scoring offense in the nation to 20 points, keeping the Ducks out of the endzone until 16 seconds remained in the third quarter.
After the first half ended in a 3-3 tie, ASU responded to a second Oregon field goal with a 74-yard, nine play drive that ended with Delvon Flowers' (23 carries, 161 yards on the day) 20-yard TD run to take a 10-6 lead. Oregon found the endzone on its next drive to take a 13-10 lead that it held until late in the fourth quarter. ASU regained the lead with a 11-play, 61-yard drive culminating in Green's touchdown. Oregon then went to the air, as Harrington completed 5 of 8 passes for all 79 yards in the winning drive.
Oregon dominated the stat page, piling up 502 total yards to ASU's 365. The Ducks had 29 first downs and used Reuben Droughns 188 yards on 37 carries to possess the ball for 36:12.
Game Leaders - ASU
Rushing: Delvon Flowers, 23-161, 1 TD
Passing: Ryan Kealy, 11/27, 152 yds., 0 TD, 1 Int
Receiving: Tariq McDonald, 3-48
Tackles: Courtney Jackson, 13 tackles, 1 Int., 2 Break Ups
Game Leaders - Oregon
Rushing: Droughns, 37-188
Passing: Harrington, 12/21, 148 yds., 2 TD, 0 Int.
Receiving: Hartley, 7-99
Tackles: McLemore, 14 tackles
Last Meeting
Arizona State surrendered 22 fourth-quarter points, 15 scored by USC's defense and special teams, to suffer a 35-24 defeat at the hands of the 21st-ranked Trojans in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Oct. 3, 1998. ASU lost despite J.R. Redmond's best game as a Sun Devil as he returned to his hometown for the first time in his career and came away with an ASU record in all-purpose yardage (350) and a career-high in rushing yardage (214). Ryan Kealy was knocked out of the game on the Sun Devils first series after suffering a mild concussion courtesy of Chris Claiborne. Chad Elliott filled in and finished the game with 157 yards and one touchdown, completing 16 of 32 attempts. ASU led 24-13 after three quarters and held dominant advantages in total offense (403-283), rushing yardage (229-23) and time of possession (36:43-23:17).
Injury Report
Player Injury Game Status Solomon Bates, MLB Right Knee MCL Sprain Out Kareem Clark, CB Left Hip Strain Probable Willie Daniel, S Left Lower Leg Sprain Probable Ryan Dennard, WR Dislocated Left Ankle Out for Season Brandon Falkner, S Left Ankle Sprain Probable Eric Fields, OLB Right Ankle Sprain Probable Monte' Franks, S Rib Sprain Out for Season Todd Heap, TE Back Probable Junior Ioane, DT Right Knee (ACL) Out for Season Craig Koontz, S Concussion, Back Probable Victor Leyva, OL Back Probable Tariq McDonald, WR Right Ankle Sprain Probable Jason Moore Stingers Probable Courtney Palmore, CB Left Hamstring Out Christon Rance Left Hamstring Probable Thomas Schmidt, OL Left Shoulder Sprain Out for Season Adam Tanke, LB Right Knee Sprain Probable Alfred Williams, S Stingers Probable
J.R. Redmond
Senior running back J.R. Redmond is among the elite rushers in the nation and is an all-purpose threat every time he touches the ball. The 6-0, 220-pound native of Carson, Calif., is poised to etch his name in the Arizona State record book along side the likes of Woody Green, Freddie Williams and Wilford "Whizzer" White.
Redmond ranks third in the Pac-10 and 20th in the nation with a 105.6-yard rushing average in 1999. He has 739 yards on 146 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per rush. He is 20 carries, 176 yards and three touchdowns away from matching his career highs in those categories. After rushing for just 96 yards on 25 carries in his previous two games due to injury, Redmond ran for 165 yards on a career-high 35 carries in ASU's win over Washington State before being suspended for the Oregon game by the NCAA.
REDMOND GAME-BY-GAME IN 1999
Game Car. Yds. Avg. TD Rec. Yds. TD All-Purp. Yds. Texas Tech 20 157 7.9 2 0 0 0 21-159 New Mexico St. 24 62 2.6 1 0 0 0 26-84 at California 19 74 3.9 0 2 13 0 24-102 UCLA 23 185 8.0 2 2 2 1 28-214 at Notre Dame 13 63 4.8 0 2 19 0 17-90 at Washington 12 33 2.8 0 2 43 0 15-85 Washington St. 35 165 4.7 3 1 9 0 40-235 at Oregon DID NOT PLAY (Suspended)
Redmond ranks fifth in ASU history with 2,864 career rushing yards and is only the 15th Sun Devil to rush for more than 2,000 yards. He needs 131 yards to surpass Leon Burton (1955-58) for fourth place and 136 yards to become the fourth ASU back to run for 3,000 career yards. If he continues his game average, Redmond could finish as high as third on ASU's all-time list. Redmond's 2,864 career rushing yards ranks 26th in Pac-10 history and Redmond can become the 23rd player in conference history to reach 3,000 career yards.
He is tied for seventh with Ben Malone on ASU's all-time list with 10 100-yard games. His next 100-yard rushing performance will tie him with Darryl Harris for sixth. ASU is 8-2 when Redmond passes the century mark and 3-0 in 1999.
How versatile is Redmond? He has been named to the first-team All-Pac-10 team as a running back (1998), return specialist (1998) and all-purpose player (1997). He was just the third player in Pac-10 history to earn first-team honors as a return specialist and at a "regular" position in the same year (Chris Oldham, Oregon, DB, 1989; Curtis Conway, USC, WR, 1992).
Redmond ranks fifth in the Pac-10 and 26th in the nation with 137.0 all-purpose yards per game in 1999. His 40 touches for 235 all-purpose yards against Washington State was a season-high and the eighth time in his career he eclipsed 200 all-purpose yards. Redmond was the 1998 Pac-10 all-purpose leader with 1,558 all-purpose yards, becoming just the second Sun Devil to claim that individual crown (Darryl Clack, 1983). He also ranked 13th in the nation in 1998. His 5,107 career all-purpose yards is 547 yards shy of White's ASU career record of 5,654 yds.
J.R. Redmond By the Numbers
NOTE: All Statistics Include Bowl Games
Year-By-Year Rushing/Receiving
Year G/GS Car Yds Avg TD Lg Rec Yds Avg TD Lg 1996 11/0 71 327 4.6 2 41 10 211 21.1 2 55 1997 11/1 155 915 5.9 7 *93 15 186 12.4 1 28 1998 10/8 166 883 5.3 11 ^89 22 194 8.8 0 47 1999 7/6 146 739 5.1 8 80 9 86 9.6 1 22 Career 39/15 538 2864 5.3 28 93 56 677 12.1 4 55*5th longest run in ASU history (8/30/97 vs. New Mexico State)
^7th longest run in ASU history (10/3/98 at USC)
Year-by-Year Returning
Year PR Yds Avg. TD Lg KOR Yds Avg TD Lg 1996 35 286 8.2 0 61 2 83 34.3 0 42 1997 27 259 9.6 0 37 15 323 21.5 0 47 1998 18 246 13.7 1 76 10 235 23.5 0 39 1999 17 134 7.9 0 20 0 0 0.0 0 0 Career 97 925 9.5 1 76 27 641 23.7 0 47
Year-by-Year All Purpose (No.-Yds)
Per Per
Year Rush Rec. Punts KO Total Touch Game
1996 71-327 10-211 35-286 2-83 122-911 7.5 82.8
1997 155-915 15-186 27-259 15-323 208-1679 8.1 152.6
1998 166-883 22-194 18-246 10-235 216-1558 7.4 155.8
1999 146-739 9-86 17-134 0-0 172-959 5.6 137.0
Career 538-2864 56-677 97-925 27-641 718-5107 7.1 130.1
Pac-10 Career Rushing Leaders
Name, Years Att. Yds. Avg. J.R. Needs
1. Charles White, USC, 1976-79 1147 6,245 5.4 3381
19. Hubert Oliver, Ariz., 1977-80 649 3,096 4.8 232
20. Steve Broussard, WSU, 1986-89 610 3,054 5.0 191
21. Chuck Muncie, Cal, 1973-75 549 3,052 5.6 189
22. Brad Muster, Stanford, 1984-87 703 3,010 4.3 146
23. Shaumbe Wright-Fair, WSU, 1989-92 618 2,939 4.8 76
24. Paul Jones, Cal, 1975-79 715 2,930 4.1 67
25. Theotis Brown, UCLA, 1976-78 526 2,919 5.5 51
26. J.R. Redmond, ASU, 1996- 503 2,699 5.4
27. Tim Harris, WSU, 1979-82 542 2,830 5.2
ASU Career Rushing Leaders
Name, Years Att. Yds. Avg. TDs J.R. Needs 1. Woody Green, 1971-73 675 4,188 6.2 39 1325 2. Freddie Williams, 1973-76 648 3,424 5.3 19 561 3. Wilford White, 1947-50 505 3,173 6.3 *17 310 4. Leon Burton, 1955-58 373 2,994 8.0 34 131 5. J.R. Redmond, 1996- 538 2,864 5.3 28 6. Darryl Clack, 1982-85 534 2,737 5.1 21 7. Art Malone, 1967-69 565 2,649 4.7 28*TD Records Incomplete during his era
Redmond vs. USC
Year Car. Yds. Avg. TD Rec. Yds. TD All-Purpose Yds. 1998 33 214 6.5 1 6 34 0 46-350 1997 12 48 4.0 1 3 17 0 17-87 1996 9 43 4.8 0 1 3 0 14-67 Career 54 305 5.6 2 10 54 0 77-504
Ryan Kealy
Ryan Kealy is in his third season at the helm of the Sun Devil offense and is 16-13 as ASU's starting quarterback. Injuries plagued the junior quarterback in ASU's first four contests, but Kealy has been relatively healthy in the Sun Devils last four games and has responded by completing 64 of 119 passes (53.8 %) for 745 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions. Against Washington State, he had season highs in completions and attempts. In Pac-10 games, Kealy's numbers are even better as he has completed 55.1 % of his throws (65/118) for 841 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions for an efficiency rating of 122.2 against conference foes. Torn cartilage in his right knee forced Kealy out of the season-opener vs. Texas Tech in the first quarter and required arthroscopic surgery on Sept. 7. Eleven days later, he struggled in ASU's loss to New Mexico State. He performed well at California, before exiting after the third quarter with bruised ribs which bumped him from the UCLA game after two series.
KEALY GAME-BY-GAME IN 1999
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Sack Texas Tech 2-5 40.0 15 0-0 8 1 New Mexico St. 7-17 41.2 90 0-1 22 2 at California 15-25 60.0 266 2-0 48 4 UCLA 4-4 100.0 26 0-0 13 2 at Notre Dame 18-30 60.0 196 0-3 28 0 at Washington 15-28 53.6 194 2-2 34 0 Washington St. 20-34 58.8 203 1-1 20 1 at Oregon 11-27 40.7 152 0-1 24 3 1999 Totals 92-170 54.1 1142 5-8 48 13
Pac-10 Starting QBs
QB Career Starts Keith Smith, Ariz. 29 Ryan Kealy, ASU 28 Todd Husak, Stan. 19 Steve Birnbaum, WSU 16 M. Van Raaphorst, USC 15 Ortege Jenkins, Ariz. 12 Jonathan Smith, OSU 11 M. Tuiasosopo, UW 11
Junior Starting QBs
QB Career Starts Ryan Kealy, ASU. 28 Jason McKinley, Hou. 26 Cleo Lemon, Ark. St. 26 James Washington, Akron 24 Mike McMahon, Rutgers 23
Kealy has joined the ranks of ASU's all-time great quarterbacks. He ranks fifth in ASU history and 31st in Pac-10 history with 5,404 career passing yards and is 322 yards from surpassing Paul Justin for fourth place on ASU's list. He needs just one completion and five touchdowns to move into the top five of each of those career categories.
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 10/9 150-261 57.5 2161 19-9 79 216.1 144.1 1999 8/8 92-170 54.1 1142 5-8 48 142.8 110.8 Career 29/28 404-728 56.5 5440 39-24 79 187.6 129.3
ASU CAREER PASSING YARDS
Name, Yrs. Yds. 1. Jake Plummer, 1993-96 8,827 2. Danny White, 1971-73 6,717 3. Jeff Van Raaphorst, 1984-86 6,610 4. Paul Justin, 1987-90 5,761 5. Ryan Kealy, 1997- 5,440 6. Mike Pagel, 1978-81 5,196
Pac-10 CAREER PASSING YARDS
Name, Yrs. Yds.
1. Steve Stenstrom, Stanford, 1991-94 10,911
28. Paul Justin, ASU, 1987-90 5,761
29. Brock Huard, UW, 1996-98 5,742
30. Sonny Sixkiller, UW, 1970-72 5,496
31. Ryan Kealy, 1997- 5,440
ASU CAREER COMPLETIONS
Name, Yrs. Completions 1. Jake Plummer, 1993-96 632 2. Jeff Van Raaphorst, 1984-86 503 3. Paul Justin, 1987-90 418 4. Dennis Sproul, 1974-77 417 5. Mike Pagel, 1978-81 405 6. Ryan Kealy, 1997- 404
Kealy is 1-1 against USC, but did not play past the first series of last year's loss after suffering a concussion after a hit by Chris Claiborne. His 281 yards passing against USC in 1997 was his season-high and ranks as the third-highest yardage total in his career.
KEALY VS. USC
Year Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Sack 1998 1-1 1.000 17 0-0 17 0 1997 21-34 61.8 281 3-1 40 2 Career 22-35 62.8 298 3-1 40 2
Archie's Bunker
After missing virtually all of training camp and ASU's first game against Texas Tech with hamstring problems, junior OLB Adam Archuleta has taken the lead on defense since returning. He has recorded double-digit tackle efforts in five of his seven games, leading ASU four times. Despite missing one game, Archuleta paces the Pac-10 with 10.7 tackles per game (75 tackles). His 15 tackles for loss also leads the team and ties him for third in the Pac-10. He ranks second on the squad with five sacks. In his career, Archuleta ranks sixth in ASU history with 33 tackles for loss. He needs three tackles for loss to break into the top 10 single-season marks at ASU, where he already resides with last year's 18 tackles for loss. He has had at least one tackle for loss in 12 of 13 and 14 of his last 16 games.
Archuleta Game-by-Game in 1999
Game UA AT Total TFL Sacks Int. Texas Tech DID NOT PLAY (Hamstring) New Mexico St. 5 6 11 2-11 1-7 0 at California 10 3 13 2-18 2-18 0 UCLA 0 6 6 2-6 0-0 1 at Notre Dame 5 7 12 2-6 0-0 0 at Washington 5 4 9 4-19 1-12 0 Washington St. 7 6 13 3-21 1-14 0 at Oregon 5 6 11 0-0 0-0 0 Total 37 38 75 15-81 5-51 1
ASU SINGLE SEASON TOP 10 - TACKLES FOR LOSS
Name TFL Year
1. Al Harris 24 1977
2. Derrick Rodgers 23 1996
3. Brett Wallerstedt 22 1992
Bob Kohrs 22 1979
Al Harris 22 1978
6. Jeremy Staat 20 1997
Vernon Maxwell 20 1982
Vernon Maxwell 20 1980
Bob Kohrs 20 1978
10. Adam Archuleta 18 1998
Jim Jeffcoat 18 1981
ASU CAREER LEADERS-TACKLES FOR LOSS
Name TFL Years
1. Shante Carver 57 1990-93
2. Bob Kohrs 56 1976-79
Vernon Maxwell 56 1979-82
Al Harris 56 1975-78
5. Scott Stephen 46 1983-86
6. Adam Archuleta 33 1997-pr
7. Albrey Battle 32 1995-98
8. Pat Tillman 29 1994-97
9. Shawn Patterson 28 1984-87
10. Brett Wallerstedt 27 1989-92
Blossoming
Following a pattern of success enjoyed by previous Sun Devil junior college transfers (Jeremy Staat and Derek Smith, to name a couple), Erik Flowers has blossomed into one of the Pac-10's top defensive players in his second year of Division I football. Flowers, a junior college All-American from Trinity Valley CC in Texas, is third on the team with 46 tackles and is tied for the league lead with nine sacks. He is two sacks shy of tying Shante Carver (1991) for the fifth-best single-season sack total in ASU history (Al Harris' 19 in 1978 is the record). He has a sack in all but one game this season. In his last two games, Flowers has 16 tackles, seven tackles for loss and three sacks. This offseason the native of San Antonio, Texas, was singled out by head coach Bruce Snyder as a great leader and his teammates agreed, voting him and J.R. Redmond as co-captains for the 1999 squad.
ERIK FLOWERS Game-by-Game in 1999
Game UA AT Total TFL Sacks Texas Tech 2 3 5 2-9 1-8 New Mexico St. 1 7 8 0-0 0-0 at California 4 0 4 1-3 1-3 UCLA 1 3 4 1-10 1-10 at Notre Dame 1 3 4 1-8 1-8 at Washington 4 1 5 2-6 2-6 Washington St. 4 5 9 4-25 2-20 at Oregon 6 1 7 3-12 1-8 Total 23 23 46 14-73 9-63
Courtney's Corner
Senior cornerback Courtney Jackson has started 31 straight games for Arizona State, the longest streak among current Sun Devils, but he garnered his first at safety last week at Oregon. He responded with a career-high 13 tackles, one interception and two pass deflections. Jackson, a native of DeSoto, Texas, has 129 tackles, seven interceptions and 26 pass deflections in his four-year career that has seen him appear in 43 games. An honorable mention All-Pac-10 performer in 1998, he led the team with four interceptions which ranked sixth in the Pac-10.
Tariq's Time
After sharing time with the likes of Lenzie Jackson, Creig Spann and Kenny Mitchell the past two seasons, junior WR Tariq McDonald is ASU's most experienced receiver and a favorite target of his high school teammate, Ryan Kealy. McDonald leads the team with 32 catches in 1999, including 23 receptions in the last five games. He is averaging 12.0 yards per catch and has 385 yds. receiving. McDonald has caught a pass in 16 straight and 18 of his last 19 games.
Golden Retriever
Combine sophomore TE Todd Heap's blond hair, hands of glue and nose for the football and you'll know why ASU head coach Bruce Snyder has called him a "Golden Retriever." Heap continually makes big plays for the Sun Devils as he is second on the team with 29 receptions, including 19 catches in the last four games. Twenty-one of his 29 receptions have resulted in a first down or touchdown. He leads the team in receiving yardage (426) and averages 14.7 yards per catch. He had career highs in receptions (8) and receiving yards (100) at Notre Dame. Heap has caught a pass in 11 straight games (39 catches over that span) and has had at least three receptions in all but two of ASU's games in 1999 (both of which he was sidelined by injury/illness). Heap was a freshman All-American last year with 12 receptions for 209 yds. (17.4 avg.) and four TDs, earning the Bill Kajikawa Top Freshman Award for ASU.
ASU Tight End Season Records
Name Year Rec. Yds. TD
1. Don Kern 1983 49 502 1
2. Jerry Smith 1964 42 618 5
3. Ken Dyer 1967 39 654 4
4. Joe Petty 1971 36 577 6
5. Joe Petty 1972 31 522 4
6. Todd Heap 1999 29 426 1
Ken Dyer 1966 29 496 2
8. Ron Wetzel 1982 28 365 0
Ryan McReynolds 1988 28 271 5
Matt Nelson 1994 28 241 3
Dynamic Duo
Combine Heap with senior Kendrick Bates and ASU might have the best one-two combination at tight end in the country. Bates has appeared in 30 of 31 games in the last three years, starting 20, registering 60 receptions for 705 yards (11.8 avg.). The two have combined for 45 receptions and 572 yards in 1999. Add Brian Jennings and Jason Moore and ASU's tight ends have 49 catches for 610 yds., which represents over one-third (37.4% and 37.0% to be exact) of ASU's receptions and receiving yardage. Bates and Heap also rank among the top tight ends in ASU history.
ASU Tight Ends in 1999
Player Rec. Yds. Avg. TD Long Avg/G T. Heap 29 426 14.7 1 41 53.3 K. Bates 16 146 9.1 1 19 18.3 B. Jennings 3 35 11.7 1 14 4.4 J. Moore 1 3 3.0 0 3 0.5 TOTAL 49 610 12.4 3 41 76.3
CAREER TIGHT END RECEPTION
Name (Years) No. Yds. TD
1. Ken Dyer (1965-67) 88 1365 7
2. Joe Petty (1970-72) 81 1352 11
3. Ron Wetzel (1979-82) 67 861 7
4. Ryan McReynolds (1987-90) 65 671 7
5. Kendrick Bates (1996-99) 60 705 4
6. Jeff Gallimore (1983-86) 54 519 5
7. Jerry Smith (1963-64) 51 747 7
8. Herman Harrison (1961-63) 50 753 8
Stein Koss (1983-86) 50 517 1
10. Don Kern (1982-83) 49 502 1
11. Todd Heap (1998- ) 41 635 5
DECADE OF THE 90s - Tight End Receptions
Year No.-Yds. Year No.-Yds. 1999 49-610 1994 34-243 1998 36-468 1993 21-294 1997 33-438 1992 30-376 1996 44-543 1991 28-333 1995 31-283 1990 25-294
Two-Headed Backup
Arizona State looks to sophomore JC transfer John Leonard and junior walk-on Griffin Goodman to relieve Kealy. Both are in their first season as Sun Devils. Leonard came to ASU from El Camino (Calif.) CC, where he passed for 2,765 yards and 31 touchdowns in 11 games in one season. Leonard has seen action in five games. Goodman has been under center in four games in 1999, including the winning drive against UCLA, after walking on last spring. Goodman holds records for most passing yards in a game (502) and in a season (2,700) after spending the last two seasons at Eastern Arizona CC. He was a junior college All-American in 1998.
John Leonard, So.
El Camino CC/Mater Dei HS - Hunting Beach, Calif.
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds TD-Int Lg. Avg/G Eff. Texas Tech 7-17 41.2 117 0-0 41 New Mexico St. 2-9 22.2 28 0-1 15 at California 2-8 25.0 13 0-1 12 UCLA 9-17 52.9 72 0-1 18 at Notre Dame 2-4 50.0 21 0-0 12 at Washington DID NOT PLAY Washington St. DID NOT PLAY Oregon DID NOT PLAY 1999 Totals 22-55 40.0 251 0-3 41 50.2 67.4
Griffin Goodman, Jr.
Eastern Arizona CC/Mountain View HS - Mesa, Ariz.
Game Comp-Att. Pct. Yds. TD-Int Lg. Avg/G Eff. Texas Tech 4-5 80.0 47 0-0 29 New Mexico St. 0-3 0.0 0 0-1 0 at California DID NOT PLAY UCLA 8-17 47.1 141 2-1 49 at Notre Dame 4-5 80.0 46 1-0 19 t Washington DID NOT PLAY Washington St. DID NOT PLAY Oregon DID NOT PLAY 1999 Totals 16-30 53.3 234 3-2 49 46.8 138.5
Next Up
Arizona State returns to Sun Devil Stadium/Frank Kush Field for its final two games, including a Homecoming matchup with conference-leader Stanford, Nov. 13. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. (MST) and the game will be televised along the west coast by Fox Spors Net syndication. Locally, KTVK Channel 3 will telecast the game live.
Turning 50
ASU head coach Bruce Snyder earned not only his 50th victory at Arizona State, but also his 50th career win in Pac-10 conference play with ASU's 33-21 win over Washington State. Combining his record in Tempe and during a five-year stint at California, Snyder is 50-45-4 in conference games. He became just the 12th coach in the 84-year history of the league to plate 50 wins. The other 11 are: Terry Donahue, UCLA, 98 wins; Don James, Washington, 97; John McKay, USC, 70; Howard Jones, USC, 65; O.E. Hollingbery, WSU, 64; John Robinson, USC, 63; Larry Smith, Arizona, 63; Rich Brooks, Oregon, 56; Dick Tomey, Arizona, 57; Jim Owens, Washington, 54; James Phelan, Washington, 51.
Indicator?
Arizona State has defeated both UCLA and Washington in 1999, only the fourth time the Sun Devils have accomplished that since joining the Pac-10 in 1978. Two of the previous three times (1986 and 1996), ASU went to the Rose Bowl. However, turning that trick didn't help ASU advance to a bowl game in 1993. If the Sun Devils beat USC this week, it would be just the third time in history ASU has beaten those three schools in the same season. ASU went to the Rose Bowl each of the previous two times (1986 and 1996).
Walk-On
A peek at the injury list is all anyone needs to see that ASU's depth has been tested in 1999 and a positive sign has been the contribution of 14 players who at least began their Sun Devil careers by walking on. Here's a look at the walk-on players who have seen action in 1999:
Walk On Now Original Walk On (Scholarship Now) Ryan Delnoce Mike Aguirre Roderick Denetso Adam Archuleta Stephen Garcia Brian Forth Josiah Igono Elza Gennicks Griffin Goodman Brian Jennings Dalen Ware Levi Jones Patrick Wilson Jamel Ready
Devil "D"
Arizona State is ranked third in the Pac-10 in points allowed, allowing 24.4 points per game, trailing California (21.9) and USC (23.5). After giving up 48 points to Notre Dame, ASU has given up 48 points in the three games since then. The Sun Devils have led the league in scoring defense in two of the past three years. ASU gave up just 17.8 points per game in 1996 and 18.5 points per game in 1997.
Splitting the Uprights
ASU's Stephen Baker has made six straight field goals (a career high). On the year, Baker is 10-of-14 (.714) and is 7-of-8 from inside 40 yards.
Penalties, or Lack of
ASU was eighth in the league in 1998 in penalties, averaging 90.7 yards per game. The Sun Devils were whistled for 106 on the year for 988 yards. This year, ASU has just 56 penalties for 460 yards, just 57.5 yards per game, third-best in the Pac-10.
Turnover Tale
In its last 27 games, if Arizona State breaks even or wins the turnover battle the Sun Devils are 14-1. Over that same span, ASU is 1-11 when it loses the turnover battle with its only victory coming this year vs. Washington State. The last time ASU broke even or had a positive turnover margin and lost was last week against Oregon.
In the Conference
Arizona State has played well within the Pac-10, outscoring conference opponents 129-99 and losing two games by a combined four points. Here's a look at ASU in league games only:
ASU Pac-10 Stats
Category ASU Opp Score 129 99 First Downs 106 101 Net Rushing Yds. 957 764 Net Passing Yds. 1088 1077 Total Net Yds. 2045 1841 Turnovers 10 15 Possession Time/Game 30:29 29:22
Individual Leaders
Rushing: J.R. Redmond, 89 carries, 457 yds., 5 TDs
Passing: Ryan Kealy, 65/118, 841 yds., 5 TD/4 Int., 122.2 Efficiency
Receiving: Tariq McDonald, 18 catches, 226 yds., 1 TD
All-Purpose: J.R. Redmond, 156.5 yds., per game
Tackles: Adam Archuleta, 52 tackles, 11 TFL, 4 sacks
Sacks: Erik Flowers: 29 tackles, 11 TFL, 7 sacks
Slow Start
Arizona State has not scored in the first quarter in six of its eight games this year, tallying only 10 points in the first 15 minutes. However, ASU's defense has only allowed 38 points in the first quarter. Also, the opponent has scored first in seven of eight ASU games this year. ASU scored first at California. ASU has had the lead at the half in just two games (Texas Tech and at UW).
Fast Finish
ASU outscored its opponents 124-88 in the second half of games in 1999.
In addition, the Sun Devils have shown a tendency to finish strong in the second half of a regular season under Bruce Snyder. In ASU's first six games of the regular season since 1992, ASU is an even .500 at 24-24. In their last five games of the regular season, the Sun Devils are 25-12 (.676), including a 1-1 mark in 1999.
REGULAR SEASON STARTS/FINISHES UNDER SNYDER
Year First 6 games Last 5 games Total 1992 3-3 3-2 6-5 1993 2-4 4-1 6-5 1994 2-4 1-4 3-8 1995 2-4 4-1 6-5 1996 6-0 5-0 11-0 (Rose Bowl) 1997 4-2 4-1 8-3 (Sun Bowl) 1998 2-4 3-2 5-6 1999 3-3 1-1 4-4 Total 24-24 25-12 49-36
On the Ground
Once again in 1999, Arizona State ranks near the top of the Pac-10 in rushing offense. The Sun Devils are rated third in 1999, averaging 180.9 yards rushing per game. The Sun Devils have a stable full of running backs headlined by All-Pac-10 performer J.R. Redmond, who ranks third in the league averaging 105.6 yards per game. The firepower does not stop with Redmond as three more than capable tailbacks back Redmond up and are averaging a combined 95.7 yards per game. Delvon Flowers (6.4 yards per carry) led ASU with 161 yds. on 23 carries at Oregon, Gerald Green (4.5 ypc) led the Sun Devils at Washington with 82 yards on 18 carries and Davaren Hightower (4.7 ypc) started for an ailing Redmond against UCLA. Of course, talented tailbacks are only part of the equation as ASU's starting offensive line ,led by a trio of all-conference candidates in Scott Peters, Victory Leyva and Marvel Smith, is an average 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 309.6 pounds. In addition, flyback Terrelle Smith (6-1, 238) leads the way and averages a team-best 8.1 yards per carry.
RUSHING OFFENSE UNDER SNYDER
Year YPG Pac-10 Rank 1999 180.9 3nd 1998 152.8 4th 1997 193.8 1st 1996 248.5 1st 1995 183.5 3rd 1994 128.9 8th 1993 172.5 4th 1992 171.1 5th
Playmaker
Junior JC transfer Delvon Flowers continues to impress as ASU's multi-talented playmaker. Flowers garnered his first start of his Sun Devil career at Oregon and responded with 161 yards and one touchdown on 23 carries. Prior to Oregon he had gained 183 yards on 31 carries. His four touchdowns in 1999 have each been at least 20 yards, showcasing his play-making ability. In his first game as a Sun Devil, Flowers took a reverse and ran 40 yards to give ASU a 21-7 lead vs. Texas Tech. At California, Flowers weaved 27 yards for a TD and a 23-14 Sun Devil lead. Against UCLA, Flowers won the game with a 49-yard TD on a wide-receiver screen, breaking tackles and finding daylight to give ASU a 28-27 victory. At Oregon, he broke outside for a 20-yard touchdown run. Flowers averages 6.4 yards per carry, 17.5 yards per catch and 20.5 yards per kickoff return.
JC Impact
Arizona State had 13 new junior college players report to Camp Tontozona this year (14 signed) and 9 currently appear on ASU's two-deep. Here's a look at all 13:
1999 JC Transfer Note Jamall Anderson, LB Lower leg fracture sidelined him for year Ryan Dennard, WR Three catches for 34 yds. Nijrell Eason, CB 15 tackles and 3 PDs as second-team corner Delvon Flowers, RB Third-leading rusher Monte' Franks, S Will petition for medical redshirt Craig Koontz, S 5 Starts, 2nd on squad with 46 tackles John Leonard, QB Played in five games; 22/55, 251 yds., 3 INTs Marquise Muldrow, OG Key reserve on O-Line Nick Murphy, P 40.3 yd. average ranks 6th in Pac-10 Adam Tanke, LB 8 tackles in 5 games Kenny Williams, CB 14 tackles and 1 PD as second-team corner Richard Williams, WR 6 starts, 18 catches for 273 yds., 2 TDs Kenneth Williamson, C Started last five weeks at center
True Freshmen
Four true freshmen have seen action for ASU in 1999. Middle linebacker Solomon Bates, who won't turn 18 until April 18, ranked fourth on the squad with 42 tackles and started six games before being sidelined with a knee injury. His best game as a Sun Devil came at Washington, where he registered a team-high 11 tackles, including three for loss, forced a fumble with a "hellacious hit" (UW Coach Rick Neuheisel) and broke up a pass. LB Josh Amobi (five tackles in seven games played), K Mike Barth (took over the kickoff duties against UCLA) and CB Machtier Clay (made debut at Washington) join Bates as true freshmen who have played.
Bye-Bye
Arizona State plays four Pac-10 teams which have byes before their games against the Sun Devils. To date, ASU is 1-1 in those contests. California, Washington State, Stanford and Arizona all are off the week before teeing it up against ASU. ASU plays the week before each of those games with the exception of Arizona.
Missing the Beavers
The Pac-10 schedule includes eight conference games and the conference rotates which team a school misses every two years. ASU will not play Oregon State in 1999 or 2000.
Save Joe
Former Sun Devil Joe Cajic (1993-94) began the Joe Cajic Foundation to subsidize bone marrow testing in search of a match that would save his life after being diagnosed with Leukemia. Cajic recently found that match and is currently undergoing a bone marrow transplant procedure in Tucson, but his foundation will continue its work to make bone marrow testing more affordable and available. For more information on future events and The Save Joe Foundation, visit savejoe.com.
USC Schedule
Arizona State will practice Tuesday and Wednesday morning (7:30 a.m. to approximately 9:30 a.m.) and Thursday evening (4:40-6:00 p.m.). Players are available after practice pending their class schedules. ASU leaves for Los Angeles Friday and Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Mark Brand and Associate SID Doug Tammaro can be reached at the Manhattan Beach Marriott at 310-546-7511. All interviews must be arranged through the ASU Media Relations office.
Bowl Lineup
The Bowl Championship Series is in its second season in 1999. The national championship game matching the No. 1 and 2 teams is at the Sugar Bowl January 4 in New Orleans for the national championship. Assuming 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 O'ahu Bowls, assuring that five Pac-10 teams will participate in post-season competition.
Bowl, Site, Date, TV, Matchup
Sugar, New Orleans, Jan. 4, ABC, National Championship
Rose, Pasadena, Jan. 1, ABC, Pac-10 #1 vs. BigTen #1
Holiday, San Diego, Dec. 29, ESPN, Pac-10 #2 vs. Big 12 #3
Sun, El Paso, Dec. 31, CBS, Pac-10 #3 vs. BigTen #5
Aloha, Honolulu, Dec. 25, ABC, Pac-10 #4 or 5 vs. At-Large/ACC #5
O'ahu, Honolulu, Dec. 25, Pac-10 #4 or 5 vs. At-Large/ACC #5
Sun Devil Sports Network
Sun Devil fans from across the state as well as Southern California and Southern Nevada can tune into the Sun Devil Sports Network for live radio broadcasts of all Arizona State football games. Here are the affiliates of the 11-station network:
Station City KGME-SportsRadio 550 AM Phoenix (Flagship) KYCA 1490 AM Prescott, Ariz. KATO 1230 AM Safford, Ariz. KWMX 96.7 FM Flagstaff, Ariz. KAZM 780 AM Sedona, Ariz. KDJI 1270 AM and KZUIA 92.1 FM Holbrook-Show Low, Ariz. KPLS 830 AM Los Angeles, Calif. KSHP 1400 AM Las Vegas, Nev. KDAP 96.5 FM Douglas, Ariz. KIKO 1340 AM Globe-Miami, Ariz. KBLU 560 AM Yuma, Ariz.
Snyder Call-In Show
The Bruce Snyder Call-In Show airs every Tuesday night at 7:00 p.m. on KGME SportsRadio 550 AM during the football season. Sun Devil fans can pose their questions to Snyder and host Tim Healey. It can also be heard through ASU's official website, www.TheSunDevils.com
Pac-10 Football Satellite Feed
The Pac-10 provides a weekly satellite feed featuring interviews with coaches and selected players regarding upcoming games along with highlight footage. The half hour feed airs every Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. PDT/MST (2:00 p.m. EDT) through Nov. 24. Coordinates for the feed are GE2, Transponder 6 (C-Band). Trouble numbers: Master Control 310-543-1835 or 310-286 3749 or pager 888-423-0095 or Erin Heiny at 925-932-4411.
Online
Arizona State's official website is part of the FansOnly network and can be found at www.TheSunDevils.com. The Pac-10 conference's official website is located at www.Pac-10.org
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," hosted by Tom Dillon. The show will typically be televised every-other Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., dependent on FSA's live-event schedule. The next edition of "Running with the Sun Devils" will air Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Ranking the Sun Devils
Here's where ASU ranked in the Pac-10 and nation
Individuals must rank in top 10 of Pac-10 and/or top 50 of nation
PLAYER Category Pac-10 Nation Stat Archuleta Tackles for Loss t3rd 15 TFL Archuleta Tackles 1st 10.7 tpg Baker Field Goal Pct. 6th 71.4 % Baker Field Goals Made t2nd t31st 1.25 fgpg Baker PAT Pct. 9th 94.1 % D. Flowers Kickoff Returns 10th 20.5 ypr E. Flowers Sacks t1st 9 sacks Kealy Passing Yards 9th 142.8 ypg Kealy Total Offense 10th 131.9 ypg Murphy Punting 7th 40.2 ypp Redmond All-Purpose 5th 26th 137.0 ypg Redmond Punt Returns 7th 7.9 ypr Redmond Rushing 3rd 20th 105.6 ypg Redmond Scoring 3rd t30th 8.0 ppg
OFFENSE
Category Pac-10 Nation Stat
ASU Rushing 3rd 26th 180.9 ypg
ASU Passing Yards 9th 62nd 206.0 ypg
ASU Pass Efficiency 9th 105.4
ASU Total 6th 46th 386.9 ypg
ASU Scoring 7th t75th 23.0 ppg
ASU First Downs 7th 163
ASU 3rd Down Conv. 5th 38.3%
ASU 4th Down Conv. 2nd 57.1%
ASU Sacks Against 4th 20 sacks
DEFENSE
Category Pac-10 Nation Stat
ASU Rushing 9th 93rd 182.6 ypg
ASU Pass Efficiency 4th 50th 116.5
ASU Passing Yards 2nd 205.5 ypg
ASU Total 6th 81st 388.1 ypg
ASU Scoring 3rd 54th 24.4 ppg
ASU Opp. First Downs 2nd 153
ASU Sacks 6th 22 sacks
ASU 3rd Down Conv. 5th 36.1%
ASU 4th Down Conv. 1st 25.0%
OTHER
Category Pac-10 Nation Stat
ASU Net Punting 4th 36th 37.2 ypp
ASU Punt Returns 8th 83rd 7.3 ypr
ASU Kickoff Returns 9th 93rd 18.1 ypr
ASU Turnover Margin 9th t86th -0.50 pg
ASU Field Goals 5th 71.4%
ASU PAT Kicking 7th 94.1%
ASU Time of Possession 4th 30:04
ASU Penalties 3rd 460 yds.
Special Teams
Here's some numbers pertaining to ASU's special teams:
KO Ret. Avg. Against TB Onside Avg. Opp. Start
ASU 40 30 21.7 8 0/1 29.6
Opp. 39 28 18.1 9 0/0 27.0
Punts Ret Avg. Against FC Downed *-20 *-10 TB
ASU 52 28 5.6 11 9 11 4 4
Opp. 52 24 7.3 3 21 8 2 4
*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 24 -- 24 --
Scored 20 .833 17 .708
TD 13 .542 13 .542
FG 7 .292 4 .167
Missed FG 1 3
Turnover 1 2
TO on Downs 0 2
End of Half/Game 2 0
Turnover Battle
Arizona State is -4 in turnover margin for the 1999 season and have given up 65 points on 22 turnovers. ASU has converted 18 opponent turnovers into 36 points.
ASU Opp 22 Turnovers 18 Turnovers Result In for Opponent ... 65 Points 36 9 TD 3 0 FG 3 6 Punt 5 2 Turnover 2 2 Missed FG 1 0 TO on Downs 0 2 End of Half/Game 3
The Century Mark
ASU is 228-40-5 (.844) all-time when it has someone top the century mark, is 29-8 (.784) since Bruce Snyder's arrival in Tempe and 3-1 this year.
Attendance
Arizona State ranked third in the Pac-10 and 23rd in the nation in home attendance in 1998, averaging 61,389 fans per game. ASU sold 40,963 season tickets for 1999, second only to Washington in the Pac-10, and is averaging 58,351 fans in its first four home games. Since joining the Pac-10 in 1978, the Sun Devils have drawn 9,030,573 fans over 144 games for an average of 62,712. ASU has drawn 13,616,816 fans since Sun Devil Stadium opened in 1958. The Sun Devils have a 204-67-3 (.750) winning percentage in Sun Devil Stadium.
ASU Starters
| Offense | WR | LT | LG | C | RG | RT | TE | QB | TB | FB | WR |
| Tex Tech | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Peters | Schmidt | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | McDonald |
| NMSU | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Peters | Schmidt | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | Dennard |
| at Cal | Bates* | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | McDonald |
| UCLA | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Hightower | T. Smith | McDonald |
| at ND | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | McDonald |
| at Wash | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | Bates* |
| WSU | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | Redmond | T. Smith | McDonald |
| at Oregon | R. Williams | M. Smith | L. Jones | Williamson | Peters | Leyva | Heap | Kealy | D. Flowers | Jennings* | Bates* |
| Defense | RE | RT | RT | RE | OLB | MLB | OLB | SS | CB | CB | FS |
| Tex Tech | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Trejo | Fields | Unck | Daniel | Clark | C. Jackson | A. Williams |
| NMSU | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Trejo | Unck | Archuleta | Daniel | Clark | C. Jackson | A. Williams |
| at Cal | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Fields | Bates | Archuleta | Daniel | Clark | C. Jackson | Koontz |
| UCLA | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Fields | Bates | Archuleta | Daniel | Clark | C. Jackson | Koontz |
| at ND | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Unck | Bates | Archuleta | Koontz | Clark | C. Jackson | A. Williams |
| at Wash | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Unck | Bates | Archuleta | Koontz | Clark | C. Jackson | A. Williams |
| WSU | Yancy | Ioane | Reilly | E. Flowers | Unck | Bates | Archuleta | Koontz | Clark | C. Jackson | A. Williams |
| at Oregon | Yancy | Britton | Reilly | E. Flowers | Unck | Bates | Archuleta | Koontz | Clark | Eason | C. Jackson |
*started due to formation