PACIFIC 10 FOOTBALL : Sun Devils Can Get Down to Business

Two weeks after the latest turmoil at Arizona State, the new coach, Bruce Snyder, says the healing process is under way.

Just four days before they opened their season Sept. 5 against Washington, the latest in a series of scandals on the Tempe campus left the Sun Devils with a fourth-string quarterback, Troy Rauer, as their starter.

Garrick McGee, who won the starting job, became one of at least 15 Arizona State athletes involved in run-ins with the law in the last 14 months.

McGee and linebacker Tim Smith, charged with stealing merchandise from a Tempe clothing store in 1991, were suspended by the university for a week.

The Sun Devils were beaten by the Huskies, 31-7, in their opener, then had a week off. They return to action at home Saturday night against Louisville.

McGee and Smith are back on the team and McGee has been the quarterback of the first unit in practice this week. He will probably start ahead of Rauer, who was eight for 18 with two interceptions against the Huskies.

“The opening week was a shock,” said Snyder, who left Cal shortly after winning the Citrus Bowl game last New Year’s Day to take the Arizona State job. “What you try to do is tell yourself you will learn from this experience. You try to focus on the positive.

“I’d rather talk about the running of Mario Bates and the way Troy Rauer, suddenly thrust into the job, responded valiantly. You want to talk about the turmoil. I have to be positive.

“I haven’t named the starter for Saturday night, but I’ve always felt the best player should have the job.”

Snyder said he is a little upset about the way the McGee situation was handled by the Tempe police.

“It’s something that happened last fall,” he said. “Darrick was 18, and nine months ago he went to them, gave back the clothes he took and admitted his guilt. He was told that if he didn’t hear from them in a month, not to worry. It was a dead issue. Then, four days before his first game it was sprung on him. He was served a summons.

“Is he guilty? Yes. Is it a terrible thing? Yes. Should he be punished? Yes. But, since I’ve been here he’s been a model citizen. He is an improving student and he comes from a good family. It crushed his parents.

“The suspension was for a week and he served it. Now we have to go on from there.”

Rauer’s statistics were not good against the Huskies, but Snyder was impressed with the way he went about doing his job.

“Imagine, an 18-year-old told just four days before that he was starting against the best team in the country,” Snyder said. “He went out there and took his licks. He never backed down. I couldn’t be prouder.”

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Washington has won both of its games this season and 16 in a row, but the Huskies haven’t impressed their opponents.

Arizona State’s Bates, who had an 80-yard touchdown run in the 31-7 loss to the Huskies, said he thought the nation’s No. 2-ranked team was overrated.

Then last Saturday the Huskies, 32-point favorites over Wisconsin, struggled at times in a 27-10 victory.

The Badgers, coming off seven consecutive losing seasons, weren’t impressed, either. In fact their players said they had a chance to win.

“It’s incredible,” Husky Coach Don James said. “It makes me wonder if we’re really unbeaten.

“We opened Pac-10 play on the road against a very good team. We had three touchdowns called back and still won, 31-7.

“I think people underrated Wisconsin. This is the third year of their new program and they have some talented players. They will surprise a number of teams.”

James conceded that with powerful Nebraska the foe Saturday at Seattle, the Huskies have to play better.

“We need to improve on defense, especially against the long run,” James said. “Bates had the long run and last week the Badgers had a big run to set up a touchdown. Nebraska has two outstanding tailbacks.”

Billy Joe Hobert, who ran 60 yards for a touchdown against Wisconsin, had a big game against the Cornhuskers last year in a 36-21 victory at Lincoln. Hobert ran for two scores and passed for another as the Huskies rolled up 618 yards, the most against Nebraska in 35 years.

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Arizona Coach Dick Tomey, after losing in the final seconds to Washington State and watching the tape of Oregon State’s victory over Fresno State, claims there are no weak teams in the Pac-10.

“Everybody is improved in this league,” he said. “We know we are better and when our offensive line gets more experience, we’ll be even better.

“Washington State has really strengthened its defense. And with Drew Bledsoe at quarterback, they will be tough to beat.

“We did a great job containing Bledsoe for three quarters, but he beat us in the last quarter. He has a great future.

“After watching the (Oregon State-Fresno State) film, I’m convinced the Beavers are going to be tough to beat. We will have to improve our passing game to win Saturday at Corvallis.

“And Oregon gave Stanford a tough battle. There aren’t any weak teams.

“We don’t have the running game we had last season, but seven of the 10 offensive linemen we use are sophomores. All they need is playing time.”

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When his son, Aaron, kicked the winning field goal with 31 seconds left at Tucson, Coach Mike Price of Washington State said it was an emotional moment.

“I don’t know if I ever had anything better happen to me,” he said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.

“Adding to it, my wife, daughter and even my oldest son were there to see it. (Eric Price, an assistant coach at Miami, was at the game to scout Arizona.)

“It hasn’t been an easy road for Aaron. This is his third year and he’s following a legend, Jason Hanson. As the coach’s son he hasn’t received any favors.”

Pac-10 Notes

Washington State and California are idle this week, and for the Cougars, it’s a blessing. Five players, including end Lewis Bush, the defensive captain, should be ready for Fresno State next week. They also are coming down from an emotional victory over Arizona. . . . It is not a blessing for the Bears. After the stunning upset at Purdue, tailback Russell White and his teammates will have to wait a week to make amends.

Derek Brown of La Habra, who alternates at tailback at Nebraska with Calvin Jones, will be seeking his third 100-yard game when he starts against Washington Saturday. He started against Utah and had 105 yards in 15 carries. Last week, as a backup, he had 154 in 14 carries.