Game of the Year Is on Paper, Not on the Schedule

Two years ago, Arizona State came within a minute of winning the national title.

Last year, the Sun Devils proved it wasn’t a fluke.

They enter this season with a chance to host the title game party in the Jan. 4 Fiesta Bowl.

Yes, we know UCLA narrowly outpointed Arizona State in a recent Pac-10 media poll, but this is the same group that picked the Sun Devils to finish fifth last season, pundits assuming Arizona State’s Jake Plummer-led title run of 1996 was a miracle, not a movement.

With its 9-3 finish and Sun Bowl victory against Iowa, Coach Bruce Snyder proved he has established a program in Tempe, not a desert mirage.

UCLA’s deserved hype is predicated on a 10-game winning streak to end the 1997 season and the heralded return of quarterback Cade McNown, a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate.

But not even thrill-a-minute UCLA can match the mass of offensive talent Arizona State returns.

Snyder doesn’t even try to deny that this year’s Sun Devils could be more explosive than the Plummer team that ultimately lost the national championship when Ohio State scored a last-minute victory against Arizona State in the 1997 Rose Bowl.

“Yeah,” Snyder admitted. “I think we have a chance to be similar to that.”

Of course, it would have been nice had the schools been able to settle this on the field, but, alas, UCLA and Arizona State don’t play because of one of those confounding schedule quirks.

“How can you say who the best in the Pac-10 is if all the teams don’t play each other?” Arizona State receiver Lenzie Jackson asked.

Good question.

We can only imagine what might have been. And we imagine Arizona State would be very tough to beat.

Quarterback?

Edge to McNown.

Yet, Arizona State returns two quality quarterbacks in junior Ryan Kealy and senior Steve Campbell. After Kealy was lost to a knee injury last year, Campbell stepped in to lead the Sun Bowl victory.

Tailback?

UCLA lost Skip Hicks and must rely on the promise of sophomore Jermaine Lewis, junior Keith Brown and highly touted freshman DeShaun Foster.

Arizona State returns J.R. Redmond, maybe the nation’s best-kept secret. Redmond averaged 6.1 yards a carry while splitting time with starter Michael Martin.

Martin’s exit clears center stage for Redmond, the Carson High product who will be used some at free safety in the same two-way strategy that Michigan’s Charles Woodson parlayed into the Heisman.

“I can’t be dumb and use him too much,” Snyder said of Redmond. “No. 1, he’ll be rushing the football.”

Receiver?

UCLA boasts 41-catch man Danny Farmer and some quality depth. Arizona State displaces Washington State’s Fab Five--four of the five have departed--as the conference’s elite receiving unit. The names are Jackson, Ricky Boyer, Kenny Mitchell and Tariq McDonald.

Offensive line?

Call it a draw. UCLA lost all Pac-10 tackle Chad Overhauser; Arizona State lost all-conference guard Kyle Murphy.

Kicking?

UCLA wins a close one in our mythical game, returning all-conference kicker and punter Chris Sailer. Arizona State must find a new kicker and punter.

Bottom line: We’ll never know what might have been on the field, but Arizona State wins our video game matchup, 38-31.

The Pac-10, in predicted order of finish:

Arizona State

* Coach: Bruce Snyder (seventh year).

* 1997 record: 9-3, 6-2 in the Pac-10.

* The case for: Eight returning starters on an offense that averaged 34 points and 458 yards during the last six regular-season games in 1997, quarterback Ryan Kealy is not as snakelike in the pocket as Jake Plummer, but he has enough arm to dispense the ball to this plethora of riches.

* The case against: Only four returning starters on defense, Snyder is counting too heavily on junior college linemen Erik Flowers and Junior Ioane, safety Mitchell “Fright Night” Freedman might be the hardest hitter in the nation, but he’s always an academic question.

* If it all breaks right: Arizona State goes 12-0 and hoists the new bowl championship series national title trophy on home turf in January.

* Worst-case scenario: The Sun Devils get tripped up at home on Sept. 5 by Washington, archrival Arizona knocks Arizona State out of an alliance bowl in the season finale.

UCLA

* Coach: Bob Toledo (third season).

* 1997 record: 10-2, 7-1.

* The case for: An innovated, energetic coach in Toledo, a talented, mobile superstar in Cade McNown, a 10-game winning streak to build on, one of the nation’s top incoming recruiting classes and a dependable kicker in Chris Sailer.

* The case against: Must replace seven starters on defense, no seniors on the defensive line, breaking in a new defensive coordinator, Nick Aliotti.

* If it all breaks right: The defense grows up in a hurry, UCLA beats USC again, Arizona State stumbles to hand the Bruins the Pac-10, McNown wins the Heisman, UCLA accepts the Fiesta Bowl bid and wins the national title on the Sun Devils’ turf.

* Worst-case scenario: The young defense buckles, Aliotti wishes he was back in Eugene, USC beats UCLA to snap agonizing streak, McNown can’t handle the Heisman hype, Bruins spend Christmas at the Mele Kalikimaka Bowl.

Washington

* Coach: Jim Lambright (sixth season).

* 1997 record: 8-4, 5-3.

* The case for: Star quarterback junior Brock Huard decided not to follow offensive line teammates Olin Kreutz and Benji Olson to the pros, expectations lower than last year’s national title hype.

* The case against: The heart of the offense has been gutted with tailback Rashaan Shehee and receiver Jerome Pathon departing with Kreutz and Olson, scholarship limitations from the Don James-era sanctions force Lambright to play “10 to 12” freshmen, brutal three-game stretch versus Arizona State, Brigham Young and Nebraska to start the season.

* If it all breaks right: Huskies pull off an upset in the opener, go 2-0 after beating BYU and give Cornhuskers all they want at Lincoln on Sept. 26, then get fat in October against Arizona, Utah State, California and Oregon State.

* Worst-case scenario: The freshmen can’t play, Washington goes 0-3 in September, Huard tries to do it all himself, the Huskies get ambushed at Washington State.

Arizona

* Coach: Dick Tomey (12th year).

* 1997 record: 7-5, 4-4.

* The case for: A knockout 1-2 quarterback punch in Keith Smith and Ortege Jenkins, a 100-yard-per-game tailback in Trung Canidate, a sure-handed receiver in Dennis Northcutt, a defense that could rekindle memories of “Desert Swarm.”

* The case against: Arizona lost six defensive starters, including tackle Joe Salave’a, and remains the only Pac-10 school that has never been to a Rose Bowl.

* If it all breaks right: Arizona opens 4-0 after wins over Hawaii, Stanford, Iowa and San Diego State, Canidate stays out of the trainer’s room, all-conference cornerback Chris McAlister carries the defense.

* Worst-case scenario: Tomey bungles the quarterback situation, his loyalty to the junior Smith blinding him to the fact Jenkins, who threw for a Pac-10 freshman record 19 touchdowns last year, is a potential superstar.

USC

* Coach: Paul Hackett (first year).

* 1997 record: 6-5, 4-4.

* The case for: Hackett said all the right things after replacing his friend, John Robinson, and seems eager to lead a no-nonsense return to Trojan greatness.

* The case against: The coaching-change turmoil cost the Trojans some valuable recruits, it remains to be seen whether the Robinson holdovers can buy into Hackett’s program, Trojans still don’t have a dependable quarterback or tailback.

* If it all breaks right: Athletic Director Mike Garrett stays out of the locker room, the Trojans start 3-0 before getting clobbered at Florida State, USC fights for a bowl berth worth fighting for as it closes the season with UCLA and Notre Dame.

* Worst-case scenario: The holdovers pine for Robinson, Rod Perry Jr. transfers to Fullerton to play baseball--what, he already did?--Purdue whacks USC in the Pigskin Classic, UCLA wins again, columnists wonder if Hackett is a fine NFL coordinator but a lousy head coach.

Oregon

* Coach: Mike Bellotti (fourth year).

* 1997 record: 7-5, 3-5.

* The case for: Bellotti led the Ducks to two bowl games in his first three years, he platooned Akili Smith and Jason Maas at quarterback last season and made it work, receiver Damon Griffin returns after sitting out last season because of injury.

* The case against: The eight returners on defense were part of a unit that ranked last in the Pac-10 in yards allowed, team headed into fall practice not knowing who might start at tailback, fullback or tight end.

* If it all breaks right: Smith and Maas don’t mind sharing the QB job again, Oregon takes advantage of a light early-season schedule after its home opener against Michigan State and is 6-0 or 5-1 before meeting UCLA in mid-October.

* Worst-case scenario: Oregon isn’t ready for Michigan State, the quarterback issue becomes a controversy, the defense continues to give up points at a record clip.

Washington State

* Coach: Mike Price (10th year).

* 1997 record: 10-2, 7-1.

* The case for: Price is coming off a dream season, he recruits Los Angeles as well as anyone and has assembled one of his fastest teams, with 25 players clocked at 4.5 seconds or faster in the 40-yard dash.

* The case against: Quarterback Ryan Leaf starts the season in San Diego, not Pullman, the Cougars lost seven other offensive starters, including four-fifths of their “Fab Five” receiving corps, fickle fans still can’t fill 40,000-seat Martin Stadium.

* If it all breaks right: Washington State walks through bowling pins Illinois, Boise State, Idaho and California in September and is 4-0 when the plane touches down in L.A. for an Oct. 3 Rose Bowl date versus UCLA.

* Worst-case scenario: Cougars are worse off than we thought, split those four September games, get pounded by UCLA and aren’t heard from again for 67 years.

Stanford

* Coach: Tyrone Willingham (fourth year).

* 1997 record: 5-6, 3-5.

* The case for: Willingham saved a reeling 1997 season by beating California, receiver Troy Walters returns after a record-breaking year, the Cardinal recruited five high school All-Americans.

* The case against: Quarterback Chad Hutchinson bolted the program to pursue a baseball career, the team must replace eight defensive starters, last year’s four-game losing streak after a 4-1 start remains puzzling, Juan-Carlos Lacey, the top returning back, had eight carries in ’97.

* If it all breaks right: Todd Husak wins the quarterback spot but is pressed all season by highly touted Randy Fasani, Willingham finds a way to patch together a defense.

* Worst-case scenario: The program takes another step back before moving forward, Willingham can’t muster a running game, the defense leaks more than Washington D.C. insiders.

California

* Coach: Tom Holmoe (second year).

* 1997 record: 3-8, 1-7.

* The case for: Senior quarterback Justin Vedder threw for 2,718 yards last year, receiver Dameane Douglas should become a star now that Bobby Shaw is gone, the staff at last appears stable after three years of turmoil.

* The case against: Vedder also threw 14 interceptions as a junior, nine starters return to a defense that gave up an average of 30.8 points per game.

* If it all breaks right: Vedder works the kinks out, Nebraska’s bus breaks down en route to Memorial Stadium on Sept. 12, the defense makes a play every now and then.

* Worst-case scenario: Vedder flames out, Nebraska shows up on time, Cal gets off to 0-7 start, Holmoe crosses the Bay Bridge to join 49er Coach Steve Mariucci’s staff.

Oregon State

* Coach: Mike Riley (second year).

* 1997 record: 3-8, 0-8.

* The case for: Riley might be turning the corner on Apathy Road in Corvallis, key recruits have been lured from California, the Beavers return 18 starters.

* The case against: Corvallis is a black hole, the defense is too scrawny, the Beavers have posted 27 consecutive losing seasons.

* If it all breaks right: Oregon State opens 2-0 with home wins against beatable Nevada and Baylor, Riley shocks former employer USC at the Coliseum on Sept. 19.

* Worst-case scenario: It’s business as usual in Corvallis, the offense collapses, Riley considers a return to the wishbone.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Pac-10 At A Glance

TOP RETURNING RUSHERS

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Player, Team G Car Yds Avg TD YPG J.R. Redmond, AS 10 142 865 6.1 7 86.5

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TOP RETURNING PASSERS

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Player, Team Att Cmp Pct Int TD Yds Pts Cade McNown, UCLA 283 173 .610 5 22 2,877 168.6 Brock Huard, Wash 244 146 .598 10 23 2,140 156.4 Marques Tuiasasopo, Wash 64 37 .578 1 3 650 155.5

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TOP RETURNING RECEIVERS

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Player, Team G Rec Yds TD YPG Troy Walters, Stan 11 86 1,206 8 109.6

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TOTAL OFFENSE

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Player, Team G Yds YPG Cade McNown, UCLA 11 2,902 263.8 Justin Vedder, Cal 11 2,743 249.4

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PUNTING

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Player, Team P Avg Chris Sailer, UCLA 52 43.7 Kevin Miller, Stan 59 43.3

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KICKOFF RETURNS

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Player, Team Ret Yds Avg R. Jay Soward, USC 15 394 26.2 Chris McAlister, Ariz 14 335 23.9

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PUNT RETURNS

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Player, Team Ret Yds Avg Troy Walters, Stan 30 424 14.1 Deltha O’Neal, Cal 25 256 10.2

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1997 STANDINGS

Last year’s record and returning starters (offensive-defensive)

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Team (Record) O D Arizona State (9-3) 8 4 UCLA (10-2) 7 4 Washington (8-4) 5 6 USC (6-5) 7 8 Arizona (7-5) 7 5 California (3-8) 7 9 Stanford (5-6) 6 3 Oregon (7-5) 6 8 Washington St. (10-2) 2 4 Oregon St. (3-8) 7 9

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