Tuesday, December 21
ASU, Wake get set for Hawaii
Associated Press
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Among the things that bug coaches are
variables they can't control like injuries and weather. Add one
more to Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder's list -- the whims of
academia.
Because Wake Forest's fall semester is done, the Sun Devils'
Aloha Bowl opponent is far ahead in preparing for the Christmas Day
contest.
"They're practicing twice today, twice tomorrow," Snyder said
Tuesday. "I mean, their preparations before landing in Honolulu
will be much in advance of ours. We've had five practices -- two the
first weekend, three last weekend -- and we're right in the middle
of finals."
Six of the Sun Devils' 14 seniors will graduate Friday,
compounding the distractions.
But Snyder liked the quality of his team's workouts, which he
called spirited, and the Sun Devils (6-5) may get some of the lost
time back by leaving for Hawaii on Saturday -- two days before the
Demon Deacons (6-5).
"We're pleased with where we are right now," Snyder said. "In
a perfect world, you'd like to introduce most of your game plan on
your own campus and then arrive at the bowl site and just kind of
polish it, but our work over there will be a little more
rigorous."
The work accomplished over the next 10 days could be crucial in
the game, because the schools aren't familiar with each other _
they have never met in football -- and because Arizona State will be
start a new quarterback because of Ryan Kealy's knee injury during
a 42-27 win over Arizona on Nov. 27.
John Leonard, who was only 24-of-64 for 312 yards, one touchdown
and four interceptions this season, talked like the starter, but
quarterback coach John Pettas said the competition was still open
between Leonard and Griffin Goodman.
"We would like to have gotten a little more practice time in
and then made that decision before going there, but it looks like
we'll have to make it next week," Pettas said.
In a teleconference call, Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell
acknowledged the disadvantage of not being able to prepare for one
quarterback, but said the inexperience of the new starter will
reduce the Sun Devils' chances to make widespread offensive
changes.
"They're a talented football team, and I know one thing --
whoever lines up there is going to be a very capable player,"
Caldwell said.
Arizona State has only played four other Atlantic Coast
Conference teams, and the Deacons had never met a Pac-10 opponent
until they beat Oregon 39-35 in the 1995 Independence Bowl, their
last bowl appearance.
But Caldwell didn't feel unfamiliarity would be a problem.
He said the Sun Devils' multiple offense featuring running back
J.R. Redmond reminded him of North Carolina State, and the defense
drew a comparison with ACC powerhouse Florida State.
"Just in terms of foot speed, particularly (defensive end Erik)
Flowers -- boy, can he move!" Caldwell said. "They've got a lot of
runners on that side of the ball, and their down people are big and
physical, so those would be the two teams that sort of remind me of
Arizona State."
Both teams became bowl-eligible in their final game, avoiding a
losing season and earning the fifth-place bowl bid of their
respective conferences by beating long-time nemeses.
The Sun Devils had only won three times in their previous 17
games against Arizona, and Wake Forest had dropped eight of its
previous 10 games with Georgia Tech before beating the Yellow
Jackets 26-23 on Nov. 20.
