by Bob Jacobsen '63

As September approaches, and the season opener against Northern Arizona, the Sun Devil football team has hopes to surpass last year's surprising 8-6 record and Holiday Bowl appearance.

"Our players have high expectations,"said Coach Dirk Koetter. "It's one thing if you are talking about being competitive for a conference championship if you really don't think you can back it up. Our players believe we can, and I believe it too. I believe we can be in the hunt.''

So as Koetter and his staff embark on their third season at ASU, the excitement over Sun Devil football appears to be back. This is a team that expects to do well, and preseason rankings from the various college football entities bear that out.

The key, of course, is quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Andrew Walter. Last season Walter completed 56.7 percent of his passes for a school-record 3,877 yards, and became the first quarterback in school history to pass the 3,000-yard plateau. He threw for 28 touchdowns, which ranks second on the school's all-time single-season list.

"Andrew was a big reason we were able to be competitive in every game last year, and we will continue to be as long as he is able to play at that level,'' said Koetter. "Any time you have a quarterback like Andrew in the game, you have a chance to be pretty good.''

A plethora of good, young running backs hope to elevate the Devils' running game. Senior Mike Williams is running first team, with sophomore and last year's starter, Cornell Canidate, backing him up. Senior Jermaine McKinney, and redshirt freshmen Randy Hill and Loren Wade also figure to get playing time.

"Tailback might be our most competitive and deepest position,'' said Koetter. "Mike is the most complete running back we have, and I'm sure Cornell will give Mike a run for his money.'' Williams rushed for 162 yards and four touchdowns in ASU's 34-20 thumping of Arizona last year.

The Devils lost All-America defensive end Terrell Suggs early to the NFL draft along with wide receiver deluxe Shaun McDonald. But they feel they have adequate and an ample supply of replacements.

Senior Skyler Fulton, junior Daryl Lightfoot, sophomores Derek Hagan and Matt Miller and redshirt freshman Terry Richardson all should get plenty of playing time as receivers. Fulton caught 30 balls last year for an astounding 26.4 yards per reception; Lightfoot snared 40 receptions for 552 yards; Hagan caught 32 passes for 405 yards as a true freshman; and Miller is a long ball threat.

But maybe the most underrated is Richardson. "This is the first time for him to do it where he is not working off cards but doing the real thing,'' Koetter said of this former scout-team player. "He is an explosive player and as good an athlete as you will find at that position.''

The offensive line returns all five starters, albeit some may be in different positions. Tackles Chaz White and Grayling Love, guards Regis Crawford and Tim Fa'aita and center Drew Hodgdon figure to start, with Tony Aguilar backing up both Fa'aita and Hodgdon. Adrian Ayala and redshirt freshman Stephen Berg should also get playing time.

"We try to find our five best and put them on the field,'' said Koetter. "You wind up with about eight guys who will play the bulk of the minutes. And within that eight, you have to have guys who can play various spots, which a lot of those guys can do.''
Defensively, Suggs is gone, of course, but the Devils return a lot of bodies up front. Ends Jimmy Verdon and Nick Johnson and tackles Brian Montesanto and Shane Jones are listed as first-teamers, with Matt Mason and Connor Banks backing them up.

The Devils also landed the state's top high school recruit, end Kyle Caldwell from Scottsdale Saguaro. He merely recorded 131 tackles, 34 for loss, and had 30 sacks, 29 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. "He has a chance to contribute as a true freshman,'' said Koetter.

Three linebackers were lost to graduation, but a lot of young talent returns. Sophomores Jamar Williams and Barton Hammit, juniors Ishmael Thrower and Justin Burks and redshirt freshman Jordan Hill will all compete for starting jobs.

In the secondary, the Devils seem loaded, especially at safety. All-conference honorable mention juniors Jason Shivers and co-captain (along with Walter) Riccardo Stewart should be major factors in the ASU defense this fall. They are backed by senior Brett Hudson and sophomores Joey Smith, Matt Fawley and Lamar Baker.

"Jason and Riccardo are two of the best in the Pac-10,'' said Koetter. "They can run and hit with anybody.''

At cornerback, ASU returns juniors R.J. Oliver and Emmanuel Franklin and sophomores Josh Golden and Mike Davis Jr. JC transfer Chris McKenzie also should get a lot of attention.

After NAU, the Devils host Utah State before traveling to Big Ten co-champ Iowa and Pac-10 opener Oregon State. Then they come home to host USC and Oregon before traveling again to North Carolina and UCLA.

Homecoming Weekend on Nov. 1 features California before the Devils hit their last two road games at Stanford and Washington State. ASU hosts Arizona on Nov. 28, looking for its fourth win in five years over the Wildcats. The Devils will play 11 straight games without an open date before the UofA game.

"I think we have a very favorable schedule,'' said Koetter. "I like the way our schedule lays out for us, but there are no weeks off in the Pac-10.''

Ticket prices drop for football, basketball

The ASU Intercollegiate Athletic Department has lowered the price on season and single-game football and basketball tickets for the next academic year. Some football tickets will be lowered by as much as 38 percent while basketball will slash prices in 58 percent of the various ticket categories.

Additionally, specially priced packages are being offered to members of the ASU Alumni Association for $120. Alumni members need to call the association to realize this discount.

"By cutting our prices we have responded to the market and to what people have given us in terms of feedback,'' said Athletic Director Gene Smith. "We hope these price levels can translate to additional season ticket holders in both sports.''

Every ticket category available to the general public was reduced by some percentage in football. No less than 51 percent of all seats at Frank Kush Field in Sun Devil Stadium have been reduced between 16 and 38 percent.

Section 1 will now feature "Koetter's Korner,'' and will offer fans the opportunity to purchase tickets for $5 per game. Seating capacity is limited to 434 seats, and will be open to the general public on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets will go on sale on the Monday before each home game.

Also, a "Pac-10 Pack'' of four conference games for $120 each will be offered. USC, Oregon, California and UofA are the opponents. There are 2,700 seats available in this category in sections 12, 13, 24 and 25. An informal survey of the rest of the Pac-10 schools shows ASU will have the lowest prices on season and single-game tickets in 2003.

Basketball will see a 20 percent reduction, with many in the upper level. And it too will offer a "Pac-10 Pack'' for the nine conference games. Seating is limited to 250.

Also, hoops will create a section titled "Rob's Rooters'' for Coach Rob Evans. That section will be limited to 250 at $5 each. Those tickets will go on sale three days before each tip-off.

For further information on tickets in general, call the Sun Devil Ticket Office at (480) 965-2381. For information on special discounts offered to members of the ASU Alumni Association, call (480) 965-ALUM or 1-800-ALUMNUS. Ticket information for alumni members can also be accessed by clicking the football helmet at www.asu.edu/alumni.

Quarterback Andrew Walter will enter the 2003 season as a Heisman Trophy candidate

Photo by Jason Wise

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