Ready And Focused

Keller prepares to lead football team
By Bill Konigsberg

He learned from the best. Now it’s time for Sam Keller to show that his Sun Bowl heroics last season weren’t a fluke.

Keller made his first career start in the Sun Bowl against Purdue, after star quarterback Andrew Walter injured his shoulder in the final regular- season game against Arizona. No one really knew what to expect, even though Keller had performed admirably as a back-up to that point.

All he did was complete 25 of 45 passes for three touchdowns and 370 yards without an interception. He was named MVP of the game.

While he wasn’t handed the job over the summer, all signs pointed to it being his job to lose, and his attitude is that he can be more than an adequate replacement for Walter, who was drafted by the Oakland Raiders.

"I’m real confident. That’s who I am, that’s how I play,” said the junior from Danville, Calif. “I did what I did against one of the best defenses in the league. It wasn’t a fluke. I believe I can duplicate that performance and do even better this year.”

Head Coach Dirk Koetter believes Keller can do the job, but cautions fans not to expect Keller to do what his predecessor did.

" I think Sam can come in and do a good job,” Koetter said. "He’s got some big shoes to fill.”

Also vying for action this fall are redshirt freshman Rudy Carpenter, who Koetter calls “a Plummer-type player,” senior Chad Christensen, and freshman Derek Shaw, who is one of the most heralded quarterback prospects in the country.

The one thing Keller can certainly expect is to be asked, repeatedly, if he feels pressure replacing one of the Sun Devils’ best quarterbacks.

"It’s not hard. Those are big shoes to fill, obviously, but he’s his own man, and I’m my own man. He’s been a great guy to look up to the last few years.”

Keller said the greatest lesson he learned from being Walter’s understudy these past two years is about preparation.

"From a preparation standpoint, Andrew taught me about being mentally focused,” Keller said. “I’ve learned a lot from his demeanor that way.”

Koetter sees plenty of reason for hope, heading into the 2005 campaign.

"The way we were able to win the (bowl) game definitely jump-started us into this season. After the unfortunate loss to Arizona, Andrew Walter’s injury and the tailback situation, it was all pretty much doom and gloom even though we had an 8-3 record up to that point,” Koetter said. “(It) really was the epitome of what last year’s team was and is a good sign of things to come.”

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Photo: Courtesy of ASU Media Relations

Sam Keller was named the Most Valuable Player at last year's Sun Bowl

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