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Arizona StateSun Devils(6-5, 3-4 Pac-10) |
vs. |
ArizonaWildcats(5-5, 4-3 Pac-10) |
TV: ABC (Channel 15) Radio KMVP 860 AM
UofA leads all-time series by 42-29-1. Last Meeting: UofA won 50-42 (11-27-98)
By Joe
Mantone
State Press
When he didn't do his homework, Adam Archuleta's mom forced him to be quiet and suspended him from a Pop Warner game. When the former walk-on earned an ASU football scholarship, he described himself as being "silent." When he teaches younger athletes on the field, Archuleta doesn't need to say a word.
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David Soto of the State Press Junior linebacker Adam Archuleta's soft-spoken demeanor contrasts greatly with his ferocious play. |
"I don't do a lot of rah-rah stuff, I don't give speeches or anything like that," the junior linebacker said. Still, as the Sun Devils prepare for their Saturday game versus UofA at Sun Devil Stadium, Archuleta recognizes that he's become a leader on the ASU defense.
"I don't classify myself as a leader, but I think a lot of guys on team look up to me as one," Archuleta said. "I think a leader just goes out and does what he has to do."
Archuleta has had to go out and prove himself on the football field ever since he's been a Sun Devil.
After graduating from Chandler High School, Archuleta did not get a scholarship offer from any school. He thought about playing junior college football, but he decided to give ASU a try.
"I thought I could play here," he said.
Archuleta was right and before he even played a game, the coaches knew it too. After redshirting during the 1995 season, the linebacker learned that he was awarded a scholarship the following summer.
"I was silent for a while after I heard that," Archuleta said. "Then, I called my mom and she was pretty happy for me."
Archuleta's mother, Vange, may have been happy that day, but she has not always felt that way. One time, Vange did not let Adam play in a Pop Warner game because he did not complete his homework.
Since then, Archuleta said he was forced to miss only one other game. It was because of a pulled hamstring in ASU's Sept. 6 season-opener -- a 31-13 win over Texas Tech.
He suffered the injury a week before the Sun Devils started to practice and he missed all of Camp Tontozona.
Archuleta returned for ASU's next game, which was a 35-7 loss to New Mexico State. That day Archuleta was probably the Devils' lone bright spot as he recorded 11 tackles and a sack. Since that game he's recorded double digits in tackles five other times. He now leads the team with 94 tackles.
Archuleta's strong performance on the field stems from his work off it, senior cornerback Courtney Jackson said.
"He really takes learning the playbook seriously," Jackson added. "He doesn't say much, but he could tell any guy where they should be."
That's a compliment that Archuleta would appreciate.
"Every time you play a sport, you want to be recognized as a guy who is always going to be in the right spot," he said.
Archuleta probably learned that work ethic from former Sun Devil and current Arizona Cardinal Pat Tillman, Jackson said. Tillman played linebacker for the Sun Devils from 1994-97.
Jackson's not the only one that has implied comparisons between Tillman and Archuleta.
Earlier in the season, ASU head coach Bruce Snyder thought about moving Archuleta to safety because injuries thinned the Sun Devils secondary. However, Snyder remembered that he tried the same experiment with Tillman and it did not work out. That was one reason ASU decided to leave Archuleta at linebacker.
"Let some NFL coach move him," Snyder said.
Practice notes
Despite the cool weather, Archuleta described Tuesday's practice as "intense."
It was 38 degrees and there was frost on the field when the Sun Devils started their morning practice at 7:15. Still, the team had one of its best Tuesday practices of the year.
"We went over the game plan last week," Archuleta said. "So, we all knew what we were doing."
Too many people know what the Sun Devils were doing, according to offensive coordinator Dan Cozzetto.
The coach was leading the offensive linemen in blocking drills. Then, he noticed the driver of the tram that transports the players to practice was watching the workout and Cozzetto requested that the driver move.
"There's too many ears around the drill," Cozzetto said.
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David Soto of the State Press Junior offensive tackle Marvel Smith, seen here signing autographs at media day, was named a first-team All-American by Football News. |
Junior offensive tackle Marvel Smith was named a Football News first-team All-American. Smith was obviously the highest-graded ASU offensive lineman this year.
