Sun Devils Welcome True Test Vs. Huskies Comparisons With 1996 Aside, Asu Looks For Its New Identity

They talk of forging a new identity so much at Arizona State University that one figures the whole team will someday enter the witness relocation program.

But right now, the last thing this team has to worry about is hearing comparisons to last year’s record-setting squad that went 11-1 overall, losing only in the Rose Bowl to Ohio State after cruising to its first Pacific-10 Conference title since 1986.

Such comparisons were an annoyance to team members until they stopped the last two weeks after ASU lost at home to Brigham Young, then needed a late interception to stave off Oregon State 13-10.

“They haven’t been coming too often lately,” said left guard Kyle Murphy with a laugh. Murphy is a senior and one of only 10 returning starters from last year’s team.

The Sun Devils (3-1 overall, 1-0 Pac-10) take the first major step toward defending their conference crown Saturday when they play at Husky Stadium against a Washington (2-1, 0-0) team tabbed by many as the most likely to steal away ASU’s hard-earned title.

But not only is Saturday’s game crucial to winning another Pac-10 title, it is also key to ASU’s hopes of showing that last year wasn’t a fluke. ASU hadn’t won more than six games in any season since 1987 before last year, and many predicted this year’s team would drop back to that level.

“So far, it’s just been one really good season,” Murphy said when asked if ASU had established a new reputation for success. “We can’t say we have the tradition that a Washington has where you’ve been to consecutive Rose Bowls and bowl games.

“We still have a lot of work to do to build on last year’s success and take those things that we’ve learned to be a successful team. Hopefully, there will be a trickle-down effect where the teams continue to get better as they have at places like Miami, Washington and USC.”

Hard to tell so far if that’s happening.

This ASU team looked like it had established itself when it beat Miami, 23-12, in the Orange Bowl on Sept. 13. But the luster of that victory wore off quickly. Miami hasn’t won since, losing the next week to long-time loser Pittsburgh and then to West Virginia.

And the next week, ASU lost at home to Brigham Young, 13-10, as its inexperienced offense struggled all night against a defense that Washington had shredded two weeks earlier, managing only 245 yards.

“That just gave us a wake-up call,” Murphy said.

But the Sun Devils almost got an alarm clock in the face last week at Oregon State, barely edging the Beavers as the offense turned the ball over four times.

“We are still struggling a bit offensively,” said ASU head coach Bruce Snyder.

But that figured as the Sun Devils lost all but four offensive starters from last year, including quarterback Jake Plummer, wide receiver Keith Poole, tailback Terry Battle and left tackle Juan Roque.

Freshman Ryan Kealy, who has taken over at QB, has been erratic, and the Devils have had problems breaking in two new starters on the right side of the line.

Highly-touted sophomore J.R. Redmond, who is having a breakout year at running back by averaging eight yards a carry and 106 yards per game, has been the main offensive bright spot.

But ASU has been winning thanks to a solid defense and kicking game and a confident attitude that appears to be the main carry-over from last year’s team.

The main cog on defense has been senior linebacker Pat Tillman, who is an early favorite for Pac-10 defensive player of the year honors with 29 tackles in four games, three sacks and two interceptions.

But holding on to beat Oregon State in Corvallis isn’t quite the same as winning close games against Washington, USC and UCLA, as last year’s team did.

“Last year’s team was a pretty resilient group,” Snyder said. “It had the ability that during any game in which we had problems, they could settle down and overcome it.”