Arizona State hobbled by numerous injuries
■The loss of key players has
hurt the Sun Devils’
postseason hopes, but they’re
still in the running
By Robbie McCallum
Oregon Daily Emerald
They say adversity can bring a
team together.
Well, adversity is what Arizona
State has faced this year in 10 key
injuries to its projected starters.
One wouldn’t know it from the
Sun Devils’ record, though.
The surprising Sun Devils are 5
2 on the season and 2-2 in Pacific
10 Conference play. But injuries
{ i What gives me hope
and strength is our team. I
think we are just going to
keep pounding it and well
get better.
Bruce Snyder
Arizona State head coach
)A
have made their lineup inconsis
tent this season.
The first blow of the season
came before Arizona State had
even taken the field. Injury
plagued senior Ryan Kealy was ex
pected to sit out the Sun Devils’
first three games while recovering
from off-season ACL surgery.
Kealy did return for two brief out
ings against Utah State and UCLA,
but re-injured his knee against the
Bruins.
Kealy’s sixth knee injury in his
five years at Arizona State was the
final straw. Kealy ended his career
with the Sun Devils fourth on the
career yardage list at Arizona
State.
Redshirt freshman Jeff Krohn
had been filling in for Kealy nice
ly, completing 36 passes for 869
yards in seven games. Krohn has
since been limited by mononucle
osis and a mid-season concussion.
Third string senior Griffin Good
man has filled in but has been in
consistent in two starts, throwing
for 394 yards against California but
only 32 against Washington.
Added to the mix is the loss of
running back J.R. Peroulis, who
quit the team this summer, citing
lack of playing time.
The tailback position, which
looked to be Arizona State’s deep
est, has also been decimated by in
juries. The first came in a presea
son scrimmage when senior
Delvon Flowers suffered a season
ending knee injury in mid-August.
Since then, junior Davaren
Hightower and true freshman
Mike Williams have earned and
lost the starting tailback spot. Ju
nior Tom Pace will take the field
against Oregon on Saturday, al
though head coach Bruce Snyder
said that Hightower and Williams
“will continue to be involved in
the mix.”
In addition to major season-end
ing injuries, the Sun Devils have
also been hampered by nagging in
juries to key role players. Arizona
State’s defensive line and second
ary have taken heavy tolls this sea
son. Free safety Alfred Williams
and strong safety Willie Daniel
were out with leg injuries but are
expected to play sparingly against
the Ducks.
Redshirt freshman Chad Howell
now fills in for injured Terrell Sug
gs at the defensive end position.
Another redshirt freshman, Regis
Turn to ASU, page3C
Courtesy of Arizona State media services
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jeff Krohn fills in for senior Ryan Kealy, who had a career-ending knee injury earlier this season.
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