College Football
Tuesday, December 21
ASU, Wake get set for Hawaii
Associated Press

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Among the things that bug coaches are variables they can't control like injuries and weather. Add one more to Arizona State coach Bruce Snyder's list -- the whims of academia.

Because Wake Forest's fall semester is done, the Sun Devils' Aloha Bowl opponent is far ahead in preparing for the Christmas Day contest.

"They're practicing twice today, twice tomorrow," Snyder said Tuesday. "I mean, their preparations before landing in Honolulu will be much in advance of ours. We've had five practices -- two the first weekend, three last weekend -- and we're right in the middle of finals."

Six of the Sun Devils' 14 seniors will graduate Friday, compounding the distractions.

But Snyder liked the quality of his team's workouts, which he called spirited, and the Sun Devils (6-5) may get some of the lost time back by leaving for Hawaii on Saturday -- two days before the Demon Deacons (6-5).

"We're pleased with where we are right now," Snyder said. "In a perfect world, you'd like to introduce most of your game plan on your own campus and then arrive at the bowl site and just kind of polish it, but our work over there will be a little more rigorous."

The work accomplished over the next 10 days could be crucial in the game, because the schools aren't familiar with each other _ they have never met in football -- and because Arizona State will be start a new quarterback because of Ryan Kealy's knee injury during a 42-27 win over Arizona on Nov. 27.

John Leonard, who was only 24-of-64 for 312 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions this season, talked like the starter, but quarterback coach John Pettas said the competition was still open between Leonard and Griffin Goodman.

"We would like to have gotten a little more practice time in and then made that decision before going there, but it looks like we'll have to make it next week," Pettas said.

In a teleconference call, Wake Forest coach Jim Caldwell acknowledged the disadvantage of not being able to prepare for one quarterback, but said the inexperience of the new starter will reduce the Sun Devils' chances to make widespread offensive changes.

"They're a talented football team, and I know one thing -- whoever lines up there is going to be a very capable player," Caldwell said.

Arizona State has only played four other Atlantic Coast Conference teams, and the Deacons had never met a Pac-10 opponent until they beat Oregon 39-35 in the 1995 Independence Bowl, their last bowl appearance.

But Caldwell didn't feel unfamiliarity would be a problem.

He said the Sun Devils' multiple offense featuring running back J.R. Redmond reminded him of North Carolina State, and the defense drew a comparison with ACC powerhouse Florida State.

"Just in terms of foot speed, particularly (defensive end Erik) Flowers -- boy, can he move!" Caldwell said. "They've got a lot of runners on that side of the ball, and their down people are big and physical, so those would be the two teams that sort of remind me of Arizona State."

Both teams became bowl-eligible in their final game, avoiding a losing season and earning the fifth-place bowl bid of their respective conferences by beating long-time nemeses.

The Sun Devils had only won three times in their previous 17 games against Arizona, and Wake Forest had dropped eight of its previous 10 games with Georgia Tech before beating the Yellow Jackets 26-23 on Nov. 20.

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