By
Ryan Finley
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Arizona State shuffling quarterbacks again
Washington
Fleet-footed and strong-armed, UW quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo is emerging as the league's "quarterback of the future."
A senior, the Washington native has opened eyes throughout the country with his ability to both run and throw accurately.
"I think that coaches want our cake and eat it too," UW head coach Rick Neuheisel said. "When you have a quarterback that can effect a game with his legs and with his arm."
Neuheisel, who coached current Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kordell Stewart while both were at Colorado, knows the importance of having a mobile quarterback.
"It puts stress on defenses, even if you don't have to run the ball too many times," he said.
The No. 11 Huskies (4-1 overall, 1-1 Pacific 10 Conference) travel to Tempe this weekend to take on Arizona State at Sun Devil Stadium.
Neuheisel said that anything could happen when two Pac-10 teams square off in 2000.
"Selfishly, I'm excited that everyone's playing so dang good," he said. "I talked to (Oregon State) Coach Erickson (before last week's game), and he said that you could flip a coin every time you line up. The talent is equal."
Washington's second-year head coach is not ruling out running a few trick plays against the Sun Devils on Saturday.
"Most college athletes like being involved in a trick play," he said. "You can only run it one time in a ballgame. I think they're great and great for the game. It piques interest."
Stanford
A reeling Stanford team will travel to Corvallis, Ore. this weekend to take on the Beavers and their star running back, Ken Simonton.
Head coach Tyrone Willingham has some reasons as to why the Cardinal offense has stalled so far this season. After defeating Texas at home, Stanford has lost back-to-back games to Arizona and Notre Dame.
Quarterback Chris Lewis - a highly-touted freshman out of Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, Calif. - has struggled in both losses.
"We started the year with inexperience at critical positions," Willingham said. "We have one very excellent receiver - DeRonnie Pitts - and we're starting to get other guys that are learning how to adjust. All of the learning process is impacting our ability to be successful in the passing game."
As the season nears its halfway mark, Willingham is critical of the job that he and his players have done so far in 2000.
"I'm probably disappointed where we are," he said. "I hoped for better and thought we'd be better. We haven't played to level we are capable of."
Oregon
After a week off, the UO football team will test its resolve when the team travels to Los Angeles to face USC, a team that is a surprising 0-2 in conference play so far this season. Losses to both Oregon State and Arizona have left Trojan head coach Paul Hackett desperate to retain both victories and his job.
All these factors will make Saturday's game between the two teams interesting.
"I think (USC) is very dangerous," Oregon head coach Mike Bellotti said. "Their backs are up against the wall.."
Bellotti said that playing host to schools at Autzen Stadium - one of the Pac-10's smallest yet loudest stadiums (capacity 41,698) has already befuddled both UCLA and Washington. The Ducks (4-1, 2-0) are undefeated at home in 2000.
"Let's face it - they've taken on two of the top teams in the conference and have done a fabulous job," USC head coach Paul Hackett said.
USC
Southern California is 0-2 in conference play in 2000, and all signs point to the fact that something will have to change within the USC system if the Trojans' record does not improve.
USC's 31-15 loss to Arizona last weekend at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was seemingly the last straw for a team that spent most of the preseason as the conference favorite.
Hackett said that his team is worried about the even play-calling that the Ducks have shown so far this season. The passing efficiency of junior quarterback Joey Harrington and the running of junior tailback Maurice Morris have vaulted the Ducks to a No. 9 national ranking and have earned UO the respect of coaches throughout the conference.
"I just think they're doing a great job," Hackett said. "They are a very balanced football team right now."
Hackett will need to get tailback Sultan McCullough and wide receiver Kareem Kelly healthy if the Trojans are to win their first conference tilt of the season. Both players - two of the fastest athletes on Southern Cal's team - have been hobbled by injury since USC's loss to Oregon State in the fourth week of the season.
Arizona State
A week after administering a 30-10 drubbing to California, ASU may change quarterbacks for the third time this season.
Jeff Krohn, Ryan Kealy and Griffin Goodman have all seen time behind center this season. But when Kealy went down with a knee injury against UCLA two weeks ago and Krohn fell victim to mononucleosis, Goodman - a senior - was named the starter and thrived, as the Sun Devils slammed Cal.
However, following the 20-point victory, ASU head coach Bruce Snyder may bring Krohn back to start against Washington at Sun Devil Stadium.
"Kealy is not playing and is not practicing," Snyder said. "Krohn is back and has put some weight back. I will have to see as the week goes on as to what Krohn's situation will be. I think there is a chance."
UCLA
Following a bye week, the Bruins will return to action this weekend, traveling to California to face the Golden Bears.
They will do so without star tailback DeShaun Foster, who broke his hand in the second quarter of the Arizona State game.
"I expect Foster to be out a few more weeks," UCLA head coach Bob Toledo said.
Toledo, whose Bruins have defeated Alabama and Michigan so far this season, has an interesting take on place kicking.
"I saw the Oakland Raider guy (Sebastian Janikowski) miss a few on Sunday," Toledo said. "It's like playing golf - you've got to get into a groove. You got to have confidence, like when I make a wedge shot onto the green."
The Bruins will need to contain Cal quarterback Kyle Boller in order to win the game Saturday. If history is any indication, the Bruins should prevail easily.
"We have the second-toughest schedule in the country," Toledo said.
Arizona
The Wildcats (4-1, 2-0) will try not to overlook Washington State Saturday when the two teams face off Saturday night at Arizona Stadium.
UA will need to contain WSU quarterback Jason Gesser, a quarterback who prepped alongside current Utah quarterback Darnell Arceneaux when the two played at St. Louis High School in Hawaii.
So far this season, Gesser has drawn comparisons to former UA quarterback Keith Smith.
The Wildcats and their trademark "double-flex eagle" defense will try to contain Gesser, a strong-armed, quick-footed signal caller.
"We have a very close-knit feeling on this team," UA head coach Dick Tomey said. "(Although) I don't think we've played a great offensive team yet."
Arizona is currently second in the nation in run defense.
