"...half of those from Sooners coach Bob Stoops."

E

Eric the Red

Team HuskerBoard
Keller's journey reaches Nebraska

Ex-Sun Devils QB will try to start for Huskers in '07

Jeff Metcalfe

The Arizona Republic

Aug. 24, 2006 12:00 AM

Sam Keller wasn't exaggerating when he said "you guys better be ready for a ride" after being named Arizona State's starting quarterback six days ago.

Not even Keller knew that ride would take him 1,400 miles away from Tempe to start a new life at Nebraska, where he will redshirt this season then vie for the starting quarterback job in 2007.

Keller ended three days of speculation on Wednesday with his arrival in Lincoln, Neb., to complete a transfer from ASU. The senior lost his job at ASU for undisclosed reasons on Saturday, a day after coach Dirk Koetter chose him over sophomore Rudy Carpenter, now the Sun Devils starter. advertisement

"Things happened, and I don't really want to get into Arizona State and what transpired down there," Nebraska coach Bill Callahan said. "This is a new opportunity, a fresh break, a fresh start for Sam. We're going to try to do everything we can to assist him and maximize his talents."

Keller is expected to make his first public comments today. His ghostly presence still hangs over Sun Devil Stadium, where ASU scrimmaged late into Wednesday night, on giant photos at the southeast entrance.

"I wish him well," Koetter said after a mock game. "I hope he tears it up."

Carpenter also hoped that his ex-rival would succeed at Nebraska and called him a genuine friend. "I'm happy for Sam," he said. "I mean I'm serious about this. Me and Sam were friends. I can't say we were the best of friends. But once this whole quarterback thing started in fall camp, we got a lot closer because of it."

Mike Keller, Sam's father, estimated that he received 10 phone calls Wednesday lobbying for Oklahoma over Nebraska with half of those from Sooners coach Bob Stoops. But the Cornhuskers made the most sense to Sam, his father said.

"They've got a winning tradition. Bill's got the good pro offense concept. He also knows guys in the NFL. Sam's going to have one year to showcase himself and Bill will be very strong helping Sam be in a position to do that.

"Sam's going in with no guarantees. He just feels he'll stack up against anybody. He has enough confidence his ability to be the guy any place, just like he was the guy at Arizona State."

Callahan, former Oakland Raiders head coach, said: "I think the offense in itself is a little bit of a lure in terms of what we have to offer and what it can do for a quarterback and how it can progress his potential."

Despite all the excitement about Keller in Lincoln, his father said Sam admitted to feeling alone. "He'll get over his loneliness and they will welcome him with open arms," Mike said. "He's a big boy and mature. He's just going through the shock of being transplanted."

Keller leaves ASU with 3,018 passing yards and 26 touchdowns in three seasons. He started eight games because of being a backup to Andrew Walter in 2003 and '04 and a thumb injury that prematurely ended last season. He was MVP of the 2004 Sun Bowl, his first start.

Carpenter has five starts in his nine games. Like Keller, he threw for more than 2,000 yards last season and was MVP of the Insight Bowl. He potentially could be the Sun Devils quarterback through 2008 and have a chance to break Walter's school career passing yardage record (10,617).

ASU and Nebraska are not scheduled to play in 2007 although they could meet in a bowl game. The schools last met in 2002 and have played two famous games: ASU's win in the 1975 Fiesta Bowl to cap an undefeated season and the Sun Devils' 19-0 upset of the two-time national champion Cornhuskers in '96.

 
Won't it be ironic (and awesome too) if ASU has a great year under Carpenter next year and we met in a BCS bowl? Imagine how fired up Keller would be, plus our guys would know how much Keller would want to torch them as well. The whole team would be wired.

:restore

 
Bill Callahan outsold Stoops. Awesome.
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It really is a double victory. These types of things used to happen all the time when there were a lot more scholarships available. Osborne would offer someone just because they were being recruited by OKla St. or something not with the intention of him playing, but just to keep him away from the competition.

 
I just feel bad for Sam. Man, it must be tough uprooting yourself and going to a great program, but face it, you're a long way from everything you know. That is probably a good thing, but also very tough. I know, being in college is a roller coaster...you're in control of your life, but not always sure what you want to do with it.

Sam, enjoy the experience, and have a good time here. Enjoy the people, and get your degree. We're all behind you next year.

 
VERY important point made by Callahan:

This offense does offer something to QBs. If Keller has a great year in 07, and is a high draft pick, that will be a HUGE selling point for recruits.

 
Bill Callahan outsold Stoops. Awesome.
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I don't think Bill Callahan outsold Stoops. I think the idea OU could be facing sanctions from the NCAA might have steered Keller away from OU making NU the more obvious choice. In my not so intelligent opinion, Keller stood a better chance of becoming the starter at OU after his redshirt year than he does at NU. Once Paul Thompson graduates this year, OU really has no depth at the QB position and it would have been real easy for Keller to become the starter in 2007.

 
Bill Callahan outsold Stoops.  Awesome.
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I don't think Bill Callahan outsold Stoops. I think the idea OU could be facing sanctions from the NCAA might have steered Keller away from OU making NU the more obvious choice. In my not so intelligent opinion, Keller stood a better chance of becoming the starter at OU after his redshirt year than he does at NU. Once Paul Thompson graduates this year, OU really has no depth at the QB position and it would have been real easy for Keller to become the starter in 2007.
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I disagree(obviously). Sam Keller would start at any of the schools that were his choices. He is not going to be given the starting job anywhere, but the kid can flat out play. NU doesn't have much depth either. Remember, we have never seen Hildebrand play, Witt is still a senior in high school who has not really been in a passing offense, Ganz has never played, and Davis was thrown in a game that was a whitewash. NU's QB situation is just as favorable. Plus, I just don't see the NCAA laying down any sanctions on OU. Stoops is slippery, and by sacrificing his starting QB, he may have covered his a$$. I think Callahan's offense and the budding offensive superstars sold Keller on picking NU over OU.

 
We have no real depth either. No one behind Taylor has played significantly on the field. Keller will be coming here with the most experience. Plus next year we will be returning most of our offense, Oklahoma on the other hand will most likely be losing Adrian Peterson, giving them both a new QB and RB.

 
This will be huge for down the road, not so much that we beat out Oklahoma, but if Keller can live up to the hype and be a 1st round NFL pick, it is a huge selling point to recruits. Callahan and staff can show QB's that there system does turn QB's into NFL quarterbacks. Even if Zac Taylor can make some noise in the draft a be a mid round pick, it will be very helpful.

 
Let's get the script writers started on that NU-ASU bowl scenario to cap off the 2007 season. ;)
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I hope that is not the case- ASU is not good enough to get into any desirable bowls- ESPECIALLY next year. I would prefer to play someone else in a BCS bowl.

 
Our depth at QB is deeper than OU's. Hildebrand, while unproven in D-1, has some college level playing experience. OU's QB's with the exception of Thompson, have very limited, if any, college level playing experience. That's why I think Keller would have had an easier time getting the starting position in '07 at OU.

With regards to OU's violations, you have to remember, their gymnastics and basketball teams both violated NCAA rules, not just the football team. There's a lot more to this story regarding OU's football program than I think the university is saying there is.

 
I don't know if we are even that much deeper than OU at Quarterback. They brought in a JUCO this past season that is just a sophomore this season. This JUCO got a lot more attention coming our of junior college than Hillenbrand did. Plus I think they have another young quarterback as well.

 
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