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Walter a finalist for Unitas Award

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Adam Flath/THE STATE PRESS
Senior quarterback Andrew Walter was named a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award on Wednesday.

His team may be coming off its most disappointing game of the year, but that didn't stop ASU senior quarterback Andrew Walter from earning more accolades this week.

On Wednesday, Walter was named as one of nine finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, given to the nation's top senior signal caller. It is the 15th year the honor will be given out.

Walter became ASU's all-time leading passer during a 45-7 loss at USC on Saturday. Despite being seven scores away from breaking John Elway's Pac-10 record for career touchdowns, Walter's name is still misspelled in game programs, and he is not regularly mentioned on a national level with quarterbacks who have lower stats. Still, recognition for the Unitas Award didn't mean much to him.

"I'm big on the history of the game and the past players and past quarterbacks -- Johnny Unitas included," Walter said. "But in terms of any award, I could care less about those."

The last three winners of the award (Eli Manning, Carson Palmer and David Carr) each became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft after winning the award. Walter is projected by some scouts to be the first quarterback taken in the 2005 NFL draft.

Other finalists for the award include Auburn's Jason Campbell, Hawaii's Timmy Chang, Akron's Charlie Frye, Georgia's David Greene, Louisville's Stefan LeFors, Connecticut's Dan Orlovsky, Purdue's Kyle Orton and Oklahoma's Jason White.

Goal still possible

Despite taking a hellacious shellacking at the hands of the top-ranked Trojans on Saturday, the Sun Devils can still finish the season where they desired to be from the start of training camp.

Before the year started, the team said it wanted to make the Rose Bowl, and despite the USC loss, it still can. If the Trojans win the rest of their games, they will likely go to the Orange Bowl to play for the national championship. And if ASU wins out, chances are it will get a bid for Pasadena, Calif., -- a task not out of the questions since the Sun Devils will be favored in four of their last five games.

ASU senior safety Riccardo Stewart said the scenario is one the team has thought about this week.

"We're still in the driver's seat right now," he said. "Realistically, I think there is no other team that can beat USC. If we take care of our business and they take care of their business, that would be where we're at. But we need to take care of UCLA and get back on a winning streak."

Distressed fan

When practice ended Tuesday, leading tackler Dale Robinson, a native New Yorker, was informed his beloved Yankees were trailing Boston 6-0 in the second inning.

Robinson expected New York to bounce back, and he would be wearing his Yankees attire around campus today. When asked if he would still wear it should the Yankees lose, which they did 10-3, he said, "I still will just to support them anyway."

Robinson added teammates and coaches have given him much grief since the Yankees allowed the Red Sox to win three straight games.

"Nobody really likes the Yankees, man," he said. "Everybody likes the Red Sox. Nobody wants the Yankees to win no more."

Lineup change

ASU head coach Dirk Koetter said the team will move junior Grayling Love back to right guard this week. Love had played left tackle the last two games due to Chaz White's ankle injury. White will resume the left tackle position. Love will replace redshirt freshman Mike Pollak, who has been slowed with a concussion this week, at guard.

Reach the reporter at christopher.drexel@asu.edu.


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