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These are quotes from interviews I’ve had with former Arizona players about the ASU-Arizona rivalry. This site will run a series of the interviews through Friday, when the Wildcats and Sun Devils play each other in Tucson.
PREVIOUS UA-ASU MEMORIES:
— Vincent Smith and David Adams
— Lamont Lovett and Doug Penner
— Mani Ott, Doug Pfaff and George Mihalopolous
— Heath Bray, Paul Tofflemire and Steve Justice
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Max Zendejas made this game-winning 45 yarder at ASU as time expired in 1983
MAX ZENDEJAS
Years at Arizona: 1982-85
Position: Place-kicker
Zendejas is the best placekicker in Arizona history, just ask ASU fans, who watched him beat them twice in Tempe in 1983 and 1985. He also made the game-winning field goal at Notre Dame in 1982. His nephew Alex Zendejas also beat ASU with a last-second field goal in Tempe in 2009.
“What I remember most is playing against my brother Luis and watching my dad switching hats after kicking the game-winning field goal and putting them out of the Rose Bowl. The 45-yard kick to beat ASU in 1983 and the 57-yarder which beat ASU in Tempe in 1985 are also what I remember. I broke that last record I needed to break (actually tying Lee Pistor with the longest field goal in school history of 57 yards).”
LAMONTE HUNLEY, linebacker
“The greatest memory of this great game is the start of “The Streak” (in 1982). I’m proud to have been a part of that great team.”
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WARNER SMITH, offensive lineman
“My best memory of the ASU game was from 1993. We were at our absolute low point. We had just blown our shot at the Rose Bowl against Cal and we were decimated by injuries. If ASU won, I think they were supposed to go to the Sun Bowl. If we won, the rumor was that we’d get another crack at Miami in the Fiesta Bowl. Chuck Cecil spoke to the team the night before the game at our hotel in Tempe. He was INTENSE!! ‘Reach down the devil’s throat, grab his little tiny heart, and CRUSH him!!’ It felt like Braveheart!! We could’ve played the game in the hotel parking lot. No one slept that night. The game was a three-hour brawl. Desert Swarm thumped Jake Plummer. Dan White sliced through the scummies like a surgeon. Afterwards, sure enough, Fiesta Bowl representatives were in our locker room to tell us we were going to face the Miami Hurricanes on New Years Day.”
JAY DOBYNS, receiver
“Greatest memory: Coach (Larry) Smith crying after the ’82 game. That game was so important to him and his passion for it was contagious.”
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ALLSPORTSTUCSON.com publisher, writer and editor Javier Morales is a former Arizona Press Club award winner. He has written articles for Bleacher Report and Lindy’s College Sports.
