Backup quarterback waits his turn at ASU

Recently, a television crew prepared to film the remodeled football locker room at Arizona State and requested a player to serve as a tour guide.

The guy that did the showing around was backup quarterback Danny Sullivan.

Sullivan was an astute selection, considering how much the junior has been around the block at ASU. He just has not been at the steering wheel.

The 6-foot-5, 238-pounder has had the poor timing of being a year in school behind Rudy Carpenter, who has made 31 consecutive starts and could finish his career as the most prolific passer in school history. That has kept Sullivan on the sidelines with headphones and a clipboard.

"It feels funny," said Sullivan, a junior. "I'm considered a veteran here, and I haven't played."

The problem for Sullivan, a Los Gatos, Calif., resident, is that he will likely have just one season to prove his worth for NFL scouts. It has been the topic of almost every interview during camp, meaning he has had to answer the same questions about loyalty and patience.

However, something else is happening. Sullivan commands the offense in a huddle, surveys the defense at the scrimmage line or fires a sharp, accurate pass and knows that he is capable of leading ASU. His coach senses it, also.

"Danny has had a great camp, and we're fortunate to have him," coach Dennis Erickson said. "I think that if something happened to Rudy, he can come in and win games for us, no question about it. Seeing him grow in the last year and a half that I've been here has really been fun to watch."