Full circle for a square peg - Quarterback Sam Keller didn't fit in at Arizona State, where a USC comeback and injury stalled his career. Now he gets another shot at Trojans, with Nebraska.
LINCOLN, Neb. -- "Destiny is not a matter of chance," the quotation reads above the entrance to the Osborne Athletic Complex. "It is a matter of choice."
The phrase is credited to Nebraska politician and statesman William Jennings Bryan, but the words might as well be inscribed on a chain around the neck of Nebraska senior quarterback Sam Keller.
Two years ago, while starring at Arizona State, Keller disappeared into halftime at Sun Devil Stadium with a 21-3 lead over No. 1 USC.
Keller raised his arms to a jubilant student section on his way to the locker room. The upset victory was going to make Arizona State a national title contender and possibly make an All-American out of Keller.
A reporter for the Arizona Republic proclaimed "game over" in the press box and a reporter from Los Angeles scribbled the premature proclamation on his notepad.
Less than a year later, Keller woke up here, running Nebraska's scout team.
Bad dream?
"Probably the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me," Keller said.
Keller played that second half against USC in 2005 and had four passes intercepted, the last hitting star receiver Derek Hagan in the hands before the ball trickled somewhat miraculously into the arms of USC's Kevin Ellison, who made the game-cinching pick while flat on his back.
USC rallied to win, 38-28, and it was Keller's turn to go belly-up.
He suffered torn thumb ligaments the following week at Oregon, relinquished the job to Rudy Carpenter, then earned his starting spot back before the 2006 season, only to lose it the next day when Sun Devils coach Dirk Koetter, reportedly under pressure from players, gave the job back to Carpenter.
And that was Keller's cactus career.
He transferred to Nebraska, sat out last year, and will be in the huddle here Saturday night when No. 1 USC plays the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska is ranked No. 14 in this week's Associated Press poll.
Arizona State was No. 14 when it played host to top-ranked USC on Oct. 1, 2005.
"Kind of weird how it ends up," Keller said in a recent interview on campus. "You get another crack at a team that was, in actuality, your last point of success as a starter. . . . I never would have foreseen this."
Keller foresaw beating USC two years ago and leading Arizona State to the Pacific 10 Conference championship, if not the national title.
