Yesterday's entry in our daily Spotlight Series highlighted the career of defensive dynamo Dexter Davis, who was a sheer force for the Sun Devils in the late-2000's. With 57 days until kickoff, we step back to the 1980's and honor a member of one of Arizona State's greatest teams, Stacy Harvey.
Coming to Tempe from Pasadena High School, Harvey enjoyed a four year career with the Devils, starting in 1984 under head coach Darryl Rogers. It was in 1986 that Stacy made his greatest impact as a Sun Devil, his only season in a starting role under coach John Cooper.
Stacy played a large role in a gritty defense, finishing second on the team with 121 tackles behind Greg Clark's 136, while also adding two interceptions from the linebacker position. Collectively, the defense allowed just 168.5 yards per game through the air, and shut down opposing rush offenses by only giving up 107.6 yards per game en route to a 22-15 win over Michigan in the 1987 Rose Bowl.
After lettering all four seasons in Tempe, Stacy was not selected in the NFL Draft following his senior season in 1987. He spent the 1988 season as an offseason member of the Los Angeles Raiders as well as the 1989 offseason as a member of the New Orleans Saints, before getting his first shot in the NFL during the 1989 season with the Kansas City Chiefs, appearing in 9 games.
He would later spend the 1990 offseason with the Miami Dolphins and the 1991 offseason with the San Francisco 49ers, before landing with the Ohio Glory of the World League of American Football (later NHL Europe) for their only season in 1992.
After his playing days ended, Stacy returned to Pasadena and was key in the formation of the Pasadena High School Alumni Association, serving as the organization's first president.
Sadly, Stacy passed away in 2019, but his legacy lives on in the memory of all who remember the 1987 Rose Bowl winning Sun Devils.