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| | Sunday, September 3 Jayhawks need to turn close losses into wins | |||||
| By Todd Cooper Special to ESPN.com Kansas Jayhawks 1999 record: 5-7 (3-5 Big 12) Coach: Terry Allen Returning starters: 17 (8 offense, 9 defense) Outlook It was coach Terry Allen's idea to have his friend and basketball counterpart, Roy Williams, hold a press conference last month at Memorial Stadium to announce his return to Kansas and his rejection of North Carolina. Nearly 20,000 people showed up. But can Allen top that excitement in Memorial Stadium this fall? With 14 starters returning, including quarterback Dylen Smith, Allen hopes to fill the stands with football fervor again after a 4-7 mark last season. "We have all the pieces of the puzzle here now and we have to put them together," Allen said. "The big question is, do we have the ability to put them together?" Allen will continue the up-tempo passing style that propelled him to wins at Northern Iowa, using Smith's running and throwing ability. Smith will need help from fullback Moran Norris and tailback David Winbush, who averaged 4.8 yards per carry. On defense, Allen will count on players like safety Carl Nesmith. At 6-3 and 215 pounds, teammates call Nesmith "The Butcher" because of the licks he puts on opposing players. The goal is to finish off the kind of scare that Kansas put into Nebraska last year, when the Jayhawks led at halftime and rallied to tie the game in the fourth quarter. The Halloween-eve fright came up just short, though, as Bobby Newcombe stunned the Jayhawk crowd with a 49-yard touchdown reception to save Nebraska's win. Before that Husker game, Allen had preached to the Jayhawk fans about how they needed to believe they could beat Nebraska. Now, Allen is getting some help in addressing the crowd. Williams has returned the favor, filming promotional spots for the upcoming gridiron schedule. The commercials show Williams in the middle of Memorial Stadium, saying "I'll be here this fall. . .will you?" The question is how long will Allen be there? Allen needs wins after going 14-20 in three seasons, including an 0-12 mark in conference road games. Allen's Jayhawks have never finished higher than fourth in the tough, six-team north division. Keep an eye on ... Norris. He managed to barrel ahead for a team-leading nine touchdowns last year. It's a good season if ... The Jayhawks avenge their 50-9 loss last year to Kansas State by beating them at home this year. Even in the toughest years, Kansas fans relish the chance to beat up on their intrastate rival. Todd Cooper is a staff writer for the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald |
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