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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2007
PAGE 1B
SOARING TO STILLWATER
Jayhawks forget past match-up
2006 mistakes encourage Kansas to improve against Oklahoma State
BY ASHER FUSCO
afusco.kansan.com
It's been more than a year since Kansas and Oklahoma State last squared off, but the 42-32 defeat is plenty memorable for Kansas fans — for all the wrong reasons.
Fresh off of two closely contested losses, Kansas looked to be turning its season in the right direction in the first half of the game on Oct. 13, 2006. Kerry Meier connected with tight end Derek Fine and wide receiver Marcus Herford for two early touchdowns, and the jayhawk defense forced three first-half turnovers and allowed no points heading into halftime. When the teams took the field for the third quarter, things got ugly for Kansas.
"What happened last year is a mystery for
us as coaches," Kansas defensive coordinator, Bill Young, said. "The plays that we stopped in the first half they ran the exact same plays in the second half and got touchdowns out of them. They made a great catch, a great run, we misplaced the ball, we weren't in the right spot — things that you can't explain."
The Cowboys' inexplicable second-half success looked even more unbelievable in the box score. After a mistake-prone first half, Oklahoma State gained 397 total yards in the second half, relying on 6-foot-4. 220-pound wide receiver Adarius Bowman and quick quarterback Bobby Reid to do most of the damage.
Bowman made a mockery of the Kansas secondary, gaining 300 receiving yards on 13 catches and Reid complemented his 411 passing yards with 46 rushing yards and a
2006 game in review
Oklahoma State 42, Kansas 32
Oklahoma State 42, Kansas 32
KU jumped to a 17-0 lead
OSU scored all 42 points in the second half
OSU had 603 yards of total offense Adarius Bowman, OSU receiver, had 300 receiving yards on only 13 receptions
touchdown scamper that cut the Kansas lead to 17-14 in the third quarter. By that point, the floodgates had been opened and the Cowboy offense was pouring out. Oklahoma State added three touchdowns in the fourth quarter and held onto a 10-point lead as time
expired.
But the aerial antics of Bowman and Reid were not the sole contributors to the Javhawks' defensive breakdown. Young said that the team did not put enough pressure on the quarterback in the second half, which opened up Oklahoma State's offensive options.
Sophomore safety Derek Stuckey said that the Kansas players have watched the tape of last year's debacle, and have taken care to correct some of the mistakes they made against Oklahoma State.
"It's frustrating to see how close we were to being better or making some greater plays," Stuckey said. "It's not painful because you can see where the mistakes were made and you can see how easy it is to fix."
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 4B
football notebook
MANGINO UP FOR AWARDS Kansas' 9-0 start has earned the team the No.4 spot in the BCS Rankings and has earned coach Mark Mangino consideration for two national coach of the year awards. Mangino made watch lists for the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award and the George Munger Award, which are given to the top coaches in the nation at the end of the regular season. Other Big 12 Conference coaches on the watch lists include
Missouri's Gary Pinkel and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops. Mangino is also eligible for the Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award, which is chosen by fans. Fans can vote at coachoftheyear.com.
STARTING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
WILL RETURN
Junior left tackle Anthony Collins has his sights set on an NFL career, but not before playing his senior season, he said
Wednesday, Collins, a 6-foot-5, 310-pound preseason All-Big 12 selection, has the ideal size and speed to thrive in the NFL, but said he would wait one more season before entering the draft.
PUNT RETURNER NEEDS BLOCKS
Sophomore wide receiver Anthony Webb hasn't posted eye-popping numbers in his first few games as a punt returner, just
2. 3 yards per return and a long return of 15 yards. The team as a whole was focusing on improving their results on returns. "The lack of having good returns at this point in time is not completely his fault," Mangino said. "We've got to do a better job of staying on our blocks. There's situations where we're letting one guy free but that one guy can make the tackle."
—Asher Fusco
Oklahoma State receiver to pose challenge for Jayhawks
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Oklahoma State senior wide receiver Adarius Bowman struggles past Kansas defense in last year's game at Memorial Stadium. Bowman scored four touchdowns in the second half of the game.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
If there's anything Oklahoma State senior wide receiver Adarius Bowman can't do on a football field, it hasn't been discovered yet.
At 6-foot-4, 220-pound Bowman can use his size to catch passes in the middle of the field, his speed to blow by defenders on the edges or his athleticism to evade potential tacklers. Bowman, who caught four touchdown passes and had 300 receiving yards against Kansas last year, is as close to unstoppable as it gets.
There's no typo there. When asked about his star receiver, Gundy rattled off blocking statistics, showing how versatile Bowman really is.
"Adarius has been a good football player for us the last couple of years, whether he's catching the ball or doesn't have the ball in his hands," Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy said. "He's a really good blocker for us; he averages about six knockdowns per game."
Bowman was even versatile enough to walk on to the Oklahoma State basketball team after the football season last year. And
SEE BOWMAN ON PAGE 4B
COMMENTARY
Talib to step up against Cowboys
This week, junior cornerback Aqib Talib was named one
this week, junior cornerback Aqib Talib was named one of 12 semifinalists for the Jim Thorpe Award. On Nov. 19, the field of semifinalists will be narrowed down to three finalists. Talib is also considered a top NFL cornerback prospect if he were to enter the draft early after the season.
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With this in mind, it is time for Talib to step and perform against a top receiver. While Talib has had several exciting plays this season, he has let a couple top receivers score big against Kansas.
The first receiver Talib let by him was Kansas State senior Jordy Nelson. In the Sunflower Showdown in Manhattan earlier this season, Nelson came up big with a 68-yard touchdown reception.
This Saturday's match up against Oklahoma State may be the most hyped game in Kansas' football history. The game will air during prime time at 7 p.m. on ABC, and the entire country will be watching the Jayhawks run for the National Championship.
Last weekend, Nebraska senior Maurice Purify had a career game against Kansas with 148 yards, 7 receptions and three touchdowns. Two of those touchdowns came against Talib. Not to pick on Talib here, but he is supposed to be the best cornerback in college football this season.
Many people around the country, especially Kansas fans, have been wondering when the wheels would come off this season and the Jayhawks would lose. With the OSU offense ranked No. 8 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the Big 12, Oklahoma State will be Kansas' biggest offensive test of the season. Last year Kansas came up short with a 43-32 loss to Oklahoma State. Their biggest threat this year will be senior wide receiver Adarius Bowman.
Through nine games this season, Bowman has 912 yards receiving, 57 receptions and 7 touchdowns. At this week's press conference, Mangino inferred Kansas would try and put Bowman's performance behind them, but recognized he is not a player to be taken lightly.
Last season, Bowman had a career game with a Big 12 record of 300 yards receiving, 13 receptions and 4 touchdowns. In the postgame press conference, coach Mark Mangino said, "he gets my vote for the Heisman."
That's right, folks, Kansas is in the running for the National Championship. With the No. 4 ranking in the BCS, the stage is set for Kansas, and now everyone is watching. Putting things into perspective, the question must be asked: Is Aqib Talib ready for prime time?
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"Adarius had a great day on us last year, but that was last year," Mangino said. "We have great respect for him. He is one of the most talented receivers in the league. He's big and strong, but he's also fast. He has great athleticism and great change of direction. He is very, very talented."
Saturday will be the biggest game of Talib's career thus far. Shutting down Bowman this weekend will be key if Talib is to be a serious contender for the Jim Thorpe Award. His performance could also be an indicator of whether his NFL draft stock will rise or fall. With the whole nation watching Saturday night, I ask once again: Is Aqib Talib ready for prime time?
Kansan sports columnist Bryan Wheeler can be contacted at bwheeler@kansan.com.
Edited by Elizabeth Cattell