Thursday, February 10, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A·Page 11
Juco transfers get head start on team
By Allan Davis
Kansan sportswriter
If you need them, they will come.
If you need them, they will come.
That's the way recruiting worked for Jayhawk Marquis Hayes, a 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound defensive end from Kemper Military Junior College (Mo.). He thought Kansas needed him more than other schools.
"There were a lot of other schools that were recruiting — they had four or five defensive ends, and I didn't understand why would they need me in the picture." Hayes said. "And with this school, they had two graduating defensive ends. I knew it was a great opportunity to come in
and be effective in the Big 12."
The loss of six senior defensive linemen, including both starting defensive ends.
and two senior starters from the offensive line left opportunities for experienced junior college linemen to transfer to Kansas and have an immediate impact. That's exactly what seems to be in progress. The 2000 Jayhawk recruiting class includes six linemen from junior colleges — five defensive linemen and one offensive lineman.
three of the junior college recruits — Hayes, Tony Damiani and Ryan Atkinson — transferred to Kansas and enrolled for the spring semester, a move that would allow them to participate in spring drills.
Hayes said he decided to come to
Kansas this semester so that he would feel more comfortable next fall.
Atkinson, a 6-foot-2-inch, 295-pound defensive lineman from Citrus Community College (Calif.), found something special about being a student-athlete at Kansas that convinced him to become a Jayhawk.
"Kansas was the best opportunity," Atkinson said. "They provided me the best academic/athletic combination I could find of all the schools that I was being recruited by."
Damiani, a 6-foot-4-inch, 275-pound offensive lineman, found a lot to like about his future teammates and the locale.
"On my trip all the guys were real nice, and I liked the city," said Damiani, an Arizona resident. "I have a lot of family in Illinois and Michigan, so it kind of cut the distance in half, so they could come and watch games."
He also liked the level of competition.
"Obviously the Big 12 is one of the best conferences in college football, so that was a strong point," Damiani said.
All three are participating in twice-a-day off-season strength and conditioning drills and expect to be ready to contribute to the team this fall.
Hayes said he was very competitive, and even though he hadn't been on this level, he knew he could compete in the Conference.
"Iugress I can't find out till we start playing in the games," he said, "but I feel real confident in my game, that I will be successful."
Thomas remembered by college teammates
The Associated Press
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Friends and former Alabama teammates of Derrick Thomas remembered him Tuesday as far more than just a spectacular linebacker who won the 1988 Dick Butkus Award with the Crimson Tide.
"He was such a vibrant person, so full of life, and his spirit touched so many people. His enthusiasm was unbounded," said Alabama coach Mike DuBose, who was an assistant when Thomas played linebacker there from 1985 to 1988.
Thomas, 33, died Tuesday in a hospital where he was being treated for injuries from a Jan. 23 car crash that left him paralyzed from the chest down. The Kansas City Chiefs said he died of a heart attack.
Thomas was injured when the car he was driving flipped on an icy road in Missouri. He broke his spine and neck.
David Crane, a broadcaster for the Crimson Tide Network, said one of his favorite Alabama memories was when Thomas dominated a 1988 game against Penn State.
1538 games against Alabama beat Penn State 8-3, and Thomas set a school record with nine quarterback hurries. Crane said it was one of the first times fans cheered for the defense to come back on the field.
"Everybody wanted to see what Derrick would do next," Crane said. "He could take over a game. Obviously, he was someone special. He meant a lot to the university not just because of what he did in football, but also because he was such a likable person."
In 1989, Thomas was a first-round draft pick for the Chiefs. He went on to the Pro Bowl nine times while playing for Kansas City.
He often returned to Alabama, where he was remembered as one of the Tide's greatest athletes.
Spencer Hammond, a former teammate of Thomas' at Alabama who now lives in Miami, said Tuesday that he visited his friend a couple of times a week following his accident.
"He was very upbeat and very positive about his rehab and that he was going to be up and walking again." Hammond said. "It was always a joy to be around him. He just had that kind of spirit about himself no matter what was going on around him, even if it was bad."
Thomas had been close friends with country singer Hank Williams Jr. since meeting at a concert when Thomas played for Alabama, said Kathy Gangwisch, the singer's publicist.
Williams' will be among those attending Thomas' funeral, she said.
Thomas appeared in Williams' music video "Come on Over to the Country," released in April 1992.
He joined Williams on stage in singing his anthem song, "Family Tradition."
"Derrick also was a guest in Hank's home many times," Gangwisch said. "They fished together a great deal."
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