Section B · Page 4
The University Daily Kansan
Fridav. March 6, 1998
e 5
Recruit picks Kansas over father
By Brad Hallier
Kansan sportswriter
Many high school football players would not pass up the opportunity to play college football for their father, but a Kansas football signee, quarterback Jonas Weatherbie, has done just that.
Jonas' father is Charlie Weatherbie, the football coach at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md.
"Yes, I did try to recruit him, but he wasn't interested in running an option offense," Charlie Weatherbie said of Jonas. "He's a drown-back passer."
Jonas adds depth to the quarterback position for the Jayhawks. Only two scholarship quarterbacks will return next season, sophomore Zac Wegner and junior Akili Roberson, who spent time at wide receiver last season.
Charlie Weatherbie said he didn't pressure his son into choosing a college. Washington State, Liberty, Maryland and Oklahoma State were interested in
Jonas in addition to the Jayhawks.
"I'm jumping into a good opportunity," Jonas said. "I've had good experiences in Lawrence, there's
great coaches and I like the area."
Jonas was born and raised in Big 12 Conference country in Enid, Okla. He then had a successful career at Broadneck High School in Annapolis, where he set four school records including most touchdown passes in a game (four), most touchdown passes in a season (20), most yards passing in a game (352) and most passing yards in a career (2,238).
Jonas put up some impressive numbers his senior year. He passed for 1,660 yards and 20 touchdowns, threw only two interceptions and ran for 11 touchdowns.
He also received a second team all metro nomination for the
Coach Terry Allen said Jonas would have a bright future at Kansas.
Baltimore/Washington D.C./Northern Virginia area.
"He has great knowledge of the game, he makes good choices and he has a strong arm."he said.
Jonas said he could bring good leadership and decision-making to the team. He said he still needed to work on his arm strength as well as his quickness.
"The big defensive linemen in the Big 12 will be chasing after me," he said.
Charlie Weatherbie said during his son's recruiting, he was impressed with Allen and the University.
"It's a beautiful campus, and Terry is a sharp, young coach who has been successful at Northern Iowa," he said.
Neither coach said he had considered the possibility of a father-son showdown in the near future.
"I haven't really thought about it, but I would enjoy playing against Jonas one day," Charlie said.
Ex-Chief chased on I-435
Chevrolet pickup truck pursued Neil Smith on highway yesterday
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Kansas City Chiefs player Neil Smith told police his car was pursued and nearly hit several times by a pickup truck on the highway early yesterday.
Smith, 31, a defensive end who was acquired as a free agent in 1997 by the Denver Broncos, told Kansas City police he was driving on Interstate 435 at about 2:50 a.m. when another car pulled up beside him and tried to bump his car.
The green 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck veered toward Smith's white Mercedes several times, causing Smith to take evasive action, a police report said.
one pickup truck followed Smith as he switched to eastbound Interstate 70
toward his home in Blue Springs, Mo., and sped up, police said.
Smith dialed 911 from his car phone, and a patrol car intercepted the vehicles at a Blue
Springs exit, where the suspect truck was seen speeding away, police said.
Smith was not injured, and his vehicle was not damaged, police said.
Officers didn't pursue the suspect vehicle because they were not sure what was going on when they arrived, and they were out of their jurisdiction, said police spokesman Russ Dykstra.
However, Smith provided the license plate number of the truck, and officers are looking for the driver.
Smith owns Copeland's restaurant in the Kansas City area and has a residence in Blue Springs.
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