THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2013
PAGE 7B
FOOTBALL
Senior running back James Sims talks 'crazy' career
CHRIS HYBL
chybl@kansan.com
In the summer of 2009, running back James Sims committed to the University of Kansas out of Irving MacArthur High in Irving, Texas. On Wednesday, Sims recalled calling home to his mother almost every day of freshman year wanting to leave.
Senior running back James Sims runs the ball during the Oct. 12 game against TCU in Fort Worth, Texas. Kansas lost 27-17.
But as a Jayhawk, he has never won a road game and has won only one Big 12 game. It's been a
Now four years later, Sims is now the third leading rusher in program history with 3.119 yards.
bumpy ride, and now, Sims has only three games left in the crimson and blue.
"Time飞es by and
it's really starting
to hit me now that
it's almost over"
Sims said.
"Time flies by and it's really starting to hit me that it's almost over."
For Sims, the situation can be
described with one of his favorite words: crazy. His lackadaisical utterance of the word isn't close to embodying the emotions for which the word is intended.
On Wednesday, Sims countlessly said "it's crazy" in regards to how fast the time has flown and how little of it is left. But Sims' variety of experiences at the University are almost too plentiful to be restricted to the bounds of 'crazy'.
When Sims committed to Kansas, he passed up on offers from Arkansas, Utah, and Purdue. At that time, Sims was recruited by Mark Mangino's staff. On Mangino's staff, and leading the recruiting of Sims, was Kansas wide receiver coach David Beaty, former head coach at Sims' high school.
JAMES SIMS Senior running back
"I had known him [Beaty] since I was in middle school so I felt like me coming here and him being here was good," Sims said. "He was like a father figure to me so just being around him I knew I had someone around that at least knew, so that's why I picked here."
Then allegations of player abuse forced Mangino out of Kansas, a coach that had taken Kansas to bowl games in two of the last three seasons. Beaty was out and took the offensive coordinator position at Rice, but would return a year later in 2011 as co-offensive coordinator. Sims wasn't completely unfamiliar with Gill though, as he had recruited Sims out of high school as well. The following year, Gill was fired and Beaty left to take the wide receiver coaching job
ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
"It's crazy to look at it like that but that's reality," Sims said. "That's the truth and that's what really happened."
at Texas A&M. Then, a big name, Charlie Weis, arrived and was met with expectations to turn the program around almost immediately. The coach he was initially recruited by had success, and now, Sims has only one more win (6) in his career than Mangino had in his last season at Kansas.
Comparing the team's results with Sims' individual success is heartbreaking. In each of Sims' four years at Kansas, he has averaged over four yards per carry. It's a great statistic considering the shakiness of the Kansas offensive line over the years. In addition,
Sims has NFL talent. Charlie Weis has expressed his faith that Sims will play on Sundays. Sims refuses to think too far into the future. The thought of graduating
Sims has 31 rushing touchdowns. In all four years at Kansas, he has been responsible for approximately one-fourth of all Kansas points scored. Sims did his time and put in the work.
college is still a thought that hasn't really resonated with Sims yet. The only thought on Sims mind right now is a win.
the past four years. And with only three Big 12 games left to play, the chances to end the ugly 27 Big 12 loss streak and the 24 straight road game slide are numbered. The guy wants to win. He's long overdue.
"I just want wins", Sims said.
"Wins are better than stats."
But when he leaves, it will be just as easy for many to forget his body of work. When he leaves, Sims will go down as one of the best running Kansas has ever seen, but a
But it's not that Sims hasn't acknowledged that. Wins talk. That's something Sims knows and has reiterated that the most of any player wearing a Kansas uniform over
tarnished program record during his tenure may be all that fans see.
But through all the changes, the ups, the multitude of downs, Sims' production on the football field has always been around. For him, it's a priceless experience.
Or as he likes to describe it, "it's crazy"
Edited by Sarah Kramer
Hot-shooting Asia Boyd leads Jayhawks to victory
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
edunbar@kansan.com
EVAN DUNBAR
With the Jayhawks struggling to shoot the ball from outside, Boyd came out firing in the first half, scoring the Jayhawks' first five points on a deep jumper and a 3-pointer. This began a 16-0 run for the Jayhawks after SIU-Edwardsville took an early 2-0 lead.
It was her second career start, but junior guard Asia Boyd looked like a seasoned veteran Wednesday night in Kansas' 72-56 win over the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Cougars.
"When you make one, you want to shoot another one," Boyd said.
Coach Bonnie Henrickson said
one liked the effort the team played with, but still feels there are things that need to be worked on.
"I think our effort's where it needs to be from an energy standpoint [and] from an unselfishness
made and four 3-point field goals made.
"When she makes good decisions and does the little things, there's no limit for her."
"She's a confident kid, and we have confidence in her," Henrickson said.
"We've got to get on the glass [and] we've got to get a guard that gets on the glass," Henrickson said. "We've went too many halves without perimeter players hitting the offensive glass."
Boyd was not hesitant when the ball found its way into her hands, shooting it 10 times on the night.
Though she was disappointed with the rebounding efforts of the team, Henrickson said she was impressed with Boyd's ability to rebound the ball in traffic.
The Jayhawks struggled on the glass, and were out-rebounded by the Cougars 43-32. Of those 43 rebounds, 16 were offensive.
Henrickson said she has been impressed with Boyd's development into a starter, citing her work ethic and her ability to be coached.
Boyd finished with a career-high 18 points on the night, and also set career marks of six field goals
standuppoint," Henrickson said. "There are just some things that we need to clean up here pretty quick."
"When she makes good decisions and does the little things, there's no limit for her," Henrickson said.
Boyd said that in recent weeks the team has been more confident in her, helping her to become more confident when she is on the floor. She said she wants to feed
BONNIE HENRICKSON Coach
off of that and be more aggressive.
A career 25 percent 3-point shooter, Boyd finished the night 4-5 from 3-point range, an eye popping 80 percent.
confidence and repetition." Boyd said, when asked how her 3-point shot had improved since she arrived in Lawrence.
"It's just more
On a night where junior guard Natalie Knight shot only 1-9 from the field, the Jayhawks were looking for someone to step up, and Boyd did just that.
The Jayhawks take on Creighton this Sunday Nov. 17 at 4 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse in the last home game for Kansas until Dec. 4.
"As a team, we have confidence in her," junior forward Chelsea Gardner said. "She's gaining confidence, stepping up, making big plays, and knocking down big shots."
Edited by Ashleigh Tidwell
Junior guard Asia Bovd led the Jayhawks to a 72-56 victory against Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
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