Section B·Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, August 21, 2000
Big 12 Football
With tough games ahead, Buffs seek to regain glory
By Jason Franchuk sports@kansan.com Kansan sportwriter
Once upon a time — the early 1990s, to be exact — Colorado played schedules like the one the Buffaloes will see this season.
Problem is, a lot has changed in 10 years. The Buffers aren't quite the superpower they were back then, when coach Bill McCarthy led Colorado to a national championship and it looked as if the school would stay on at the pinnacle of college football for a long time.
Two coaches later, Gary Barnett hopes Colorado can use this year's difficult opening six games
to mold the Buffs into the caliber of team he saw when he was an assistant there in those prime years.
"I really try not to focus on the schedule," Barnett said. "Right now, we're not getting ready for any team in particular. We're just trying to get ready for the long road ahead of us. But we are excited at the chances we'll have."
The first three games aren't chance encounters. Colorado opens its non-conference schedule against Colorado State (in Denver)
before traveling to Southern California, then taking on Washington at home. The Washington game has Boulder, Colo., fans watching closely because Rick Neuheisel — the coach hired to replace McCartney in 1995 and who left for Seattle two years ago — now leads the Huskies.
"To the players, it's really just another game," said Brady McDonnell, Colorado senior defensive end. "But there's no doubt that the fans (in Boulder, Colo.) want to beat Rick when he's there."
Colorado played at Washington last year, Neuheisel's first season there, and lost 31-24. The Buffs went 7-5 (5-3 Big 12 Conference) overall last year, but can't be counted out just because of the difficult schedule. Despite a sluggish 3-3 start, the team finished on a high note, winning four of its last six games. The two losses, to Kansas State and Nebraska, could just as easily have gone the other way. The Buffs lost 20-14 to K-State and 33-30 in overtime to Nebraska.
Colorado's quick surge late in the season landed the team in the Insight.com Bowl, where it pounded Boston College 62-28.
"We definitely need to start the way we finished last year," McDonnell said. "There's no room for error."
COLORADO BUFFALOES
Coach: Gary Barnett, 2nd season,
7-5
Key Players: TB Corlein Johnson, ILB Jashon Sykes, DT Justin Bannan, WR Javon Green, TB Marcus Houston
1999 Record: 7-5, defeated Boston College 62-28 in Insight.com Bowl
2000 Prediction:
6. 5, Galleryfurniture.com Bowl For the puzzle to come together, the Buffalooes must survive until October. No team improved more in 1999 than Colorado, but a rigorous non-conference schedule in 2000 (Colorado State, Southern Cal and Washington) would make a bowl appearance an accomplishment.
After the Buffs' treacherous trio of games are finished, they'll play at home against Kansas State, at Texas A&M and then return home to face Texas. Their seventh game is at Kansas, where they were upset two years ago.
"I remember when I was a kid and CU played the best teams." McDonnell said. "I'm a senior, and I want to face the best in the country and get this program where it was."
Edited by Clay McCuistion
Colorado defensive back Damion Barton slips out of a tackle by Kansas defenders Carl Nesmith and Tim Bowers. The Jay-hawks lost the game 51-17 Sept. 18. Kansan file photo
Sooners eyeing postseason play
Team will attempt to build on last year's accomplishments
By Chris Wristen sports@kanson.com Kansan sportwriter
They may not be the Sooners of old, but second-year coach Bob Stoops' squad may be one step closer this year.
real elusive in the pocket."
A bowl drought and loss of national prominence had become the norm in Norman, Okla., during the early '90s, but the hiring of Stoops last year brought some immediate reprieve as the Sooners garnered a berth in the Independence Bowl, losing a 27-25 thriller to Mississippi.
"Josh is a much better athlete than he's been given credit for." Stoops said. "He's a great athlete. He runs well and is
Eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters return and will aim to build on the success of 1999. Highlighting the returnees is senior quarterback Josh Heupel, last year's Big 12 Conference Offensive Newcomer of the Year and a first team All-Big 12 selection. He was ranked ninth in the nation with 305 yards of offense per game.
Also proving elusive is sophomore wide receiver Antwone Savage, last year's Big 12 Freshman of the Year. Savage set an Oklahoma record for freshmen with 31 catches and 426 yards.
If the Sooners hope to make a run at
the big 12 South Division title, they'll need to fill some holes in their running game. They averaged 105 yards per game on the ground. Putting the rushing attack into perspective.
conference doormat Baylor rushed for 109 yards per game. However, the Sooners won six more games than Baylor last year with this beleaguered running game.
"To be a championship team, you have to be successful running the football." Heupel said. "You look at us last year, and we did not."
Defensively, Oklahoma just wants to stay consistent. There's not a whole lot to improve on when your defensive core returns after giving up just six rushing and 17 passing touchdowns all season. Junior and senior linebackers Rocky Calmus and Torrance Marshall will help keep it that way this year. Calmus was a
OKLAHOMA SOONERS
Coach: Bob Stoops, second season, 7-5-0
Key Player: QB Josh Heupel, LB Torrance Marshall, WR Antwone Savage.
1999 Record: 7.5, lost to Mississippi in Independence Bowl, 27.25.
2000 Prediction: 8-3, Holiday Bowl.
No doubt who the necessary piece is in the Sooner's puzzle. Without Heupel,
the big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year last year, Oklahoma will be jumbled up.
second-team All-Big 12 selection, while Marshall was the conference Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 1999.
"We had a good defensive year last year," Calmus said. "Defensivewise, we have good expectations for this year."
The strength of the returning starters has Stoops believing his team will be in the thick of things when the conference season rolls around, starting with the September 30 match with Kansas.
"I don't think we're a whole lot different from the other bowl teams in the conference," Stoops said. "If we work hard and do the best we can do, we can play with the best of them."
Edited by Kathryn Moore
By Jason Franchuk sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Despite injuries and despite leading a team that has not lived up to expectations the past few seasons, Oklahoma State football coach Bob Simmons is smiling a lot.
And why not?
Quarterback Tony Lindsay is recovered from a knee injury he suffered in the 1999 season opener, and the Cowboys think they can build on last year's 5-6
finish. The optimism also could be because of the schedule.
S i m m o n s would have to fight hard not to smirk at what the Big 12
Conference football gods (or at least the schedule-makers) have done for his team. There's no Nebraska or Kansas State this year.
"That's just the way things worked out," Simmons said. "But not having them does not mean Missouri, Iowa State and Colorado are games you overlook."
Oh sure, the three games Simmons mentioned all are still losable. But there's no doubt that not having games against the league's two marquee teams will be a major break for a team that has tried to step into the upper echelon of the conference since Simmons arrived in 1995
OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS
Coach: Bob Simmons, sixth season, 27-30 Key Players: TE Marcellus Rivers, QB Tony Lindsay, DE Kevin Williams
2000 prediction: 6-5, Independence Bowl If Lindsay stays healthy at quarterback, the Cowboys will puzzle other teams. Oklahoma State needs its play-making skills and versatility to sneak into a bowl game despite having a relatively easy schedule.
The other reason for optimism is a return of a healthy Lindsay. He started the season against Louisiana-Lafayette but suffered a knee injury. That injury would keep him out of the next four games.
He returned to start against Kansas State and helped the Cowboys to a 21-0 first-quarter lead, but the Wildcats eventually prevailed. He did not start or play the next week at Texas A&M but came back to start against Texas, Kansas and Baylor with Oklahoma State winning two of the three.
His 1999 statistics included 61-of-116 passing for 767 yards and five touchdowns, and 69 rushes for 162 yards.
"I wasn't healthy after the first quarter of the first game last year," Lindsay said. "But I've been healthy all spring, and I'm ready to go."
-Edited by Erin McDaniel