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University Daily Kansan, August 21, 1980
Clinton trades helmet for cap
By GENE MYERS Sports Editor
Clinton is taking the arm that was supposed to make him the next David Jaynes and switching to baseball. He's dropped the plinkin for the 2015 team, which plays Jayhawk baseball team with hopes of turning pro next June.
Kevin Clinton's arm was supposed to turn around Kansas football.
But that was last season. This season, his arm is giving Kansas football the run-around.
Without his arm, the KU quarterback situation is scrambled. Steve Smith, a junior from Emporia, is No.1 because of natural succession. Bill Lillis, a senior from Kansas City, Mo., is the backup. Frank Seurer, a freshman from Huntington Beach, Calif., is in limbo.
Kevin Clinton . . . trade time
CLINTON MADE THE SWITCH, which he had been considering since spring practice. In week later the athletic department made the announcement.
"I have nothing against football but I think my future lies in baseball," Clinton, a junior, said. "I have the chance to be drafted next year knew that if I ever wanted a shot at baseball this time would have to be."
Baseball wanted him once, a few weeks after he graduated from Southeast High School in Wichita in 1978. But Clinton wanted football and he told the San Francisco Giants to wait.
During his freshman year at KU, Clinton did not see much playing time until Bud Moore's washbone offense started. He ran 375 yards and two touchdowns, for $45 million.
THE SPRING OF 1979 came with Don Fambrough as the new head coach and Clinton as the No. 1 coach, both down, the only consistency in his game being a consistent pain from a rib injury. He finished second string with no touchdown passes, nine interceptions and a 38 percent com
"I was really disappointed then," Clinton said. "When I was hurt I let it get to me. I let it take over me.
When he pitches, he prefers to throw curves and screwballs instead of his 90 mph fastball. As a quarterback known for only one speed—rocket飞
The confidence carried over to baseball this summer. Clinton, despite having missed last season with an ankle injury, batted .320 and
"I hurts my arm to throw both the baseball and football." Clinton said. "When I go from baseball to football it hurts."
went 10-3 as a pitcher. His future, he savs. probably will be as a pitcher.
WITH CLINTON GONE, the quarterback picture is more thanazy. Smith had a good spring, but hehad only started one game and thatwas his freshman year when KU stillran a wishbone.
Lillis, despite entering his senior year, had never thrown a pass in a game until last season. He missed the 1978-1979 return last year to throw 112 passes.
Smith was nicknamed the "Unknown Jayhawk" last season by Brian Bethhes, who was No. 1 when he won seven and seven seven passes, completing two.
"This is the first time I've had a legitimate shot at the starting job since I came here and it makes things a little more interesting for me," he said. "I don't have a great arm or outstanding speed but I think I'm solid."
"He's a winner," Fambrough said. "Attitude is so important and that's where Steve has an edge. He may not be able to do it in his form but he gets the job done."
"Our football team has confidence in him and so does the coaching staff."
THE STAFF DOES NOT have full confidence in the freshman Seurer, but Fambrough says he will be given a shot.
Seurer says he does not expect to play much at first.
"No one knows out here who'll be playing," he said. "It's too early."
CLINTON REFUSED TO predict who his successor would be. But it is a safe prediction that he will no longer be president. John McCain, who was an All-American in 1973.
Now, Clinton will probably be compared with Steve Renko, the quarterback who handed off to Gale Harper football and going on in baseball.
"I still not looking for any comparisons," Clinton said. "But people keep comparing me with others, and the comparisons are flattering."
Jarvis Redwine
Phil Bradley
Conference
from page 1
Oklahoma State was predicted to finish fourth, followed by Iowa State, Kansas State, Kansas and Colorado in the second division.
received 79 first-place votes. Nebraska
won with 103. Wisconsin was third
with 52.
With Oklahoma and Nebraska exclusively fighting for first, here is the rundown on the rest of the Big Eight Conference:
Missouri - The Tigers finished the regular season last year only one game over. 500 at 6-5. But the Tigers received a Hall of Fame Bowl bid. And in Birmingham, Ala., the Tigers defeated South Carolina, 24-14.
BECAUSE OF THE proliferation of bowl games, Missouri would have to mess up far worse than last season to miss out. To keep the Tigers from trouble, there is quarterback Phil Bradley, back for his final season. He become the player to lead the league in total offense three years in a row.
Oklahoma State—The surprise team of the conference last year, the Cowboys went 5-2 and lost only to Nebraska and Oklahoma. But the opponents still out-scored the Cowboys by 22 points in conference games.
If that happens again, the Cowboys could be right back in the second quarter.
..
SEVENTEEN STARTERS return, eight on defense and seven on offense.
Iowa State--The Cyclones were hit hard by injuries last year and never recovered. There are 14 starters back, the quarterback has 72 freshmen and boombusters.
"That's all right," Coach Donnie Dornan said, "going to be bite, to do it, to be kidnake a cup."
Kansas State—Manhattan's hopes are riding on the Dickeys. The coach is Jim Dickey and his son, Darrell, is the returning starting quarterback.
THERE ARE 12 other starters back to support the Dickens.
"We know that we'll be a better team," Coach Don Fambrough said. But we have got to be lucky. By luck, you have to get through thoseious injuries. We cannot afford them."
Kansas--The Jayhawks have 11 starters, five on offense and six on defense. The team is young but the freshman recruits are outstanding.
Colorado—The Buffaloes were a flop last season, their first under head coach Chuck Fairbanks. The off-season troubles have been worse. Fairbanks and the team pay a lot at the start of the summer so that his assistant coaches could be paid.
FOR ONCE, the Buffalooes have a difficult non-conference schedule, including UCLA, Louisiana State and Indiana. The team has been called a darkhorse by some, but that's a very dark horse.
1979 Big Eight Standings
Jayhawks
from page 1
CONFERENCE ALL PLAYERS W L Pct. Pts. App. W L Pct. Pts. App.
Oklahoma 7 0 1.000 242 82 11 1.917 606 301
Oklaawa State 5 2 1.000 282 83 11 1.917 606 301
California State 5 2 714 127 149 7 4.636 181 210
Missouri 5 2 429 144 103 7 4.636 181 210
Colorado State 5 2 429 144 103 7 4.636 181 210
Iowa State 5 2 .286 691 101 3 8 .272 137 221
Kansas 5 2 .286 691 101 3 8 .272 137 221
Kansas State 5 2 1.612 901 108 3 8 .272 137 221
. . .
before the conference schedule starts, KU must answer to Oregon on the road, Pittsburgh and Louisville at home, and Syracuse on the road. Before the season starts, KU must answer the quarterback question.
Somewhere is Frank Seurer, the blond freshman Californian with a strong arm and reputation.
class of their at the top. Oklahoma State would join them if it were not on probation, even though the Cowboys are eligible for bowl games. Then comes the pack, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas and Kansas State.
Clinton was the No. 1 quarterback much of last season and all of spring practice. But in midsummer he an-
nounced that he was trading his helmet for a baseball cap.
"The first thing that's got to happen to our football team is somebody has to take charge," Fambridge said. "We're going to play a tough game and that's a bad way to start a season."
"Somebody has to step in and say, 'I'm the quarterback, and I'll run the football team.' Someone has to say, 'it's it. and then prove it.'
IN HIS PLACE are two inexperienced upperclassmen and a California golden boy. Junior Steve Smith of Emporia is one of the upperclassman, and senior Bill Lillis of Kansas City, Mo., is the other. Smith three seven passes last season, Lillis, 11. Smith is No. 1. Lillis No. 2.
Whoever gets the job will have Harry Sydney to hand the ball to. Sydney, the wishbone quarterback in the final Moore year, moved to fullback last year and sprinted for 541 yards and three 100-yard games.
The No. 1 halfback is junior Walter Mack, who last year gained 257 yards and promised to win at least one Heisman Trophy before leaving KU. His backups, for now, are Garrfield Taylor, a redshirt freshman, and Kerwin Bell, the Jayhawks' prize steal from Nebraska and Oklahoma.
Last year after the first two games against Pittsburgh and Michigan, the KU rushing attack and offensive line scored more than 100 yards in inches. Then, in game three against
BELL, A HIGH SCHOOL teammate
26 cards and 26 touchdowns his senior year.
Bell, however, will not have an Oklahoma or Nebraska line blocking for him. This year's wall is bigger and, Fambrough says, better than last year.
But the line is still semipermeable. The defensive line, the weakest preseason part, has the same problem. Semipermeable lines can keep out the Kansas States and Iowa States, but not the Nebraskas and Oklahoma.
Don Fambrough
The other receivers are redshirt Russ Bastin, trackman Lester Mickens and former running back Wayne Capers. Either senior Mike Kennaw or sophomore Jeff Schleicher will be the tight end.
At the pass receiver positions, no help is needed. At split end is David Verser, KU's only returning All-Big Eight player. Verser is an All-America candidate, but a poor team record may hold him back.
North Texas State, the Jayhawk running game exploded for 300 yards.
"The biggest problem is up front on the defense," Fambrough said. "There is one area where our young freshmen have to come through and help."
KU GAINED fewer than 64 yards rushing against seven of its 11 opponents and more than 200 against the other four.
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