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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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Commentary
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2001
Brandon Stinnett Columnist sportskansan.com
Recent loss leaves Allen with nothing but hope
Kansas' 38-34 loss to Missouri on Saturday did more than erase farfetched thoughts of a Jayhawk bowl game this season. Barring a brain fart by first-year athletics director Al Bohl, it almost certainly ensured that coach Terry Allen won't be invited back for a sixth season.
Of course, the loss might have been avoided had Allen not dropped the ball on the biggest coaching decision of his tumultuous career at Kansas.
His Jayhawks, valiantly fighting to move up one leg in the infamous Border War, trailed 38-54 with just more than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Kansas had the ball facing a third-and-two. Sophomore running back Reggie Duncan took the handoff and blasted ahead for not even remotely close to two yards.
Then came the moment of truth. Kansas faced a fourth-down play that loomed as the biggest moment in Border War history, the Jayhawks' season and Allen's career combined.
He could convert for the first down and prolong the drive, making it possible for Kansas to score a touchdown and come from behind for a dramatic home victory. Or get stuffed and turn the ball over to Missouri on downs, allowing the Tigers to, in all likelihood, run out the clock.
Allen, in a move that pretty much sums up his career at Kansas, opted to sidestep the chance to keep his job and in effect, handed himself his own pink slip. Kansas punted. Missouri ran out the clock, and that was that.
Game over. Season over. Bye, bye Allen.
After the game Allen said he thought Kansas could stop Missouri and get the ball back with enough time to drive for the winning score, which is downright absurd considering the Tigers had already racked up 38 points and 477 yards. True, Kansas' defense had returned two interceptions for touchdowns, but Missouri wasn't about to risk another catastrophe by putting the ball in the air so late in the game.
Allen's decision to kick it ranks right up there with recent history's other great debacles like the XFL and clear Pepsi.
Allen, always a nice guy, readily addresses his shortcomings as a coach and usually speaks with a frankness that often eludes other college coaches.
He said he was wrong for running Duncan up the middle on the third-down play, and pondered whether he made the right decision to punt on fourth down.
Allen has also unabashedly faced the uncertainty and turmoil surrounding his job status, openly acknowledging his place on the hot seat.
Too bad just being nice won't keep Allen employed or the Jayhawks from enduring another losing season.
Stinnett is a Shawnee senior in journalism and psychology.
Kindred quarterbacks
Kinsey comparable to Wildeat prodigy, Terry Allen says
By Brent Briggeman Kansan sportswriter
When he first recruited Mario Kinsey, Kansas coach Terry Allen saw images of former Kansas State quarterback Michael Bishop.
Allen knew about Bishop all too well. As Kansas State's signal caller for two years, he led the Wildcats to a 22-3 record, including two lopsided wins against the Jayhawks. An athletic quarterback who beat teams with his swift feet as often as his rifle arm, Bishop was the runner-up to 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams.
Coming out of Texas, Bishop's home state, Kinsey shared similarities to the Wildcat prodigy. Kinsey's arm was
"He had that same kind of athleticism and strong arm," Allen said. "He could do some exciting things on the football field. We sure hope those comparisons can continue to come close."
good enough to throw for nearly 5,000 yards in
his junior and senior seasons at La Vega High School in Waco, Texas. Kimsey's athleticism was evident when he played minutes for Roy Williams' Kansas basketball team last year as a true freshman. He left the basketball team in February, citing academics as the primary reason.
his junior and senior
After a red-shirt season last year, Kinsey has earned the starting quarterback job for Allen's team, finally giving coaches and fans a
glimpse of the talented prospect in action.
After five games, the comparisons with Bishop seem warranted.
Like Bishop, Kinsey has tossed for five touchdowns and two interceptions in his first five games and has a completion percentage slightly more than
What's more, the two have looked strikingly similar in the early part of their careers. Both stand 6-foot-1 and weigh just more than 200 pounds. Both struggled to contain their strong arms, often missing receivers high or overthrowing the deep routes. And both have shown a tendency to leave the pocket, preferring to run rather than pass, which has resulted in 133 yards of losses for Kinsey and cost Bishop more than 100 yards in his first season.
Both have shown the ability to lead. Bishop earned it by winning; Kinsey by his competitive nature. When the games have been close, Kinsey has been at his best. He led Kansas on a game-tying drive in the waning moments at Texas Tech, then scored a touchdown in overtime on a long scramble. On Saturday, in a back-and-forth contest with archrival Missouri, Kinsey passed for a career-high 242 yards and two touchdowns, including a toss to Derek Mills that gave Kansas its only lead in the second half.
Michael Bishop's numbers through his first five games at the Division I level: Passing: 30-72 (42%) , five touchdowns, two interceptions. Rushing: 61 carries for 327 yards and five touchdowns.
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO FROM THE KANSAS STATE COLLEGIAN
"I'm better when the game is close," Kinsey said. "But I think it brings out the best in everybody." Srf PROMISE PAGE 7A
Soccer team faces challenge after tough weekend loses
Senior Forward Hilla Rantala goes up for a header against two Texas A&M defenders Friday afternoon at SuperTarget Field. The Jayhawks return to action in a 3 p.m. match today against Drury College. Photo by Laurie Sisk/Kansan
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas soccer team hopes to bounce back from its two-game losing streak at its game at 3 p.m. today against Drury at Super Target Field.
The Jayhawks, 9-5 overall and 5-3 in Big 12 Conference play, were originally scheduled to play the Panthers on Sept. 16, but the game was postponed after the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
Coach Mark Francis said he hoped his team would be able to recover from tough losses to No. 17 Texas A&M and No. 12 Texas.
"Mentally, it's probably the biggest challenge," he said. "Especially since it's our third game in five days. It's a test of character that they're going to have to go through."
Despite three Big 12 losses, Francis said he remained optimistic about the team's chances in the Big 12 tournament, which starts Thursday, Nov. 8, in San Antonio.
"Our losses in conference this year are probably to the three best teams in the conference," he said. "I fancy our chances against any of those teams if we show up and play a 90-minute game we're capable of playing. It's not something that's beyond our reach."
Drury, a member of the Missouri Valley Conference, stands at 6-8 overall. The Panthers last played Sunday against Arkansas-Little Rock, winning 3-2 in overtime.
Drury is winless against Big 12 opponents this year, losing to Oklahoma. Oklahoma State and Missouri.
Junior midfielder Brooke Jones said the key to a victory today would be to look ahead.
"I think that we need to come out strong and keep playing how we've been playing," she said. "We can't dwell on the two losses."
- Kansas is 1-1 all-time against Drury. They last
Notes:
played Sep. 24, 1999, with Kansas winning 3-0. Jayhawks Hilla Rantala and Natalie Hoogveld both tallied goals in that game.
All five of Kansas' losses this year have been to Top 25 opponents.
Contact Wood at 864-4858
Kansas finds strength in Ross when struggling
By Brent Briggeman
Kansan sportswriter
In Saturday's 38-34 loss to Missouri, Ross led Kansas with five receptions for 89 yards and also returned four punts for 110 yards.
Roger Ross has a knack for playing his best when the Kansas football team is at its worst, but he doesn't care.
That continued a season-long trend for the senior wide receiver. In all four K ans s losses, Ross led the team in receptions, receiving yards or
Ross: Kansas senior wide reciever
both. In the two Kansas wins, he hardly played a factor.
"It does seem like I've been making some of my best plays when the team hasn't been playing well," Ross said. "But I'm just thankful to have these opportunities."
What? No bickering about the rest of the team not holding up its end of the bargain? No calling for the ball more often in critical situations?
"He's one of the best young men I've been around," said Kansas coach Terry Allen. "He's just as good as it gets when it comes to quality people."
Ask Ross what the highlight of his career has been, and he won't mention either of the two 77-yard touchdowns he hauled in against Oklahoma. He won't mention the 87 receiving yards against UCLA in a packed Memorial Stadium, and he won't mention a punt return for a touchdown last year against Missouri.
Instead, he'll mention the trip to Colorado in September when his
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