6A
KANSAS 40, MISSOURI 37
THE UNIVERSITY OF DAIRY KANSAN
MONDAY DECEMBER 1, 2008
FOOTBALL WRAPUP:
Ryan McGeeneey/KANSAN
Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel pitches a last-second pass as sophomore defensive end Jake Laptad takes him to the ground in the KU end zone. Missouri's line of scrimmage began at the two yard line after a deep punt from the Jayhawks in the first half of Saturday's Border War game at Arrowhead Stadium.
DEFENSE AIDS VICTORY
BY TAYLOR BERN tbern@kansan.com
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Todd Reesing's shot put pass to Kerry Meier with 27 seconds left will deservedly be placed on the mantle among the greatest Border Showdown moments. It sent KU into hysteria, and the blocked field goal moments later ignited pandemonium for everyone in crimson and blue.
But every big Kansas play on Saturday, and there were plenty of them, seemed to be a by-product of the one before it.
Example: Meier's eight-yard touchdown catch with 4:26 left came one play after a 31-yard completion to Marcus Herford on third and 11. Kansas' momentum rolled through the entire game.
That's why coach Mark Mangino could look at the play that started it all, safety Darrell Stuckey's interception less than 30 seconds into the game, and say it was a key to the game.
"It was important that we didn't let them jump out to a big lead," Mangino said. "When they get a big lead, they get rolling and they can be dangerous. Even though we gave up a lot of points, our defense still might be the difference in the game."
Stuckey's first interception, he added his team-leading fifth in the third quarter, was on an ill-advised strike into double coverage. The junior didn't have to do much except let it fall into his arms and run 15 yards the other direction.
"I was really just doing my job," Stuckey said. "He took a gamble
throwing in my direction and I'm grateful that I came up with the ball."
The interception set up Kansas' only made field goal, which turned out to be the margin of victory. However, Stuckey's heretics were far from over.
Trailing 3-0 and backed up to his own nine on third and 10, Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel bolted for a momentum-changing run. Daniel scampered across the 50 when a Jayhawk finally caught up to him.
Unsatisfied with making a touchdown-saving tackle, Stuckey ripped the ball from Daniel's clutches then pounced on it for his second turnover.
"I saw the ball kind of flare a little bit and I saw him relax," Stuckey said.
Reeing took over and moved Kansas down field, this time scoring a touchdown to open a 10-0 lead.
Daniel brought it to 10-7. But on his next drive the KU defense disrupted him again, only this time it was in the backfield.
Alonso Rojas' rugby-style punt put Mizzou at the 2-yard line. On second and 10, defensive end Jake Laptad forced Daniel to dump a pass behind the line of scrimmage.
"I figured it was a screen pass so I tried to get the best rush that I could," Laptad said. "When I got my hands on him I thought he had thrown it away."
The result was an intentional grounding penalty that gave Laptad his second safety of the season.
moment. So did Stuckey, which is why he said the first half was so important.
Kansas led 19-70 at haiftime,
but Arrowhead Stadium felt like it
expected Missouri to explode at an
"That means a lot, to get a quarterback as great as Chase out of rhythm or shaken up," Stuckey said. "He was going to put it together sooner or later."
Daniel figured out Kansas' defense in the third quarter. He threw two touchdowns, including a one-play drive, but Stuckey got the better of him to start the fourth.
Daniel's lame attempt to hide the ball behind his back didn't fool the safety, who jumped the route and secured the pick.
Stuckey said defensive coordinator Clint Bowen's game plan challenged his player's pride.
"He just emphasized going one-on-one," Stuckey said. "When you line up against a man across from you, you have to know that you're better than him."
The offenses took over from there, but Stuckey's best performance as a Jayhawk helped ensure that they would have a chance at the end.
Years from now, Reesing's pass will be the first, and maybe only, thing remembered about the 2008 Border Showdown. But safety Phillip Stroizer's field goal block, and the well-deserved celebration that followed, shows that the defense also deserves a hand.
"I stood there in awe, just total shock." Stuckey said. "Nobody really knew exactly what they were doing. They were just running around cheering."
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
- Edited by Ramsey Cox
Redshirt junior wide receiver Kerry Meier sprints around the Missouri defense during Saturday's game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Border War match was a back-and-forth battle the came down to multiple touchdowns in the final minutes for a 40-37 Javawk victory.
KANSASCOMI
Sophomore safety Phillip Strozier gets a hand on a last-second game-tying field goal attempt by Missouri kicker Jeff Wolfert. The deflected kick
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
tried to go to (Dezmon) Briscoe but he slipped or something. Then I started moving around and praying. I shotputted the ball. It wasn't really a pass. I just kind of floated it up. Kerry said he didn't even see me throw it. It's the kind of play you draw up in the dirt and it worked out."
When Meier saw the blitz, he had slipped behind safety Justin Garrett, and just hoped that Reesing could get him the ball. He did.
Reeing didn't practice much of the week, forcing an injured Meier to practice at quarterback instead of resting his injured quad. Sharp barely practiced as well, which left Mangino crossing his fingers about his starting running back's availability all week. The list of injuries didn't stop there.
“It’s the guttiest win that we’ve ever had since I've been the head coach at Kansas,” Mangino said about the instant classic, which will go down as one of the best in
"You know I don't discuss injuries." Mangino said. "但 I will tell
you that if I had to discuss injuries leading up to this game, a roll of toilet paper wouldn't be long enough for all of the names and injuries that would be on it."
the storied history between the two rivals. "We are a very banged-up team. We had some guys limping around for two weeks and how some of them played today, the only way I can describe it is courage."
But Reesing and Meier knew it was going to take more than a bruised shoulder and injured leg to keep Kansas from one of the biggest wins in recent school history. The two hooked up five times as the Jayhawks drove 67 yards in just over a minute to pull off the stunning comeback. Meier's school record 14th catch of the day was the game winner.
Despite the sore shoulder,
Reesing completed 37 of 51 passes
KANSAS 40, MISSOURI 37
Kansas
Kansas (7-5, 4-4 Big 12) Missouri (9-3, 5-3 Big 12)
Total Yards 438 478
First Downs 24 23
Rushing Yards 63 190
Passing Yards 375 288
Time of Possession 36:00 24:00
Missouri
Rushing ATT YDS AVG. TD Rushing AT
Jake Sharp 20 48 2.4 1 Chase Daniel 9
Todd Reesing 11 17 1.5 0 Derrick Washington 11
Kansas
Passing COMP/ATT YDS TD INT Passing
Todd Reesing 37/51 375 4 2 Chase Daniel 29
Receiving No. YDS TD Receiving N
Kerry Meier 14 106 2 Jeremy Maclin 9
Dezmon Briscoe 9 115 1 Chase Coffman 6
Dexton Fields 7 72 1 Tommy Saunders 4
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