Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Wednesday
October 7, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
Will he or won't he? Corby Jones is injured, and the Missouri coaching staff is evaluating his status for Saturday's game on a day-by-day basis. See Page 5B
College Basketball
Roy Williams and Bob Frederick speak about a recent Supreme Court decision concerning the NCAA.
SEE PAGE 3B
Pro Football
Eddie Debartolo Jr. pleaded guilty to failing to report an alleged extortion scheme.
SEE PAGE 6B
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matt@ukans.edu
Two men, one football...
Competing to be Kansas' running back
By Jodi M. Smith
Kansan sportswriter
ming backs by committee for the Kansas Javhawks.
It is running backs by committee for the Kansas football team. After playing one primary running back for the past few seasons, first June Henley then Eric Vann, the Kansas football team has changed the game plan a bit.
Sophomore David Winbush and junior Mitch Bowles are starting running backs for the 'Hawks this season. Both of them.
After playing in the shadow of last year's star running back Vann, both Bowles and Winbush are in their own spotlight — together. If you ask Winbush, the reason they share time is a matter of health. Playing in a competitive conference like the Big 12, running backs are rounded on constantly.
"We're tough guys, don't get me wrong," Winbush said. "But keeping the fresh legs and coming in and making the big plays, if you keep a guy like me in there play after play, you're going to see a let up somewhere."
The new running-back tandem has proved effective so far.
This season the two together have a combined 571 yards and six touchdowns on 122 carries. Although
they share time at the running back position, they never share
time together on the field although they'd like to.
Running back coach Michael Garrison said that having them on the field at the same time isn't neces-sary
"We try to find a matchup that's favorable to us, and a lot of times there's only one guy," Garrison said.
"So, there's no need to put both of them in at the same time." Winbush and Bowles would beg to differ. In their opinion, if they were both allowed out on the field at the same time, they would be virtually unstoppable.
"They can't key on anybody."
"If they try to
"If they try to key on me, he'll get loose. And if they try to key on him, then I'll get loose. If we're both in at the same time, they have to play more honest. If not, we'll kill them."
Since the two share time, they are unable to accomplish some feats that other running backs, who have the starting position outright, can achieve.
In last week's Big 12 standings, Winbush ranked twelfth with 70 carries for 245 yards. The leader in this category, Ricky Williams of Texas Tech, had twice as many carries for 770 yards.
In the beginning, Winbush would have liked the position all to himself, but the tag-team role he shares with Bowles is beginning to grow on him.
"I've grown to like it better," he said.
"At first I didn't like it, but I thought I'd be a team player. It really didn't bother me that much as long as we got the carries."
DAVID WINBUSH
But, according to Garrison, it would be nearly impossible to choose one instead of the other because they are both that good and that equal.
No. 22
5-7, 180 pounds
Saphmore
Killeen, Texas
Ellison High School
"David has the ability to make people miss, but his size is a limitation," he said. "Mitch is just a little bigger, but he can make people miss, and he can make big plays. I like to think of it as if they were both bigger and had the same talent, then I'd have one. Essentially by splitting the time between them, I get one really, really good running back."
MITCH BOWLES
1998 Rushing Stats
1998 Kissing Stars
G A Net Av. T Game
5 43 273 5.7 3 49.2
No. 20
5-8, 185 pounds
Junior
Las Vegas, Nevada
El Dorado High School
Commentary
'Hawks' potential recognized; team not reaching it
potential is a great thing for those who have reached it.
There are also notable failures; Those who have always had potential but are known for never reaching it.
Thomas Edison reached his. Mother Teresa exceeded hers. Whoever invented indoor plumbing excelled above and beyond whatever potential they had.
I was told in fourth grade that I could be one heck of a mathematician. But so far, I have
avoided college math now but
will know what balanced means.
We all keep waiting for that one great Demi Moore performance. Dan Quayle still has hallucinations that he can be President of the United States.
Then there is the Kansas football team.
This team has potential. Just ask coach Terry Allen, who the past few months has praised his team for its potential.
Spencer Duncan
mattf@ukans.edu
On the team as a whole
"This team has the potential to be very good." On quarterback Zac Wegner: "He has great potential to be an excellent thrower."
on the defense: "This could potentially be one of the better defenses in the (Big 12) conference."
On the offense: "Potentially, this team can score very fast."
OK. we get it
But at some point potential actually has to blossom. Potential is defined as "capable of being but not yet in existence."
So we wait for potential to turn into results. That was why Saturday was discouraging.
Kansas was on the verge of reaching its potential. But the defense crumbled and allowed Texas A&M to drive down the field in the waning minutes and score the game-winning touchdown. Texas A&M 24, Kansas 21
A win could have been the Jayhawks' turning point.
It was a game of not-met potential and a perfect example of why fans are discouraged with this team.
Since Terry Allen arrived in town, the Jayhawks have had potential, and last year they excelled. A makeshift team of two quarterbacks, a weak offensive line, a running back who was hot and cold and an inexperienced defense went 5-6 and was one win away from a bowl game.
This season, the team has no quarterback controversy, an improved offensive line, a faster and stronger running game and a tougher defensive line.
This is potentially a better team. But the results have been disappointing, and with Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas State on the horizon, things only look to become more difficult.
It is nice to know this team has potential. But the difference between great teams and mediocre ones is that the great ones have realized their potential and moved beyond it.
The Jayhawks can talk about their potential all they want, but until they reach it, it is easy to be skeptical.
Duncan is a Topeka senior in journalism and English.
Football recruit optimistic about season
Editor's note: This is the second in a series of articles about the recruitment of Jason Rowe, Shawnee Mission Northwest High School senior football player
By Randy Withers
Kansan sportswriter
The Shawnee Mission Northwest Cougars, led by senior captain and Division I football recruit Jason Rowe, faced No. 3 Olathe East Oct. 2.
Northwest defeated the Hawks 20-14 for its fourth consecutive homecoming victory, and only its fourth win in 15 years.
wise. They were ranked No.3 in the state, and we went out there and took care of them."
Rowe has played well this season on the offensive and defensive lines. His play has made him one of the top players in his conference and earned him the attention of three college football
The Cougars, now 2-3, lost three games since winning the season opener.
"I played that game like we had nothing to loose," Rowe said. "That game really helped me confidence-
Butler County and Coffeyville Community Colleges are among the programs that have written him frequently.
program recruiters
Rowe's parents, Michael and Terri , also have received mail from colleges trying to establish a recruiting edge.
"I haven't been that much involved," Michael Rowe said. "Most of it has all been through the mail. We have gotten maybe one or two letters from some colleges, mainly introduction letters."
He said Kansas also is one of the schools recruiting him actively. The Jayhawks had sent him several letters expressing their interest in him as a prospect, Rowe said.
When asked about what he felt would be the best situation for his son, Michael Rowe said he was looking at smaller colleges.
He said in his opinion, an in-state school would be ideal, preferably Division II. "Simply because of the classes being smaller, I think he'd be better in a small environment. As long as he's happy, that's all I'm concerned with. It's not really my life; it's his life. It's time for him to take it over."
Terri Rowe said that she wanted her son to stay close to home.
Terri Rowe said she hoped the remainder of the season went well.
"I hope he gets a lot of letters and a lot of recruiters coming to talk to him," she said. "Overall, I would think that he's had a good four years of high school and football." She said she hoped he would continue his education after high school.
"That's my motherly instinct," she said. "I would like that. Wherever he wants to be. I will go with it."
Like his mother, Rowe said he hoped the rest of the season brought big things for the team and himself.
"The game was a big turning point for us," Rowe said. "All week long we talked about doing what the coaches said — practice hard and be disciplined. We were disciplined, and we went out there and had a lot of fun, and I think we showed it. We went out there and hit them in the mouth."
Week No. 5 reader picks
NAME
None of our 16 prognosticators picked all the games correctly in week 5. Especially problematic were the Arizona and Georgia games. Other picks are listed in UDKI at www.kansan.com/sports
1. Steve Berg, Omaha, Neb., senior
RECORD
11-1
1. Steve Berg, Omaha, Neb., senior 11-1
2. Jill Myrick, Wichita senior 11-1
3. Lewis Bowen, Richardson, Texas, junior 10-2
4. Ricardo Leal, Lawrence graduate student 10-2
5. Patrick Meagher, Leawood senior 10-2
6. Dave Schul, Lawrence graduate student 10-2
6. Dave Schul, Lawrence graduate student 102
Angle Kuhn / KAHSA