Bonner Springs QB passes up Alabama
Jayhawks sign Jaynes to Big Eight letter
The big one that almost got away ...
David Jaynes, standout quarterback for Bonner Springs high school, talks with KU coach Pepper Rodgers after announcing his decision to attend KU next year. The widely-sought aerial artist had signed a Southeastern Conference letter of intent, but, swayed by new Kansas facilities, he decided last weekend to pick KU. Jaynes said the nearness to his home of KU and the plush Jayhawk Towers meant more than following his idol's, Joe Namath, steps to Alabama.
KU's football recruiting program received a gaint boost Monday when the Jayhawks announced the signing of David Jaynes, a widely-sought, 6-1, 190-pound quarterback from Bonner Springs high school.
Did Namath ever personally contact Jaynes on Alabama's behalf?
Jaynes, who signed a Southeastern Conference letter of intent five weeks ago with Alabama, said Monday he will instead accept a scholarship at KU and assured coach Pepper Rodgers he will make the Jayhawks his final choice when the May 6 national signing date arrives.
"He's the finest quarterback we've recruited since I've been at Kansas," said Rodgers, who confessed he had all but given up on the Bonner Springs athlete. "We had time in our favor, and a lot of people helping."
"No, he never did. Maybe he should have."
In explaining the switch Jaynes indicated he decided he would rather play closer to home and that he felt KU football was on the upswing.
We've got a little solution that's big enough to handle it...
"I've had a long time to think about this and weigh my earlier decision," he said. "After making the choice I began to wonder if I was right."
"The people in Bonner Springs, all my friends and the kids I went to school with were disappointed because they had hopes of seeing me play in college."
"Also, Kansas University, with coach Rodgers and with their new facilities—the Jayhawk Towers and the new artificial turf on the field—is going to have a great future," he said. "They can't miss and I want to be a part of it and remain a loyal Kansan."
Rodgers was obviously pleased with Jaynes's signing when he said, "David's signing makes our recruiting program a success. I
Indiana won its third straight title with ease, USC was second, Stanford third, UCLA fourth and Cal State at Long Beach was fifth.
Oklahoma was the only other Big Eight team to score. Larry Peters won the consolation 100-yard butterfly to give the Sooners seven points.
Reamon said the trip was beneficial, especially to their returning underclassmen who went.
6 KANSAN Mar. 31 1970
"We're somewhat disappointed," Coach Dick Reason said, "but at least we were represented." Seven Jayhawks had qualified for the NCAA championships and the trip to Salt Lake City.
KU, Big Eight swimming champions, managed only seven points in national competition in Salt Lake City last weekend — but that was more than KU had ever scored in the national meet.
Some of Reamon's and the team's disappointment came in the 400 freestyle relay. He had hoped they could score. "We had one bad leg and you need only one bad one in that competition and you're out of it," he said.
Kim Bolton, Overland Park junior and a standout in the Big Eight meet, picked up all seven of Kansas' points when he won the consolation heat for seventh place.
The progress for KU swimmers in national competition has been slow. Three years ago, Kansas failed to score in the meet. Last year, however, they picked up four points. Of the 79 teams in the meet this year KU was 25th. Only 28 teams scored in the meet.
Bolton scores points in NCAA swim meet
expect David to have a great career with us."
Jayhawk assistant Terry Donahue was the first to become aware of Jaynes's intentions. While giving Jaynes and some Bonner Springs friends a tour of Jayhawk Towers Saturday night the prize prospect abruptly announced that he thought KU was a great school and that he was going to play football here and not at Alabama.
Jaynes, who quarterbacked Bonner Springs into the Class
3-A state finals last fall before losing, 21-14, to Wellington, said his earlier signing was prompted by an "ambition ever since I've been serious about football" of playing at Alabama.
"I remember the first football game I ever saw on television was when my brother said, 'Hey, come in here and look at this guy with the hobbly knees.'"
"Of course, it was Joe Namath," Jaynes said. "He was always my idol."
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