Do you think Kansas doesn’t have any interesting football history? Think again my wayward son. My all-time favorite non-Texas running back is none other than the “Kansas Comet” Gale Sayers. Sayers, an all American, starred as Kansas from 1962 to 1964 where he made 90+ yard runs seem routine. I was a Sayers fan before he was made famous in the 1971 tear-jerker classic “Brian’s Song.” Sayer’s was the NFL rookie of the year in 1965 when he scored 22 touchdowns in a 14-game season. In a game against the Minnesota Vikings, he scored touchdowns rushing, receiving, and on a 98-yard kickoff return. It was more than 50 years before another NFL player—Tyreek Hill—accomplished that feat in 2016. And believe it or not, I remember watching highlights in our living room on Wycliffe Dr. in Houston of his six-touchdown performance on a muddy field against San Francisco during his rookie year.
And then there’s John Riggins another star running back who played for Kansas from 1968 to 1970 and went on to 15-year NFL career amassing 11,352 yards for the New York Jets and Washington Redskins. Riggins was a load at 6’ 2” and 230 pounds with uncommon speed for a runner his size. Riggins is the 19th leading all-time NFL runner. His most famous run came in the Super Bowl in January of 1983. Playing for Washington against Miami, he broke the game open in the 4th quarter with a 43-yard touchdown on 4th down. But my favorite John Riggins highlight didn’t occur on the gridiron. It occurred at the Washington Press Club’s annual black-tie dinner in 1985. Riggins—a bit over-served that evening—was sitting at a table with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. When the Justice got up from the table to leave the event early, Riggins put his arm around O’Connor’s husband and said to the Justice, “Come on, loosen up, Sandy baby, you’re too tight.”
Carry on My Wayward Son!
Kansas-Texas 2023
If you read Willie Earl guest columnist Steve Wood’s Kansas Scouting report you know that Kansas is 4-0 and has beaten some real teams. They dominated a Big 10 opponent in Illinois 34-23 and were never seriously challenged in their 38-27 win over newly minted Big 12 member BYU.
What makes this game interesting to me is that with Jalon Daniels, at this point in the season, Kansas has the better quarterback. Daniels, an all-Big 12 candidate, is a threat with his legs and is a steadier hand than Quinn Ewers is right now in my opinion.
Keys to Victory for Texas
1. As Steve Wood informed us, Kansas is a run first team. They have 871 rushing yards through four games contrasted to Texas’ 623. If Kansas can run the ball successfully and play keep away from Texas like Wyoming did on their 10-minute drive against to open the second half, I think it could be a competitive game. Being able to run successfully against Texas’ defensive front is not easy and if Kansas is unable to bettors who take Texas and give the 16.5 points might be happy at the end of the game.
2. Good Quinn or Bad Quinn that’s the question. If Ewers is erratic and his mechanics breakdown this game could be closer than Texas fans will be comfortable with.
3. Texas muffed one punt, fumbled another, and muffed a kickoff resulting in two turnovers against Baylor. If that trend along with Xavier Worthy’s habit of letting punts hit the turf in front of him continues versus Kansas, Texas may not get away with it as they did last Saturday in Waco.
Bonus for Texas fans
Kansas being a worthy opponent and not a cupcake is a bonus for Texas fans. This is a real contest and should be interesting at least for a while. Now I know that there are some Texas fans who are unhappy if every game isn’t a rout in Texas’ favor—you know who you are—but I think Kansas being competitive makes tomorrow much more interesting and entertaining.
I think the Horns will prevail tomorrow but not by more than 16.5. I’m calling it Texas 31-16.
Hook “em,
W.E.
Feeling whimsical
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