University of Kansas - Jayhawker Yearbook (Lawrence, KS)

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Ou xii .I rv 5-2 A Jayhawk defender is stiff-armed in his attempt to take down a Missouri player. Missouri spoiled Kansas' almost-perfect season. end Iohn Larson got within strik- ing distance of the Missouri quar- terback, a blocker cut him down. We did an all right job slowing them down at times, said sopho- more safety Iustin Thornton. In the second half, the Tigers exteneded their lead by capital- izing on Jayhawk errors. Kansas was efliciently marching down the field on its first drive of the second half before Reesing barely missed senior wide receiver Marcus Hen- ry on a throw over the middle. The pass tipped off of Henry's left hand and into the hands of Missouri cornerback Castine Bridges. Bridges returned the in- terception 49 yards to the Kansas 40-yard line, and Missouri scored its third touchdown seven plays later on running back Iimmy Iacksonls one-yard plunge. The Iayhawks finally found the end zone midway through the third quarter when they engi- neered a 67-yard drive capped off by senior running back Brandon McAnderson's one-yard touch- down run. Freshman wide receiv- story by ASHER Fusco Photos by JON GOERING luv. Iliff Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing C51 releases the ball as a Missouri defender bears dovvn. er Dezmon Briscoels highlight- worthy catch was the key play of the drive. Kansas came close to a comeback victory, close to a perfect regular season and close to a berth in the Big 12 Championship game. But the small things that Missouri did right and that Kansas did wrong decided the game. The layhawks' mistakes - overthrown passes and barely missed field goals - caught up with them and ended their quest for perfection.

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November 24, 2007 Sophomore quarterback and receiver Kerry Meier U01 battles with a Missouri defenderfor a pass. 0 0 Kansas vs. Missouri Kansas foils short of perfection ogo1'nst!Vi1'ssour1' eff Wheeler came close. The sophomore defensive end's outstretched fingers came within inches of the foot- ball as it left Chase Danielis hand. But the ball spiraled past Wheeler and into the grasp of a Missouri receiver during the middle of the third quarter. - 28 - was just one of 40 The completion by the Missouri quarterback, the resulting first down just one of 29. But it underlined the recur- ring theme in Kansas, 36-28 loss to Missouri: the Iayhawks falling just short of making crucial plays. 1'We had chances to execute, but that's the way the game wentf' said sophomore wide receiver Kerry Meier. Early on, it was the Tigers who came up just short, as a trick play backfired in the Iayhawks' favor. After freshman wide receiver Jer- emy Maclin returned a punt 43 yards to the Kansas 32-yard line, the Tiger offense stalled and ad- vanced only 10 yards on their next four plays. But Missouri opted for something more adventur- ous than a field goal. After holder Tommy Saunders received the long snap, he stood up and fired a pass to wide receiver Will Frank- lin on the left sideline. Franklin burst downfield but came up sev- eral yards short of the first down marker, giving Kansas the ball and the momentum midway through the hrst quarter. Daniels, second touchdown pass was one example of Kansas coming within inches of making a key play. Leading 7-0 early in the second quarter, Missouri faced third-and-goal at the Kansas ll- yard line. The Iayhawks pressured Daniel and forced him into a quick retreat to the 30-yard line. just when Kansas junior defensive 1 ,.,..l

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-24 VT -Zi January 3, 2008 Kansas VS. I I O h Vi rgl n I a Te c Kansas wins Orange Bow! to end record-breaking season ansas didnit do anything out of the ordinary to defeat Virginia Tech and capture the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl title, Well, at least nothing more unexpected than the 12-1 team had done al- ready this season. The team that turned analysts' predictions and preconceptions on their heads all season con- tinued to upset college football's natural order in a way that has become strangely normal for the winningest team in the history of Kansas football. Over the course of the season, the Jayhawks emerged from a decade-long stint of mediocrity to win 12 games and a BCS bowl. In Dolphin Stadium, the lay- hawks defeated Vir- ginia Tech, 24-21, by beating the Hokies at their own game: special teams. The Iayhawks over- came several exceptional kick and punt returns by Virginia Tech with a timely blocked field goal and an expertly executed fake punt. 'iWe were able to make a big, big play on that punt and turn the game around with the blocked field goalf' said Kansas junior wide receiver Dexton Fields. The blocked field goal may have been the biggest play in a game full of momentum swings, big hits and closely contested short-yard- age struggles. With six minutes and 31 seconds to play in the third quarter, Virginia Tech was pick- ing up steam. An 84-yard punt return touchdown by senior wide receiver lustin Harper with 11:35 remaining in the third pulled the Kansas defenders celebrate with sophomore safety Justin Thorton 1461 afterThorton intercepted a Virginia Tech pass in the 2008 FedEx Orange Bowl. Hokies within three points, 17- 14, and the pro-Virginia Tech fans at Dolphin Stadium were at full vol- ume. The Hokies took possession at their own 18-yard line but quickly moved the ball downfield with help from a 15-yard pass interfer- ence penalty on Kansas freshman cornerback Chris Harris and an improbable diving catch by soph- omore tight end Greg Boone. The Hokies advanced to the Iayhawk 8-yard line before opting to at- tempt a 25-yard field goal attempt on fourth-and-two. The ball had barely left senior kicker Iud Dun- levy's foot when Kansas senior linebacker Ioe Mortensen burst through the offensive line and blocked the ball with his chest. 'Usually when we line up I usu- ally come out in zone and drop backf' Mortensen said. But this time we went for an all-out block. With the momentum wrenched from Virginia Tech's control, Kansas was able to stay ahead for the remainder of the game. With 11:01 to play in the contest, Kansas 1 Natal