Where I Come From: My All-Time Favorite Kansas Players
by Owen Kemp on Jul 8, 2010 8:19 AM CDT
in EA Sports NCAA FB 11
25 comments
This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.
Here's a topic that could present a little bit of a challenge for everyone. There are so many great favorite players in recent memory. Kerry Meier, Todd Reesing, Dezmon Briscoe all come to mind. Who could forget the overachieving types like Kevin Kane or Nick Reid. Dez Briscoe, Anthony Collins, Aqib Talib might be three players that appeal to the flashier crowd.
Some might even look back further. June Henley, LT Levine, Tony Sands. Or...way way back with the likes of John Riggins, Nolan Cromwell, Bobby Dsouglass or even Gale Sayers and John Hadl.
Without a doubt there are some great Jayhawks. Say what you will about the tradition or lack thereof at Kansas in the football department, there have been some great ones.
For today I'll try to go a little more obscure. I'll take players that made an impression on me in a game I actually watched. To kick that off, I have to give the nod to David Winbush. In 1998 I made the trip from Illinois, across Missouri without stopping and into Lawrence where the Jayhawks would take on the Colorado Buffaloes. Colorado was ranked 18th in the country at the time and Kansas wasn't supposed to win this one. In fact the Jayhawks were 0-5 in the conference at the time.
What happened? Well David Winbush exploded for 268 yards on the ground in the most impressive running performance I had ever seen in person. The funny thing is, Winbush wasn't truly considered the primary back. He was undersized, only 5'7", and normally split time with Mitch Bowles. Bowles was injured, both starting quarterbacks were knocked out early, and Winbush took over. His 268 yards represented the most ever given up by a Buffalo team in history at the time and it's certainly possible that record remains today.
The next player that I can remember being very impressed in watching and one I wish we still had was Charlton Keith. Since his final season with Kansas, the Jayhawk pass rush hasn't been the same. The importance of speed off the edge cannot be understated in today's game and Kieth was a great pickup and a solid contributor for Kansas during the rebuilding process with Mangino.
The game and play that will always stick in my mind is the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl. Keith would record 8 tackles and one pretty incredible pick six in a nice win for the Jayhawks over the Houston Cougars.
The last player I would view as a favorite would have to be Brandon McAnderson. Quite simply there was just no reason in the world that he should have been a legitimate running option in the Big 12. He worked hard, waited his turn and never gave up.
His senior season was a miracle in a lot of ways both individually and for the team. The first time I actually saw McAnderson play was in high school and the funny thing is, everyone there thought he'd make a great linebacker at Kansas. Turns out he made a great Jayhawk, just at the position of his choosing and not the position everyone wanted to force him into.
There's my story and I'm sticking to it. Three players that weren't the most heralded, but they left a mark on me for finding a way to get it done at a high level despite doubters, struggles and less than ideal physical gifts.
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gotta go with
Kerry, I mean 3rd and 5 everybody and their mother knew who Todd was going to. and it didn’t matter he was a great rout runner, had great hands, consistant as they come. Also a big Talib fan that pick 6 in the Orange bowl was awesome
BMac
After playing against him in high school, he was always one of my favorites. Just a hard-nosed no excuses kind of guy who made it to the top of the depth chart through hard work and patience.
Kerry for me too
Kerry epitomizes what playing for a team is all about. When he was recruited, the kid was heralded as the savior of the program—one of the best QB recruits we’d ever had. And then he gets beaten out by some little guy from Texas. In such a situation, I think a lot of guys might have transferred to another school. But Kerry never complained . . . and instead turned it into an opportunity to become a record-setting wide receiver who graced the cover of Sports Illustrated (whoever thought a KU football player would be on the cover of SI?) and got a shot at the NFL.
Anthony Collins.
He was a high energy LT with a great attitude and a killer instinct on the field. I didn’t get to know him personally, but I know plenty of people that do and they all say he is a cool kid and really nice to everyone.
I have some great memories of him getting beat on one play and then getting angry and tearing that player’s head off on the next play. If we needed a yard, we ran left and you could watch Collins push his man 5 yards off the ball. It was amazing and I hope to see some of that swagger with Hawkinson next year.
Anthony Collins is up there on my list...
I think ’08 could have been an equally impressive year had he been around.
I’ll always remember his enthusiasm on the field, he was the last one out of the locker room EVERY time and the last one to leave the field at the end of a game. He had swagger no doubt.
A little better off the field/practice attitude and I’m guessing he might have been around another year. Doesn’t matter to me though, I liked the guy a lot.
In case you missed it...I used to go by Denverjhawk : )
Questions, Comments? email me at denverjhawk@hotmail.com
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Dan Eicloff
I still remember his 60-yarder. Can’t believe he never got a shot at the NFL…
The Kansas City Royals; Successfully failing since 1986
James McClinton
He was undersized and not the quickest or the strongest but I’ll be damned if he was not the hardest working and most determined. He had a motor that was always running and he put everything he had into every play. I also had the pleasure of talking with him on a few occasions and he is a great guy.
Jeff Boschee!
Oh wait. Wrong sport. Definitely Kerry because of giving up the QB position to be a possession receiver – and turning into one of the best at it in the country.
And Todd of course cause the guy was a fireplug. Aqib Talib and Charles Gordon are up there too.
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Hadl
Though I never actually saw him play, we’ve all heard stories. He’s a really nice guy and I always have a good time talking to him. Plus, the guy is a local legend. Not only that, but he used to be good friends with John Wayne back in the day.
Also, he’s greatly responsible for all the nice additions that the football program and athletic department as a whole are making. Without him talking to boosters and keeping them happy, we don’t have the money for all these nice things. Most of our high money boosters remember watching Hadl when he was the face of the program. Don’t be suprised if 40 years from now, Reesing takes a similar role as what Hadl has now. People are more apt to give money to a hero.
Its hard
A lot of good players have been named; but I’ve finally made my decision which you can watch on ESPN at 9Eastern its an hour long special.
My final two players our Marcus Henry & Willie Pless. Henry was a two star walk-on with little hope of being a starter. His biggest knock was that he was to slow, but not only was he a starter but you can watch him play on sundays. Pless was an undersized LB only 5’10" 230lbs has a carrer 630 tackles, and was named the 16th best player in CFL history.
Rollin' around in my 6 4. duece duece
Tough, tough, tough
But I’m going with:
Kerry Meier (for reasons previously mentioned)
Dana Stubblefield, and
Gilbert Brown
Stubblefield and Brown were FORCES to be reckoned with and were largly under-the-radar (thanks to being in flyover territory). Damn those dudes were fun to watch.
build a damn football program, beat some ass, and get on tv more.
I gotta go with Aqib.
I’ll never forget sitting in the living room recliner, drugged up after having my wisdom teeth removed earlier that day, not being able to hardly talk, yet screaming at the top of my lungs when he took that INT to the house in the Orange Bowl.
Swag.
Now, he hasn’t excactly done us proud off the field in the NFL (arrest after arrest) but in his time at KU, there were very few more exciting anywhere in the country.
"Not to be cliché or anything, but I’m Jayhawk born and Jayhawk bred and when I die I’ll be Jayhawk dead." - Ovechwin
by Andy Edwards on Jul 8, 2010 1:21 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Charlton Keith
I have to go with him. He was my favorite player on my favorite Jayhawks team, the 2005 version. Reminded me a lot of Derrick Thomas. Of course, he wasn’t as good. That’s not what I mean. What I mean is back in the 90’s the Chiefs put together stout defense after stout defense. While nearly everyone else had to concern themselves with both stopping the run, rushing the passer, and covering receivers, all Derrick had to do was rush the passer (because he did it better than anybody else). Charlton Keith filled that role for the 2005 Hawks.
I have to throw an honorable mention toward Jon Cornish who had a great year in 2006. I really enjoyed watching him run. I like running football teams and he holds the KU single season rushing record.
Also, another honorable mention to Clark Green. While I was in college, my inter-mural basketball team had to play a team of the KU football players. The football players didn’t have much size so Green was the ‘Center’ for the team at 5’11" (but he had to be 230-240 of muscle) which matched him up against me (6’3" and not much muscle to speak of). A competitive first half eventually gave way to a second half blow out as the 9 KU football players in D-1 football shape were able to run and gun my collection of 6 scholarship hall guys to death. The whole time of course I got to try and shove a FB off the blocks for a rebound. Great memory.
Ray Evans...
Yes I went extremely old school on this one. And like above with Hadl, I never saw him play. But I remember growing up and my grandpa telling me stories about this guy. I have a soft spot for him for the simple fact that I grew up hearing the stories. And you got to admit that he was a hell of an overall athlete. I mean he was a football and basketball all American and only jayhawk to have his football and basketball jersey retired. Man was an exceptional athlete.
by hawkinwihita on Jul 8, 2010 2:17 PM CDT via mobile reply actions
Greatest player
Although I only saw him play one time as a Kansas football player, every list should include John Riggins. At 6’2" and 230, he was a mountain of a man for a running back in the 60s. He graduated Centralia, Ks went on to break Gale Sayers rushing record and later had a Hall of Fame NFL carreer. He played with such greats as Bobby Douglass and John Zook. If for bad officiating ( missing 12th man for the 2nd td as well) KU would have been victorious in their 2nd Orange Bowl attempt.
Plus he got in hot water for a comment to a Supreme Court justice!
You gotta love someone who will openly, without regard to consequences, speak his mind!
build a damn football program, beat some ass, and get on tv more.
Got to be..
Gale Sayers, even though I never saw him play but heard many stories from my dad. Later on Willie Pless, a undersized linebacker but was always in the middle of the plays. I also must go with Nick Reid and Kevin Kane, not terribley fast but smart, sound and hit hard. I remember Brandon Perkins during that time as well as a bandit linebacker, caused lots of trouble with the pass rush. And James Holt who should have been switched to DE much sooner to bring speed on the corner. I guess what I am saying is that most of my favorite players have been linebackers.
This might surprise some people...
But I’m going with Jon Cornish.
Set the season rushing record for us, and in 2005-2006 we really didn’t have much of a passing attack. Cornish WAS the offense, and its big play threat. Really the years before and after him, we haven’t had one of those “take it to the house” type backs. Sharp was fast, Anderson was big, Cornish was both.
My favorite play by him was when he was scoring a touchdown and instead of just crossing the goalline, he sought out a defensive back in the paint and drilled him while scoring just to say a message. That attitude plus some of his big runs (like the 70 yard touchdown run against Nebraska) were awesome and all about what the team was about in those days. Plus his background (unknown kid from Canada) was perfect for that team.
On a personal note I got to meet him a couple times through friends and he was a really nice guy.
Shit happens when you win championships
Jon Cornish is no surprise...
he was an awesome player. I loved watching him go for long TD after long TD against Nebraska to break the streak. Great choice!
Kerry Meier
I am a fan of players who put team first and give everything they have no matter the situation.
Kerry Meier is all of that and more, in my opinion. When Todd Reesing proved to be a better option at quarterback, Kerry wanted to help his team by any means possible. He asked for a shot at wideout… got it… and never looked back.
No gloves. No blinding speed. No holds barred. Every down, he used an incredible combination of intellect and intuition to find the inseams of the secondary.
His versatility and passion made for a legendary Jayhawk career. He may not be the best prototypical receiver, or have put up the best statistics for Jayhawks receivers, but he was the necessary glue that held a team together and set an example by making the best out of a difficult situation to move on to greatness.
"President Bartlet: A long flight across the night. You know why late flights are good? Because we cease to be earthbound and burdened with practicality. Asking important questions. Talking about the idea that nobody has thought about yet. Put it a different way...
Sam Seaborn: Be poets."
-The West Wing, Season Two, 'The Portland Trip'
East Coast turned Midwest
Also Voting for Kerry Meier
That guy always played his heart out and gave it his all. Most of the rest of you have given all the reasons why this guy was so good, but I really admired his role as a team player to not complain after losing the starting QB gig only to become one of our best Wide Receivers.
One other guy that I always liked was Harrison Hill. That guy played as best he could while surrounded by Terry Allen suckdom. It seemed like he was always making catches even though the ball was rarely thrown accurately to him.
Gotta Go Meier
That guy is the definition of team player! He would line up and do whatever the coaches asked in order to make KU better. You tell him he’s not good enough to play QB, then he’ll play WR, and excell at it better than anyone. What’s that? Our punter has been having some issues and he needs some motivation to start kicking better again. Kerry, go punt a few balls and let the punter know he needs to earn his job. On top of that, he is a class act. He is everything you could want out of a Jayhawk.
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