Kansas Cruises Past Tulsa
Box Score | Quotes | Notes | Photo Gallery
Jayhawk Total Access Video Highlights
LAWRENCE, Kan. – The University of Kansas football team started off the 2004 season with a 21-3 victory over visiting Tulsa, Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks smothered the Golden Hurricane offense , as it held Tulsa to 141 yards of total offense and sacked quarterback James Kilian six times.
After a scoreless first quarter, Tulsa got on the board with its first drive of the second quarter. Brad DeVault’s 20 yard field goal gave Tulsa its only lead of the game. Kansas would also score in the second quarter with a 51-yard field goal by Johnny Beck to close out the half with a 3-3 score.
The second half belonged to the Jayhawks. KU took the opening drive 42 yards in nine plays, capped off by a Beck 20 yard field goal to lead 6-3. On the ensuing possession, Tulsa would be forced to punt and the Jayhawks took adavantage with the ball, going 10 plays and 80-yards ended by an Adam Barmann to Charles Gordon touchdown throw to give KU a 12-3 lead. Closing out the third quarter, the Jayhawks would force Tulsa to punt again. KU receiver Brandon Rideau got his hand on the punt for the second time in the game, blocking the kick to give the Jayhawks the ball at the Tulsa 17 going into the final quarter.
After a fourth and goal stop by Tulsa, the Kansas defense once again turned up the heat. On the first play of the possession, Jayhawk defensive tackle Tim Allen sacked Kilian in the endzone giving KU a 14-3 lead.
Adam Barmann rounded out the KU scoring with a one-yard touchdown run with 8:42 remaining in the fourth. Barmann’s touchdown gave the Jayhawks a 21-3 lead, which would be the game’s final score.
“The thing that excited me the most about our defense was the people runnning to the football,” Kansas head coach Mark Mangino said. “There was 10 or 11 guys flying to the football each play. That is the type of defense we need to play week in and week out, and I think we are capable of doing that.”
The KU defense was led by junior Kevin Kane who recorded five tackles (two for a loss), picked off a pass and sacked the quarterback. Senior defensive back Tony Stubbs had eight solo tackles while junior linebacker Nick Reid recorded eight tackles and a sack.
The Jayhawk offense showed good signs in the second half. Barmann completed 14-31 passes for 99 yards, one score and one interception. Sophomore running back John Randle sat out the first half but took advantage of playing time in the second half and rushed 17 times for a team high 58 yards. Junior wide-out Mark Simmons led the receiving corps with four grabs for 48 yards. Senior Brandon Rideau caught three balls for 27 yards.
“There are things on offense we need to work on, but this was our first game, and we learned a lot,” Mangino said.
The win gives the Jayhawks (1-0) their first season-opening victory since KU defeated Southwest Missouri State 24-10 in 2001. Kansas will welcome Toledo to Memorial Stadium on September 11 for a 6 p.m. kick-off.
