Briscoe Shows Explosiveness In Border Showdown Loss

Nov. 28, 2009

Another Border Showdown came down to the wire and this year’s Showdown didn’t disappoint with explosive plays. Kansas’ receiver Dezmon Briscoe traded big play after big play with Missouri’s Denario Alexander.

The junior wide receiver brought in 14 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns in the Jayhawks’ 41-39 loss to the Tigers. The 242 yards was the first 200-yard receiving game of the season, but the third of his career.

Briscoe’s first touchdown of the day came on a 7-yard pass play, as he ran a crisp route and found himself wide open in the end zone for the first score of the game. The score capped off a 98-yard drive that was KU’s longest drive of the season.

Despite, two costly fumbles, Briscoe had four plays of over 20 yards, as one of his touchdowns on the day came on a dazzling 74-yard reception to put tie the game up 36-36 at the start of the fourth quarter.

“It was a bittersweet day for Dezmon,” said Head Coach Mark Mangino. “He had some fantastic plays and some fumbles that hurt, but Dezmon has contributed great things to this program for a long time. Nobody feels worse about it than Dezmon, but it’s not Dezmon’s fault that we didn’t win the game.”

After the two fumbles, Briscoe said that he tried to shake it off and move on to the next play, but the second fumble hit him hard.

“They told me to keep my head up and I’m going to come back and make more plays,” Briscoe said. “(Wide Receivers) Coach (David) Beatty told me that I was going to be alright and make my plays, and I ended up doing it.”

Briscoe’s 242 yards receiving ranked second in KU history behind his own record of 269, which he set at Oklahoma last season. He ended his season with 1,337 receiving yards.

Coach Mangino said that Briscoe’s performance gave the team a chance to win, but in the end the team effort wasn’t enough.

Even with the loss, Briscoe said the atmosphere of the Border Showdown was once again great as a player.

“It’s great,” said Briscoe. “Our fans travel well; their fans travel well. It’s a big rivalry game and I enjoyed it all three years so far that I have played and I’m looking forward to it again.”

The game at Arrowhead marked the last game for KU’s senior class, and after the game in the locker room, senior Darrell Stuckey gave a speech that hit home for Briscoe.

“Stuckey had a wonderful speech that really hit all of us deep and I feel like a lot of players took it to heart,” said Briscoe. “When we go through offseason, don’t go through with it, but try to work to get better every day and I think that is going to be our mindset from here on out. Don’t hang our heads in tough situations.”