HONOLULU It was Christmas Day AND the Fourth of July for Kansas senior Dana Stubblefield.
“I told everybody I wanted to end the season like Tony Sands did last year, with a big bang. This is the biggest bang I could have,” the Kansas defensive tackle said after Friday’s 23-20 Aloha Bowl win over Brigham Young.
He had three sacks and was named KU’s Most Valuable Players in a vote of media members.
“Last year, Tony went out with a record 396 yards (rushing, against Missouri). We all carried him off the field. I wish they’d have carried me off the field.” added the 6-foot-3, 285-pound Stubblefield, who also had several hurries, including one that led to Charley Bowen’s interception of a Tom Young pass at the KU 29 with just 2:11 left.
“This is the best game I played at the University of Kansas. I had four or five sacks, five or six hurries. It was on national TV. Everybody back home was watching. It means a lot to me.” said Stubblefield, who received a trophy as did Young, the Cougars’ MVP.
“They gave me Young’s trophy and Young got my trophy,” Stubblefield said. “He (Young) came up and asked me to switch.”
A trophy may not be as important as something else Stubblefield surely earned Fridaythe admiration of NFL scouts.
“On the field, my performance helped my future,” said Stubblefield, a possible first- or second-round pick in the next NFL draft.
Bowen, a senior strong safety from Lawrence who isn’t expected to land an NFL contract, nonetheless will leave Honolulu with a prized memoryhis late-game interception.
“So many things went through my mind,” said Bowen, referring to the moment he latched onto the ball to protect KU’s three-point lead. “Everybody was pounding on me. I remember saying, ‘This really is paradise.'”
Bowen described the crucial play: “Young was rolling right and had some pressure. I was rolling with the quarterback. We’re taught to do that. It was a little high. It went right through his (tight end Byron Rex’s) hands. It was a high pas and came right to me.”
Young said he didn’t see Bowen’s catch because Stubblefield had downed him.
“All I did was ‘swim’ the center,” Stubblefield said. The ‘swim’ is a move defensive linemen use to push past offensive linemen.
“It’s my man Reggie White’s move,” Stubblefield said, grinning, referring to the NFL all-pro. “I was back there so quick, all Young could do was throw it up for grabs. He’ll be a good quarterback in the future, but today wasn’t his day.”
Bowen agrees that Young, a 6-1, 185-pound sophomore who hit 15 or 31 passes for 262 yards and a touchdown, is a keeper.
“I give him the credit he deserves,” Bowen said. “There was a lot of pressure on him (he started the season as BYU’s fourth-team QB). The inexperience he has, that kid has a lot of guts. I hope he has a great career.”
Bowen said his finale will prove memorable. It’s KU’s second bowl win in history.
“You always remember the last game you play,” Bowen said. “To come here to Hawaii, with all the distractions and win, this is a great way to go out.”
Bowen said the Jayhawks perserved on the 84-degree, muggy day. Humidity was 72 percent.
“You know, it was hot out there,” Bowen said. “We had some people getting tired. But we were prepared. We had them scouted well.”
Knowing BYU’s offense inside and out helped on a first-quarter safety, Bowen said. Chris Maumalanga tackled halfback Jamal Willis in the end zone, giving KU a 9-7 advantage.