KU secondary can’t hook ‘Horns

By Jason Franchuk     Nov 12, 2000

Casey Wilson/Journal-World Photo
Texas freshman ROy Williams dashes into the end zone for one of his three touchdowns. The Longhorns blasted the Jayhawks, 51-16, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

Really, truly, seriously the Kansas University secondary was the reason the Jayhawks were able to keep any hope of beating Texas on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

Everything was going so well early, and the Jayhawks’ secondary was sticking with its gameplan to frustrate Longhorn quarterback Chris Simms. The cornerbacks were sticking close with receivers and forcing incompletions, making plays. And then the worst possible thing happened in Kansas’ 51-16 loss.

Kansas cornerback Andrew Davison stepped in front of a Simms pass, returned it for a touchdown and Kansas had a 14-0 lead.

“He was a pretty easy quarterback to read,” Davison said.

But that play the one Davison called his best play as a collegian was probably the only one of his from a defeat that will find its way onto a highlight reel.

“I don’t know what happened. I guess after the first one I got, I thought I knew what he was going to do so I cheated a little.”

KU cornerback Andrew Davison

Casey Wilson/Journal-World Photo
Texas QB Chris Simms talks to his father, former New York Giants QB Phil Simms, in the final minutes of the fourth quarter.

Maybe it was bad karma, or just trying to guard a receiver six inches taller, but after the 5-foot-11 Davison came up huge on one play, he was burned on his next two for gains of 43 and 38 yards the latter being the first touchdown. Davison was also part of a 65-yard Texas touchdown.

“I don’t know what happened,” Davison said after surrendering four catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns to his primary receiver, Roy Williams. “I guess after the first one I got, I thought I knew what he was going to do so I cheated a little.”

Davison and safety Carl Nesmith cannot be blamed for trying. Together, they outscored Kansas’ offense 9-7. After Davison’s scoring interception, Texas rallied to cut the deficit to 14-9, but Nesmith intercepted the pass attempt on the two-point conversion and returned it 103 yards for a safety.

Nesmith made a one-handed catch in the end zone, then jaunted up the field with no one except a 300-pound offensive lineman giving chase. Nesmith slowed down and appeared to be playing a game with the lineman, encouraging him to catch up.

“Nah,” Nesmith said, laughing. “I was just having fun. It was nice to score.”

Casey Wilson/Journal-World Photo
KU COach Terry Allen argues with referee Jon Bible over a call during the first half of KU's game with Texas. Allen lost the argument, and the Jayhawks dropped the game, 51-16, Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

For Nesmith, the ending came as a semi-bitter finish to two years at Kansas. Personally, he garnered popularity through his hard hits and the nickname “The Butcher” that accompanied them. But he wanted to go to a postseason bowl game, and that has been ruled out as Kansas is guaranteed another losing season.

That thought sinking in hurt Nesmith.

“But I had a lot of fun this year,” he said. “And we never gave up.”

However, Nesmith had a few warm thoughts also stirring in his mind. He was returning home to Florida on Saturday night to better weather and to see his 3-year-old daughter, Cara, the one whose name was written on the tape on his wrist.

“She’s the love of my life,” Nesmith said. “Everything will be better when I get to see her.”

Richard Gwin/Journal-World Photo
Kansas Wide receiver Derick Mills escapes Texas' Kalen Thornton while on his way to scoring his first career touchdown on an end-around play.

Kansas travels to Ames, Iowa, for Saturday’s season finale against Iowa State. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

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