Kinsey in for long haul

By Gary Bedore     Mar 29, 2001

Earl Richardson/Journal World Photo
Kansas quarterback Mario Kinsey talks to reporters. Kinsey hopes to replace Dylen Smith as KU's starter next fall.

Mario Kinsey spent spring break in his hometown of Waco, Texas.

Word on the street was Kansas University’s 6-foot-1, 194-pound freshman quarterback had headed home for good.

“There was a rumor started. On spring break it’s all I heard, even from my high school coach. People said, ‘I heard you are coming home to go to Baylor,”’ Kinsey said Wednesday.

“I want to verify: ‘I’ll be a Jayhawk,”’ he added, smiling.

Rumors of an imminent transfer heated up after the two-sport athlete left KU’s basketball team on Feb. 13 to concentrate on academics.

He’s not sure if he’ll play Kansas basketball again, but is sure he’s at KU for the long haul.

“There is no plan. When the time comes I’ll have a meeting with coach (Roy) Williams. I’m just thinking about books and football now,” Kinsey said. “It’s up in the air.

“I’m concentrating on being a No. 1 contender at quarterback and helping us go to a bowl. I feel I can be the No. 1 guy. It’s because I have confidence in myself. If I’m not No. 1 (quarterback), it’s not going to hurt me. I’m not going to quit like most people think I am. If I’m not No. 1, I’ve got three more years. I’m not going to trip over it. I’ve got three more years and I’ll work as hard as I can to be No. 1.”

Kinsey said QB candidates Zach Dyer, Jonas Weatherbie and Kevin Long all bring much to the table.

“I hope whoever gets the job is the best one for it,” Kinsey said. “I don’t think I can do anything much better than Zach can. Zach has experience, the arm, the feet. He can read defenses. Kevin has arm strength, can read defenses and can also run.

“I feel I can do the same. I just think I have a little more zip on the ball. It’s nothing major.”

Kinsey said playing turnover-free ball is a key.

“My main objective is to keep the chains moving, to have less INTs (interceptions) than anybody in the nation,” Kinsey said. “If we have to do it like Baltimore (Ravens) and score 14 points and let the defense do the rest and win, I’ll be happy, too.”

Kinsey said he was sad to leave the basketball team in February, but realizes it was necessary to get his grades where he wants them.

“I missed it because it was a love,” said Kinsey, who has gained 11 pounds since the end of his basketball season, now weighing 194. “Coach Williams taught me a lot about myself, things I need to change to make me even a better leader on and off the field. I don’t want to go into detail. He helped me a lot and I want to thank him.”

“I have a different mindset now,” Kinsey added, noting he’s 100 percent into football. “I have very strong hopes. Next year we are going to do a lot of exciting things. I think we’ll have a tremendous team with a great defense and offense. A lot of people don’t think we’ll be good team because we are so young. I don’t think it’s ‘could.’ It’s we ‘will’ be good.”

Kinsey says he will be eligible to play.

“No question about it,” he said. “It wasn’t about being eligible. It was about getting my grades to where I want them.”

Coach Terry Allen hopes the QB continues his recent classroom improvement.

“Mario’s academic status? It’s good enough that he is in spring football practice,” Allen said. “It’s not a done deal by any means, but I think the additional time as far as getting away from basketball has helped him. That was always the concern and Mario is doing better.

“Is he out of the woods? No. But it is to the point where we feel as though he has achieved enough success that he should be able to participate in spring ball.”

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