In first game under interim coach Clint Bowen, Kansas loses to West Virginia 33-14
Things did not go well in Clint Bowen’s debut as Kansas interim coach.
His offense sputtered and mandated a quarterback change, the team defense was gashed for several big plays and the special teams allowed their first kickoff return for a touchdown this season.
Still in all, the Jayhawks 33-14 Big 12 loss to West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium just set the building blocks for the program’s renovation after the dismissal of Charlie Weis earlier in the week.
“Our players showed up in a difficult week from Tuesday all the way to game prep with an unbelievable positive attitude,” Bowen, a Kansas alumnus and longtime Jayhawks assistant said. “They worked hard and we set some things; a foundation that we wanted to build on the first day. I believe these players have bought into that and they played hard.”
Bowen made his first big decision at halftime when he pulled sophomore starting quarterback Montell Cozart and replaced him with junior Michael Cummings. Cozart was four of 10 for 42 yards, while Cummings was eight of 17 for 65 yards and led Kansas to its only offensive touchdown.
“I came in at halftime, I visited with the offensive coaches, visited with Montell and at that point made the decision … to see if Michael could go out there and possibly give us a spark,” Bowen said. “Just gauging, it looked like we had a hard time getting third-down conversions. And we were in third-and-long a lot, and that means we were losing on first down.”
Though Kansas converted only two of nine third downs in the first half, and it did turn a muffed Mountaineers punt into an 18-yard third quarter touchdown drive with Cummings at the helm, there was no indication that the quarterback change was permanent. Bowen said the staff would re-evaluate on Sunday.
“They just came up to me and told me Mike was going to come in for the second half,” Cozart said. “That for me just lets me know that I have to keep working.”
While the offense remains in flux — Kansas set a West Virginia opposition record by punting 14 times — the defense did not allow a point in the second half despite being gashed for 557 yards in the game. The Mountaineers lone touchdown after the intermission came on Mario Alford’s 94-yard kickoff return.
“(Bowen) gave a great speech at halftime and he just told us to pick our heads up, keep our heads up and just keep fighting,” Kansas safety Isaiah Johnson said. “We came out with even more passion in the second half and it was all about big plays with us.”
Kansas forced three West Virginia turnovers after the intermission, one of which led to a Corey Avery touchdown in the third quarter, but it was difficult task the Jayhawks set for themselves to attempt a comeback from 26-0 down at the intermission. Mountaineers quarterback Clint Trickett was 20 of 35 for 302 yards and a touchdown, while receiver Kevin White caught six passes for 132 yards and a 63-yard first quarter score.
In addition to the air attack, running back Rushel Shell carried 21 times for 113 yards and a touchdown as the Mountaineers ground out 255 yards. West Virginia’s rushing total was 79 yards more than the Jayhawks‘ entire offensive production.
Still, Bowen and his players are well aware of the tumult from the last week and are hoping that all of this is finally behind them.
“It’s a great feeling and I’m proud to be a part of this team … and to be in that role truly is an unbelievable honor and I appreciate with every ounce of my body what that means,” Bowen said. “The bottom line is what’s best for Kansas and keeping these players in line and on path.”
This story was originally published October 4, 2014 at 5:00 PM with the headline "In first game under interim coach Clint Bowen, Kansas loses to West Virginia 33-14."