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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 31, 1994)
KSU’s QB one of nation’s best V Jeremy Crabtree The Kansas State Collegian Last season, the quarterback job was the biggest question mark for Kansas State as the season opener neared. Quarterback Ja son Smargiasso did not return to Manhattan, Kan., for fall practices. All Wildcat coach Bill Snyder had left was a Cal State Fullerton transfer named Chad May and redshirt freshman big EIGHT football Brian Kavanagh. But the questions were answered when May captured the starting role and led Kansas State to its best season since 1910. By the end of the season, Wildcat fans were asking themselves, “Smargiasso who?” May took the Big Eight Conference by storm as he passed for 2,682 yards and broke four conference records. May threw for more than 489 yards against Nebraska. May nabbed first-team All-Big Eight honors from the coaches and second-team honors from the Associ ated Press. Then, after gaining Big Eight honors. May went out and led the Wildcats to their first bowl victory with a 52-17 win against Wyoming in the Copper Bowl. Although May had a successful season, he said the first games as Kan sas State’s new quarterback were dif ficult. “I think it was very important at first to win, especially after nobody had seen me around here,” May said. “Everybody probably had their doubts, because they had someone else last season.” But May’s on-field success didn’t lead to a successful off-season. He ran into several incidents that caused his name to be an even more popular topic around Manhattan. The first thing that happened was a football-related knee injury. The knee injury caused May to m iss all of KansasStatc’sspringdrills. Even tually, he had to undergo arthroscopic surgery. But as the Wildcats’ season opener on Saturday against Southwestern Louisiana approaches, Snyder said Courtesy of Kansas State University Kansas State quarterback Chad May, who threw for489 yards last year against Nebraska, attempts a pass against UNLV last season. May comes into this season as one of the top quarterbacks in the country. May was back in top condition. “He’s running fine,” Snyder said. “He’s throwing fine, and he has been doing everything that we arc asking of him.” Just when May was over his knee injury, he hit another roadblock—the police department. In July, May was arrested for driv ing under the influence of alcohol and for making an unlawful U-turn. At his arraignment. May pleaded innocent to the charges. Then at the July 14 pretrial, a judge ruled that the U-turn was not unlawful according to a traffic ordinance. The evidence then was thrown out, as was the DUI charge. The prosecution is seeking an ap peal, but May said the media’s pres sure from the case had not affected him. “I put the pressure on myself,” he said. “I don’t let the media, alumni or the fans put any more pressure on me.” Despite the off-field controversy. National Football League scouts have May listed as a definite prospect. “May is the second coming of Jim McMahon,” one NFLdraft report said. “Right now, he is the third best quar terback in the nation.” May said he knew pro football could be in his future, but he also knew Snyder and the Wildcats were looking for him to lead the team. “1 know that I am the leader of this team,” he said. “They look to me in the huddle, and I Just hope that I have the ball when the game is on the line.” Beck Continued from Page 11 John Wooden’s philosophy of mental ity and team unity over the summer. “We need to gain some leadership and look at the team’s unity,” she said. “That’s the theme of the year. Our attitude wasn’t what it could have been at the end of last year. We had some good people leave our program, and we’re trying to replace them with unity and team togetherness.” Return starters Pyra Aardcn, Kate Galligan and Lis Brenden will look for support from three recruits. Nebraska signed junior forward Roquelia “Q” Brown, sister of former Husker Nafeesah Brown, out of Westark JuniorCollege in Fort Smith. Ark. Also added to Nebraska’s roster were guards Anna DeForge from Niagra,Wis.,andJami KubikofCam bridge. “Brown’s a good rcboundcr,” Beck said. “She’ll add to our spirit and spark our attack. DeForge is a good 3-point shooter, and we have two good 3-poinl shooters back in Galligan and Brenden. “1 am really impressed with (Kubik). She \s smart, steady and catches on real easily .... We arc going to need her to add some strength.” Beck said the recruits would have to expect to contribute right away. “Technically, it isn’t supposed to be our year,” Beck sa id. “Everybody is going to have to shoulder some of the burden. We need to start back from the ground up. We’re a pretty young team, and we have no true seniors. The new comers will help.” For the remainder of the fall before practice begins, Beck said the Huskcrs would continue to concentrate on ar eas that went wrong last season. Keep abreast of events at UNL with a Netfra^skan mail subscription send $25/semester to: Daily Nebraskan P.O. Box 880448 ' Lincoln, NE 68588-0448 Name: ___ Address: | City: ___ State_ Zip_ | i_i STONEY U.S. Senate Please join us for a Political Rally with special guest Charlton Heston and Jan Stoney Republican Candidate for the United States Senate Tuesday, September 6,1994,3:30 p.m. Top Of The Rock - Rock and Roll Runza Corner of 14th and P Please RSVP by calling 434-2445. $25.00 per person $10.00 with student ID Contributions to Political Campaigns are not tax deductable for Federal Income Tax ^^^riurnoses^Paidforb^tone^oi^S^enate^ame^litchellJTeasure^^^^ Back to School Special r“ ich rz s -» *10.97 ♦7.97 Boys II Mon Dinosaur, Jr. NOW ON SALE Drive-thru open IflTf ^ on weekends 4