Sound and the Fury: Gameball

Jayhawk Football 101: Why do KU football fans call Terry Allen "Gameball?"

I'm thinking the "Sound and the Fury" department is starting to serve as both a reader mailbag and a FAQ. Once it gets deep enough, it may merit a link on the left. So, we have a real softball today with the Terry Allen question. Every KU fan knows this one, but let's put it out there as a service to other college football fans.

Despite being a really nice guy with a weird haircut and excessive mucus, Terry Allen turned out to be the wrong guy to coach a Big 12 football program (maybe that's over the top, he might be able to maintain a winning record at UT). Anyway, shortly after guiding the KU football program into oblivion and being dismissed in the later part of the 2001 season, Iowa State's Dan McCarney gave the former "Northern Iowa QB Legend" a job as an assistant. Circle around to the 2002 season. Mark Mangino kicks off his era at Jack Trice Stadium. Mangino was essentially entering a knife fight with a soggy milk carton. Iowa State warmed up the week prior with a near miss against Florida State (31-38). Anyway, ISU pounded KU 45-3. Yes, 45-3.

McCarney then awarded Terry Allen the gameball -- I guess because he was treated so badly at KU. Thereafter, Terry Allen was known as "Gameball" in Lawrence.

So, do you believe in football Karma? Iowa State went 2-10 in 2003. A record that matched KU's 2002 output.

Comments

[fabio]

Wow. I never realized that. When you look back on the 2002 season, it takes away any doubt who the best coach is in the country, and I aint talkin about Terry Allen.

[dj]

2007 was the perfect cure for the "gameball" hangover. Probably time for me to forgive and forget. It even seemed to ease the pain of the 1995 Christmas Day Massacre (next week's Jayhawk Football 101).

[Jack]

I am now feeling your pain of "gameball allen" My son plays for missouri state where terry allen is now the head coach. The players hate him. I hope when he doesnt leave our program in shambles. Congradulations on a great season last year.

[Jack]

I am now feeling your pain from gameball allen. Terry Allen is now in his third year as head football caoch at missouri state. The players hate him. congradulations on a great 2007 season.

[dj]

I hate to pile on old TA, but I think he is better suited to be a position coach. Missouri State needs to make the switch. We need that program to grow, so Mizzou can live in the same world that the rest of us do (excluding Nebraska).