1973 Kansas Jayhawks football
Liberty Bowl, L 18–31 vs. NC State
ConferenceBig Eight Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 15
APNo. 18
Record7–4–1 (4–2–1 Big 8)
Head coach
Defensive coordinatorJim Dickey (1st season)
CaptainDon Goode, John Bryant
Home stadiumMemorial Stadium
Seasons
← 1972
1974 →
1973 Big Eight Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
No. 3 Oklahoma $ 7 – 0 – 0 10 – 0 – 1
No. 7 Nebraska 4 – 2 – 1 9 – 2 – 1
No. 18 Kansas 4 – 2 – 1 7 – 4 – 1
No. 17 Missouri 3 – 4 – 0 8 – 4 – 0
Oklahoma State 2 – 3 – 2 5 – 4 – 2
Colorado 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Kansas State 2 – 5 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Iowa State 2 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from AP Poll

The 1973 Kansas Jayhawks football team represented the University of Kansas in the Big Eight Conference during the 1973 NCAA Division I football season. In their third season under head coach Don Fambrough, the Jayhawks compiled a 7–4–1 record (4–2–1 against conference opponents), tied for second place in the conference, lost to NC State in the 1973 Liberty Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a combined total of 253 to 220.[1][2] They played their home games at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.

The team's statistical leaders included David Jaynes with 2,349 passing yards, Delvin Williams with 788 rushing yards and Emmett Edwards with 840 receiving yards.[3] Jaynes set six conference passing records and was named the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year.[4] Don Goode and John Bryant were the team captains.[2] Quarterback David Jaynes, became the first and as of the 2022 voting, the only Jayhawk to be a Heisman Trophy finalist, finishing in 4th place in the voting receiving 65 first place votes.

Schedule

DateOpponentRankSiteTVResultAttendanceSource
September 15Washington State*
W 29–839,687–39,750
September 22at Florida State*
W 28–019,240–19,934
September 29Minnesota*
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS
W 34–1930,205
October 6at No. 9 Tennessee*
L 27–2842,842–43,716[5]
October 13Kansas StatedaggerNo. 19
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS (rivalry)
W 25–1851,574
October 20at No. 11 NebraskaNo. 18
L 9–1076,322–76,498
October 27at Iowa StateNo. 17
W 22–2032,662–33,440
November 3Oklahoma State
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS
T 10–1037,226
November 10ColoradoNo. 18
  • Memorial Stadium
  • Lawrence, KS
ABCW 17–1531,717
November 17at No. 3 OklahomaNo. 18
L 20–4860,961–64,122
November 24No. 19 MissouriNo. 20
W 14–1344,062
December 17vs. No. 16 NC State*No. 19
L 18–3150,011[6]
  • *Non-conference game
  • daggerHomecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game

Roster

1973 Kansas Jayhawks football team roster
Players Coaches
Offense
Pos. # Name Class
WR 25 Bruce Adams Jr
OT 74 John Bryant Sr
FB 33 Steve Elliott So
G 66 Mike Englebrake Jr
TE 84 Jerry Gilmore So
QB 12 David Jaynes Sr
QB 10 Scott McMichael So
QB 11 Jud Mitchell So
G 71 Leonard Schmitz So
RB 40 Delvin Williams Sr
FB 32 Robert Miller Jr
RB 17 Randy Ross Jr
WR 83 Ken Saathoff Jr
WR 47 Emmett Edwards Jr
WR 22 Paul Bower So
TE 88 Gregg Hosack So
C 54 Mike McDaniel Sr
G 65 John Morgan So
OT 76 Dave Scott So
OT 70 Gordon Stockemer Jr
G 72 Jerone Hodges Sr
Defense
Pos. # Name Class
CB 26 James Browman Sr
DB 9 Nolan Cromwell Fr
FS 30 Jim David So
DE 68 Don Goode Jr
CB 18 Kurt Knoff So
LB 53 Randy Robinson Jr
DT 79 Bill Skepnek Sr
CB 34 Steve Taylor So
DE 87 Dean Zook Jr
DT 45 Mike Lemon Jr
DT 77 Mitch Sutton Sr
LB 51 Dean Baird Jr
LB 50 Steve Towle Jr
LB 37 Mike Gardner Sr
S 19 Rocky Bron Sr
Special teams
Pos. # Name Class
P 43 Marc Harris Sr
K 31 Bob Swift So
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (S) Suspended
  • (I) Ineligible
  • Injured Injured
  • Redshirt Redshirt

Team players in the NFL

Player Position Round Pick NFL club
Don Goode Linebacker 1 15 San Diego Chargers
Delvin Williams Running Back 2 49 San Francisco 49ers
Mitch Sutton Defensive Tackle 3 63 Philadelphia Eagles
David Jaynes Quarterback 3 66 Kansas City Chiefs

References

  1. ^ "1973 Kansas Jayhawks Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  2. ^ a b 2017 Kansas Football Media Guide, p. 185.
  3. ^ "1973 Kansas Jayhawks Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  4. ^ "Sooners' Switzer Honored". Lincoln Journal Star. December 5, 1973. p. 25 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Jayhawks gamble and lose". The Kansas City Star. October 7, 1973. Retrieved May 8, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Wolfpack runs through Kansas, 31–18". The Kansas City Times. December 18, 1973. Retrieved January 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
Categories