It was a day of mostly bad news for the Kansas Jayhawks.
While the team was getting ready to head for the warm climes of Honolulu, coach Glen Mason announced that two starters, linebacker Hassan Bailey and offensive tackle Khristopher Booth had been suspended and would be staying in Lawrence, Kan.Officials said only that the two had violated unspecified team rules.
"Keeping with my policy, I won't discuss the reasons," Mason told the Associated Press.
The loss of Bailey is particularly hard on the Jayhawks since they lost starting inside linebacker Larry Thiel late in the season with a broken leg. Bailey and Thiel were the two top tacklers on the linebacking corps. Bailey, who had started 40 consecutive games the past four seasons, and who was one of the team's four co-captains, led the team in tackles with 79. He also had 4.5 sacks and caused three fumbles. Thiel was the linebacking leader in tackles for loss with eight and was third on the team in tackles with 66.
Booth, a 6-3, 285-pound sophomore, had started all 11 games but was going to be replaced as a starter in the Aloha Bowl anyway by redshirt freshman Rod Jones, 6-4, 260, Mason indicated.
There was some good news. Mason said that fullback Monte Cozzens, who missed three games at the end of the season, is expected to play in the Aloha Bowl.
"Obviously, it will help because he's the best player we have at that position," Mason said. "Before he got hurt he was having his best year of football at the University of Kansas."
Cozzens is the third leading rusher on the team behind tailback Maurice Douglas (899 yards) and quarterback Chip Hilleray (537). Cozzens rushed for 527 yards.
Mason told the Associated Press that he isn't surprised the Jayhawks are 3-point underdogs to the Cougars of the Western Athletic Conference.
"They were 8-4 and co-champions of the WAC, which had five bowl teams," he said. "When people think of BYU, they think of their offense and more specifically of their passing game. But I think their defense improved every week. I talked to some people and everyone agrees that they were the best team in the conference at the end of the year."