Texas Tech University Athletics
Red Raiders Quarterback To Have Homecoming At Alamo Bowl
December 26, 2001 | Football
Dec. 26, 2001
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - Texas Tech hopes playing near his home will do some good for quarterback Kliff Kingsbury as it plays Iowa on Saturday at the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio.
Kingsbury hails from New Braunfels, Texas, which is just outside San Antonio. In addition, the junior quarterback attended the 1996 Alamo Bowl, watching the Red Raiders fall 27-0 to the Hawkeyes.
"I've watched this game for a long time, and it's one of my favorite Bowls," said Kingsbury, who threw for 3,502 yards and 25 touchdowns while completing 69 percent of his passes this season. "It's exciting to be a part of it."
The Red Raiders (7-4) also feature tailback Ricky Williams, who had 1,343 total yards and caught a team-high 92 passes. Kingsbury has had no problems spreading the wealth as Wes Welker, Carlos Francis and Mickey Peters all had 50 or more receptions.
The Red Raiders have been a first-half team offensively, scoring 228 of their 386 points in the first two quarters of games. Texas Tech, which lost to East Carolina in the Galleryfurniture.com bowl last season, averaged 35 points and almost 420 yards.
For Iowa (6-5), the trip to San Antonio is the reward following three years of rebuilding under coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes went 4-19 in 1999 and 2000, but won two of their last three games to secure their first bowl appearance since the 1997 Sun Bowl.
"It ought to be a great time. It ought to be a time of reward," Ferentz said. "Hopefully, we can do it so players get a lot of free time. They're going to have freedom.
"But we've talked to them about the maturity that's going to have to go with that. We've got to keep our focus on winning the football game."
The Hawkeyes feature a balanced offense with quarterback Kyle McCann and tailback Ladell Betts. McCann threw for 1,867 yards and 17 touchdowns while Betts amassed 1,056 yards and 10 scores.
McCann, though, will not be able to throw to flanker C.J. Jones, who was suspended by the team earlier this month for being charged with drunken driving. Jones was tied for second on the team with 34 catches.
"He's an outstanding football player," Ferentz said. "It's going to be a loss from that standpoint. I feel he's an outstanding young man who's made a bad choice or two. I just felt like it was something I needed to do at this stage."
The 1996 Alamo Bowl is the only meeting between the teams.
