Kansas University football coach Terry Allen made it through his entire regular weekly press conference Wednesday without once being asked about KU's conference road losing streak.
"Yeah, wasn't that something?" Allen said afterward. "It was like on my radio show. We were way into it before I answered a caller's question and, as an afterthought, she was, like, 'Oh, by the way, who's the starting quarterback this week?'"
Ah, there's nothing quite like a simmering quarterback controversy to command all the attention.
So, while Allen insists there is no quarterback controversy -- Zac Wegner will remain the starter, with Dylen Smith relieving as early as the first quarter -- KU's road conference losing streak goes untouched.
Heading into the Jayhawks' Big 12 opener on Saturday at Colorado's Folsom Field (2:30 p.m. kickoff, channels 9 and 49), Kansas hasn't won a league game on the road since a 34-31 victory at Iowa State back in 1996.
That's right, KU has never won a Big 12 road game under Allen, its third-year coach, and has one just one road win under him -- a four-overtime thriller with Alabama-Birmingham last season.
That's a string of nine straight Big 12 road losses.
"It's pathetic," KU sophomore wide receiver Harrison Hill said. "We can't be the team we want to be until we turn it around on the road. On the road, we just haven't made the plays we need to make to get back in the game. That will be huge in this game. There will be some adversity. We have to stay focused, we have to make plays. As a team, it would really boost our confidence if we could get a win on the road. That's why this game is so important."
"I'd like to think we're past that," Allen added, "but now we have to do it."
To do it this week, the Jayhawks will have to overcome CU's potent offense that, the more Allen looks at it, looks eerily similar to Kansas'.
In fact, when first-year CU coach Gary Barnett was at Northwestern, Allen -- then at Northern Iowa -- often visited Evanston, Ill., for offensive tips.
"We did a lot of similar things offensively," Allen said. "We've both changed quite a bit, but we've changed in the same direction. It's amazing."
Allen readily admits to the importance of Saturday's game. The Jayhawks still need six victories to reach their goal of a bowl game -- they even made room in the trophy case outside their locker room with a sign proclaiming the space is reserved for the 1999 bowl-game trophy -- and to get to seven wins they likely will have to win at least one game on the road.
"It's not do or die," Allen said, "but it's the Big 12 opener. It could be a catapult for us if we get a victory. " This is a very big game for us. Even if we play well and lose, it could help us. But if we go up there and get our tails whipped, we might have to say we set our goals too high."
The Buffs (1-1) should be sky-high for the Jayhawks. All week the CU camp has been talking about last year's KU-Colorado game, when Kansas snapped a 10-game losing streak against ranked teams with a 33-17 victory over the then-No. 17 Buffaloes.
"We haven't had too many revenge games at Kansas," Allen said. "Hopefully, we'll have a lot more in the future."
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Injury report: Allen downgraded wide receiver Termaine Fulton (right high-ankle sprain) from questionable to doubtful. "There's a very slim chance he'll play," Allen said.
However, Allen said wideout Byron Gasaway, who broke his jaw in a preseason weight-room accident, was mending quickly.
"The healing process is progressing faster than we had anticipated," Allen said. "In the best case, they say next week he can start practicing and he'll play against San Diego State."
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Hot-and-cold QB: Allen said it about CU quarterback Mike Moschetti. "You see hot and cold from him. When he's hot, he's incredible. He was the Big 12 player of the week. The week before, he has some turnovers against Colorado State. Obviously, we'd like to get the cold."
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If it ain't broke " : Allen is resigned to using Wegner and Smith in a two-quarterback system, and, if it continues to work, Allen doesn't plan to change.
"If we're having success with two quarterbacks, there's no reason to change," Allen said. "Right now, it's really the best thing for us."
-- Andrew Hartsock's phone number is 832-7216. His e-mail address is ahartsock@ljworld.com.
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