Late last November, he was the Horatio Alger of Kansas University football. Only a few months later, however, quarterback Brian Luke had become more like Rodney Dangerfield.

From rags to riches to no respect.

Who ever will forget Luke’s stunning performance against Missouri in last season’s finale?

Tapped for his first career start because of injuries to every other QB, the fourth-year junior guided the Jayhawks to a 31-14 victory over shell-shocked Mizzou in Columbia, Mo. Luke completed 24 of 36 passes for 239 yards as KU won its first Big 12 Conference road game under coach Mark Mangino.

And yet, when spring drills rolled around a few months later, Mangino announced Luke again had been relegated to backup status.

How did Luke react to that putdown? He went right to the top of the chain of command, hopscotching offensive coordinator Nick Quartaro and going directly to Mangino’s office.

“I went in and made it clear to him,” Luke said, “that I didn’t want to be backup, that I wanted to be a starter. But I also said that if I am the backup, I’ll be the best backup I can be.”

And how did Mangino react?

“I could tell he appreciated hearing it from me,” Luke said.

Kansas University quarterback Brian Luke (14) jumps to throw a completion during the Jayhawks' game against Missouri on Nov. 20, 2004, in Columbia, Mo. Luke rose to the starting role last season after the three quarterbacks ahead of him on KU's depth chart went down because of injuries, and he helped the Jayhawks nearly beat Texas and rout Missouri. This year, however, Luke again has been relegated to backup status.

In preseason camp a year ago, Luke and senior John Nielsen were projected as caddies while Adam Barmann, the Jayhawks’ most experienced signal-caller, and touted junior-college transfer Jason Swanson battled for the starting job.

Then, when Luke suffered a finger injury late in preseason drills, he slipped to No. 4 on the depth chart.

“That didn’t help,” Luke said of the injury. “It was frustrating, but you can’t let it get under your skin.”

A rangy 6-foot-6, 225-pounder who hails from the San Francisco Bay area, Luke looks like a prototypical quarterback, yet he had struggled mightily coming off the bench in emergency situations during his career, throwing a costly interception here, coughing up a crucial fumble there.

Then, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not set of circumstances occurred – a domino-like destruction of KU quarterbacks during the last four weeks of the 2004 football season that left Luke as the last man standing.

First, Barmann was hurt Oct. 30 in the Iowa State game and replaced by Swanson, who started the next weekend against Colorado, only to suffer an injury and be replaced by Nielsen.

Then, Nielsen became the Jayhawks’ third starting quarterback in three weeks when he opened the following Saturday against Texas. Early on against the Longhorns, however, Nielsen turned an ankle and had to be replaced by Luke. Welcome to the Alamo North.

How did Luke do? Much better than most people remember. He completed 14 of 25 passes for 225 yards – including a 73-yard bomb to Mark Simmons – but his gutty performance was overshadowed by the Longhorns’ come-from-behind 27-23 victory.

Kansas University quarterback Brian Luke (14) heaves a hail mary pass during the final play against Texas on Nov. 13, 2004, at Memorial Stadium. Offensive lineman Bob Whitaker is at right.

So when he started against Missouri the next Saturday – KU’s fourth starting QB in four weeks – it wasn’t as if Luke was coming out of cold storage.

Fact is, Luke probably could have run for student body president the week after his glittering performance against Mizzou. He’s not fond of the limelight, however.

“I keep a low profile,” he said. “I don’t notice that kind of stuff.”

Still, the path he beat to Mangino’s office last spring is proof Luke’s profile may be low, but his desire remains high.

“I’m a patient guy,” he said, “but I like to go for things I want, and I definitely want the starting job.”

Luke threw for more than 450 yards in the Jayhawks’ last two ’04 games. In fact, if not for a late controversial offensive-pass-interference call in the Texas game, Luke would have been recognized for one of the best relief jobs in KU quarterbacking annals.

But he had to wait another week for his day in the sun. Now, he’s hoping for many more. He’s a fifth-year senior who has been to the mountain and heard the elephant and the owl.

“I’m as confident as I’ve been,” Luke says. “I know the offense. I’ve seen the lows and I’ve seen the highs, and I don’t think I’ll be surprised by anything.”

Don’t be surprised if he makes his second career start Sept. 3 against Florida Atlantic.