LARNED — Kansas State is not the only Big 12 Conference football team to have a quarterback controversy.
Saturday, Kansas head coach Charlie Weis ripped the redshirt off of freshman quarterback Montell Cozart, substituting him for Jake Heaps, who had the Jayhawk offense going nowhere.
I don’t get it. The season is half over for crying out loud.
If Cozart was an answer, where was he in September? October? Then, to burn his redshirt year and only put him in for a few series in the Oklahoma loss, well, that doesn’t make much sense.
Sure, I remember that Mark Mangino did it with Todd Reesing and the Jayhawks responded with a historic comeback to beat Colorado but this pales in comparison to that.
I know that Kansas only passed for 16 yards in the Oklahoma loss, but from my line of vision from the end of the bench, most of that blame should not be put on the quarterback, on Heaps.
The Kansas receivers do not do a good job of getting open, creating separation from defensive backs. When and if they do, they often drop the ball.
If the stars align and someone does get open, Heaps is having to throw while running for his life. The offensive line does not pass block well, though they do a good job of run blocking.
There is no doubt there is something wrong with the Kansas passing game.
I don’t think it is Heaps and I sure don’t think that pulling Cozart’s redshirt, wasting a whole season for a young player, just to show that you are frustrated with the passing game, was the right decision.  
It’s too late now but unlike spilled milk, I would like to cry over this a little!

CARDS IN THE WORLD SERIES — In this era of free agency and high turnover in rosters, you’ve got to give a lot of credit to the management of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
They are in the midst of a mini-dynasty, becoming near regulars in the World Series.
Only six players remain from their 2011 World Series roster. It is their second time to make the October Classic in three years and they did it with 20 rookies that led them to the most victories in the National League this season.
They did it while giving up arguably the best hitter in baseball two years ago in Albert Pujols.
The now deceased former owner of the Oakland Raiders used to say, “Just Win Baby!” That’s what the Cardinals do.

PREP FOOTBALL — Don’t think that just because Salina Central has a 2-5 record and Great Bend is 4-3 that Friday night’s game will be an automatic win.
The Mustangs of head coach Michael Hall have played a tough schedule, losing to Hutchinson, Newton, top-ranked Class 6A Derby, No 5-ranked 6A Maize and No. 4-ranked 5A Salina South.
Besides, they’ve played better on the road than at home. This will be a dangerous team for GBHS head coach Bo Black and his Panthers.
Not much went right for Great Bend after halftime on Friday in Hays.
The Panthers simply couldn’t generate any offense while Hays was scoring three straight touchdowns. It has been an up and down season for the Panthers. They were down last week. Hopefully they’ll be up this week. Great Bend in a thriller, 28-27.

CHALK TALK — Is anyone paying attention to these Baylor Bears? 71-7 over Iowa State? Hey, I know it’s Iowa State but they’re not exactly chopped liver! If Kansas only gets 18 yards passing against the Bears this week we might see the first triple digit score of the season! ... What’s in the water in Beloit? Beloit High School is the No. 1-ranked team in 3A and Beloit-St.John is 7-0 and ranked fourth in Eight-Man Division-II. The football played in the northern part of Kansas year after year is outstanding! ... Though he was a jerk for dissing Peyton Manning before their game, don’t you just know that Colts’ owner Jim Irsay really enjoyed their victory over the Broncos on Sunday night? I’m sure he felt that it vindicated his decision to let Manning go so they could draft Andrew Luck ... Let’s see, have you taken the time to figure out how rich you would be if you had put $1,000 down in August that the Chiefs would be 7-0 now? Just wondering. ... Speaking of the World Series, do you remember when Yogi Berra dropped a fly ball during the 1961 World Series and explained the sun in his eyes this way?: “It gets late early out there.”

Charles Tabler is a contributing writer from Larned