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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
a. A day and t.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 1B
'Hawks remain confident
Josh Kirk/KANSAN
VOLLEYBALL
Senior middle blocker Josi Lima saves the ball from going out of bounds during the match against Iowa State last Wednesday. Lima tallied 16 kills and 11 digs for the Jayhawks (12-10, 4-7 Big 12) during the loss to the Cyclones in the Horiesta Family Athletics Center.
Kansas eyes postseason despite losses
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
it's hard to believe it's come to this.
With the Big 12 volleyball season entering the home stretch, Kansas finds itself in a struggle to find the formula for success that it enjoyed earlier in the season.
Without it the Jajhawks will most likely find themselves on the outside looking in when the NCAA tournament comes around, a scenario that most people around the conference would have scoffed at three weeks ago.
If you ask the players and coaches, they are still optimistic about their chances for a
berth in the tournament. At 12-8 overall and 4-7 in conference play, the Jayhawks will have to win at least four, maybe five of their final nine matches to qualify.
Last year, no team from the conference qualified with less than nine victories in league competition.
After that, Kansas still has matches against nationally-ranked opponents Texas, Kansas State and Missouri left on its slate. Each of those teams has beaten Kansas this year.
“It’s another opportunity for us to get better,” he said. “There
Obtaining that many victories this year will not be easy. Kansas faces No. 1 Nebraska on Wednesday. The Huskers beat the Jayhawks in four games earlier this month and have not lost a match all season
Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard said the journey needed to begin against Nebraska.
are some technical things we need to improve on, but they are fixable."
More meaningful than getting better at this point in the season is tallying victories, which the Jayhawks have not been able to do in their last five matches.
"Earlier it was about executing," Bechard said, "but even if you don't play your cleanest, most technically-correct match, if you can find a way to win, that is most important."
At one point, Kansas was 11-2 overall and 3-1 in league matches. Since then the Jayhawks have tanked, going 1-6 in their past seven matches.
Last season, seven teams from the Big 12 were selected to play in the NCAA tournament. Kansas currently is tied for eighth place in the league with Baylor, following the Bears' victory against the Jayhawks Saturday night.
Senior outside hitter Paula Caten said the team was more
than capable of reaching its goal despite its recent struggle.
"We can't worry about anything else but how we play," she said. "We are still confident that we can make it to nationals."
One of the thoughts the Jayhawks may still have lingering in the back of their minds is the loss of junior outside hitter Jana
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 6B
BIG 12 BASKETBALL
Kansan file photo
Missouri men's basketball coach Quin Snyder talks to players during a game Jan. 31 in Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas split the season series with Missouri, winning at home and losing in Columbia, Mo. Snyder said at the Big 12 Media Day in Dallas, Texas last week that he was confident in the season outlook for his team.
Cat scratch fervor
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SCHOOL SWITCHER
Spend a few minutes talking with Missouri men's basketball coach Quin Snyder, and it's clear that his Tigers have a new outlook on the upcoming season.
After three basketball seasons overshadowed by the recruitment, suspension, legal troubles, termination of Ricky Clemons and an ensuing NCAA investigation, Snyder said his team was ready to move on.
"It's like that old saying about adversity, it either splinters you up or it brings you closer together, and I think for our team it did both." Snyder said. "I never thought it splintered us, we stayed together. Any time you talked to our team after the game they never pointed fingers. But down deep in the back of your head
Who knows, they may can my ass, but you know what, I'll feel good about it. I feel great about what I've done at Missouri."
Quin Snyder
Missouri basketball coach
you had to wonder if it is being done."
There are no such doubts with this year's squad, which will be without graduated seniors Arthur Johnson, Ricky Paulding, Jason Conley and early-entry NBA draft pick Linas Kleiza, who went 27th. Snyder said this team was all about giving back to each other, the program and the fans that stuck with them throughout the turmoil.
"I think we are set up to take off, and this year whether you want to call it a stepping stone or whatever our guys are excited to give back the team," Snyder said. "They aren't thinking about their own (stuff) so to speak. They are thinking about one another."
Snyder raised some eyebrows at last week's Big 12 media day by spouting off an ardent defense of his players and the program. Snyder didn't directly come out and defend his job status, which is viewed by some as shaky, but he was passionate about the new attitude of this year's team.
"Jason Horton comes up to me the other day and says 'Coach, you doing OK?' and I'm like I'm fine, how are you?" Snyder recalled. "It's about each
SEE SNYDER ON PAGE 6B
FOOTBALL
Young linemen help support running game
Freshmen bring offense to life in loss
Junior running back Jon Cornish runs through a hole in the defense while freshman offensive lineman Anthony Collins blocks a Colorado defender. Collins and freshman Ryan Cantrell helped the team rush for 111 yards.
BY RVAN COLAIIANNI rcolaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
Rvlan Howe/KANSAN
After the offense sputtered through its first three conference games, changes were made on the offensive line against Colorado. Two freshmen made the best of that opportunity.
Freshman Ryan Cantrell started at right guard and freshman Anthony Collins played most of the game at right tackle.
Their impact helped the offense gain more than 350 total vards against the Buffalooes.
Cantrell and Collins helped give senior quarterback Jason Swanson time to throw the football. Swanson threw for 291 yards and a touchdown.
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino said Sunday that he was strongly considering starting Collins this weekend against Missouri.
"He's more physical, and that is something that we do need," Mangino said.
Mangino said that if Collins did not start, he would still see
a large amount of time on the field.
Mangino said he was pleased
"He brings an attitude with him and it's hard to overlook that." Mangino said.
with the performance of the two freshmen against Colorado last weekend, specifically with their ability to open up holes for KU running backs.
The Jayhawks gained 111
yards on the ground, but finished with just 61 net rushing yards because of sacks.
The team ran the ball effectively against Colorado until the large deficit in the second half
Last week was the first career start for Cantrell, a Sugar Land Texas. native.
forced the gameplan toward the passing game.
"He's one of the strongest guys we have," Mangino said. "He's not a real tall guy, but he's powerful."
Cantrell is listed at 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds.
Collins, Cantrell and sophomore Cesar Rodriguez are the three youngest players on the line who see playing time. Rodriguez has started all season at left tackle.
Mangino said the youth on the offensive line would help the team in the future.
Collins and Cantrell's increased playing time will likely mean less for junior Travis Dambach and senior Matt Thompson, who have both played on the right side of the line.
A kickoff time against Nebraska on Nov. 5 has yet to be announced by the conference and may not be made until next week.
Extra Points:
Mangino said yesterday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference that he would likely start Jason Swanson at quarterback against Missouri.
— Edited by Erick R. Schmidt
BIG SKY TO BIG TIME
TIM HALL
THALL@KANSAN.COM
New QB has right moves
It wasn't the elevation that defeated Kansas on Saturday night in Boulder, Colo. It was the Colorado tight ends, the horrendous KU special teams and the turnovers.
One might look at Jason Swanson's stat line and say that he didn't play well. After all, there is nothing good about three interceptions.
The loss marked Kansas' fourth in a row and dropped the Jayhawks to 0-4 in the conference. But finally, with the Jayhawks two losses away from being eliminated from bowl eligibility, the right man got his shot at quarterback.
But what was good was that he threw for nearly 300 yards, and he found the endzone. That's something Brian Luke can no longer do.
It would be nice to see Mangino keep Swanson in control of this football team until the season is done. There's no question that he gives the Jayhawks the best chance to win — and the best chance to score.
Swanson proved in the loss to Colorado that he was not afraid to throw the ball down the field. In the second quarter, the Jayhawks trailed 16-3, and Swanson took two opportunities down the field to senior wide receiver Mark Simmons that if caught would have resulted in long touchdowns.
Swanson did, however, complete a 40-yard bomb to junior wide receiver/cornerback Charles Gordon earlier in the game.
A 40-yard pass play is something that has almost been forgotten in the Kansas offense.
On both plays Swanson made good reads to spot the single coverage, but on both plays the Colorado defenders made outstanding defensive plays.
Aside from having the confidence and the ability to throw the ball deep, he throws a better pass than Luke.
Luke can only complete a pass if his feet are firmly set and he has a man wide open, Swanson was able to complete passes under pressure and throw the ball accurately into tight coverage.
It's something that will happen more frequently with Swanson at the helm.
.
With four games left and three of them at home, a bowl game appearance is still possible. Swanson's health is at 100 percent, and he wants to end his college career in a good wav.
With Swanson in charge, there is still hope of a post season. It is far fetched, but it's not impossible.
Yes, Kansas football has been difficult to watch for the past month, and ironically it started to look better during the team's worst loss of the season.
Colorado is a good football team, and the Buffaloes are tough to beat at Folsom Field. Colorado's only losses came to Miami and Texas, two of the best teams in the nation.
But with Missouri coming to Memorial Stadium for Homecoming weekend, Kansas has a new look, and its name is Jason Swanson.
♦ Hall is a Woodbridge, Va.
s senior in journalism.
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