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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
MONDAY. OCTOBER 17.2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
FOOTBALL: 19-3
PAGE 12A
Down on its Luke
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — An other week, another field goal
Kansas' offense again negated a strong defensive performance, in a 19-3 loss to Oklahoma Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Kansas offense managed just 97 yards of total offense and made costly turnovers leading to Oklahoma points.
"We didn't do anything on offense," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "It is probably the most disappointing offensive performance that I have been around in a long, long time."
Mangino said that blame for the offense's struggles rested on his shoulders.
"I have to get this offense going and I will find a way to do it," Mangino said. "Call me an optimist or call me a fool, I still think we have capable kids on offense and we can get this together."
Members of the Kansas defense, who once again played well, appear to be growing frustrated with the lack of offensive production. Senior linebacker Nick Reid, who led the team with 15 tackles, was particularly upset after the game.
"I'm ready to get in a fist fight with them, but that goes back to pointing fingers and we can't do that." Reid said of the offense. "I have nothing to say to them, they have got to figure it out for themselves, we are out there busting our butts, I guess they need to play with a little more heart."
The Kansas defense was outstanding against the run, holding Oklahoma to 96 yards on 49 carries and recovering an Adrian Peterson fumble.
Oklahoma accumulated all the points it needed before its offense even snapped the football. On
the third play of the game, KU senior quarterback Brian Luke was grabbed by the ankles and nearly sacked, but managed to get a pass off. D.J. Wolfe intercepted the pass and returned the interception 65 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Oklahoma lead.
After playing three quarterbacks in the previous three games, Mangino stuck with Luke for the entire game. The new approach to quarterbacks did not improve the offense's performance.
Luke threw another interception on Kansas' next offensive play. That pick led to a 40-yard field goal and a 10-0 Oklahoma advantage.
The offense gained 99 yards of total offense in the first quarter and lost two yards the remainder of the game and finished with 97 total vards.
The offense looked worse than it did during its performance a week ago against Kansas State.
For the game the Jayhawks were 1-for-12 on third downs and accumulated six first downs, total. That kept the Kansas defense on the field for nearly 38 minutes.
"To play a game that you think you should have won, it is just ripped out of you. There is definitely frustration there," senior linebacker Kevin Kane said. Kane had 13 tackles including a sack.
The fumble, as well as junior cornerback Charles Gordon's two interceptions, did nothing to help the Jayhawk offense get moving. Despite the offense's struggles, one play almost changed the course of the game.
Sophomore tight end Derek Fine appeared to catch the ball at the Oklahoma two-yard line and put Kansas in a position to tie the score. The play, however, was reviewed and the initial call was overturned. The referees ruled that OU junior linebacker Rufus Alexander intercepted the
SEE LUKE ON PAGE 9A
Kansas seniors Ronnie Amadi, cornerback, and Charlton Keith, defensive end, combine to break up a Rhett Borar pass Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. Am迪re recovered one fumble and made two tackles in the 19-3 KL loss.
Juetin N'Neal MANSAM
THE COLUMN
JIMMY CHAVEZ
JCHAVEZ@KANSAN.COM
Mangino should not be blamed
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — "Call me an optimist or call me a fool. But I still think we have capable players on offense." — Mark Mangino
It would be easy to blame Kansas football coach Mark Mangino for his offense's inepititude this season, which has now reached its crossroads. But it wouldn't be fair.
Too often we want to blame the head coach, but it's time that the blame be taken off Mangiino's back. Instead, maybe fans should place the blame for Kansas' offensive woes on the players — a novel concept when you think about it.
The numbers speak louder than any words that could be said or written.
97 yards of total offense. 11 yards in the second half. Six points in eight quarters.
Those kinds of numbers blare louder and more alarming than the Oklahoma band's 128 renditions of "Boomer Sooner."
Funny how Mangino can't seem to win. Granted, going through quarterbacks like a pitching rotation in baseball's postseason doesn't work — ever. That's on him.
Fans have clamored for him to settle on one quarterback, and this weekend he did. He finally chose senior Brian Luke and stuck with him throughout Saturday's 19-3 disheartening loss to Oklahoma at Arrowhead Stadium.
Mangino said Luke was the horse he was going to ride and he held true to his words.
SEE CHAVEZ ON PAGE 9A
▼ WORDS ON PAPER
Late Night new but not exactly improved
JONATHAN KEALING
JKEALING@KANSAN.COM
Along with the new scoreboard, new floor, repainted seats and repaired windows, the Kansas Athletics Department unveiled an entirely new format for Late Night in the PhoG.
And though it's hard to deny the structural improvements to Allen Fieldhouse are great, the changes in Late Night format are anything but great.
The thrill of Late Night has always been the expectation of the midnight scrimmage. Larry Brown created Late Night to provide fans and players an opportunity to start the season with excitement. In that first season, the fieldhouse was less than half full.
Now, 21 years later, Late Night has become one of the highly anticipated events of the basketball season. Not only is it the first opportunity for many fans to see new recruits and new starters, it's also a respite from what is often a grueling football season. And it's free.
This year, the NCAA changed its rules to allow practices to take place at any point during the day and the University adjusted its format accordingly. In addition to starting at 6:30 in the evening, the University took an opportunity to change the format it follows.
When Athletics Department officials announced the earlier time, they said they wanted more fans to have an opportunity to attend. It doesn't seem like they were successful.
Wednesday's crowd of about 15,500 was the same as the year before. Sure, it seemed like there were more children and youngsters, but the place still didn't fill up.
Karen Carpenter, of Norton,
made the five-hour trip to Late
Night this year; however, she's
been doing it for years. She did
bring her 86-year-old mother
this year, but she wasn't completely sold on the new time.
The women's team had a series of dances and the men's team had two group skits, one of which featured the team "jumping in" with the freshmen, using a jump rope.
"It was fun being here late at night, last year," Carpenter said.
Also changed this year were the skits. Instead of having skits from each class of players, the basketball teams performed skits as teams.
It just wasn't the same as skis have been in the past. Last year's Late Night wouldn't have been the same without the four seniors taking metaphronal control of the 1988 championship trophy. Sure, last season ended on a sour note, but Late Night certainly start it with a positive vibe.
Brett Mathews, Olathe junior, was disappointed the individual class skits were cut.
SEE KEALING ON PAGE 10A
Scrimmage reveals leaders
▼ WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Rylan Howe/KANSAN
Women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson speaks to the crowd during late Night in the Phog Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse. The women's team scrimmaged for 10 minutes, with the Crimson队 defeating the Blue team 17-8.
MICHAEL PHILLIPS
mphillips@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
There were no jaw-dropping dunks from the Kansas women's basketball team Friday night.
Instead it showed off the high-intensity play that coach Bonnie Henrickson hopes will characterize this year's squad.
The team will be relying on two newcomers at the point guard position. Junior Shaquina Mosley was on the Blue team, while freshman Ivana Catic led the Red team to a 17-8 victory.
Catic found a hot hand early in senior guard Kaylee Brown, who scored seven points in the 10-minute scrimmage.
Catic has already assumed the leadership duties that come with being point guard, barking out plays and directing traffic from the top of the arc.
"She played really well the first half of last year and hit some big shots," Henrickson said of Brown. "We'll need that from her in her senior year."
Henrickson said her leadership style was vocal but also respectful, a quality that is important for somebody playing the position.
On the other side of the ball, Mosley showed the versatility that made her the national junior college player of the year last year.
"Shaq doesn't have to be at the point," Henrickson said. "You can put her on the wing because she can penetrate and
Noticeable on both ends of the court was the tight defense and hustle that characterized the team at the end of last year. The addition of six new players will give the Jayhawks more depth and allow them to play faster-paced games.
make a play."
Potential Recruits
This year's team had six newcomers who participated in Late Night for the first time.
Five potential players attended Late Night on official recruiting visits. Henrickson has seven scholarships available next year, and has received three commitments thus far.
"A lot of them made their official visit or came unofficial last year to Late Night," Henrickson said. "Ivana Catic was so excited she could hardly breathe by the time the whole thing was done."
Song and Dance
Half an hour before the scrimmage, the team made its entrance with a choir in the background singing "Ain't no mountain high enough."
The team then performed a dance number to Earth, Wind and Fire's "Let's groove tonight."
Henrickson was introduced shortly afterward, and told the crowd her goal for the program.
"We want a men's and women's basketball championship in the same year," she said.
— Edited by Patrick Ross
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