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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7,2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
VIEW FROM PRESS ROW
PAGE 1B
Quarterback quandary is a four-way decision
After a week of speculation, Kansas' quarterback situation has actually gotten more confusing.
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino named senior quarterback Jason Swanson as the offensive scout team player of the week, and was asked if he, too, was being considered for the starting job Saturday against Kansas State.
KELLEL ROBINETT
KROBINETT@KANSAN.COM
Mangino has never allowed Barmann to throw the ball downfield, and the Jayhawks will need more than bubble screens and shovel passes to defeat the Wildcats.
An individual associated with the team said Barmann took all but a handful of snaps with the first-team offense Thursday. Still, Mangino told reporters Thursday that he had not yet named a starter.
He also owns zero conference victories.
One down, four quarterbacks left to debate.
"He's limited in some ways, and that's why he's down on the scout team right now," Mangino said. "At this point in time, I find it highly unlikely that he will play in this particular game."
Barmann saw time in relief of Luke last week but didn't take advantage of his opportunity, and he failed to spark the Kansas offense. Mangino said he hasn't written off Barmann, but going back to Barmann seems like the wrong decision.
Still, he is familiar with hostile road environments, like Texas A&M and
The remaining candidates: Senior Brian Luke, junior Adam Baramn, freshman Kerry Meier, and freshman Marcus Herford, who took a redshirt last season.
According to Mangino, the criteria for selecting the starter would be to evaluate the week of practice and go from there.
Adam Barmann
Oklahoma, so his experience could be a factor.
Chances of Starting: Very high
Kerry Meier
The most popular player on every football team is often the backup quarterback, and it's no different at Kansas.
Perhaps Meier has looked better than the other quarterbacks in practice and deserves a start, but there are obstacles in the way.
Mangino said Meier's family would play a large role as to whether Meier takes a redshirt this season, and convincing them to let him give up his redshirt could be difficult.
He also has no college game experience. Throwing him into his first game at Kansas State isn't the learning environment a freshman needs. It would have been better to have given him his first playing time during Kansas' non conference games, but he was suffering from a heart condition and was unable to take the field.
Mangino has been vague as to whether he is considering Meier for the Kansas State game or later in the season, but his philosophy has always be to play his best 11 players.
"I don't feel like today that I'm pressed to make an absolute decision about whether or not I'm going to redshirt him," Mangino said. "We're just going to keep going day-to-day, and if we feel good about Kerry playing, then we'll insert him in the game."
Chances of Starting: Medium
Marcus Herford
Herford is the wildcard in this decision. He has played in each of the last three games, but only as a change-of-pace quarterback who can run the ball.
During his series at Texas Tech, he was clearly the most mobile quarterback, but also the most inexperienced. If the Kansas offensive line breaks down, he's the only one who can make something good happen.
But if the quarterback has time to throw Saturday, and his scrambling ability is not needed, he might not be the best choice for throwing the ball downfield or reading the defensive coverage.
Chances of Starting: Low
Brian Luke
He had a bad game against Texas Tech, but he has been the most consistent quarterback this season. He also is the only candidate with a road victory, which was last year's season ending game at Missouri.
He also played well against Texas, last year, and has proved to be the best quarterback when he is hot.
Luke's touchdown pass to Mark Simmons during last week's game was worthy of an NFL quarterback, but for every quality throw he made, there was an equally poor one.
Mangino attributed this to over- analyzing the game.
Still, the only time Kansas has been productive on offense has been when Luke is at his best, and he gives the Jayhawks their best chance of victory.
- Robinett is an Austin, Texas.
Chances of Starting: High
senior in journalism. He is Kansan sports editor.
Photo Illustration by Ginny Weatherman
SOCCER
Caroline Smith, senior foward, dribbles ahead of Texas A&M player Paige Carmichael on Sept. 25. At 4:00 p.m. today the team is set to play Oklahoma State University in Lawrence.
Kansan File Photo
'Hawks to face formidable foes
BY ALISSA BAUER
abauer@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Kansas faces its season's turning point this weekend, hosting both Oklahoma schools, starting with the No. 24 Cowgirls tonight and finishing with the No. 25 Sooners on Sunday.
Determined to find a way out of a three-game winless streak, the Jayhawks
(5-5-2, 1-2-1 Big 12) will match up against strong numbers to get there.
Although the season looks dim at the moment, Kansas isn't worried.
"I don't really feel like there are any problems," senior forward Nicole Braman said. "We're on the brink of doing something great."
Sitting at the four spot in the Big 12 Conference, Oklahoma State (9-1-2, 2-1-0 Big 12) enters tonight's game on the momentum of a 5-0 victory. Oklahoma
This weekend we are playing two teams that have been very successful so far this season. For us to do well against them will really be good for our confidence."
Mark Francis
Kansas soccer coach
State buried Texas Tech last Sunday after suffering its only loss at the hands of Colorado, 1-0 last Friday.
"I think the results, to be honest, are because anybody can beat anybody," Kansas soccer coach Mark Francis said of the variance in the Big 12 standings.
The women from Stillwater are shooting for a 47 percent shot on goal mark. They have also scored 10 times the number of goals this season than all of their opponents combined. The Cowgirls have 40, their opponents, four.
"This weekend we are playing two teams that have been very successful so far this season," Francis said. "For us to do well against them will really be good for our confidence."
Junior forward Jesyca Rosholt leads the Cowgirls and the Big 12 with 11 goals, after scoring twice in the Texas Tech victory. Combined with her five assists, Rosholt totals 27 points at this point in the season.
Named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week for two consecutive weeks, freshman goalkeeper Bettina Grosmann is one of three different Cowgirl keepers to start this season. In four starts, the native German has 11 saves and a. 32 GAA.
"Everybody in the Big 12 is awesome." Braman said. "We're not expecting anything less than a great game from both teams."
Sunday brings the other Oklahoma crew, the Big 12-leading Oklahoma Sooners.
On a nine-game winning streak, the Sooners (11-1-0, 3-0-0 Big 12) are coming off a 2-1 overtime victory at the expense of Colorado last Sunday. Their only loss was a 2-0 decision against Wisconsin more than a month ago.
Junior forward/midfielder Savannah Scott sent the game winner against the Bufaloes on Sunday. Her six goals lead the team, and she has had 14 points in 2005.
In goal, sophomore keeper Jennifer Nichols will likely face off against Kansas sophomore
VOLLEYBALL
SEE 'HAWKS ON PAGE 4B
Injury, losses build barrier for Kansas
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
The Jayhawks (12-4, 4-3 Big 12) have not defeated the Cornhuskers since the first meeting between the two schools on October 17, 1975. That was the only victory that Kansas has ever recorded against Nebraska, losing 73 matches with one tie since.
The Kansas volleyball team will have multiple problems to deal with when it plays top-ranked Nebraska at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Horejsi Athletics Center.
Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard said his team would have to be perfect in order to knock off the No.1 team in the country.
"We have nothing to lose," he said. "We'll have to play close games and try to steal one from them at the end."
First-place Nebraska (14-0, 6-0) is led by sophomore outside hitter Sarah Paven. She was named the Big 12's preseason player of the year after earning freshman of the year and all-conference honors last season. She averages 3.64 kills per game and has scored a team-high 218.5 points this season.
"You can't hold these kids responsible, obviously," he said. "Nebraska's just been really good. Their record against everybody around the league has been good."
As for the streak, Bechard said it was the result of some excellent 'Husker teams over the years.
Nebraska volleyball coach John Cook has led the Huskers to a 170-11 record in his five-plus seasons at the helm. He won a national championship in his first year and has captured four conference titles.
Nebraska has won six out of the last seven Big 12 championships, including last season. Coupled with its perfect 2004 conference slate, Nebraska is 26-0 over the last two years.
Another obstacle for Kansas will be the absence of junior outside hitter Jana Correa. She suffered a left knee injury in the first game of Wednesday's loss to Kansas State. Although it was not confirmed by coaches, Correa was said to have suffered a season-ending ACL tear.
Junior reserve Megan Hill is expected to take Corale's place
in the starting lineup for the Jayhawks. She had seen very limited action before getting the call against Kansas State.
"They could give us a real shot in the arm," Bechard said. "They will have to execute well in order for us to be successful.
Bechard said Hill, along with redshirt freshman middle blocker Kristin Buehler and sophomore middle blocker Caitlin Mahoney, provided good support during a time when the Jayhawks needed someone to step up.
The Nebraska match will be Kansas's last until October 15 when it plays at Missouri. The v-eek-long layoff will match the longest of the season for the Jahawks.
— Edited by Patrick Ross
Megan Hill, junior outside hitter, attempts to spike past two Kansas State defenders Joy Hamlin, left; and Stacy Spiegelberg; right; during the Jayhawks loss to the Wild Cats last Wednesday. Tomorrow in Lawrence the team faces Nebraska at 7:00 p.m.
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