Tuesday, April 25, 1978
University Daily Kansan
5
Staff Photo by ELI REICHMAN
Instruction
KU quarterback coach John Hall led some advice to freshman quarterback Steve Smith during his workout. The Jayhawks
currently have five players competing for the starting quarterback spot.
Competition pushes quarterbacks
By GARY BEDORE and CARLOS MURGUIA
Sergio Walkins
Sports Writers
The Kansas Jayhawks are sporting a new offense this spring and have a new quarterback.
Kansas has five players competing for the job of starting quarterback job. Brian Bethek and Jeff Hines have been running one-two on the first team, but all five quarterbacks appear to have a good shot at the starting berth.
This situation can be compared to last season when four quarterbacks played the
QUARTERBACK COACH John Hadi admitted that five quarterbacks competing for one spot was a problem but said that it was a pleasant one.
"All five are full of talent. It's just a matter of which way we want to go." Hadl said last week. "All are equal right now. We give to everybody a fair shot."
Three of the quarterback s—Brian Bethek, Jeff Hines and Steve Smith—played on KU's varsity last season. Bill Lillis is coming off a game where he was moved from defensive back to quarterback.
Sydney's progress was hampered when he broke a bone in his wrist in a scrimmage Saturday. Sydney will be out for the remainder of spring drills.
Despite trying to learn a new offense and also fighting for the starting spot, the quarterbacks, to a man, agree that the competition is friendly.
"WE ALL DO certain drills together, then we switch teams," Lillis "aid. 'We're all friends. There's not any hard feelings. We live and die together.'"
Bethke, a 185-pound junior from Covina,
Calif. echoed Lillis comments.
"All the guys trying out for quarterback
have talent. "Bethke said, 'The job is open
now and everyone has an equal ch
nall."
One of the problems with KU's offense last year was turnovers, and now that the Jayhawks have scraped the wishbone formation, some of the mistakes should be
KU is running a multiple out of this spring, which operates out of several different formations, including some roll out and droo-back plavs.
"ONE OF OUR main objectives is to eliminate mistakes," Hadl said. "We've stressed it all spring, and I bet we haven't had four interceptions all spring.
"To prevent turnovers, you have to realize what the situation is, what you can and can't do and put the ball in the right place."
Bethke, who started the last two games of the past season for KU, said he liked the new roster.
"I like the new offense mainly because you can run so many different plays out of it," he said. "I liked the wishbone, but this device is different and it's a challenge."
BETHEK COMPLETED 7 out of 14 passes for 54 vars in Saturday's scrimmage.
Lillis is especially happy the Jayhawks have decided to use a more conventional offense. Lillis, a 6-3, 180 pound receiver from South Carolina, in Kansas City, Mo., is noted for his passing ability. He completed 6 out of 13 passes for 35 yards in Saturday's scrimmage.
We threw the ball a lot and I matured a lot.
It was a learning year.
HARRY SDYNEY, 6-1, 185-pound freshman, played quarterback in high school in North Carolina and ran a triple option that said he like to outrepair for him at KU.
Lillis was red-shirted last season.
"I have to get used to it again, but I don't think that's going to be a problem," he said.
The Jayhawks other two freshman quarterbacks—Jeff Hines, 63, 195-pounds from Littleton, Colo., and Steve Smith, 64, 195-pounds from Covington. In game action as freshman last season
"It was hard," Lilly said. "I wanted to play. Anybody that's a competitor wants to play. But the scout team was best for me. I didn't have the talent to run the wishbone."
Although there are 10 games left in the regular season, this year's University of Kansas baseball team already is in the record books.
Hines was impressive in Saturday's scrimmage, completing 6 out of 8 passes for 63 yards. Smith was 3 of 10 for 46 yards. Both gave credit to Hadi for excellent coaching.
Hadi said that with all of KU's talent, he would not rule out the possibility of shuffling quarterbacks this year. He also said the team recruits requests would be looked over carefully.
"COACH HADL has been teaching us pass, confidence and technique." Nines
Saturday at the University of Nebraska, KU won the second game of a doubleheader, improving its record to 24-9-1—the most games a KU baseball team has ever won. This record surpasses the mark of 23 victories set in 1976.
Coach Floyd Temple is happy with his team's record so far this year.
Today KU travels to Northwest Missouri. State University in Marysville, Mo., to try to meet the student community.
THE JAYHAWKS are scheduled to play a doubleheader at 1 p.m. today.
KU hopes to improve on record
"I'm not any different kind of coach than I was last year. It's just that this year we've got talent. It's those guys out there on the field that have brought us success." he said.
The team record also is Temple's most victorious season in his 25-year stay at KU.
But Temple and his players are not planning to sit back and let the rest of the team play.
"IF WE PLAY to our potential, we have a good shot at winning the Big Eight," senior catcher Andy Gilmore said. "But it seems that every once and in awhile we play flat and just can't get things going. We need a reminder now and then."
Entering today's games, Northwest Missouri is 124. It also is leading its conference, the Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association, with a 6-2 mark.
If KU is flat today, Northwest Missouri could be that reminder.
"They're the type of team that if you're not playing sharp heads-up ball, they'll beat you." Temple said. "They do a lot of running."
THE LAST TIME KU played Northwest Missouri was in 1975 when the teams split a doubleheader. That year the Missourians won, and the Cats were Midwest regional champion and were 33-9.
Women sweep WSU twinbill
Injured players returned to the Kansas lineup yesterday, and the Jayhawks swept a softball doubleheader from Wichita State University. 7-5 and 5-2.
Yesterday's games in Wichita were the first team has played since losing a pair of playoff games, which ended in a loss.
Kuhn slugged a three-run homer, Woodman was three for four including a triple, and Koleber collected two hits and three RBIs.
Seniors Debbie Kuhn and Julie Woodman and sophomore June Kalebe provided the materials.
A Division II school, Northwest has the reputation of being one of the strongest small-college teams in the Midwest, Temple said.
Northwest is similar to KU on the field. Northwest three university college transfers in the college have a record of 34 wins.
The victories went to starting pitchers
Shelley Sinclair, B.3 and Paul Hernandez,
B.4.
As a team, Northwest is hitting 323 KU, performance against Nebraska, is hitting 367 KU.
LEADING NORTHWEST in hitting is
leadable Bill Sobole, who is batting 484. KU's
playing defense was excellent.
John Spottswood and Vic Harris, who are both hitting, 333.
Northwest's pitching staff has an earned-run-average of 3.54. Tom Fanke, 40 and a 1.48 ERA, and David Pieffer, 4 and a 3.33 ERA, should start against the Jayhawks.
But Northwest has been hurt by the loss of sitcher Mark Vansickle, an All-Conference selection last year. He has appeared in only two games this year.
KU will keep Kevin Crane 4-3, 4-74
RA, and Dan St. Clair, who 10-51 and I-
mate to KU.
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