8B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 17.2005
FOOTBALL
Rams, Pace sign for seven more years
ST.LOUIS - For the first time in four seasons,
Pace
The St. Louis Rams and the six-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle beat a looming deadline yesterday,
Orlando Pac will be playing on more than a one-year contract.
agreeing on a seven-year, $52.9 million deal.
The Rams had faced a 3 p.m. CST deadline to re-sign Pace, who visited the Houston Texas on Monday and Tuesday to discuss a possible deal. Had the Rams failed to re-sign Pace by the deadline, the sides couldn't have signed a contract until July 15.
Kelly Hutsell/KANSAN
The Rams have used their franchise player designation on Pace since 2003, allowing them to keep him with a series of one-vear contracts that paid him the average of the NFL's highest-paid offensive tackles. Pace made $7.02 million last season.
Pace's deal includes $18 million in first-year salary and signing bonus and is comparable with the contracts of Walter Jones of the Seahawks and Jonathan Ogden of the Ravens, two other premier tackles with whom Pace is compared.
Pace was the first overall pick in the 1997 draft, making him the first lineman to go that high in 30 years. The 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackle has played his entire career in St. Louis and he's the first Rams lineman to earn six straight Pro Bowl berths since Jackie Slater also earned six in a row from 1985-90.
Super smash brother
Mark Wells, Garden City freshman, swings at a ball Tuesday afternoon at Robinson Courts. The courts, just across Naismith Drive from Allen Fieldhouse, are open to the public when not in use by the tennis team.
Kealing
If Kansas is to be successful, the run better not be Gary Green's last touchdown.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino was confident that, while the freshman is certainly raw, Gary Green is going to bring excitement to the football team.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
"He's learning, he's just a redshirt freshman, but he's gaining confidence every day. I'm really pleased with his progress," Mangino said. "He is a very conscientious guy. Nobody works harder than him and nobody wants to do better than he does."
It wasn't exactly a perfect day for Gary Green, though. In fact, the 30-yard tear was the highlight of a generally average offensive performance. Mangino said that everywhere he had coached, the offense came together after the defense.
Several times, Gary Green let a ball slip through his hands or simply didn't break to the outside. It was pretty clear, though, that he has a lot of potential.
His teammates seem confident in him as well.
Going into last season, Mangino was fond of saying that his team had so many quality running backs, there weren't enough balls in practice for them. With the loss of Randle, it's time for Mangino to prove that he's recruited enough talent to be able to absorb the loss of a major contributor.
"I compare him a lot to Darren Sproles," Floodman said, likening Green to the former Kansas State back. "He's a smaller back and is just very elusive."
♦ Kealing is a Chesterfield. Mo, sophomore in journalism and political science. He is the Kansan associate sports editor.
Sproles was touted as an All-American candidate this season, but he disappointed in several games, failing to rush anywhere near his previous season's average in several games this season. If Gary Green can develop into the type of back Sproles was during his first three years and should have been last season, Kansas won't even break stride with the loss of Randle.
The Associated Press
BASKETBALL
Houston loses last game of season
WICHITA — Jamar Howard scored 21 points and Kyle Wilson added 20 to lead Wichita State past Houston 85-69 in the opening round of the NIT last night.
The Shockers (21-9) finished the game on a 19-3 run to win for just the third time in nine games.
Handy Burns had 16 points and Sean Ogiri chipped in 14 for Wichita State, which will play either Kent State or Western Kentucky.
Andre Owens scored a season-high 33 to lead the Cougars (18-14, 9-7 Conference USA). Ramon Dyer added 14 points.
Houston took a 36-34 lead into halftime. The Cougars shot 53 percent (14-26) in the first half. The Shockers shot 52 percent (10-19) in the half.
The Shockers opened the second half on a 10-3 run, capped by Burns' 3, to take a 44-39 lead. The teams traded baskets, with Wichita State taking a 52-51 lead with 13:15 remaining.
The Cougars responded, going on a 15-5 run to take a 66-64 lead with 6:10 to play.
Wilson scored the next seven points, including a three-point play, to give Wichita State a 59-51 lead with 11:34 to play.
The Cougars lost four straight games to finish the season.
The Associated Press
Team CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1B
from left tackle to center, where he will replace departed Joe Vaughn. David Ochoa and Bob Whitaker will stay likely stay at guard.
FOOTBALL
With the loss of Randle, junior Clark Green and Gary Green, a freshman who took a redshirt, will fight for the starting job at running back. Gary Green showed signs of greatness as he ran three times for runs of ten yards or more, including a 30-yard touchdown run.
The defensive line, led by junior end Jermial Ashley, put pressure on the quarterback. Ashley had four sacks last year. A new comer who will likely make an
Gary Green
appearance on the defensive line is junior transfer Wayne Wilder. Wilder will likely start at the defensive tackle position, and should do a good job of clogging running lanes, as he weighs 295 pounds.
Dave Doeren will continue to work with the team's linebackers, but was has been promoted to co-defensive coordinator, Mangino said. Doeren will work with incumbent defensive coordinator Bill Young.
— Edited by John Scheirman
Appalachian State fills open date
The Kansas football team filled the open date on its schedule. The team will face Appalachian State on Sept. 10 in Memorial Stadium, coach Mark Mangino announced yesterday.
Appalachian State, a Division I-AA school, could be an problem for the Jayhawks' bowl hopes next season. Because the Jayhawks included a I-AA victory in 2003, they are unable to count a victory against a I-AA school toward a bowl game until 2007. This will require the Jayhawks to win six games besides the Appalachian State contest.
The Jayhawks will begin the season Sept. 3 against Florida Atlantic, Sept. 10 against Appalachian State and Sept. 17 against Louisiana Tech. All three games will be played at Memorial Stadium.
"You got to do what you got to do, and we will be prepared to play them all," Mangino said in response to making it more difficult for the team to qualify for a bowl next season.
Mangino appeared content with the decision yesterday.
The Jayhawks will then go on the road for the next two contests playing against Texas Tech Oct. 1 and Kansas State Oct.8.
On Oct. 15, the Jayhawks will play in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., against Oklahoma. This game was originally to be played at Memorial Stadium but was moved last fall
The team will play at Colorado on Oct. 22 and then play in Memorial Stadium against Missouri and Nebraska on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5.
The final two games of the season will be at Texas on Nov. 12 and against Iowa State in Memorial Stadium on Nov. 19.
— Ryan Colaianni
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