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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
Spring game shows defensive improvement
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
In one of the Kansas football team's practices last week, sophomore linebacker Michael Reynolds had three different coaches talk to him about running the play full speed.
At the end of practice, coach Charlie Weis called him out for it, trying to explain to him that they are going after him because he is one of the few players on the team who can make that play.
Reynolds, along with fellow linebacker senior Toben Opurum, played a hybrid linebacker/defensive end position normally seen more in a 3-4 defensive scheme than in the Jay-hawks' 4-3.
Sophomore running back Tony Pierson noon's Spring Game at Memorial Stad
"I'm very comfortable with it because it gives me the chance to stand up and rush the passer and also play in coverage," Reynolds said.
what his role will be in the fall. Because of Jackson's bigger build, he has the ability to play in the traditional halfback position as well as a bulkier backlash.
COMMENTARY
Weis'inf
An estimated 15,000 Jayhawk fans caught a glimpse of the new Kansas football team under the leadership of new coach Charlie Weis during the spring game Saturday.
Weis likes playing more versatile plavers at both positions because it
"He could very easily be at 230 with a couple of cheeseburgers," Weis said. "That's what were going to have to decide, what weight we want him at, but you can see he has some natural running instincts."
points per game in the NCAA Division I last season.
On a day when the University honored one of its football program's most significant figures, former coach Don Fambrough, it embarked on a new era.
New quarterbacks Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps showed off their extraordinary passing ability that Kansas fans haven't seen since Tod
The zero on the board beneath the white squad's name is an impressive feat, but it must be noted that the
NCAA TOURNAMENT: KANSAS 60, NORTH CAROLINA STATE 57
MARCH 23, 2012
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
North Carolina State's Richard Howell and Scott Wood make their way off of the court after the Jayhawks hold on to their three point lead to end regulation.
Kansas survives NC State scare in Sweet 16
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
ST. LOUIS — Purdue's unconventional lineup was sent home and Kansas players and coach Bill Self almost seemed relieved to be meeting up with a more traditional three-guard, two big-men team like North Carolina State in the Sweet 16 in the Edward Jones Dome.
Junior center Jeff Withey showed why most everyone associated with the Jayhawks welcomed that return to normalcy.
"He really changed the game," North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfred said after the 60-57 Kansas victory.
Withey had eight points and five rebounds on the night, but his shot blocking stole the show. His 10 blocked shots tied a school record, matching Cole Aldrich's performance against Dayton in the 2009 NCAA tournament.
Senior guard Conner Teahan said Withey's blocks must be "demoralizing" for an opponent.
"I was just in the zone," Withey said. "After the first block I just got in a rhythm and kind of knew they were just going to keep on attacking."
Attack they did, opening up a 9-1 lead on the Jayhawks that forced Self to call a quick timeout. Withe already had three blocks by then, though, and unbeknownst to most, was laying the foundation for the cause of bad shots later on by the Wolfback.
"His length really bothered us," Gottfried said. "It affected how we shot the ball around the basket. It seemed like we were always trying to make a tough shot."
Senior guard Tyshawn Taylor called this
the best defensive team he's been a part of and Withey's 10 blocks, which sett a new single-season Kansas record with 126, couldn't have come at a better time for the Jayhawks, who struggled mightily on the offensive end of the floor. They shot just 37.5 percent and were 1-14 from three-point range.
"It bails us out of games," junior forward Thomas Robinson said. "Especially like this, we were down 14-3 I think and without Jeff in there blocking those shots, the score could have been a little bit worse."
The layhawks eventually took an 18-17 lead thanks in part to three more blocks by Withey, but they trailed by one at the break.
They opened up an eight point lead midway through the second half but North Carolina State battled back in the final minutes and cut the lead to one with a minute to play.
Wolfpack sophomore forward C.J. Leslie drove to the hoop with a chance to take the lead with under thirty seconds to go, but his shot attempt became the victim of Withey's 10th block.
Taylor grabbed the rebound, which wasn't a foregone conclusion on a night where Kansas gave up 21 offensive rebounds.
Self noted multiple second-half possessions where Withey affected the Wolfpack offense even though they had three or more looks at the basket each trip.
"And if he didn't block it, he altered it seemed like every one of them." Self said of those possessions. "I thought he stepped up and played extremely well."
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"William Faulkner was a Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Member." What other English Literature courses and assigned novels were written by fraternity men and sorority women authors?
(BONUS QUESTION)
Which KU fraternity man was founding editor of the Book of the Month Club and ran for Kansas Governor on an Anti-Klu Kux Klan Ku Platform?
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