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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.
points per game in the NCAA Division I last season.
"My whole coaching point to him
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 Jayhawks' 4-3.
"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 fullback.
Weis likes playing more versatile players at both positions because it allows him to keep his best players on
"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."
Sophomore running back Tory Pielson noon's Spring Game at Memorial Stadium
COMMENTARY
The zero on the board beneath the white squad's name is an impressive feat, but it must be noted that the teams were not matched equally. The
Weis'infl
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.
An estimated 15,000 Jahawk fans caught a glimpse of the new Kansas football team under the leadership of new coach Charlie Weis during the spring game Saturday.
New quarterbacks Dayne Crist and Jake Heaps showed off their extraordinary passing ability that Kansas fans haven't seen since Tode
DAVIDSON 80, KANSAS 74
DECEMBER 19,2011
Jayhawks become complacent against Davidson
CHRISTIE BRONDS/UNKANSA
Junior forward Thomas Robinson walks down the court in frustration during the first half of Dec. 19 game against Davidson at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., in which Robinson went 7-18 for 21 points and 18 rebounds in the Jayhawks 80-74 defeat.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
Whether on the road or in the friendly atmosphere of Allen Fieldhouse, Kansas players know all about hostile crowds. Whether cheering them on or raining down on them with boos, a good old fashioned lively crowd can keep a team engaged throughout 40 minutes of play. The 80-74刀 to Davidson in Kansas City's Sprint Center featured a rather lethargic crowd that seemed like it wanted to get rowdy, but never quite had the chance. The Jayhaws started off sluggish as Davidon opened up a quick 7-2 lead.
"Guys don't understand that a possession early in the game still counts, and we wasted so many possessions early that allowed them to get comfortable", coach Bill Self said. "And when you allow teams to get comfortable they get confidence."
Self took two timeouts in the first six minutes to try and jump start a Kansas offense that didn't get its second field goal until the 14:31 mark of the first half.
"Knuckle down and focus in." Those Self's words during the timeouts, according to junior guard Elijah Johnson. "Everybody was trying to focus in but it seemed like every play we just had one person that made a small mistake, and we just tried to get all five on the same page"
The nearly 19,000 fans in attendance dwarfed the usual 16,300 that fill up Allen Fieldhouse for normal home games, but the extra layhawk faithful in the seats couldn't quite match the intensity felt in the old barn. Whether it was the size and unfamiliarity with the Sprint Center or the slow start by Kansas which kept the crowd from erupting was hard to determine. The eight point loss was also the second in the last four tries against midmaiors at the Sprint Center. The other loss coming to the University of Massachusetts three seasons ago.
"We start off and we aren't ready to play as a team," junior guard Travis Releford said of the mid-major losses in Kansas City. "That kind of hurts us because we're playing catch-up the whole game. We can't come out and do that."
Bill Self said his team had productive practices leading up to Monday night and he thought they would be ready to play.
KANSAS 63, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 47
"I think Davidson had finals too," he said. "So I'm not buying into any of that."
Dec. 19 game was the first for Kansas since defeating Ohio State nine days prior. The lay-off may have effected the team during its slow start, but Self was having none of it.
"Even though we were only down one at halftime, it was an ugly one." Self said. "It felt like it could have been six or eight."
DECEMBER 22, 2011
Abnormal atmosphere benefits Kansas in triumph over Trojans
MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
LOS ANGELES — This city's basketball mecca rests at the Staples Center, a few blocks north on Figueroa Street. Unless it's football, the Trojans seem to be forgettable around here.
At the tippoff, the Galen Center was half empty. When reacting to a questionable call by a referee, the crowd cooled, almost politely. The University of Southern California, helpless and slow on offense, recorded 13 points by halftime.
Such a snooser may have been just what No. 11 Kansas (8-3) needed.
"We're spoiled," junior guard Elijah Johnson said. "We used to playing in front
of a packed crowd every night. It shouldn't take a packed crowd to get us motivated."
So the Jayhawks motivated themselves and despite several offensive droughts, they defeated the Trojans 63-47 on Dec. 22.
"I don't care how we play as long as we win," senior guard Conner Teahan said. "Straight up"
After an unexpected 80-74 loss against Davidson on Dec. 19 at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Mo., the Jayhawks were forced to play in another atypical atmosphere. However this time, against USC in a game they felt was imperative to win, the pressure was eased.
Exclude a solid performance from junior forward Aaron Fuller and the Trojans shot 26 percent from the field. They never came
within 10 points of Kansas in the entire second half. The crowd was out of it, but coach Bill Self's defense stood strong.
"They didn't get a lot of good looks tonight." Self said.
The consistent defense enabled senior guard Tyshawn Tylson and junior guard Elijah Johnson to settle down and simply play.
Taylor had surgery last week on a torn meniscus and wasn't playing at full speed against Davidson. On Thursday, Taylor played cautiously and finished with nine assists compared to just two turnovers.
Johnson, who has seen the pinnacle of the mountain and the darkest caverns of the dungeon in the first 10 games of the season, played smoothly and in control. He finished
with 14 points and snagged four steals.
After the game, Johnson reflected on the mediocre atmosphere. He said it reminded him of another quiet game: the loss against Northern Iowa in the NCAA tournament.
Johnson was just a freshman then, but he remembers the scene.
"That was an empty gym," he said.
The loss to Davidson and the victory over USC, both played in abnormal environments, may prepare Kansas for March when all home games are done with.
Self also wouldn't tolerate two losses in a row.
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"We had to win tonight." Self said. "There was no other choice."
"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?
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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