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MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
Spring game shows defensive improvement
Sophomore running back Tony Pierson snoon's Spring Game at Memorial Stadium
Weis'infl
COMMENTARY
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 Jayhawk 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 Todd
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.
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.
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
"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.
points per game in the NCAA Division I last season.
"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.
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."
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
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.
FINAL FOUR
OCTOBER 14,2011
McLemore and Traylor ruled ineligible
MAX ROTHMAN
mrothman@kansan.com
Coach Bill Self announced Friday that freshmen Ben McLemore and Jamari Traylor have been ruled as partial qualifiers by the NCAA, and will not be eligible to play in the 2011-12 season. They may practice with the team at the end of the fall semester, but cannot begin playing until the 2012-13 season.
McLemore, a freshman guard from St. Louis, was considered to be the jewel of Self's recruiting class this season. With length and athleticism, he figured to be a scorer and defender off the bench who could have worked his way into the starting lineup.
Traylor, a freshman forward from Chicago, was a bit more of a project for Self and assistant coach Danny Manning, but would have likely seen playing time because of the team's lack of depth at forward. His strength and rugged rebounding would have been useful, especially when junior forward Thomas Robinson and others get into foul trouble.
The roles of freshmen guards Naadir Tharpe and Merv Lindsay, sophomore forward Justin Wesley and junior forward Kevin Young will likely expand because of the duo's inability.
Freshmen Ben McLemore and Jamari Traylor got used to each other on the sideline this year. The NCAA prohibited them from playing in the 2011-2012 season.
CHRIS NEAL/KANSAN
NOVEMBER 9.2011
Top basketball recruit signs with Kansas
mrothman@kansan.com
MAX ROTHMAN
After years of following a top recruit from Wichita, coach Bill Self now has documented evidence of his prize.
Self announced Wednesday that Perry Ellis, a senior forward from Wichita Heights High School and the No. 24 recruitment on Rivals.com, signed a national letter of intent to play basketball at Kansas next season.
Ellis committed to Kansas on Sept. 21 in his high school's gymnasium before coaches, teammates, media, family and friends. "We
felt like he was as important of a recruit as we have had since we've been here." Self said. "You have to get your local guys and certainly he has a chance to be in that same mold of a Wayne Simien-type guy. Fans are going to fail
Ellis
in love with him because he is so responsible and disciplined."
Self and his staff began recruiting Ellis when he was a freshman at Wichita Heights and followed his development as he grew.
"He has progressed to the point to where he may play as much on the perimeter than on the inside for us," Self said. "He's going to be a three man."
Self praised Ellis' athleticism, speed, strength and explosiveness and said that he could contribute immediately as a freshman.
"We can pretty much put him out there and he can figure it out because he's so versatile," Self said.
Ellis' grade point average at Wichita Heights is 4.0. He volunteers as a youth basketball teacher and commits time to the
Wichita Children's Home Self attributes Ellis' talents and kind personality to his upbringing.
"The fact he has never made a B. The fact he's competitive in the classroom. The fact he will be a great ambassador for our University and athletic program, shows that he comes from great parents in Fonda and Will." Self said.
Self said he is looking forward to the Ellis family's future involvement with the team.
8
"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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