PAGE 6
FRIDAY, APRIL 27, 2012
FOOTBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Weis stresses importance of team discipline
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
When Charlie Weis took over the Kansas football program in December, he made it clear that he wanted to bring discipline back to a team that lost its way.
The Jayhawks lost their final 10 games in an excruciating fashion, with mental errors such as missed tackles and blown assignments occurring all over the field as their opponents routinely ran them out of the stadium.
After viewing the culture, Weis made discipline one of his top priorities.
"I think you only get one opportunity to set it right." Weis said "You only get one chance and you do not get a do-over. It is a common philosophy with coaches that
it is always easier to loosen up on a team after it has been rigid than it is to tighten up on a team after it's been lose."
The spring game this Saturday gives Jayhawk fans a first chance to see the new look of the squad and the adjustments their new leader is making.
One of the reasons this year's inter-squared tilt is generating more interest than in the past is because it is the public's first chance to see some of the new players Weis brought into the program, specifically highly touted quarterback Dayne Crist.
But while Crist may provide the excitement, especially after the team voted him a captain along with senior lineman Tanner Hawkinson and senior linebacker Toben Opurum, the true measuring stick for future football success lies in the improvements shown by the holdovers from the Turner Gill regime.
"I would just like to see us go out there defensively and run and tackle and have some fun," Weis said. "I would like to see us sling it around a bit on offense and have some success, especially with the front line guys to see how there continuity is playing with each other. I would like to be able to run the ball in the red zone when people are stacking it up on the goal line and daring you to run it."
It is unreasonable to expect a turnaround of seismic proportions. Kansas won't magically transform into Alabama's defense after allowing the most points per game in division one FBS last season, but if the secondary can avoid letting receivers break free over the middle,
it will be noted improvement.
It also may not be such a bad sight to see Weis get after a player that missed a block or dropped a pass with no defenders in the vicinity, something that was rarely seen on the sidelines during the Gill era.
The jawhaws lack depth in some areas such as the defensive line, but Weis still plans on having two squads competing in game situations. But as he waits for reinforcements to come in August, he knows the importance of player safety.
"At the end of the day I would like to see everyone walk off the field healthy, because we are going to need everyone," Weis said.
Edited by Amanda Gage
TYLER ROSTE/KANSAN
Kansas football coach Charlie Weis examines spring practice. Weis was hired as a part of an effort to improve Kansas after two poor years under coach Turner Gill.
BASEBALL
Jayhawks defeat Wildcats despite late game comeback
ASHLFIGH LEE/KANSAN
Volunteer assistant coach Phil Thompson pats junior infielder Jake Marasco on the back after walking to first base during Wednesday night's game against Kansas State at Hoglund Ballpark.
ANDREW JOSEPH
ainsenh@kansan.com
Coming off an emotional
walk-off game against Kansas State, the Kansas baseball team (17-25, 4-11 Big 12) looks to keep the momentum alive this weekend against Oklahoma.
April has been a roller coaster for coach Ritch Price's ball club, but since snapping an eight-game losing streak on April 14, the Jayhawks are 5-2 with wins over No. 2 Texas A&M, No. 23 Texas and rival Kansas State.
The Big 12 coaches picked Kansas to finish last in the conference, and with nine conference games remaining, the Jayhawks are poised to exceed expectations.
"I hope we'll play as good as we have been playing previous weekends," Price said. "It starts with our starting pitching, which has been really good. If we can continue playing like that the last three conference weekend series. I'll like our chances to get to the tournament"
Kansas' weekend starters have been effective all season, and sophomore pitcher Frank Duncan (4-5, 3.17 ERA) is coming off the best performance of his Jayhawk career. Duncan dominated No. 23 Texas on Friday, throwing a three-hit complete game in front of 6,256 people at Disch-Falk Field. The Big 12 named Duncan as the conference's pitcher of the week on Monday, and he is the first Jayhawk to win the weekly honor since junior pitcher Thomas Taylor did on Feb. 20. Earlier in the season the Jayhawks struggled to score runs in the first inning, however the Kansas offense has found a new rhythm of scoring at the beginning.. In the last seven games, the Jayhawks have scored a first-inning run in all but one game. Much of this first-inning resurgence is due senior third baseman Zac Elgie. Of Elgie's 26 RBIs this season, 18 have
come in the first inning.
Elgie said that he tries to set an example early on in the game, but he has seen the entire offense improve over the last couple weeks.
"The biggest things is that we've gotten to gel, but finally now, we are starting to get some hits together collectively as a group." Elgie said.
Elgie's walk-off homerun Wednesday against the Wildcats saved the Jayhawks from a devastating loss. With the confidence back on their side, the Jayhawks expect to avoid a letdown this weekend.
"I think we need to carry it over," sophomore outfielder Tucker Tharp said. "It was a big, exciting win for the team, and this will be a confidence booster throughout the whole lineup. To carry this over into conference play would be great."
— Edited by Tanvi Nimkar
TRACK AND FIELD
ASHLEIGH IFF/KANSAN FILF PHOTO
Senior middle distance runner Cori Christensen tries to stay in first place in the first leg of the Women's Distance Medley last Friday afternoon at the 85th Kansas Relays at Memorial Stadium, Kansas won the race with a time of 11.39.27.
Kansas earns Big 12 honors
MAX GOODWIN
mgoodwin@kansan.com
Junior thrower Mason Finley and sophomore spinner Diamond Dixon were named Big 12 track and field athletes of the week after both excelled at the Kansas Relays. It is the first time ever that two Jayhawks have won the men's and women's categories in the same week.
Finley threw the shot put over 65 feet, and Dixon ran a 400-meter race in 51.80 seconds and beat an Olympic gold-medalist.
It is the fourth time in Finley's three years at Kansas that he has won the award in the outdoor season. Dixon won the award in January, during the indoor season, and once during the outdoor season during her freshman year.
The two athletes share one other thing in common; both have said that the deciding factor in their original decision to come to KU was based on finding ideal coaches at the University.
Finley says coach Andy Kokhanovsky was an experienced thrower at the Olympic level and had a laid-back mentality.
The Big 12 championships take place in Manhattan from May 11
Dixon said coach Stanley Redwine was sincere and cared about his athletes.
Both coach Redwine and Kokhanovsky deserve credit for helping Finley and Dixon develop into national champion contenders in their respective events, but they say both athletes are determined and put in the effort it takes to improve.
Next week Finley will travel along with the rest of the throwers to San Diego for the UCSD Triton Invitational, while Dixon will compete on Saturday in Joplin, Mo., at the Bill Williams/ Bob Laptad Invitational with the sprinters and jumpers.
to 13. Even though there are two weeks left until the championships, both Finley and Dixon appear to be the favorites in their respective events.
Some of the distance runners including seniors Donny Wasinger, Austin Bussing, Zach Zarda, Rebeka Stowe, Shayla Wilson and, Cori Christensen, will be running in Stanford, Ca., for the second meet of the season, this time for the Payton Jordan Invitational.
Edited by Corinne Westeman