TRACK: Paige Higgins wins the 10,000 meters at the Drake Relays. SEE PAGE 2B. ROWING: Team battles for Kansas Cup. SEE PAGE 2B.
TALK TO US:
Contact Sarah Warren or
Levi Chronister at (785) 864-
4858 or sports@kansan.com
SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
Andy Davies
adavies@kansan.com
FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2002
New work ethic should pave way for football team
Tonight, for the first time, Kansas football fans get to see the changes new coach Mark Mangino has made to the program. They get to see Mangino and his coaches prowl the sidelines, a new offense defense and special teams and even new uniforms.
More important though, at the spring football game at 6:30 tonight, fans get to see a new attitude and work ethic that was missing the last few years during the Terry Allen regime.
During Allen's era and the three games where Tom Hayes assumed the interim coaching role when Allen was fired, the Jayhawks seemed to lack the intensity or desire to play hard for four quarters.
The 'Hawks put stretches of games and even a game or two together in which they played hard all the time, but couldn't seem to play hard every down of every game.
Enter Mangino. The head Jayhawk has made it his priority to establish the work ethic that was missing under Allen. Players must run from station to station during practice — walking or jogging isn't allowed. During winter conditioning, players lifted weights and ran four times a week, starting at 6 in the morning.
Mangino knows the value of hard work. He coached at Kansas State when the Wildcats stunk and helped lead the program to national prominence.
He left K-State for Oklahoma and was the offensive coordinator when the Sooners won the national championship in 2001.
Mangino knows Kansas can turn its program around by working harder than anyone else.
"My feeling is that, sure, we'd like to have the best talent in the conference...but I know there are a lot of other things, like the work ethic, the attitude, the willingness to prepare, the willingness to pursue goals rather than just set goals and not have a plan to pursue them," Mangino said. "It's the way we structure things and have discipline and organization in our program. Those are all important factors, too. Probably more so than just talent."
The new work ethic should make the team more enduring to fans. Despite finishing 3-8 last season, Kansas increased its average home attendance from 32,167 per game during the 2000 season to 39,163 a year ago.
But that statistic is somewhat misleading because large numbers of Oklahoma and Nebraska fans were in attendance when the Jayhawks played those teams.
Mangino will also benefit from the team's 2002 schedule. Instead of playing opponents like Notre Dame and UCLA, the Jayhawks open the season at Iowa State and UNLV, before home games against Southwest Missouri State, Bowling Green and a road game against Tulsa.
Add to the mix that Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech rotated off the schedule and were replaced by Oklahoma State, Texas A & M and Baylor and it's possible to at least imagine a bowl appearance.
That's if the 'Hawks stick to their new work ethic. So far, Mangino's says they have. If the Jayawks keep working hard, they'll be better next season.
But will Kansas maintain the new standard after failing to do so in previous years? Something tells me they will.
And something tells me the Jayhawks will be more fun to watch next year because of it.
Davies is a St. Mary's senior in journalism.
SARA SHFHPHERD/KANSAN
Kevin Wheeler, center, is congratulated by teammates after hitting a first-inning grand slam. The 'Hawks have been homer-less since their game against Texas Tech on April 13. Coach Bobby Randall has said he expected the team to hit better as they prepared for Nebraska.
Baseball team struggles at bat
Team heads to Nebraska and hopes to revive its swing, seeks elusive home runs
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas baseball team has lost six straight heading into tonight's game at No. 15 Nebraska, but coach Bobby Randall isn't blaming his offense.
"We need to work on our bullpen, and get a
The offense has been there, they have averaged more than seven runs a game over their last three, but one offensive weapon has been lacking — the home run.
better performance out of them," he said, following Tuesday's 20-8 loss to Southwest Missouri State. "I think swinging the bat-wise, we did some things that were OK."
Since junior Kevin Wheeler hit his game-tying blast over the right field wall against Tech on April 13, the Jayhawks (16-21 overall, 3-14
Football team ready for night's public practice
see BASEBALL on page 3B
By John Domoney
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino doesn't balk at an opportunity to prepare his team for what it will face during the season.
That is why Mangino scheduled this year's spring game for a 6.30 p.m. start under the lights at Memorial Stadium.
Mangino said he thought his Jayhawks could benefit from playing the game at night because Kansas would be competing in several night contests early in the season.
"Certainly we want to make a good impression on everybody," he said. "Everybody is anxious about the opportunity to scrimmage on Friday."
Tonight's scrimmage culminates Kansas' spring drills as it is the 15th practice of the spring.
The Kansas staff has been pleased with the progress of the team, but Mangino looks at tonight as an opportunity to evaluate much of his team's progress as it heads into the summer months.
"I think our kids are really more interested in improving, getting better, and leaving spring on a high note as a team and individually." Mangino said.
One of those players who is looking forward to tonight's action is senior
"I think our kids are really more interested in improving, getting better, and leaving spring on a high note as a team and individually."
Mark Mangino Kansas football coach
wide receiver Harrison Hill
The Wichitan is the leader of the receiver corps after he was granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA due to his broken shoulder blade suffered during the UCLA game on Sept. 8th.
Hill said practicing against teammates rather than a true opponent could get laborious, but it was all part of improving as a team.
Hill will play a major role in the scrimmage because Mangino and his staff have decided to focus on the offense and defense from the line of scrimmage and not give much attention to special teams.
"It will simulate a game but the thing we're looking at is more of the play of the offense and defense from the line of scrimmage," Mangino said. "Special teams will not be something
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 2B
SARA SHFPHERD/KANSAN
Kansas wide receiver Harrison Hill trudges ahead for extra yardage against Colorado. Hill said he's looking forward to tonight's spring game at Memorial Stadium.
Tennis team prepares for Big 12 Tournament
By Jonah Ballow Kansan sportswriter
For freshman Paige Brown, confidence is not going to be a problem when the Kansas tennis team heads to the Big 12 Conference Tournament Friday in College Station, Texas.
"When we play Kansas State I hope to win my matches and I want to pull through for the team," Brown said. "We will work together as a team and we will be fine."
The Jayhawks finished the season with an impressive 15-5 overall record and third in the Big 12 going 9-2. The season marked an undefeated record at home for Kansas along with a season-high 12-match winning streak that was only halted by No. 11 ranked Texas and No. 23 ranked Texas A&M.
Kansas will face a tough opponent in Kansas State, who took care of business yesterday shutting out
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Freshman Paige Brown swings a backhand shot earlier this spring. Brown has helped lead her team to a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference. The Jayhawks will play in the Big 12 Tournament this weekend.
Iowa State Cyclones 4-0 in its first
SEE TENNIS ON PAGE 2B
'Hawks send off seniors look for crucial victories
The softball team's weekend games against Iowa State are crucial for Kansas. And splitting a doubleheader with No.4 Nebraska on Wednesday certainly helped Jayhawks' cause.
Collecting victories late in the season is important in order for Kansas (30-22 overall, 6-10 Big 12 Conference) to finish in the top six for seeding purposes in the conference tournament.
Kansan sportswriter
Bv Ali Brox
Ten Big 12 schools play softball, and six automatically enter the round-of-eight tournament. The bottom four teams must battle it out in play-in games for the right to participate in the tournament.
SEE SOFTBALL ON PAGE 3B
But exactly where the Jayhawks will finish the season is unclear. It is possible that there could be a three-way tie for fifth place between Kansas, Oklahoma
SENIOR MEMORIES
Fond Memories of the past four years for the seniors
Amy Hulse: Sweeping Texas her freshman year and turning the season around.
Leah Tabb: Getting to play kickball as a day of practice
Shelly Musser: Spending her first night in the dorm.
Kelly Campbell: Late Night with Kansas softball where they do skits and relive funny moments on the team.
cottage wine production the
Cheese Factory and shopping
Cheesecake Factory and shopping.
Megan Urquhart: Watching her name show up at the Selection Show her freshman year and traveling to Tuscon, Ariz., for the tournament.
Katie Campbell: Being able to play Division I softball with her sister.
Christi Musser: The bus trips as a team, especially the recent trip to Oklahoma where they had fun playing with Leah Mountain's video camera
---