Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
The Cardinals placed Tom Pagnozzi on the disabled list and activated Eli Marrero.
Tuesday
April 14, 1998
Section:
B
Page 1
Softball
The softball team takes on Wichita State today. Kansas split its last two games against WSU.
SEE PAGE 2B
SEE PAGE 3B
Pro Hockey
Philadelphia Flyers superstar Eric Lindros returns to the ice after injury.
SEE PAGE 5B
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Axtell joins ranks as Jayhawk
By Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
Kansas sootwriter
Former Texas basketball guard Luke Axtell answered no questions about his past, but he seemed enthusiastic about where he would spend his future.
Axtell, a 6-foot 9 player from the Longhorns, said yesterday in a teleconference he had signed the transfer papers that officially made him a Kansas scholarship basketball player. He only needed to drop the papers in the mailbox.
"I knew so much about the Kansas basketball program that, coming out, I knew that's where I would be transferring." Axtell said. "I figured that if I could go to Kansas, that's where I'd want to go. It wasn't a done deal, but they were definitely the favorite."
Axtell averaged 13.3 points and 4.3 rebounds for the Longhorns last season, hitting 39.9 percent of his shot attempts from three-point range. Though he will provide the Jayhawks with a sharpshooter, his defense proved to be far from adequate last season.
Axtell said he wanted more discipline in his basketball game, not the run-and-gun style he had played in his freshman season at Texas.
"The style at Texas was something that I had to adapt to," Axtell said. "I'm going from one extreme to the other I guess. I
was definitely looking for more structure on the court."
Axtell will have one year to improve his game before Jayhawk fans see him play in Allen Field House.
He will have to sit out one year and lose one year of eligibility to comply with NCAA transfer rules. Axell said that he would appeal to the NCAA to retain the lost
year,but added that the chances of that happening were slim at best.
As it is, he would be eligible to play at Kansas in 1999 as a junior.
Axtell said sitting out for one season would be worth it.
"Nothing seems tough after what we've been through down here," Axtell said. "But I just can't wait to play. I think this is a great opportunity for me, so I'm not looking at it as a setback at all."
Axtell, who will enroll at Kansas for the fall semester, said he loved Lawrence when he made an official visit to Kansas two weeks ago.
Axtell, whose March 17 suspension by
former Texas coach Tom Penders triggered controversy throughout the program, said he would wait to see who the school hired as its new coach before he made any plans to transfer.
The Longhorns hired former Clemson coach Rick Barnes as their new coach Sunday, so Axell decided to become a Jayhawk rather than stay.
Axtell had been contacted by several schools since he was granted a transfer release from Texas. Colleges that competed for him included Kansas, Texas Tech, UCLA and Michigan, among others.
If the Jayhawks revoke the one-year scholarship granted to former walk-on guard Terry Nooner last season, they would have only one scholarship left.
Marlon London, a 6foot-3 shooting guard from St. Joseph's High School in Chicago, is expected to take that scholarship if he signs with Kansas this week. London will visit Kansas on Thursday.
For Axtell, this off-season changed everything.
Axtell made an oral commitment to play for Texas even before his junior season at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas. But the hometown hero soon became a scapegoat.
Axtell was suspended by Penders for missing study halls and tutoring sessions. Then Axtell's grades were faxed by assistant coach Eddie Oran from the Texas basketball office to an Austin radio station.
But the Axtell's family attorney, Sherry Rasmus of Austin said the judge made false
Rasmus of Austin, said the grades were false. Rasmus said Axell preferred to put the fasco behind him and look ahead.
"Luke was concerned about being blamed for everything by the local media for what happened at Texas," Rasmus said. "But he just wants to make it through the ordeal and make the most of a new opportunity at Kansas. He really loved his visit."
Axtell's story parallels that of Kansas forward Lester Farl.
Axtell committed to his hometown school and had a fallout with his coach during his freshmen season, like Earl. And both coaches eventually were forced to resign under pressure as each player transferred to Kansas.
Former players who had a fallout with their coaches before transferring to Kansas in the 190s also include Rick Calloway, Rex Walters and Jerod Haase.
More information about Texas Find out about Rick Barnes' plans as the new basketball coach at Texas. See page 4B
Team looks 'fowl' at practice, Allen says
After 'Hawks scrimmage coaches add new plays that take time to learn
Kansan sportswriter
By Kevin C. Wilson Kansan sportswriter
Kansas coach Terry Allen said the Jayhawks' practice yesterday resembled a scene most commonly seen on a farm.
"We were running around like chickens with their heads cut off," Allen said. "Being the practice after a scrimmage, we were adding a whole bunch of new stuff."
Saturday was the Jayhawks' first scrimage of the spring practice session, and Allen said that yesterday's practice was more of a mental process, walking through new plays and learning assignments, than a physical one.
One physical aspect of the Jayhawks practice was pleasing to Allen and an improvement from Saturday's scrimmage—the pass catching of the wide receivers.
"The wind wasn't blowing 8 mph so that makes a big difference." Allen said.
Other news and notes from the last week of spring football:
Senior linebacker Lamar Sharpe has left the Kansas football team. Sharpe transferred to Youngstown State, a powerhouse in Division 1-AA, after earning three letters for the Jayhawks.
"He's a big strong kid," Allen said. "Right now, we don't have a guy that can bang in there for a yard or two. He can do those things for us."
Senior Dustin Curry, who was used at fullback last season, was switched to tailback. The six foot, 205-pound Waverly native will provide power and girth that has been lacking in the backfield, Allen said.
Allen said that when he approached Curry about making the change he was more than eager to give it a try.
Above: Coach Terry Allen walks among the team while his players stretch before practice. Right: Two linemen go head-to-head during practice at Memorial Stadium. Yesterday was the first full-tackle practice for the Jayhawks. Photos by Steve Puppe/KANSAN
Redshirt freshman Tyler Evans is now the Jayhawks third-string quarterback. Allen would not reveal his reserve earlier in spring practice.
Transfer update: Offensive guard John Oddonetto and defensive back Muhammad Abdul-Rahim are impressing the Jayhawks coaching staff during spring practice. Allen said both the junior college transfers were competing for starting positions.
Wilhelm showing improvement since return
By John Blakoly Wilson
Kansan sportswriter
In a March 22 game against Iowa State, Wilhelm ran into the elbow of a base runner while diving for a wild throw. Wilhelm said he could hardly bear to attend the four games the injury forced him to miss.
Kansas third baseman Sparky Wilhelm owes a 7-for-12 weekend at the plate to a fractured cheek bone.
Wilhelm, a junior, was a career. .236 hitter coming into the season. He has raised his season batting average from .241 to .320 since returning from the injury, hitting .429 during that streak.
"In those games I sat out, I missed baseball more than anything," he said. "It bothered me, and I made a promise to myself to play as hard as I could the rest of the year."
Coach Bobby Randall said Wilhelm
finally was playing to his potential.
"It's been a process of constant work for Sparky," Randall said. "He's swinging the bat better than I've ever seen from him before."
Wilhelm attended Shawnee Heights High School in Topeka, where he built an impressive list of athletic honors. He was all-state in baseball and football as a senior, and he helped lead both programs to state championships while
being voted 1995 City Defensive Player of the Year in basketball.
Wilhelm earned Phillips 66 Academic All-Big Eight honors as a freshman with limited action on the field. He started 18 games at first and third base, but hit just 179.
Playing time increased last season,
when Wilhelm started 35 times, mostly
See Randall on page 5B
Commentary
Only time will Axtell the tale for hired gun
First it was Ricky Calloway. Soon Rex Walters followed. Then came Jerod Haase. Last year, it was Lester.
Now, we have Luke.
players to find a second nome with the jawynaks. Axtell is a remarkable player who will no doubt play a major part in the future of Kansas basketball. But, with all good comes a little bad.
With his announcement Sunday that he was planning to transfer to the University of Kansas, former Texas guard Luke Axtell joined a growing list of extremely talented — and sometimes controversial
First the good
Harley V. Ratliff
When he finally takes the court, Axtell will give the Jayhawks one of the nation's most exciting young back-court players.
During his tumultuous season as a Longhorn, the formerly floppy-haired Axtell displayed a sweet shooting touch, plenty of on-court confidence and impressive athletic ability.
At 6-foot-9, the rail-thin Axell is freakishly tall for a shooting guard. Throughout
hratliff@kansan.com
So if the kid is so good, then what's not to like?
On the court, not much
Despite suspect defense, Axell will give the Jayhawks a pure shooter and, in what appeared to be a down year for Kansas basketball recruiting, Axell should ease the pain of barely missing out on a number of big-name recruits.
his freshman season, he was able to shoot over smaller defenders. A natural scorer with good mobility, Axtell could easily move over to small forward — nicely filling the void left by Kansas City native JaRon Rush's decision to move west.
However, there is always room to improve. In many games, Axtell was prone to a poor shot selection and lapses in defense.
Although he made nearly 40 percent of his three-point attempts, his ratio could have been much better. Axtell often took shots while covered by multiple defenders and seemed to ignore open teammates, preferring to shoot instead.
But remember, Axtell was just a true freshman. Paul Pierce's shot selection wasn't much different three years ago—and we all know how he turned out.
Bad shots and and lazy defense don't really fly down at Allen Field House and, fortunately, both problems are correctable. When it comes to turning guys into solid, hard-working, players, Coach Roy is as good as they come.
However, it is the off the court stuff that is cause for concern. The Axell circle began March 17 when Penders suspended his freshman guard for academic reasons. Axelt responded, threatening to leave Texas and accusing Penders — who in 10 years at Texas never received a formal complaint from a player — of verbal abuse. After Axell's progress report was released on a local radio station, a violation of the Buckley Amendment, a federal privacy law for students, Penders' assistant Eddie Oran took responsibility.
So who's to blame?
Depends on who you talk to in Austin.
Some will say Penders was a sloppy coach who ran a sloppy team. Yeah, he won, but his team's never reached the success his talent demanded. He did a lot for the basketball program, but many locals knew that if Texas wanted to reach the Final Four it was going to be without Penders. Axtell was just the spark plug for the inevitable.
They will say Axtell was a prima donna. That his mother, Mollie, didn't get along with Penders. That he didn't go to his tutoring sessions and was soft on the court. And once he was suspended, he — and who ever would join him — decided to go after Penders' head.
Others will tell a different story.
So, back to the question, who's to blame?
In this case, probably everyone.
The concern for Kansas is which version is more accurate.
If Penders was abusive and behind the release of Axtell's grades, then the Jayhawks have acquired a good, potentially great player, who was betrayed by the stupidity and shortsightedness of a poor coaching staff.
But, if Axelt is a head case, a prototype of the 90s me-first athlete, Kansas may have made a poor decision. Plus, if Axelt can't stay academically eligible at Texas, there's no guarantee his grades will improve when he arrives in Lawrence.
Only time will tell with Axtell.
One thing is for sure, Coach Roy won't be out of a job because Luke Axell isn't getting his way.
Rattif is a Norman, Okla., junior in Journalism.