Page 14 University Daily Kansan, October 9, 1981 Lawrence returns for Big 8 opener with OSU David Lawrence is back in KU's starting lineup. Lawrence, a senior and co-captain this season, started the year at offensive guard, so it should come as no surprise tomorrow when he takes the field against the Oklahoma State Cowboys in a Homecoming contest at 1:30 p.m. in Memorial Stadium. BUT LAWRENCE was felled with torn knee ligaments during the Oregon Game Sept. 12, and it was expected that he would never play football again. The progenesis gradually improved, from never to next year to the middle of the Big Eight season. And now, after four short weeks, and a new season, the beginning of the ruffed conference schedule. "I finally talked Coach Fambrough into it," Lawrence said Wednesday. "The way he's. He would never ever risk someone perennially damaging themselves by letting them play." "He told me not to do much. Monday I got in TRACEE HAMILTON drills, a little hitting. I felt OK. I played it by ear. It was enough for it to tight. I felt great. That was enough for it. Apparently enough for Fambrough, too. He said yesterday Lawrence would join Paul Fairchild at the guard position. Ed Bruce will start at center. It is almost Kansas' original starting line, an amazing feat because of the rash of offensive injuries this fall. FAMBROUGH SAID he hoped Lawrence's return would spark a celebration of what its wheels thus far this season. "If there were a little David Lawrence in everybody, I'd sleep better at nights," Fambrough said. "People like Kyle McNorton and I have always felt that attitude has won for us, I think his 'obvious' attitude has Lawrence didn't think at first that he'd be returning to action so soon. "I never dreamed it would be so quick," he said. "I was down on life. Thanks to a good doctor, Deaner (trainer Dean Nesmith) and the help of God, here I am." Lawrence's treatment was suggested, ironically, by the former team doctor of the Oregon Ducks, Dr. Mike McCoy, who is an alum of KU and a former Jayhawk football player. McCoy was on the 1988 Kansas squad that played in the Orange Bowl against Penn State. "IT'S AN EXPERIMENTAL technique." Lawrence said of his rehabilitation. "You immobilize the knee two weeks, then rehabilitate it. And then McCoy studied under a guy who's been doing this." "It's something that the coaches—I really know it from my days in day—but it will be something they can learn by." During his rehabilitation Lawrence wore a neuromuscular stimulator on his knee. The device sent tiny electric waves into the torn skin of his ankle, which just it a few weeks, he found how well it can work. "The worst trouble with my type of injury is the muscle starts shrinking within 24 hours," he said. "I've now got more strength. My left leg was an inch bigger than the right. I can't figure it out. Coach Hadl said he never heard of anyone getting back so soon." Lawrence will play in the Lennex-Hill brace tomorrow, with the knee tightly wrapped beneath. The brace is hinged at the knee, allowing free movement of the leg. Lawrence will practice by pulling up and practicing to upend a defender, pick him back up and run downfield in a matter of seconds. "I'm praying, to beoping to back. It's a big game. I don't know how I could sit and watch this." The Jayhawks take their perfect 4-0 mark against the fourth-ranked defense in the nation. The Las Vegas line started with the Jayhawks as well, and the Arizonaargin has narrowed all week, to 4 points on one list. Both KU and the Cowboys have faced a common opponent—Tulsa. Kansas eked out a 15-11 victory with a fourth-quarter interception, and the Cowboys scored on their return to win 23-21. Which puts us back at square one. THE COWBOYS HAVE two of the toughest linebackers in the conference in 6-foot-1, 217-pound Ricky Young and 6-2, 223-pound Mike Haney has 27 tackles after three games; Green has 23. But Kansas linebacker Kyle McNorton, recovered from a bruised knee, leads the conference with 53 tackles, and needs 43 tackles to pass Leroy Irvin on the KU all-time tackling list. Teammate Chris Toburen isn't far behind this season with $3. The Kansas defense hasn't escaped the eye of Oklahoma State Coach Jimmy Johnson. "KU has one of the better quarterbacks in the league in Frank Seurer, probably the best punter in the nation in Bucky Scribner, but its biggest play was against Seurer," said it. "HIS has played outstanding in four games." defeated is always an asset in getting ready for the next game." COWBOY KICKER Larry Roach is ranked first in the nation in field goal kicking. Roach is 7 of 10 this season with his longest kick being 51 yards. He has missed on tries of 52 and 44 yards, but he has scored 24 of Oklahoma State's 48 points this year. The Cowboys, 2, have defeated Tulsa and North Texas State, 9-4, and lost to San Diego State. Last year's game against KU in Stillwater ended in a 14-14 tie. The last time Kansas beat the Cowboys was in 1972; the '73 contest ended in a 10-10 draw. Fambrough has made several changes in the offensive lineup, but Seurer will remain in the starting quarterback position. However, Steve Smith probably will see some playing time. "We'll continue to play the two like we have been," Fambrough said. "If we can get protection, they'll perform well." Fambrough made a fullback switch this week to give the Jayhawks added blocking. E. J. Jones, 6-1, 210-pound back from Chicago, will start in place of Walter Mack. Fambrough is looking to Jones to provide solid blocking for tailback Garfield Taylor. Jones, interestingly, has a black belt in judo and holds five national titles. Tackle Greg Roesch and guard John Prater are definitely out to tomorrow's game; the rest of them stay with him. JAYHAWK NOTES: The Jayhawks lead the nation in safeties this season with three. But there is no national record to shoot for. The Jayhawks have won 64 of those, no record of that kind has been kept. Predictions
| Hamilton | Haggstrom | Schaad | Small | Richardson | Parker | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma State at Kansas | Kansas 18-13 | Kansas 17-13 | Kansas 13-10 | Kansas 17-14 | Kansas 10-7 | Kansas 6-3 |
| Iowa State at San Diego State | Iowa State 20-14 | Iowa State 24-20 | Iowa State 17-14 | Iowa State 28-14 | Iowa State 21-10 | Iowa State 16-14 |
| Kansas State at Missouri | Missouri 24-6 | Missouri 31-10 | Missouri 31-10 | Missouri 28-7 | Missouri 35-10 | Missouri 42-10 |
| Colorado at Nebraska | Nebraska 31-7 | Nebraska 38-14 | Nebraska 21-13 | Nebraska 36-3 | Nebraska 28-7 | Nebraska 28-7 |
| Oklahoma at Texas | Texas 24-21 | Texas 20-17 | Texas 28-7 | Texas 19-14 | Oklahoma 42-10 | Oklahoma 21-17 |
| Oregon at Arizona State | Arizona State 28-10 | Arizona State 28-14 | Arizona State 17-10 | Arizona State 28-21 | Oregon 16-7 | Arizona State 24-7 |
| Maryland at Florida | Florida 21-20 | Florida 27-17 | Maryland 21-17 | Maryland 17-10 | Florida 14-7 | Florida 21-7 |
| South Carolina at Kentucky | Kentucky 16-9 | Kentucky 24-21 | Kentucky 13-10 | Kentucky 24-8 | South Carolina 21-6 | Kentucky 16-14 |
| Florida State at Notre Dame | Notre Dame 35-28 | Notre Dame 20-14 | Notre Dame 27-17 | Notre Dame 16-14 | Notre Dame 21-0 | Florida State 14-10 |
| UCLA at Stanford | UCLA 21-20 | UCLA 28-21 | UCLA 35-16 | UCLA 21-9 | Stanford 35-0 | UCLA 21-14 |
| Season Totals | 23-18-1 | 28-11-1 | 25-14-1 | 22-17-1 | 22-17-1 | 25-14-1 |