Volume 126 Issue 32
kansan.com
Monday, October 21, 2013
COMMENTARY
Saturday scrimmage serves dual purpose
Kansas Athletics and Bill Self did a great thing for layhawk fans this weekend The open practice on Saturday morning more than made up for the disorganization at "Late Night In The Phog" a few weeks ago. In fact, aside from the parody videos, fans got to skip right to the best part of the annual season-opening affair; the scrimmage.
If there are any hard feelings from getting cut in line at Late Night, now is the time to let it go. Yet, as nice as the event was, it's clear there were two people in attendance who received extra special attention from Athletics.
Jahili Okafor and Tyus Jones - both ranked in the top five on most lists for the 2014 recruiting class.
The signing of Andrew Wiggins has put Kansas at center stage for most prospects. Parading around his talent is one thing, but building off his decision to join the Jayhawks is another - and much harder - situation to deal with.
The fact is Kansas has most of the glamour in the recruiting world right now. The better Wiggins plays here, the longer that will last. But Self is living by the Hollywood adage of booking your next gig before your last one premiers.
The message mirrored something we've heard football coach Charlie Weis say: If you can't play here, where can you?
Andrew Wiggins and Wayne Selden hooked up on a smooth ally-oo, Conner Frankamp began knocking down threes and Perry Ellis exhibited stellar footwork.
There's no doubt that Kansas was sincere in its attempt to please the fans on Saturday. When your biggest problem as a program is that your building doesn't have enough seats, you're doing just fine.
Okafor and Jones were unable to attend Late Night - the Jayhawks hosted several other recruits that night. As the top big man (Okafor) and top point guard (Jones) in this year's class, Kansas needed to pull out something distinct for the duo. Especially after the two made it known that they would both play at the same school next year.
Still, that's not to say there wasn't some strategic timing involved.
Kansas is looking to strike while the brand is hot. The commitment of Kelly Oubre after Late Night was an important starting point.
Enter Saturday's scrimage, the first of it's kind under Bill Self at Kansas.
Once seated, Okafor and Jones were treated to a talent show.
And those fans are pretty bright. As soon as Okafer entered the building, about halfway through the second scrimmage,the fans all rose out of their seats, cheering wildly.
Self made sure to note that the reason the lahaywhaks held this event was to make up for the problems at Late Night. He also noted how much his players love performing in front of Kansas fans.
Now with Saturday's scrimmage, Self is setting a new precedent and showing off the power of "Jayhawk Nation" at the same time.
Edited by Evan Dunbar
THINGS FALL APART
ONE THEN DONE
Jayhawks plagued by miscues after stellar first quarter
EMILY WITTLER/KANSAN
Redshirt sophomore running back Darrian Miller breaks a tackle by Oklahoma defensive end P.L. Lindley. Miller rushed for 68 yards in the game.
CHRIS HYBL chvbl@kansan.com
There's been a theme for Kansas football in its conference games this year. They can start a game, but can't finish one. It was most apparent in Kansas' 34-19 loss
on Saturday afternoon to No.18 Oklahoma.
Kansas has been the first to score in each of its three conference games so far this season, but have yet to produce a win. In each game, the Kansas offense is nowhere to be found in the second half. Kansas has easily branded itself as a first quarter team (the Jayhawks have outscored conference opponents 20-7 combined in first quarter), but nothing more.
Kansas was up 13-0 midway through the second quarter, until four straight three-and-outs and 25 unanswered Oklahoma points would strip Kansas of all of its momentum.
Kansas was the clear dictator of pace to start the game, as James Sims carried the ball for 63 yards on the team's first drive. After defensive lineman Keon Stowers forced Oklahoma running back Keith Ford to fumble in Kansas territory late in the first quarter, Sims would help Kansas extend the lead, capping off the drive with a 14-yard touchdown run.
"Credit to the offensive line. We told them all week long to win the line of scrimimage and they won the line of scrimimage and we executed." Sims said.
The two teams would trade possessions before Oklahoma quarterback Blake Bell began to take the game into his own hands. Bell completed each of his three pass attempts on the drive and took Oklahoma 55 yards down-field to open up the scoring for the
Sooners.
On their next drive, Kansas went with freshman quarterback Montell Cozart over Jake Heaps in an attempt to use Cozart's running ability against a steady headwind. A holding call on the first play setup Kansas with first and 20, and three plays later, Kansas had to punt from its own 14. Oklahoma would block the punt, sending the ball into the endzone and forcing punter Trevor Pardula to kick the ball out of the back of the endzone for a safety.
nair, giving the team no chance to contend for a victory.
Oklahoma was in control of the game from that point on, restricting any sort of Kansas offensive production. Kansas had only 28 yards of total offense in the second
"I wasn't happy with the guys getting open, I wasn't happy with how the girls caught the ball when it did get there, there were a couple times where they weren't ready for the ball when the balls coming out on time," head coach Charlie Weis said. "We were giving up some sacks when they weren't blitzing. I don't care if you're playing the '85 bears, that's not acceptable."
Oklahoma made it a two-score game midway through the third quarter, and with the Kansas offense stagnant, the game looked to be over. But Josh Ford gave Kansas another glimpse of hope in the fourth, when he blocked an
Oklahoma punt at the six-yard line. Sims converted the block into a touchdown, but Oklahoma would block the ensuing PAT and return it 97 yards for two points to make it 27-19.
Oklahoma sealed the victory on the following possession, killing the clock with a 75 yard touchdown drive that was all on the ground.
"I feel like we gave it away to them," Sims said. "We won the first quarter and us getting a couple three and outs changed the momentum of the game."
Backup quarterback Montell Cozart got another shot in the second half, managing only one first down. Cozart was a part of
The running game was the only thing giving Kansas any chance to win. Sims carried the Kansas offense, rushing for 129 yards on 23 carries, and was complemented well by Darrian Miller's 68 yards on 9 carries.
the gameplan for Oklahoma. and appears to be in the mix for Kansas go forward.
"It's the best [running game] we've had in a while, and we were running against a good defense too," Weis said. "Going in we had to try and control the ball and I thought James and Darrian both ran the ball very well."
Edited by Evan Dunbar
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Fans get early morning look at the Jayhawks
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Somehow, the title "9 a.m. Madness" just doesn't have the same zest as its midnight counterpart. Then again, Kansas could scrimmage at any hour of the day and Jayhawk fans would show up. This much was true on Saturday morning when more than 10,000 people packed Allen Fieldhouse for an impromptu practice.
There was no pep band, no public address announcer and no real plan. Just step on the court and play ball. This was not "Late Night In The Phog." Actually it was just the opposite.
was about giving fans an opportunity to see the team. No less, and certainly no more.
The early morning get together
"The reason we did was because of the way Late Night went," coach Bill Self said in reference to the thousands
really know what to expect. As much buzz as there was on campus leading up to the event, details were pretty sparse. Doors were scheduled to open at 9 a.m. but fans were let in well before then with plenty of seats still available throughout the event.
The team ran through three different 10-minute, simulated games. After the second match, fans gave a standing ovation and started to leave until the players came back on the court for one more go. Some players were switching squads during the intermissions as well. Yet the one grouping that will likely start the season - Naadir Tharpe, Andrew Wiggins, Wayne Selden, Perry Ellis and Tarik Black
Point guard Naadir Thaarpe dribbles around a defender at an impromptu morning scrimmage on Saturday.
"...it is pretty special seeing these people turn out to watch their Jayhawks."
of fans who were unable to make it into a capacity Allen Fieldhouse on Oct. 4.
BILL SELF Men's baseketball coach
"There really wasn't that much thrown together. We just announced that we were going to do this, but it is pretty special seeing these people turn out to watch their Jayawhaks."
Those that turned out didn't
In the first match, those five emerged with a 27-13 victory. After the practice, Self announced for the first
- stayed on the same bench throughout the practice.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
time all preseason that Naadir Tharpe would be his starting point guard. Earlier in the year there had been talk of freshman Frank Mason pushing him for the job.
Self admitted there isn't much to take from a light scrimmage - like the one the team ran through - but getting used to playing in front of a large group of fans can help ease
the transition process for some of the younger guys.
A clear example of this was Andrew Wiggins, who seemed more comfortable on James Naismith court, throwing down dunks and running the floor with ease.
Among the thousands in attendance were two highly touted
recruits, Jahil Okafor and Tyus Jones -ranked number one and five overall respectably by Rivals. com. Okafor received a standing ovation from the fans as he made his way to a seat next to Jones, right behind Bill Self.
As far as recruiting trips go, this was a new move for Self at Kansas.
"That's not why we did this though," Self was quick to point out. "I know the primary reason why our guys love playing here so much is because of the love they receive from the fans."
— Edited by James Ogden