Wednesday, September 13, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Garcia keeps emphasis on future
Kansas senior kicker Joe Garcia has worked hard this summer to regain the form he displayed in 1998. Last year, Garcia only made 38.9 percent of his field-goal attempts. Photo courtesy of KU Sports Information
Continued from page 1B
of his attempts from within 30 yards, and another half (three of six) from within 40. His longest successful try last year was from a paltry 38 yards. Combined with four blocked kicks and two missed extra points, his percentage was 38.9.
Make it, and you're hailed. Miss, and you're a bum.
Kickers walk a tight line between great and awful.
world, Jose said. He's got a great work ethic.
Garcia needed that nose-to-the-grindstone attitude just to salvage the starting job. Garcia came to Kansas as a promising 1997 freshman from Olathe North High School, where he lost only two games in his career. As a freshman at Kansas he hit 11 of 14 field goals, including a 51-yarder in a win against Oklahoma. He missed five kicks in 1998 before last season.
"I don't know what happened last year," Garcia said. "I just hope it doesn't happen again this year."
Last year, people booed Garcia. Coach Terry Allen sometimes was reluctant to try for three points and would instead try for another first down. But Garcia's failures were never a major factor in a Kansas loss. Kansas' average loss was by 27.7 points. In the lone defeat in single digits, to Nebraska 24-17, Garcia made only one extra point attempt.
All the summer nights he went home sore from all the kicking paid off. Tyrrell, a true talent, will have his chance. But for now he has been red-shirted. Garcia still rules the island.
Garcia, with his dad, has done everything to ensure it will not. He stuck around last summer and kicked and kicked and kicked. He then hit the gym to bulk up, get stronger and rehabilitate his right foot. He had surgery on his foot after he experienced constant numbness in it, sometimes for hours at a time. He practiced just as he did when he was a kid in Florida when he would kick over the family's two-story house.
Kansas coach Terry Allen put pressure on Garcia this year. No longer was the kicker from Olathe going to coast through preseason drills. He was given some competition. Chris Tyrrell, a newcomer from Liberty, Mo., was considered a possibility. Tyrrell brought a nice list of achievements to the team, including an ability to kick and punt. Allen was clear that if Garcia could not get the job done, he would look elsewhere.
"Physically, he has all the potential in the world." Jose said. "He's got a great work ethic."
And he has been left to focus on this year. Unlike last year when all the failures weighed on him until he crumpled, Garcia vows to forgive and forget. If he misses a kick, so be it.
"My dad kept telling me all summer, just worry about the next one," Garcia said. "That's
what I'm trying to do. If I make it or miss it, it doesn't matter. It's the next one I have to focus on."
"I'ts very tough, and not like all the other positions," Jose said. "A kicker only gets one shot."
So far this season, Garcia has been perfect. He made both his extra-point attempts and a short field goal in Kansas' season-opening loss at Southern Methodist. But Garcia doesn't care about his success if the team is losing.
"He's worked so hard this year," Jose said. "I told him if he did, then that was it. Now he'll let the chips fall where they may."
This summer, with the help of his father, Joe Garcia showed that he deserves to be on the island. The key to survival, it appears, is to not be alone.
— Edited by Amy Randolph
Free State to play on Memorial's new turf
By Jason Franchu
Kansan sportswriter
sports.kansan.com
Fans who want to see the new turf in actual game situations can go to Memorial Stadium Friday night.
No, Kansas' home opener has not been moved up — it's still against Alabama-Birmingham at 6 p.m. Saturday — but the field will be christened by Free State High School's first home football game. "That's fine," said Kansas coach Terry Allen. "It's good for them. We've been on it quite a bit."
Associate Athletics Director Richard Konzem said the game had been in the works for a while. Originally the Jayhawks were supposed to play UAB last Saturday, meaning they would have opened the field. Kansas changed its schedule because UAB scheduled another game last week, but kept its deal with Free State, the Lawrence high school that opened in 1997.
With two city high schools, usually one plays, an away game while the other plays at Haskell Stadium. But Lawrence High already had Haskell reserved for Friday, and Free State was supposed to play a Thursday night game there.
"All of this came about before we had the new field." Konzem said.
Kansas will play its first real game Saturday on the new AstroPlay turf, which is artificial but has a grass-like texture. The Jayhawks have practiced on it numerous times and have heralded the benefits of the softer surface.
Konzem said he hadn't heard any complaints.
As to allowing Free State the first official game on the new surface,
"But I'm sure some of their people are upset because now they have to choose which game to go to." Konzem said.
Konzem said Kansas and Free State's booster club will split duties of the concession stands and ticket taking. Free State will be responsible for cleanup afterward and there will be limits on where fans can sit, mainly on both sides within the end zones.
The Jayhawks charged approximately $3,000, but Konzem said priceless opportunities would arise because the game was on the KU campus.
said. "Not just for the athletic department, but for the whole campus."
"Whenever we can host events to get people on our campus it's a great recruiting tool," Konzem
Memorial Stadium also will hold a high school state championship game later this year. Konzem said Free State was estimating that 8,000 fans would attend Friday's game. Briefly...
Kansas suffered some injuries yesterday in practice. Offensive guard Jason Stevenson and tight end Jason Gulley each sat out because of illness, but Allen said he expected both to be available Saturday.
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Also, freshman Travis Watkins broke his thumb Monday in practice. However, Allen said the plan was to redshirt the Derby native even before the injury.
— Edited by Erin McDaniel
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