Tuesday, September 12. 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 7
Oklahoma punt returner lauded
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Surprise, surprise. A great punt returner is being honored in the Big 12, and his name is not David Allen.
J. T. Thatcher, who is rewriting many Oklahoma team records, was named the conference's special teams player of the week after collecting 160 yards on five punt returns in a 45-7 victory against Arkansas State.
Thatcher's 66-yard touchdown return was his second in just 13 career returns. His 160 total return yards broke Oklahoma's single-game record, which caused every coach in the Big 12 to sit up and take notice.
Allen, who was injured in No. 7 Kansas State's season opener against Iowa, is expected to be on the sidelines until the Wildcats open their conference season Sept. 30 at Colorado. When he gets back, he'll still need one touchdown return to break the NCAA career record: an added bit of spice that brings the Kansas State crowd to to its feet on every punt.
To Iowa State coach Dah McCarney, nobody on the field is more worthy of respect than a man who stands back all alone and fields the punt.
"I know every time our punt return unit goes on the field, there is some excitement that might not normally be there in other special teams units." Kansas State coach Bid Snyder said.
"Even if nobody's coming down trying to light you up, catching a punt is one of the hardest things to do," said McCarney, whose Cyclones are 2-0 for the second time since 1985. "It's even harder when people are running at you like their hair is on fire."
Texas coach Mack Brown is not backing down from his two-quarterback plans. Newcomer Chris Simms faltered in his first start, throwing an interception that was brought back for a touchdown by Louisiana-Lafayette. Then Major Applewhite came in to throw for more than 300 vards and four touchdowns.
Brown said he expected a two-quarterback system would become common, and Simms and Applewhite would both still play.
"The times are changing in college football." Brown said. "A lot of people are having trouble changing with it. What we're trying to do is get ahead of the changes in college football."
"America wants one key guy because that's the way most of us were raised," Brown said. "I want two key guys. If one key guy has a bad day, maybe the other key guy can pick him up."
Big 12 honors freshman soccer player
By Yoshitaka Ebisawa
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Jennifer Ray earned another award to help decorate her already impressive resume.
Ray, freshman midfielder on the Kansas soccer team, was named the Big 12 Conference Newcomer of the Week yesterday by the conference office in Dallas. The award is a result of Ray's performance at the California-Irvine Tournament last weekend in Irvine, Calif.
In Friday's game against UC-Irvine, Ray set up a scoring chance by assisting junior forward Natalie Hoogveld. In Sunday's game against Cal State-Fullerton, Ray dominated the midfield and scored her second collegiate goal with Hoogveld's assist.
Ray said she was happy about receiving praise, but said she didn't think that she was at her best yet.
"I haven't achieved any sort of form where I should be at," she said.
Having played in each of Kansas' six games this season as a reserve, Ray has two goals and one assist.
"She came in off the bench and did a very good job," said Kansas coach Mark Francis. "She's a very smart player. She's adjusting very well to the speed on the level for a freshman."
Ray, a Hillingdon, England, native,
led Watford to the London Premier
League Cup and Country Cup titles in
1998.
Sophomore defender Pardis Brown was selected Defensive Player of the California-Irvine Tournament following the conclusion of Sunday's game.
At the tournament, Brown played a position that she hadn't played since she was young.
"She adjusted very well," Francis said. "Defensively, we looked much better (last) weekend because of that."
Kansas finished second in the fourteam tournament with a 1-1 record, which evened its season record at 3-3. The Jayhawks will play host to the 2000 KU Credit Union Jayhawk Soccer Classic this weekend in Lawrence.
Edited by Shawn Hutchinson
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