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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY,SEPTEMBER 24,2014
PAGE 9
5 THOUGHTS ON TEXAS GAME
What we learned at Charlie Weis' weekly press conference
1 TEXAS OFFENSE
Saturday's game between Kansas and Texas may be a defensive battle. Weis called Texas' defense stout. The offenses are a different story. After losing players to graduation, dismissals and injuries, the one position Texas needs to improve most is its offensive line. Nationally, Texas ranks No. 103 in passing yards, No. 101 in rushing yards and No. 107 in points." feel their pain," Weis said.
MALCOM BROWN
2
Weis said Texas defensive tackle Malcom Brown is one of the best players he has seen this year. Period.
3 TEXAS ROOTS
One-fourth of the Kansas roster is from Texas. The importance of this game to the kids that didn't even get a sniff from Texas cannot be overstated.
4 QUARTERBACKS
Weis said Texas' quarterback situation is different than Kansas'. "Our quarterback was the starter at the beginning of the year," Weis said. "Their quarterback was the backup." Texas's former backup, Tyrone Swoope, has completed 67.7 percent of his passes for 5.72 yards per attempt compared with Montell Cozart's 54.8 percent and 6.08.
5 TEDARIAN JOHNSON
Senior defensive tackle Tedarian Johnson graded out as one of the best on the team in the 24-10 win against Central Michigan. Weis said it was by far the best game Johnson has played since he has been here. Depth on the defensive line will be key against up-tempo Big 12 offenses.
Weis prepares for first Big 12 game of the season
SHANE JACKSON
@JacksonShane3
For the second straight year, coach Charlie Weis hosted his first Big 12 press conference with a 2-1 record. Weis begins his third trip through the gruesome round-robin of the Big 12 against a struggling 1-2 Texas team.
Texas quarterback Tyrone Swoopes passes against UCLA during the first half of an NCAA college football game Sept. 13 in Arlington, Texas.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Scouting the Longhorns Defense
Like Kansas, the defense is the calling card for the Texas football program this year.
Texas has five interceptions this season after having just 10 all of last season. They rank 32nd in the nation in turnovers gained with seven and are tied for 48th in the turnover margin (+0.33 game). To put that in perspective, Kansas has just three
turnovers thus far.
Defensive tackle Malcom Brown is arguably the best player on the defensive side of the ball. He recorded 2.5 sacks against BYU, becoming the 10th Texas player to have 2.5 sacks or more in a game.
"They are stout on defense," Weis said. "We are going to have to play really well to have a chance to win this game."
Texas, as a team, has recorded 13 sacks in the first three games and they are sixth in the nation with 4.33 sacks per game.
Longhorns.
In his first two starts, Swoopes has thrown for 372 yards and completed 67.7 percent of his pass attempts, both of which rank second among the last six quarterbacks to start two games for Texas.
Scouting the Longhorns Offense Due to starter David Ash's retirement last week after he suffered a season-ending head injury, quarterback Tyrone Swoopes will direct the
"He may be the best player I have ever seen." Weis said.
"He looks a lot bigger on tape than what he is listed on the roster," Weis said. "He's got a real strong arm and is very mobile."
The Longhorns will rely heavily on their dynamic duo in the backfield with running back Malcolm Brown and running back Johnathan Gray. They are one of six duos to return after rushing for at least 750 rushing yards last season.
"Tre' was the best wide receiver through training camp." Weis said. "We really wanted him out there in the first three weeks."
Return of IRE Palmatee After missing the first three games due to an elbow injury,
Return of Tre' Parmalee
Weis expects Parmalee to play immediately this weekend.
Parmalee has seen action in his first two seasons, catching 16 passes for 153 yards, but has yet to score.
Less Bubble Screens
Sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart's struggles through two games caused Weis to put an emphasis on short passes this past week against Central Michigan.
Cozart threw for a career high 226 yards Saturday,but a
large chunk of that was due to vards after the catch.
with Texas using a different defensive scheme, Weis will most likely have to change his offensive mindset again this week.
"Texas runs a lot of Cover 1 and Cover 3," Weis said. "I don't expect those screens to work as well as they did last week."
— Edited by Kelsie Jennings
Royals roll on, defeat Indians 7-1 Tuesday night
ASSOCIATED PRESS
They've got a much bigger goal in mind.
CLEVELAND — With another win, the Royals stepped closer to history and a playoff berth.
Rookie Yordano Ventura blanked Cleveland's punchless offense for seven innings as Kansas City kept pressure on first-place Detroit in the AL Central with a 7-1 win over the Indians on Tuesday night.
Following the game, the Royals retreated to their clubhouse to watch the ninth inning of the Tigers' 5-4 win over Chicago. As they ate their postgame meals, Kansas City's players roared loudly when the White Sox scored three runs in the ninth to tie it. It got much quieter when Miguel Cabrera delivered a game-winning hit to keep the Tigers one game ahead of Kansas City.
Still, the Royals are stalking.
"I'm not really interested in the wild card right now," Yost said. "That (magic) number doesn't mean much to me. The wild card has always been Plan B. We're in good shape right now. Our focus is on winning this division."
so, the kings are staring.
Manager Ned Yost knows his club almost has a wild-card berth locked up. However, he's got his sights on a bigger prize.
The hard-throwing Ventura (14-10) allowed four singles and threw a 100 mph fastball on his 104th pitch.
Salvador Perez's two-out, two-run double off Danny Salazar (6-8) put the Royals ahead 5-0 in the fifth and they turned their attention to the left-field scoreboard to monitor the Tigers' score. Kansas City remained one game out of first
with five games left.
It's been 29 years since the Royals were in the postseason, and that run in 1985 ended with their only World Series title.
At 86-71, Kansas City matched its win total from last season. It's the first time the Royals have had consecutive seasons with at least 86 victories since 1977-78.
"We keep saying it over and over again, but it's what you have to do as a team. We went out and took care of our business."
ERIC HOSMER Kansas City first baseman
"We've got to stick to the plan," first baseman Eric Hosmer said. "We keep saying it over and over again, but it's what you have to do as a team. We went out and took care of our business."
The Indians' faint playoff hopes grew dimmer. Cleveland trails Kansas City by 41/2 games in the wild-card chase with four games remaining.
The playoff are within reach, but the Royals aren't banking on anything just yet.
Ventura made his major league debut against the Indians last September, a performance Indians manager Terry Francona called "electric."
Cleveland's offense went into a funk at the worst time possible. The Indians scored an unearned run in the eighth, ending a string of 19 straight scoreless innings.
"We're not hoping for electric tonight," Francona said beforehand.
With a chance to stay in the race in the season's final week, Cleveland is collapsing.
Ventura didn't have to be. The Indians are currently powerless.
"We didn't win, which we set out to do." Francona said. "The only thing we can do now is play tomorrow and try to win that name."
Omar Infante's two-run double in the fourth gave the Royals a 2-0 lead, and with the Indians' offense sputtering. Ventura had more than enough cushion to notch his fifth win in six starts and improve to 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in five career starts against the Indians. He's 7-1 with a 2.02 ERA in his last eight starts in the division.
"He's a special guy," Yost said. "He has all the makings of being a high-level, upper-tier pitcher in the American League."
In the fifth, Salazar, who struck out the side in the first two innings, got two quick outs before Hosmer doubled and scored on Billy Butler's double. Alex Gordon was walked intentionally and Perez drove in two with his shot to left-center, the ball just clearing lunging left fielder Michael Brantley's glove.
He escaped a threat in the third, but Salazar wasn't so fortunate in the fourth, when he walked Butler and gave up a single to Gordon before Infante pulled his double into the left-field corner.
Salazar was dominant in the early going, getting six strikeouts in the first two innings with each whiff coming on a wicked change-up that badly fooled the Royals hitters.
Record: 86-71
CHECKING IN ON THE ROYALS
Playoff odds: 99.7% (espn.com)
Last time out: Defeated Cleveland Indians 7-1 on Tuesday
Next opponent: at Cleveland Indians on Wednesday
Division standing: 2nd place -1 game behind Detroit Tigers
Wild card standing: Own second spot - 3 games ahead of Seattle Mariners (not including Oakland Athletics-Los Angeles Angels game last night)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trending up: Billy Butter, designated hitter - Has 5 hits in his last 3 games, went 2-for-4 with three runs on Tuesday
Trending down: Mike Moustakas, third-baseman
- Last multi-hit game was on Sept. 9 against
Detroit, went 0-for-4 on Tuesday
Looking ahead: With the Mariners losing their fourth game in a row on Tuesday, the Royals are almost a lock for the playoffs. The question now will be whether they can win the division or claim the first wild-card spot, which would give them home-field advantage in a winner-take-all game.
Brian Hillix
Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer, left, and Billy Butler celebrate after both score on a two-run double off Alex Gordon in the seventh inning of a baseball game Tuesdayin Cleveland. Gordon advanced to third base on the throw.
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