THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4. 2014
PAGE 11B
+
Soccer looks ahead to first road trip of season
BEN CARROLL @BCarroll91
After another weekend sweep for Kansas soccer, improving its record to 4-0, the Jayhawks will hit the road for the first time this season. Kansas is led by Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week Liana Salazar, who scored three goals and had one assist last weekend.
Kansas will head west to face one of its former Big 12 foes, University of Colorado, in Boulder on Friday night at 5:30 p.m. Colorado started its season red hot, winning the first three matches, but are coming off of a 1-0 loss against Kent State in the UNLV Nike Invitational in Las Vegas.
The team will stay in the mountains for a match in Denver Sunday at 1 p.m. against the University of Denver. Denver has lost two of its first three matches on the road, and is looking to bounce back this weekend for its first pair of home matches.
Coach Mark Francis knows the tough competition that lies ahead, but admits playing good teams helps their strength of schedule.
"We have to play two very good teams. They were both in the tournament last year," Francis said. "I think it'll be another good test, but I'm sure the kids will step up to the
challenge."
Francis said the first road trip of the season can always raise some problems, but admitted the team has already stepped up, and has faith that it will continue into the weekend.
Salazar, who leads all Big 12 players with 11 points and five goals, said the team just needs to continue to fight.
"I think it'll be another good test,but I'm sure the kids will step up to the challenge."
MARK FRANCIS Kansas soccer coach
[“This] week we play against really good teams,” Salazar said. “We just have to keep going at them and keep winning. That's what we have to do.”
Kansas is making its way up the NCAA rankings, just missing the cutoff to be nationally ranked, receiving 68 votes, according to NCAA.com. If the team can pull off another weekend sweep, Kansas could soon be ranked within the top 25.
— Edited by Sarah Kramer
AARON GROENE/KANSAN
Freshman Eli Mayr carries the ball forward on the attack during the match against the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest. The Jayhawks won 4-1 Sunday at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
COMMENTARY
Smith contract provides stability room for development
Alex Smith had been publicly clamoring for a contract for a majority of the offseason, and his wish was finally granted.
Smith received a four-year, $68 million contract. After the details were released, it essentially turned out to be a three-year, $27 million dollar contract with two option years on the table for 2017 and 2018. Smith likely will be in a Chiefs uniform for three more seasons barring any serious injuries.
Considering the landscape of lucrative NFL quarterback contracts, the Chiefs got a great deal. They now have leverage to cut ties with the quarterback they traded two second-round picks for, and Smith still has to prove his worth to the Chiefs down the road.
Despite the doubts, Coach Andy Reid knows what he's receiving from Smith and knows what production he's receiving each day.
"He's a winner, a hard worker [and] a good football player," Reid said. "He's the same guy every day. I'm not going to have this up-and-down personality. You're going to have a guy that comes to work. Everybody knows and trusts that he's going to be prepared and ready to go and give it his best out there."
The Chiefs haven't won
a game with a quarterback they've drafted since 1987, when Todd Blackledge beat the Chargers in the opening game of that season. While Smith may not be a Kansas City product, he represents stability that the Chiefs and Smith can nurture and develop.
While Smith's numbers weren't astounding in his first season as a Chief, he played well in the Chiefs' first playoff game since 2010, going 30-of-46 for 378 passing yards and four touchdowns. If the defense didn't notoriously implode, the perception of Smith might be different.
Smith will have less help at his side, however, as he arguably lost three of his best offensive linemen from last season, and will have to count on second-year left tackle Eric Fisher, who struggled last season and in this year's preseason.
The Chiefs saw a quarterback with the intelligence, physical skills and leadership it takes to stabilize a franchise. Now they will see what that amounts to in the next three or four seasons.
Smith was set to become a free agent this offseason, and some argued that the front office should let the season play out and save the negotiations until after seeing a second full season of Smith.
The Chiefs have a chance of long-term success with a competent quarterback/ head coaching combo. With another season under Reid's tutelage, Smith's play should only improve.
However, the Chiefs saw an opportunity to establish four years of structure at the most important position in football While Smith didn't make a definitive statement after last season, he did enough to warrant a long-term deal.
YOUR GO TO FOR THE LATEST IN KU SPORTS
Edited by Jordan Fox
@kansansports
AMIE JUST/KANSAN
Sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart dives into the endzone during the 2014 Spring Game on April 12.
Cozart confident for 2014 season
This is a crucial year for several people within the Kansas football program, especially for Coach Charlie Weis, who enters his third year as head coach with just four wins to his name. Weis will be counted on more this year to call the signals.
DAN HARMSEN
@udk dan
"I think for us to win the football game, not to be better and to be more competitive, but for us to win more football games it starts with the guy with the ball in his hands on every play." Weis said.
That "guy" is sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart.
While he had some success carrying the football, Cozart completed just 23 of his 63 attempted passes and has yet to throw a touchdown. For a quarterback who is known by many, including himself, as a pass-first quarterback, those numbers can seem alarming.
As is the case for many young players, Cozart took some time to adjust to the speed of Division I football as a true freshman last fall.
If Cozart can calm his nerves and let the game come to him, when you factor in his ability to run the football, Kansas could have itself a solid leader of the newly-implemented spread offense.
"I think the biggest thing [for Cozart] is not being nervous." Weis said. "Accuracy is never an issue when you watch him throw in practice. It's what he is going to do when the pressure is on."
"He's been very good," offen
sive coordinator John Reagan said. "Not just by throwing the ball, not just by calling plays and getting us into the right plays but the way he is handling things. He has every right to be where he is with his confidence right now."
If Cozart can beat Kansas basketball players at their own game, just imagine what he can do on the gridiron.
Cozart was named the starting quarterback near the end of spring, so he has had the summer to grow into his leadership role.
"I know I'm not supposed to say this," Cozart said. "but one time we were at the [recreation center], and the football players were playing against the basketball players, and we actually beat them."
Weis said he is cautiously
Time will tell if that confidence translates to the field when it counts. Cozart's first test comes this Saturday as the Jayhawks take on the Southeast Missouri State Redhawks at Memorial Stadium.
Edited by Logan Schlossberg
Got ADHD? BEFORE FINALS GET TESTED.
The team has yet to take the field, but with last year's game experience under his belt and an offseason of leading the offense. Cozart is primed for a bigger season.
optimistic about his quarterback, and believes the only thing in Cozart's way is, at times, himself.
"I probably made a mistake," Weis said. "I probably should have gone to the brown pants for the past couple of games, but because we played him, we're in a different position now than if we hadn't played him... I'm so glad we did."
"I think that right now he's confident bordering on cocky," Weis said. "And that's a good place to be."
Interpersonal PSYCHIATRY Hiten Soni, MD
SERVICES
General Psychiatry LGBT Oriented Issues Cognitive Behavior Therapy Medication Management
Call Or Text 785.393.6167
Get back up the hill with Don's Auto Center Service plus quality since 1974.
Auto Repair Machine Shop 11th & Haskell·785-841-4833
+