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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY,DAILY KANSAN
Mundine seeks consistent play in 2014 season
STELLA LIANG
@stelly_liang
The player who led Kansas football with five receiving touchdowns last season was not a wide receiver. The player who was second on the team in total receiving yards with 229 was not a wide receiver.
Instead, it was tight end Jimmay Mundine, who held those statistics during a season when the wide receivers struggled for offensive production. If it wasn't for some drops, the numbers would have been even higher for the senior.
Mundine's production didn't go unnoticed in the world of college football. Mundine, who is Kansas' active leader in touchdowns with nine, was named to the John Mackey Award preseason watch list earlier this summer. The award goes to the nation's most outstanding college tight end at the end of the season.
"That was a great honor to be on there because I remember my freshman year coming here, and I was looking up guys who were winning," Mundine said. "It was a very big deal, and it seemed like such a far goal for me to accomplish."
Mundine, from Denison,
Texas, caught five of the nine
touchdowns thrown by lay-
hawk quarterbacks last season.
He's one of three Big 12 tight
ends to make the list.
Despite the attention, Mundine is focusing on what happens on the field.
"To be honest, we haven't talked about it [Mackey Award] that much," said末 coach Jeff Blasko tight. "He's a pretty humble guy. He just goes about his business day-to-day and he doesn't really talk about those things."
"I see Jimmay being more consistent, playing with more confidence, playing with more focus..."
JEFF BLASKO Tight ends coach
If there is a knock to Mundine's game, it would be his inconsistency and his tendency to drop the occasional pass. Mundine dropped two crucial passes in the second game against Rice University last season.
These are things Blasko plans to work on with him.
"I see limmay being more consistent, playing with more confidence, playing with more focus, playing with more concentration," Blasko said. "The ability is there. We just have to get his mind right."
Tight ends have been a large factor in the offensive game in recent years. This year, Coach Charlie Weis has given the reins to John Reagan from Rice as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach.
Blasko said even with the change, the tight end will continue to have a big place in the scheme.
"I see that to continue to be the case, especially with the personnel," Blasko said. "Although we have really four guys in the room right now who are going to compete for time this year, and I'm anxious to see how it all plays out."
Mundine had the first announced injury of the season. On Aug. 12, the team revealed that Mundine underwent a minor procedure to his knee. He is expected to start in the opening game on Sept. 6.
— Edited by Logan Schlossberg
Junior tight end Jimmy Mundine pushes against the defense to get to the end zone during the Sept. 21, 2013 game against Louisiana Tech at Memorial Stadium. The Jayhawks won 13-10.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
The map shows the course that Kansas will take at Rim Rock Farm during the meet on Saturday. This is the first meet of the season for the team.
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Cross country teams begin season Saturday
JOEY ANGUIANO
@Joey_Anguiano
At 9 a.m. Saturday, the gun will go off for the first time in almost a year for the University of Kansas cross country runners. While the teams have a few returning runners, there are expected to be quite a few new runners for the Jayhawks.
New runners still will have the pressure of holding up past successes and traditions. After a season that saw the men's team finish fifth at the NCAA regional meet, the Jayhawks hope to start the season by winning their 12th straight race on their home course, Rim Rock Farm, just east of Lawrence.
The team will have to overcome the loss of All-Region runners Josh Munsch and Reid Buchanan, who are no longer on the team. Instead of Buchanan and Munsch, look for seniors Evan Landes and James Wilson, along with the help of sophomores Alexandre Lavigne, Daniel Koech and Tyler Yunk to lead the way. Yunk took first last season at the Timmons Classic, which was his first collegiate race, and looks to continue that trend
this season.
On the women's side, expectations — like the Kansas temperatures — are on the rise. A young team with no seniors, the runners hope to get hot not only this season, but also next season. The team will be led by juniors Hannah Richardson, who was All-Big 12 and All-Regional last season, and Hayley Francis, who was a consistent finisher last season as well. The two juniors also know they can rely on the newcomers and the younger runners to help the group get points in races. Look out for redshirts Grace Morgan and Lydia Saggau to run extremely well in their first outing after injuries caused them to redshirt last season.
On Saturday, both the men's and women's teams will take on runners from Highland Community College, Iowa Western, Oral Roberts University and the University of Missouri Kansas City. The men's 6K (3.72 miles) starts at 9 a.m., and the women's 5K (3.2 miles) starts at 10 a.m.at Rim Rock Farm.
— Edited by Casey Hutchins
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