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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
1B
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2001
Commentary
Brian
Hanni
Columnist
sportskansan.com
Tiny tandem looms large for Kansas football
Sometimes big things come in small packages. Just ask Roger Ross and Derek Mills.
The Kansas receiving duo will be the first to tell you that size doesn't always matter. While their case may be a tough one, there are definitely several facts in their favor, especially after Saturday's game with Missouri.
Senior Ross and sophomore Mills — who both peak at 5-foot-7 with their high tops on — were far and away the 'Hawks most productive weapons against the Tigers. Ross caught five balls for 89 yards and racked up 110 yards on four punt returns. Mills hauled in three receptions for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Even though it was the best game of Mills' young career and one of Ross better ones, their numbers on Saturday were nothing out of the ordinary. Ross and Mills have been anchoring the 'Hawks receiving core all year long.
In a group that has seven players more than six-feet-tall and 10 players weighing at least 190 pounds, the tiny tandem of Ross and Mills has lead the way through the first half of the season.
Ross currently leads the team in receptions and receiving yards per game, while Mills owns team honors for touchdown receptions. Among those Jayhawks who've caught more than just one pass, Mills and Ross rank one and two in average yards per catch
The two have posted such numbers because they possess other tools that make up for their small stature and less than bulky bodies. Their speed counters what they lack in height, which allows them to beat the opposing cornerbacks downfield. Their elusiveness makes up for their lack of size, which helps them rack up big yards after the catch.
Ross' and Mills' numbers are even more impressive because of the era in which they're posting them. While you'll still find plenty of tiny targets throughout the college ranks, most coaches are now looking to recruit bigger wide outs who stand 6 foot 3 inches and above. Texas' Roy Williams is a perfect example of today's prototypical wide receiver. The Longhorn sophomore is 6 foot 5 inches, 210 pounds with great speed as well. Thanks to his size and speed, Williams is a lock for the NFL no matter how many catches he makes or touchdowns he scores.
Receivers like Williams have forced coaches to groom their defensive backs to be even bigger as well. With cornerbacks getting bigger and stronger every year, french fries and wide receivers are no longer the only things being super-sized. Ross and Mills typically give up four or five inches to the guys covering them, yet usually seem to come out on top.
Just last week, two of Missouri's three starting defensive backs measured 6 foot 1 inch, but "small ball" with Ross and Mills still proved effective. This week things don't get much easier as K-State's secondary also boasts plenty of size and strength. It'll be another mismatch for the Jayhawks' little guys, but don't count out Ross and Mills.
These two may look small, but they always find a way to come up big.
Hanni is a Topeka senior in broadcast management.
Love on the soccer field
Wizard's soccer player keeps the magic alive with Jayhawk captain
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
"When you and I met, the angels whispered 'Perfect' - Unknown
Pardis Brown's broken leg turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful blessing in disguise.
The junior defender suffered the injury in 1998 - her freshman year -- while playing at the University of Portland. She was forced to take a medical redshirt, and during the slow rehabilitation process, she was often seen in the training room working on getting her leg back into playing shape.
Chris Brown was in that very same training room on that very same September afternoon. He was concluding one of the finest careers ever by a Portland soccer player, and a professional calling was in the near future. As he sat in the training room preparing for another practice, he noticed Pardis from across the way.
"She was riding the bike," Chris said. "And I thought, 'I need to go talk to her,' so I just went over there and started talking to her."
Fifteen months after the ice was broken, Pardis and Chris were married. in December 1999, Chris was 22 years old and Pardis was 19.
"My family always raised me to think that while you're young, you can grow up together." Pardis said. "So it's important to be young when
SEE LOVE PAGE 5A
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN
Pardis and Chris Brown, married almost two years, share their love of soccer, snowboarding and each other. Chris, a forward for the Kansas City Wizards, is responsible for bringing Pardis to the University of Kansas.
Junior midfielder Pardis Brown goes up for a header against a University of Texas player. Brown, one of three Jayhawk captains, was named to the second-team All Big 12 as a sophomore.
1 AURIF SISK/KANSAN
'Hawks schedule the hardest
Football team faces toughest opponents in the nation
Senior Wide receiver Roger Ross holds onto the ball Sept. 8 against UCLA. The Jayhawks lost the game 41-17, but it helped to place Kansas as the team with the toughest schedule in the nation.
By Jeff Denton Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas football team has lost twice as many games as it has won this season, but when it has fallen, it has fallen to the nation's best.
The NCAA released Monday that the Jayhawks have played the toughest schedule among the 117 college football teams in Division 1. Once tabbed with playing the fifth strongest schedule before the season started, Kansas has moved up to the top spot after UCLA has surged to No.4 in the country and Oklahoma has held steady in the top three all season
LAURIE SISK/KANSAN.
The Bruins throttled the Jayhawks 41-17 Sept. 8. Oklahoma outscored them 38-10 Oct. 13. Colorado, who is ranked No. 25, crippled Kansas in the second half at home Sept. 22 before winning 26-17.
After witnessing his team crumble late in Saturday's 38-34 defeat to Missouri, Kansas coach Terry Allen knew that a chance to even his team's record to 3-3 was squandered.
But Allen, who has said his team has progressed each week, did not look at the Missouri loss as a setback.
"No disregard to Missouri," Allen said. "I think they did a great job to come over and win the game and do the things that they did. But I felt that had we played up to our capabilities, we could have won that football game."
The Jayhawks fourth loss came at a critical point in their season. Allen and his squad will battle two Top 10 teams in the next three weeks — Nebraska, whom Kansas plays Nov. 3, is No. 2. Texas, whom Kansas will visit a week later, is No. 7. The first six weeks of the season has troubled Kansas, but it will only toughen as November nears.
Senior free safety Jamarei Bryant was disappointed about Saturday's loss to the
"It was a game we expected to win but just couldn't," Bryant said. "But it seems like we can never pull off the win late in games. We can play with those guys. I know we can. We're just going to have to step it up to win."
Senior wide receiver Roger Ross
thought the schedule in his final year at Kansas would not have been as difficult as it has, but he said that finishing the year strong was possible.
"We are a real good team, we shouldn't be 2-4," Ross said. "But you have to learn from the losses. Life goes on, but we are going to give it our all."
Contact Denton at 864-4858
By Ryan Wood Kansan sportswriter
Soccer team shuts out foe returns to Big 12 play
The Kansas soccer team exploded for a 5-0 rout of Drury University yesterday at Super Target Field after being shut out in two straight conference games this past weekend.
The Jayhawks started the attack just two minutes into the game and never looked back, improving to 10-5 on the season.
"Anytime you score five goals, it's definitely good," coach Mark Francis said. "Especially after we got shut out this weekend. It got our offense going a little bit again, and that was good."
Drury, 6-9 on the season, could not get a single shot off during the contest, while the Jayhawks pounded out24.
"It's nice to have 10 wins now," Francis said. "That's the first time we've ever been in double figures. I think we were supposed to win 10 or more."
Freshman forward Monica Brothers scored right away, taking an Amy Geha pass and dribbling around goalkeeper Jennie Grib and into the net.
The Panthers were able to contain the Jayhawk attack briefly, but freshman forward Rachel Gilfillan scored in the 33rd minute to put Kansas up 2-0. Junior defender Brianna Valento was credited with the assist.
The first-half attack wasn't done,
SEE SOCCER PAGE 5A
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