THURSDAY, SEPT. 20, 2001
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN - 7A
Kansas football team to battle Buffaloes for bragging rights
Hawks looking to repeat 2000 performance
By Sarah Warren The Associated Press
Kansas is hoping Saturday's game against Colorado is more like last year's than the one in 1999.
In 1999, the last time the Jayhawks played at Boulder, the Buffalooes sent them back to Lawrence, heads hanging, after a 51-17 shellacking.
"There's a lot of guys on this team who remember that game," said Nate Dwyer, Kansas co-captain and defensive tackle. "I remember that game — I remember a whipping."
But last season's game in Lawrence was a big win for the Jayhawks. The 23-17 victory was the only big 12 game Kansas won at Mem-
oral Stadium, and also the Jayhawks' final victory of the season.
The game turned out to be both the high point and the stepping off point for Kansas. The Jayhawks lost their final four games by a total margin of 101 points (190-89).
After a 41-17 loss to UCLA and a season-opening 24-10 victory over Division I-AA Southwest Missouri State, Kansas hopes this year's match-up with Colorado will be a big win.
But the Jayhawks also hope it will be the first of many Big 12 wins this season, not their last conference victory.
"I think these teams aren't that different from last year," said coach Terry Allen. But, he said, "I think the mind sets are different."
This year when the two teams meet there will be less disparity in their
records.
While the Jayhawks have had tied records entering the last two meetings with the Buffaloes, in 2000 the Buffalooes were 1-5 when they met the Jayhawks. This year, Colorado is 2-1, beating Colorado State 41-14 and San Jose State 51-15.
Whether Kansas becomes another of Colorado's victims or turns the tables. Dwyer said, this game will mean big changes to the team's psyche.
"It could, with a big win, could give our team a lot of confidence after the UCLA (loss)," Dwyer said. "If we lose it will hurt our confidence ... a lot."
— Warren is the Kansas associate sports editor
Contact Warren at 864-4858
MADE IN AMERICA
The football team will be sporting American flags on the back of their helmets starting this weekend, to honor those who were struck by the tragedies that occurred Sept. 11. Jeff Himes, football equipment supervisor, is attaching stickers like this to the helmets before the game against Colorado in Boulder.
AARON LINDBERG/KANSAN
Kansas men's basketball recruit verbally commits to Kentucky
Post-attack flight delays kept standout from visiting KU campus
By Ryan Malashock
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas lost one of its main recruiting targets Monday when forward Bernard Cote orally committed to Kentucky.
Cote, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound power
While the oral commitment does not legally bind Cote to attend Kentucky, his mother, Louise Cote, said he would not pursue any other colleges.
forward from Montreal, Canada, was scheduled to visit Kansas last weekend, but did not because of the terrorist attacks and the ensuing flight delays.
After discussing the situation with his family, Cote decided to forgo his remaining visits, which were Kansas and Notre Dame.
Louise Cote said she was worried that people would think her son decided so quickly because he did not want to travel to his remaining visits.
"He said, 'Everybody will think the only reason I'm going to Kentucky is the tragedy, that I don't want to fly,' and that is not the reason." Louise Cote said.
She also said that Cote would have
"It would have been nice for Bernard to visit Kansas and Notre Dame."
Louise Cote
Bernard Cote's mother
benefited from visiting Kansas and Notre Dame, but that he seemed pleased with his visit to Kentucky.
"It would have been nice for Bernard to visit Kansas and Notre Dame. He really wanted to," Louise Cote said. "But he really had a great time at Kentucky
and likes the players, coaches and campus there."
With Cote's commitment, Kansas' list of main targets shrunk considerably. Kansas has three scholarships available to give out this season.
Kansas still is pursuing top recruits Jeff Graves, Hassan Adams and Brad Buckman.
Graves, a 6-8 forward from Iowa Western Community College, will visit Kansas on Saturday, Oct. 20. He also will visit Missouri and Long Beach State.
Adams, a 6-4 shooting guard from Los Angeles, visited Kansas Sept. 8 and met with Kansas coaches Roy Williams and Neil Dougherty at an in-home visit Sept. 10.
Adams has yet to visit other schools that are courting him, including Arizona, UCLA, California and Oregon.
Buckman, a 6-8 forward from Austin, Texas, has dropped UCLA from his list of schools, narrowing his choices to Kansas, North Carolina and Texas. Buckman visited Kansas the same weekend as Adams and said he enjoyed his time with the team.
"I really got along great with the Kansas players," Buckman said. "And the coaches were cool and you could joke around with them. I really liked meeting them."
Golf: Tough district rivalries
Contact Malashock at 864-4858
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8A
But Kansas hasn't forgotten about the two breeds of cats they tussle with for bragging rights.
Those other teams aren't necessarily the 11 other teams in the Big 12.
Perhaps less emphasis is placed on Big 12 competition in golf than in any other sport at Kansas.
"Missouri and Kansas State would be a natural rivalry, but we've played better than them the last few years." Randall said.
Though the Tigers and Wildcats haven't been up to par lately, both Kansas golf teams find friendly foes in Texas, Oklahoma State and Oklahoma because of the continued success of both the men's and women's teams.
"I'd say our big rivalries are OSU, Texas, and OU." Marshall said. "Anytime we have a chance to beat them you have to take the opportunity to do it."
Both Kansas golf teams are placed in a district with other teams from the region to determine play for the NCAA Championship. More rivalries may arise in district play.
The Jayhawk men compete in District V with 23 other teams, including perennial Big 12 powers Oklahoma State and Oklahoma.
The women's team is included in a much larger Central District composed of 66 teams mostly from the Big 12, Big 10 and Mid-American Conferences.
Kansas women's coach Nicole Hollingsworth said her team's play against the district teams often overshadowed the Big 12 wars.
"When we play somebody within our region it's
"You can win the Big 12 and not get recognition because if you don't play well at nationals, you don't get into the good tournaments."
Ross Randall Kansas golf coach
very important that we try to play as well as we can to defeat the district teams," Hollingsworn said.
Randall said his team realized winning against district opponents was more important to its success than winning in the Big 12.
"As long as you finish in the top seven in the district you advance to the NCAAs," Randall said. "You can win the Big 12 and not get recognition because if you don't play well at nationals, you don't get into the good tournaments."
For the Kansas golf teams to make it to nationals in May, both the players and coaches know they must work as a team.
Still, golf will forever be a solitary game in which the golfer must do battle with himself and the course.
Hill: May be done for season
"A lot is mental — especially at this level." Randall said. "It's a game where you must do better than you are. If all individuals do fine, the team does good."
Contact Domoney at 864-4858
If he returns at the end of the season, Hill would likely lose the opportunity to become Kansas' alltime leading receiver. With 25 catches and 732 receiving yards, Hill would overtake Willie Vaughn to be the school's leader in both categories.
"If I could come back for three or four, I think I would do it," he said. "My main thoughts right now are just getting back for this season. I think I will. I'm taking my vitamins and drinking a lot of milk."
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8A
He discussed his options with his parents, who encouraged him to stay positive and focus his energy on returning this year. They would also support a sixth year, he said.
Hill said the records won't factor into his decision.
Coach Terry Allen said he would support Hill's decision either way, and that the offense wouldn't change because of Hill's absence.
"Our offense wasn't designed to throw the ball to
"My main thoughts right now are just getting back for this season. I think I will. I'm taking my vitamins and drinking a lot of milk."
Harrison Hill Kansas wide receiver
certain positions," Allen said. "So nothing has to change."
Juniors Barry Goodrich and Byron Gasaway will take snaps at the vacated receiver position.
Hill said he will consider all the variables before he makes his final decision. With his injury causing him to wake up every half-hour in pain, he'll have plenty of time to think about it.
Contact Briggeman at 864-4858
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