6
Thursday, October 9,1975
University Daily Kansan
Slow start hampers Smith
You remember Laverne Smith, don't you? He established himself as the top season rusher in University of Kansas football history as a sophomore last year.
He's still running for the Jayhawks. But his performances to date, quite frankly, haven't up to the expectations of KU fans who were drooling over what they thought Smith might accomplish after last fall's
Inside Sports
by Yael Abouhalkah
Sports Editor
Through KU's first four games, Smith, a 6-100, pound Wichita junior, has gained 27 ounces for a 51.4 yards a game average. That's a far cry from last year's average of more than 100 yards a game.
But there are indications that Smith is snapping out of his early season drought. He rushed for 94 yards on a pass to Lehigh in the first half.
There are quite a few reasons for his sub-par statistics so far, Smith said Wednesday.
"IN MOST OF THE GAMES, the cornerback or the defensive end runs right on me even though he said.
1,1' UF's, in other words, are keying on Smith this year. They know the speedy Smith ran for 1,181 yards last year, including seven games of more than 100 vards.
There are other reasons Smith isn't turning up the league as he did last year. One is the emergence of Nolan Cromwell as a running quarterback. The other reason is that the team wasn't getting to carry the football as often as last year.
Last season he carried 16 times a game; this year it's down to an average of 7.5 a game.
"It's not really that much tougher this year," he said, "because last year, when I'd get the ball, there would be three or four guys on me. But I carried the ball more last year.
"LAST YEAR, WITH THE VEER, it was automatic
Laverne Smith
handing the ball off to a running back. I got the ball more. But now, with the wishbone, the quarterback can give a quarterback keeper, he can pitch to me or he can give the ball to the fullback.
"He can decide to do this at the line of scrimmage.
That's why I might not get the ball, if my play is too hard."
"To get some yards, I've got to run the ball."
Smith's speed helped him move for many of his record-setting yards last year. He got outside quickly,
then turned on that speed to outrun many ends and defensive backs.
But to some KU fans, it looked as if Smith wasn't doing that outside running very well this year. In the Oregon State game, in particular, he would run out of bounds and back into inside and get smothered for little or no gain.
CHARGES THAT HE'S AFRIDA of running at and over opponents are absurd, Smith said.
"When I'm on the field, I know what I'm doing," he said. "People in the stands don't know all of what's going on. I did well most times to get where I was going in that game.
"I'm not a fancy back. I run to where the hole is. If there isn't one, I try to find one."
Smith's immediate problem is KU's game this Saturday against the University of Nebraska. While the Jayhawks have the most potent rushing offense in the league, averaging 317 yards a contest, the Cornhuskers are the stingiest team against the run, allowing just 73 yards a contest.
"They've got a name," Smith said of Nebraska's defense. "People playing them get panicky. If we don't get panky and read everything right, we can beat them."
SMITH'S RIBS WERE INJURED in Kansas' opening loss to Washington State. That kept him from going full speed for a week. And Smith said he was still feeling the effects of that injury
"They're still sore," he said. "When I get right on them, they don't stop." Sometimes, but they're not stopping me from playing.
By no means does Smith consider this season a lost one. He still has enough games to show some of the brilliance that made him an All-Big Eight performer last year. But he talks about the season realistically.
"I wanted to lead the Big Eight in rushing and I wanted to make All-America this year," he said. "But the way it's going, I'm so far behind, I'm probably not going to do it."
"But I don't know if I care that much anymore. I want to win first. I want to go to a bowl game."
"I don't want to sit around and watch them on TV this year."
Kansas
Nebraska's "doubtful" offense has
its football coach Bud Moore plenty
lucky.
"They have a fine running attack and a good passing attack." Moore said yesterday. "It's tough to get ready for them."
Cornhusk runners Tony Davis, Monte Anthony and John O'Leary run behind an offensive line that Moore called both big and quick.
"We're just going to have to get quicker to do anything different." "We don't plan to do anything different."
"They're a quicker for their size than any team we've faced," he said. "We've faced some big people, but they are by far the quickest."
Nebraska
LINOOL, Neb. (AP)—Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said yesterday that split and Chuck Malto apparently is out of the game on Saturday because of a strained knee.
"Unless there's great improvement he won't play. Osborne said. "We expect him to be playing."
Also held out of Wednesday's practice was starting backyellow Tony Davis, who has a hip pointer. Davis is expected to return to practice Thursday.
Obsorne said no Nebraska defense had been set up specifically to stop passer Scott McMichael if he replaced Nolan Cromwell as the Kansas quarterback in the event the Huskers shut off the strong Kansas running game.
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Athletic program ends in black
KU's athletic program for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1975, balanced $70,415 in the black, Athletic Director Clyde Walker said at yesterday's KU meeting.
"Obviously we're pleased that we are now operating from a sound financial foundation," Walker said. "But while the financial future of our program appears realistic, we must be quick to point out that we aren't clear of money problems."
A new basketball scoreboard in Allen Field House might be ready by late August. But it's not the new football scoreboard in Memorial Stadium won't be final for a few months, he said.
Walker said contributions to the Williams Educational Fund had spurred the financial success. The contributions received by the Foundation were donated during Walker's two years at KU.
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