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SPORTS
KANSAN.COM
EVAN RIGGS
@EvanRiggsUDK
Football Gameday
RUTGERS
KANSAS
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
EISH SMITHSON
FISH SMITHSON
FRESHMAN CORNERBACK
Through two games, Smithson has 17 tackles, which is more than the second and third leading tacklers on the team combined (15). He's been active in the passing game, leading the Jayhawks with two pass deflections, and his forced fumble is the only turnover caused by the Jayhawks this season. His nose for the ball will be important for a defense that has struggled to tackle so far this season.
TRE' PARMALEE
SENIOR, WIDE RECEIVER
★★★☆☆
The Jayhawks have had a very balanced attack at receiver this year with 12 guys who have caught at least one pass through two games. Parmalee leads the pack in yards (97) and is the only one to catch a touchdown this season. His ability to get open and create yards after the catch makes him a nice safety valve for Cozart in the Jayhawks first road game of the season.
MONTELL COZART
JUNIOR, QUARTERBACK
★★☆☆☆
After a career day in week one, Cozart come back to earth against Memphis throwing for just 118 yards with a completion percentage under 50 percent. Until Cozart proves he can consistently complete deep passes, defenses will continue to dare him to throw deep by taking away all of the short routes.
BEN GOODMAN
SENIOR, DEFENSIVE END
★★★☆☆
Before the season, Goodman said his goal was to record 15 sacks, and he's on pace to do that with 3.5 sacks through two games. The defensive line struggled to get any pressure on the quarterback in a big loss to Memphis. The team will rely on Goodman on to pressure the quarterback this weekend for the Jayhawks' defense to be successful.
KE'AUN KINNER
JUNIOR, RUNNING BACK
Kinner has been the best player for the Jayhawks this season with over 100 rushing yards in each of his first two games. Kinner has shown hes an explosive athlete in the open field, but he also has the ability to break tackles on his way to three rushing touchdowns. The Jayhawks will continue to lean on Kinner to move the chains, run the clock and keep their struggling defense off the field.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
CHRIS LAVIANO
CHRIS LAVIANO
SOPHOMORE, QUARTERBACK
Laviano looks good on paper but has turned the ball over in crucial situations this year, leading his team to an 1-2 record in his two starts. Laviano leads the Big Ten in completion percentage (72 percent), and has been incredible on first downs. But his three interceptions have come back to burn Rutgers; he's even been booed by fans at home. It's possible that sophomore Hayden Rettig could start over Laviano this week, though the depth chart does not reflect that.
JOSH HICKS
JOSH HICKS
POMOHOME, RUNNING BACK
★★★☆
Hicks is averaging 6.3 yards per carry and is the best running back on this team, yet he is not listed as the starter. He's averaging 86 rushing yards per game and topped 100 yards for the third time in his career last week. He's listed behind team captain Paul James on the depth chart. James is still recovering from serious injuries, which have put a quick end to each of his last two seasons.
★★★☆☆
STEVE LONGA
JUNIOR, LINEBACKER
Longa is the defensive leader on this team. He has tied or led the team in tackles in 20 of his 29 career games and leads the active team with 251 career tackles. He is a ferocious pass defender who will give Cozart trouble on short throws, a staple of this Kansas version of the air raid offense.
KEMOKO TURAY
SOPHOMORE,DEFENSIVE END
★★★☆☆
If defensive tackle Darius Hamilton was healthy and ready to play, he'd be a four-star guy. But he's questionable with what is suspected to be a knee injury and is still up for a possible redshirt, meaning he could stay sidelined this year. However, Turay is almost as exciting, albeit a bit more raw. The 6-foot-6 defensive end played mostly downs in his freshman season but is trying to become an every down guy this year.
ANTHONY CIOFFI JUNIOR, FREE SAFETY
★★☆☆
Cioffi is a former corner who converted to free safety over the offseason. Those ballhawking skills he learned at corner have already translated over the last two seasons when he played three games at free safety and recorded two interceptions. This year he's done the same — three games and two interceptions. He's quite the athlete and a guy Cozart has to be weary of when throwing the ball across the middle.
PREDICTION: RUTGERS 41, KANSAS 21
By the Numbers
135
The amount of rushing yards per game for Kinner, which is best in the Big 12. Baylor's junior running back Shock Linwood is a distant second with 102.5 yards per game.
The amount of yards per kick return for redshirt freshman Ryan Schadler, which is currently 8th best in the country.
557
The amount of total yards per game allowed by the Jayhawk defense. That is fifth worst in the country and worst in the Big 12.
Rutgers players players suspended or kicked off the team. Of those, four were crucial and expected to be contributors to the team. Leading those four is wide receiver Leonte Carroo, an All-Big Ten player for last year.
Point's Rutgers scored in its Big Ten opener against Penn State. Quarterback Chris Laviano struggled, posting a 28.5 raw quarterback rating and tossing two interceptions along the way.
Straight games Leonte Carroo has posted a reception in. Carroo, the top offensive player in this Rutgers offense, has been suspended and will not play.
Men's golf team places second at Invitational
MATT HOFFMANN
@MattHoffmannUDK
The Kansas men's golf team finished second overall at the Ram Masters Invitational over the weekend, eight strokes behind tournament winner and host Colorado State University. The Jayhawks were led by senior Ben Welle, who shot a four under par and won the individual championship by two strokes.
Kansas was only one stroke out of the lead at one over par after the first two rounds of the Invitational on Monday,
"We played well today," coach Jamie Bermel said after the first round of the tournament. "We let a few slip away late, but overall a pretty good start to the event. The third round is going to be a lot of fun, CSU on their home course will be tough to beat but that's why we play."
The Rams proved to be too much for the Jayhawks to handle. Colorado State shot eight over par in the third round, leaving them at nine over through the entirety of
seemingly in the hunt for the championship with one round to play.
the tournament. They finished just one over par on Tuesday, securing the championship by eight strokes on their home course.
accomplishing it feels incredible. It is not only a big win for me, but for my school as well."
"This was one of my goals for this year and
BEN WELLE Senior Golfer
The Jayhawks also finished second in pars and eagles made, and third in birdies made with 39. Kansas' second place finish is an improvement over their fifth place finish in the Rod Myers Invitational earlier this month.
The brightest star for Kansas was Welle, who finished first place overall in the tournament, shooting four under par on the 7,215 yard, par 70 course. Welle put together the most complete tournament of any player despite starting the first round with a double bogey.
"Ben had a great day for
Welle would shoot two over par in the third and final round but was able to hold off Colorado State's Dominic Kieffer and Max Oelfke, who finished tied for second at one under par.
us today," Bermel said. "(He made a double bogey on his first hole of his second round and really showed a lot of maturity and poise to put together a great second round in tough conditions."
"This was one of my goals for this year and accomplishing it feels incredible," Welle said. "It is not only a big win for me, but for my school as well. (I'm)
really proud to represent Kansas here in Fort Collins."
Other Kansas individual scores include Connor Peck who finished tied for fourth place shooting even along with Chase Hanna and Charlie Hillier who finished tied for 25th. Kansas men's golf will now turn its attention toward the Badger Invitational in Madison, Wis, which begins on Sept. 27. The team will look to keep improving their result as a team and notch the first tournament victory of the season.
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