Tell us your news:
Contact Levi Chronister or
Jessica Tims at (785) 664-
4858 or jtims@kansan.com
SPORTS
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
1B
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2002
Jayhawks keep losing
Nebraska defeats team for 34th game in a row
By John Domoney
jdomoney@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
The Kansas football team is in uncharted waters as it enters its final week of practice for this Saturday's season finale with Oklahoma State at Memorial Stadium.
On Saturday in Lincoln, Neb., Kansas lost its 34th straight game to Nebraska 45-7 dropping its record to 2-9. Kansas is 0-7 in conference play for the first time since 1986, and the Jayhawks are in danger of not winning a conference game for the first time since 1987. That year's team finished 0-6-1 in the Big Eight Conference.
"Once again, our kids gave everything they had," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. "It's so hard to go into that locker room after the game and tell them that I love their effort because they are tired of that. They want to win."
After Nebraska running back Dahran Diedrick opened the game's scoring with a 53-yard touchdown run with 11:09 in the first quarter, Kansas senior quarterback Jonas Weatherbie connected with senior wide receiver Byron Gasaway for a 50- yard touchdown pass.
The touchdown pass was the last highlight for the Jayhawks. Weatherbie left the game with a tear in his anterior cruciate ligament with 4:45 left in the first quarter.
Mangino said the injury was a tough way for Weatherbie's career to end at Kansas after he had directed the Kansas offense to 109 first-quarter vards.
"He really looked sharp and we were really happy with Jonas," Mangino said.
"We were talking on the headsets about him looking good. The coaches upstairs asked me what does he look like and what is his demeanor. I told
After Weatherbie was injured, the Cornhuskers scored 31 unanswered points.
them it was great."
Nebraska outrushed Kansas 352 yards to 71 yards behind their duo of running backs.
David Horne led the attack with 122 yards on nine carries to go along with Diedrick, who rushed for 107 vards on 12 carries.
'Husker coach Frank Solich said after the game that Kansas was at a disadvantage when Weatherbie left the game.
be told this game.
"If you look at it from the standpoint that going into the game Kansas was operating with their second-string quarterback, and then ended using their third-string quarterback an awful lot," Sollic said.
"That puts them behind the eight ball a little bit."
Second-year freshman quarterback Brian Luke replaced Weatherbie and completed 7-of-22 passes for 79 yards. Freshman Greg Heaggans also played several series at quarterback.
Heaggans, who played quarterback on the Kansas scout team in practice, never attempted a pass. He ran the ball eight times for 11 yards. Recruited as a receiver, Heaggans has seen the majority of his playing time on special teams returning kickoffs. Heaggans said he was eager to step on the field as quarterback after playing the position in high school.
"I love quarterback so I figure I can come out here and give it a try." Heaggans said.
The quarterback position has been uncertain for the Jayhawks since starting quarterback Bill Whittemore was injured against Missouri on Oct. 26.
Saturday will be senior day against Oklahoma State and the last chance for the Jayhawks to win a game in the Big 12 Conference.
"We are going to do everything we can this week to prepare for Oklahoma State," Mangino said. "It's our seniors last game in Memorial Stadium and we would like nothing better than for them to leave with their heads high."
Eric Braem/Kansan
Wide receiver Byron Gasaway makes a 50-yard reception for Kansas' only touchdown versus Nebraska. The catch Saturday was the senior's first career touchdown.
-Edited by Amanda Sears
Senior quarterback Jonas Weatherbie runs to evade Nebraska's defense in Lincoln, Neb. Weatherbie attempted nine passes Saturday before leaving the game because of injury.
Eric Braem/Kansan
Moment seized, then lost
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Jonas Weatherbie waited a long time for an opportunity to be Kansas' starting quarterback. That opportunity has come and gone in two games.
SEE WEATHERBIE ON PAGE 6B
The fifth-year senior got that chance last weekend against Kansas State. He threw an interception and completed 2-of-9 passes for zero yards, before coach Mark Mangino benched him in favor of freshman Brian Luke. But that wasn't the last Jayhawk fans
would see of Weatherbie.
He fared only slightly better in terms of complements, finishing 3 of 9 against the Cornhuskers, but he was clearly improved from the K-State game. He calmly ran the jayhawk offense, passing for 74 yards without a turnover. He did not seem rattled when the Nebraska defense crashed through the Jayhawks'
After practicing for a full week as the team's number-one quarterback, he made one last start against Nebraska Saturday.
Backup Luke may be key after all
Unlike your stereotypical male, I'm able to admit I may have been wrong.
In a column last Thursday, I said Kansas football coach Mark Mangino should start second-year freshman Brian Luke at quarterback in the team's final two games. I thought starting senior Jonas Weatherbie would make little sense because the Jayhawks were unlikely to win either game, so getting Luke game experience was the most important goal.
Mangino either didn't read my column or thought his 12 years of Big 12 Conference football experience gave him better insight. He started Weatherbie against Nebraska on Saturday, and the signal-caller responded with an inspired performance.
COMMENTARY
Weatherbie moved the ball well his first two plays, a four-yard run and a 17-yard completion to wide receiver Byron Gasaway, but the drive stalled near midfield and Nebraska scored on its first possession.
After Clark Green's five-yard run started the Jayhawks' second drive, Weatherbie found Gasaway wide open near the Cornhuskers' 10-yard line for a 50-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at seven. Weatherbie ran down the field, pumping his fist in celebration of the score, a career-long for both seniors.
SEE CHRONISTER ON PAGE 6B
Swim team wins meet at home
The Kansas swimming and diving team won its first home meet of the season on Saturday, defeating Wyoming 78-35 and Southwest Missouri State 75-20.
The Jayhawks improved their season record to 3-1, with the help of 21 seasonbest times.
"We came out and competed well," said coach Clark Campbell. "We were sharp, focused and we had a goal of putting together races well, and we accomplished that goal."
Junior Ashley Dower and senior Heidi Landherr were the stars of the meet for Kansas, Campbell said.
"They were thrown a big challenge," he said. "The number of events they swam, and the proximity of how close they were together. They put together outstanding races that they won, which was key."
Dower finished first in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.61, and first in the 100 freestyle with a time of 53.37. Landherr finished first in the 200 backstroke, with a season-best time of 2:08.83, and second in the 200 butterfly with 2:09.30.
With the meet taking place at Robinson Natatorium, Campbell said it was
SEE SWIMMING ON PAGE 6B
Bowling team improves at national tournament
The University of Kansas men's bowling team took fifth place out of a field of 46 teams in the Brunswick Great Lakes Collegiate tournament in Chicago over the weekend.
KU was led by senior Jesse James, who averaged the tournament's second highest score of 224. Senior Jason Elliott, Kansan staff member, was the second Jayhawk in the Top 10, placing ninth with an average score of 213. Graduate student Jason Reese finished with an average of 208. Ryan Ludwig, senior, followed with 205. Sophomore Marc D'Errico and freshman Ryan "Rhino" Page bowled averages of 199 and 195 respectively.
The women's team finished 13th out of 34 teams in the tournament. Freshmen Kelly Zapf and Annetta Manthei tied for the team-high average of 187. Senior Kristina Boehm was five pins behind with 182. Boehm was followed by freshmen Sarah Roenfeldt with 162, Kelly Sanders with 158 and Alecia Savage with 155.
"This was a national tournament, so it was the team's first experience with teams from both coasts," coach Mike Fine said. "It was a very good showing. The men's team placed sixth here last year, so we did show improvement."
The team will play next over the Thanksgiving holiday at the National Collegiate Team Match in St. Louis.
Jessica Tims
Graves now official member of Jayhawk squad
By Jessica Scott
jscott@kansan.com
Kansan writerspritter
A collective sigh of relief from the Kansas men's basketball team swept across campus last Wednesday, starting at Memorial Stadium and ending at Allen Fieldhouse.
Roy Williams announced at a Friday press conference that Graves, a 6-foot-9 junior college transfer, passed the required test Wednesday afternoon, a task that took him three additional
Jeff Graves passed his running test.
months to complete. Graves failed the initial team run on the first day of classes in August.
"I'm going to start treating him nicer now," Williams said.
A player must run at least 61/2 laps around the university track in
Graves
twelve minutes to earn membership on the Jayhawk squad. After a summer in which Graves did not condition himself physically, Williams said he was irked at
Graves' lack of preparation.
"You can't play at this level with that kind of commitment that he gave," Williams said. "He made some huge mistakes in the off season, allowed himself to really get out of shape."
Hard practices, paired with the possibility of never playing a minute throughout the entire season, motivated Graves to make the team.
"I've been pretty doggone tough on him in practice," Williams said. "If we'd have gone through 35 games or whatever, if he would have never passed the running tests, he would have never
Because Williams does not allow new players to speak with media until after the official first game, Graves has not commented on his situation. But sophomore Wayne Simien said the preseason talk took its toll on Graves.
"No matter how tough you are, you can say those kind of things don't bother you, but you could tell it was kind of getting to him," Simien said. "In the locker room we've just been trying to encourage and motivate him as much as possible. We're all happy for him."
able playing weight, Williams said, but his percentage of body fat had decreased while his attitude increased.
stepped out."
"That was about as happy as I've ever seen him Wednesday immediately after that," he said.
And as Graves' first criticizer, Williams also offered Graves his first congratulations.
"I was really happy for him because I have been really tough on him," Williams said. "He's partially out of the dog house — now we'll see how he can play."
Graves still hasn't reached a comfort- — Edited by Christine Grubbs
---
Y