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SPORTS
1B
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16,2002
Defense works on intensity
Mangino prepares struggling players for Texas A&M
Kansan file photo
Kansas defenders wrap up Colorado running back Bobby Purify. Purify carried the ball 10 times for 76 yards against the Jayhawks last Saturday. Kansas defense has allowed over 26 points per game and ranks last in total defense among Big 12 teams. Coach Mark Mangino said he wanted more intensive contact drills to help prepare the team for Texas A&M on Saturday.
By John Domoney
jdomoney@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
In the last three games against the University of Tulsa, Baylor University and the University of Colorado, the Kansas football team has dug itself early holes by falling behind in each game by two touchdowns in the first quarter.
Being outscored 65-16 in the game's opening quarter has been an unwelcome trend for the Jayhawks and coach Mark Mangino, who said he had taken steps to eliminate his team's inability to grab early momentum.
"We're going to start our practice with a little more intensity." Mangino said during yesterday's press conference. "We changed the stretch routine and what we do in the first half hour of practice."
Mangino said that the team would go through its routine teaching sessions, then it would move directly onto intensive contact drills.
The emphasis put on more contact drills is directed at a Kansas defense which has allowed more than 26 points per game and ranks last among total defense in the Big 12 conference.
been mirrored in the last three games when the Jayhawk defenders have surrendered more than 40 points per game.
Much of the defense's struggles have
Kansas defensive coordinator Bill Young said the problem emerged from his defense's inability to eliminate the
other team's big plays on offense, such as the long ground gains Colorado running back Chris Brown had in Saturday's game.
"We had 40 other rushing plays where we gave 121," he said. "There's no way you can win a game giving up 306 yards on eight plays."
Young said Colorado had eight plays for 306 yards this weekend.
SEE FOOTBALL PAGE 4B
Dyer returns to field as safety
Kansan file photo
Zach Dyer, former quarterback, gets taken down by an Iowa State Cyclone in Kansas' first game of the season. Dyer was recently re-assigned to play safety.
By Doyle Murphy
dmurphy@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
Zach Dyer might start for Kansas against Texas A&M Saturday. No, not at quarterback — junior Bill Whittemore has that spot locked up. Dyer has switched to the other side of the ball.
Dyer, a junior from Olathe, started four games at quarterback last season, while splitting time with Mario Kinsey, who has since left the team. This season, he started the Kansas' opener at Iowa State University.
He was soon relegated to the sidelines after completing 6-of-14 passes for 50 yards and throwing an interception in the first half.
He did not take another snap until he replaced Whittimore late in the second half of Kansas' 43-33 win against the University of Tulsa.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he approached Dyer about moving to free safety and special teams in order to
"It's kind of nice being a hitter instead of the hittee."
Zach Dyer
Former quarterback and current safety
return one of his best athletes back to the playing field.
"He's an impressive guy," Mangino said yesterday. "My only regret is that we didn't do this a while back."
Dyer would have made the move sooner, but the Kansas coaches were concerned about losing him as an option at quarterback if Whittemore were injured, Mangino said. Senior reserve Jonas Weatherbie has become Whittemore's backup, but if both are injured Dyer will return to quarterback, Mangino said.
In his defensive debut against the University of Colorado, Dyer was involved in eight tackles, including three solo stops.
Despite practicing at his new position for only two weeks and playing in
one game. Dyer will definitely get a lot of playing time Saturday, defensive coordinator Bill Young said.
"He's picking it really well," Young said. "He's an intelligent kind of guy."
He spent his Olathe South High School career playing both quarterback and free safety.
Playing defense is not a foreign concept for Dyer.
"I've always been a football player and I've played defense all my life until I came to college," Dyer told reporters. "It's a lot of fun just to be back out on the field and playing, whether it is defense or offense."
He hasn't given up on offense yet.
He said he would be ready to step back into his quarterback role if needed, but he enjoyed delivering blows to those he used to consider colleagues.
"It's kind of nice being a hitter instead of the hittee," he said.
— Edited by Matt Gehrke
SPORTS COMMENTARY
Ryan Malashock rmalashock@kansan.com
Volleyball prepares to pelt purple
Jill Dorsey despises purple. Not sure if grape gum, Barney and orchids are included in that. But, for a volleyball player from Wellsville, it's overwhelmingly evident what she means when discussing her hatred of the color.
"I hate purple," Dorsey said. "Kansas State has been a rivalry for so long, and we want to beat them so bad. There's bragging rights there, and we have to gain some back."
Jill was 11 the last time Kansas defeated its in-state rival.
Current teammate Abbie Jacobson was 12, but her mindset towards the Wildcats was slightly altered from Dorsey's. Jacobson grew up in St. Mary's, which is 30 minutes from Manhattan, around Kansas State fanaticism. She was taught to love purple. Her family needed a little convincing when she committed to Kansas three years ago.
"I definitely became a Jayhawk during my freshman year, but it took some time. My parents needed some more time to get used to it, I think," Jacobson said with a laugh. "But now, I want to be them badly just like everyone else."
Dorsey, Jacobson and the rest of the Jayhawks may feel hatred for the Wildcats, but they won't have history on their side as they enter one of the biggest
"I hate purple. Kansas State has been a rivalry for so long,and we want to beat them so bad. There's bragging rights there, and we have to gain some back."
Jill Dorsey sophomore defensive specialist
matches in recent Kansas history.
For seven years, bragging rights have been at stake in the Kansas-Kansas State volleyball rivalry, and, in every of the 14 matches over that time, those bragging rights have traveled back to Manhattan with the Wildcats.
Kansas State has flat out annihilated Kansas in its last five matches in Lawrence, four of them being sweeps.
All signs point toward a ho-hum Kansas State victory.
SEE MALASHOCK PAGE 4B
Students vie for men's basketball team walk-on spots
By Kelly McNearney
kmnearney@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
Fifty-five Jayhawk hopefuls showcased their basketball skills this week in hopes of fulfilling the dream of playing college basketball in Allen Fieldhouse.
Kansas men's basketball walk-on tryouts began this week, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday and Monday.
"This is my second year trying out," said Marpray Monson, Chicago sophomore "Everybody knew that last year they weren't going to take anybody."
Some know all too well the disappointment tryouts can bring.
Ben Miller, men's basketball assistant coach, made no cuts after the first workout, but only 45 returned for day two.
Monson said he had been skipping classes to practice and had been working day and night to prepare for tryouts. He spent most of his time playing pick-up games.
D. J. Watkins, Lawrence freshman, said he had
Other hopefuls tried other methods.
Neither Monson nor Watkins said they played as well as they would have liked Monday.
been running and conditioning to get in shape.
"The Jayhawks' practices are extremely intense, and I think if I had the chance to play, I'm in shape enough to do it." Watkins said.
Watkins said Williams' presence affected the players and made things more hectic.
Coach Roy Williams watched the tryouts from the bleachers for the first hour Monday.
"You could tell there was definitely a feeling that swept over everyone,a little bit of nervousness and everyone kind of became more alert and more anxious." Watkins said.
Wayne Simien, sophomore forward, and Jeff Hawkins, freshman guard, both watched tryouts Monday night. They had their eyes on certain players.
"I know one name-- Brett Olson," Hawkins said. "They say he's been trying out every year. He makes it to the final cut every year. I watched him play a little bit. He's got some real good passing moves. I think we could use him."
SEE BASKETBALL PAGE 4B
Kelly McNearney/Kansar
Grant Creighton, Denver sophomore, and Scott Aligo, Tonganoxie junior, search for their names on the men's basketball walk-on trvout list. Creighton made the cut, but Aligo did not.
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