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SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
9A
WWW.KANSAN.COM/SPORTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2002
Reid relishes new role
Freshman QB moves to defense after starter injury
John Nowak/Kansan
Keith Watts, defensive tackle, runs the ball during practice. Watts brings impressive strength to the position and is expected to become a key performer.
By Doyle Murphy
Kansan sportswriter
Considering Nick Reid learned to walk when he was 8-months old, it should come as no surprise that he has been quick to learn his new position on the Kansas football team.
Reid, a freshman, entered the game against Iowa State when the starting linebacker, Banks Floodman, injured his right knee. It was Reid's first action at linebacker after switching from quarterback less than a week earlier. He recorded four tackles including two sacks on Cyclone quarterback Seneca Wallace.
No one was happier about Reid's debut than his mother, Penny.
"We were cheering and clapping," she said. "It was great. Everybody was really excited in Derby. He has a great following in Derby."
The all-time leading passer at Derby High School, Reid said he made the switch to defense to avoid sitting out his first year at Kansas as a redshirt. He entered the season as Kansas' fourth quarterback.
Derby coach Tom Young said Reid played well on both sides of the ball in high school.
"He could play about any position there is," Young said. "I think he'd make an outstanding wide receiver, too."
Don't look for Reid to give up his defensive assignment anytime soon. He said he loves playing linebacker. When asked about his favorite part, Reid doesn't hesitate to answer.
"Hitting. I love to hit," he said. "It's fun."
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 124
Men's golfers vie for top positions
Rvan Greene
Kansan sportswriter
Kansas men's golf coach Ross Randall knows what he wants in his top players, though it is uncertain who will take the top six varsity spots.
"We're really looking for guys with a lot of enthusiasm," Randall said. "We want guys who are going to work hard all year. The older guys will find out quickly that there's going to be a lot more competition this year than there was last year."
Golfers are competing to fill big shoes left by graduated seniors Travis Hurst and Casey Harbour. Senior Chris Marshall, junior Tyler Hall, and sophomores Andrew Price and Kevin Ward were among the top players last season. Marshall was named All-Big 12 First Team in May.
"There will be five or six guys competing for maybe two or three spots.
Chris Marshall senior golfer
"It will be interesting to see who steps forward," Marshall said. "There will be five or six guys competing for maybe two or three spots. In those eight rounds of qualifying, to say the least, it's going to be very competitive."
Marshall is aware of the competition that will come from the younger players.
As of yesterday, the team had com
"Pete Krsnich won the Kansas Fourball tournament; he played well at the state amateur, and also showed well against the pros in Oklahoma." Randall said. "Everyone had their bright spots throughout the summer season, but Pete by far had the best summer."
Four returning players also competing for open spots include sophomores Krsnich, Ryan Rainer, Jason Sigler and Luke Trammell.
"Jason Sigler is playing well through four rounds of qualifying, and he's in a pretty good position as long as he can keep it up." Randall said.
Randall said he will know for sure who will be starting after the team completes its qualifying rounds this weekend.
The team will begin the season Sept. 16 at the Inverness Intercollegiate Invitational in Toledo, Ohio.
Contact Greene at rgreene@kansan.com. This story was edited by Erin Ohm.
Kansan file photo
KU Golfer Tyler Hall puts on the fifth hole at Alvamar during practice. The team begins its season Sept. 16 at Inverness Intercollegiate in Toledo, Ohio.
pleted four of the eight qualifying rounds. Randall said he had noticed some step-up performances and improvements over the summer.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
The Kansas sports desk has gathered Kansas football news from other newspapers to bring Jayhawk fans different insights into the team and its Saturday game against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, in Vegas.
Compiled by Jessica Tims Associate sports editor
Look for What Others are Saying every Thursday during the season. You can also find a post-game version every Monday.
"Bill is a threat to throw the ball anywhere on the field," Mangino said. "And he can tuck it down and run with it when he needs to."
"We needed some leadership and a spark out there on offense and we didn't have that (with Dyer)," said coach Mark Mangino, whose team plays UNLV at 9 p.m. Saturday in Las Vegas. "We just feel like we got a little bit of a spark out of Bill. Maybe he can be the guy to get us rolling on offense."
By Jason King The Kansas City Star
Still, during the Jayhawks' preseason media day Aug. 9, Mangino hinted that Dyer had been treated unfairly by KU's former staff, which was quick to pull Dyer each time he made a mistake.
Zach Dyer's reign as Kansas' starting quarterback lasted all of two quarters.
Lawrence Journal-World
Although he's not as fast as Dyer, junior Bill Whittemore, who runs 40 yards in 4.59 seconds, is regarded as a more accurate passer.
This is the first-ever meeting between Kansas and UNLV. Against the Big 12, the Rebels have won just one game, defeating Baylor in 1999. UNLV has lost the other eight games it has played against the Big 12 (Baylor and Kansas State twice, Nebraska once and Iowa State three times).
Against teams in the Mountain West Conference, Kansas has compiled a 12-5-1 record. The most recent game was last year's seasonending win against Wyoming. The last meeting before that was the infamous 41-13 drubbing at the hands of San Diego State in 1999.
With eight wins and only one loss, UNLV Head Coach John Robinson has the highest bowl game winning percentage. (889) of any NCAA Division 1-A coach, ever (minimum eight appearances). Robinson is 9-3 against Big 12 teams during his tenures at UNLV and USC.
By Pete Goering
Topeka Capital-Journal
Midweek musings while wonder
SEE OTHERS ON PAGE 12A
Announcers important part of Jayhawk sports history
Great baseball radio announcers are a dying breed, but there are a few names most people still recognize.
Vin Scully for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Jon Miller for the San Francisco Giants and Ernie Harwell for the Detroit Tigers have been calling games for decades and are famous on the national level.
On the other hand, famous college football announcers not named Keith Jackson are few and far between. College football radio analysts are better known on the local level where fans can tune in and hear their voices every weekend during the fall.
Levi Chronister
lchronister@kansan.com
COMMENTARY
This is where Kansas fans are lucky. Bob Davis and Max Falkenstien — referred to by many Kansas fans by their
first names only — have been calling Kansas football and men's basketball games since 1984 on the Jayhawk Radio Network and are two of the best local announcers in the nation.
If you've been in the area very long, you may already know Davis' voice. In his 35th year of broadcasting, Bob hosts the Jayhawk Radio Network's
HawkTalk show each week and also is the play-by-play announcer for the Kansas City Royals on Fox Sports Rocky Mountain and the Royals Television Network.
You've probably heard Falkenstien too. A founder of the KU Sports Network, Max is in his 57th year of calling Kansas sports.
Their resumes are packed with awards and nominations to various sports halls of fame, but the duo's work week in and week out speaks for itself.
Davis calls games as he sees them and is extremely fair. Bob raises his voice for big plays by the Jayhawks but also points out Jayhawk errors and great plays by their opponents. His style works for both a losing team like the football squad as
well as a winning program like the men's basketball team.
Max's treasure trove of stories from his time at the University is vast and at least equal in number to former Monday Night Football announcer Dennis Miller's obscure historical references.
The two work wonderfully as a team, as well, covering each other's rare pauses and playing off the talent and witticisms of the other.
This week provides the perfect opportunity for Kansas fans to hear Bob and Max, especially freshmen and students new to the University.
Last week's game was on TV and fans could watch the Jayhawks' abysmal season opener and see what Mangino has been hiding in the team's closed prac
tices.
This week, though, Kansas' road game at 9 p.m. Saturday against the University of Nevada-Las Vegas won't be on television, so take this opportunity to listen to Bob and Max work their wonders with the spoken word.
If you're going to a movie Saturday, make it a matinee. If you're going out to dinner, eat early. If you're going out to the bars, go late. If you were planning on turning in early, don't.
Make sure you're home from 8:30 p.m. to midnight so you can hear the best radio tandem in the Midwest. It will be more than worth your time.
Chronister is a Lawrence senior in journalism. He is the sports editor.