University/ Daily Kansan / Thursday, September 10, 1987
Sports
13
Garner sees season as last chance at important goals
By CRAIG ANDERSON
Staff writer
Going into his senior season at Kansas, strong safety Milt Garner said there were important goals that he and his senior teammates wanted to accomplish before they finished their Javawk football careers.
"We've got lots of seniors this year," he said. "We have to go out this season and get something, because it's our last chance."
"If we beat the teams we're supposed to, and (upset) a couple of other teams, we're going to make it," he said.
Garner said making it to a bowl game was the Jayhawks' biggest goal. Kansas hasn't played in a bowl game since the 1981 Hall of Fame Bowl. In fact, that season was the last time a Jayhawk team finished with a winning record.
"It's been tough," he said of the losing records. "I can't say I'm disappointed, though. You have to go out and believe in yourself, and I think the team has played with that kind of attitude."
Despite playing on losing teams during his first three college seasons, Garner said he wasn't discouraged with the KU football program.
Because he has started on defense since midway through his freshman season, Garner said he tried to use his experience to help less-experienced players. Being a senior, he said, meant that he had to take on added leadership responsibilities.
"I try to be a team leader, especially on (defense)." Garner said. "I tell the guys that if you want to be the best player you can be, you have to play against the best competition."
Garner said he wasn't always sure of his role on the team. When he came to Kansas as a freshman, he said he was a bit scared because there were so many people he didn't know in his class. Kansas City, Kan., said he knew the first-year butterflies were something he would overcome.
"The main reason I came to Kansas was so that I could be close to home," he said. "I like the idea of being able to go home anytime I want so I can see my family. I'm just a home boy."
Another change that Garner wasn't so sure of at first was his move to the punt return team. Garner began returning punts last season.
"I started to enjoy it when I broke a couple of long ones for touchdowns," he said. Garner had returns of 73 and 58-yards for scores last year.
Garner made a another switch this year when he was moved from cornerback to strong safety. He said he liked the move from the beginning. Garner said he liked the idea of covering the slower tight ends instead faster, faster forms. Garner said felt that in some of the defensive formations he had more freedom to roam around and make big glays.
coach Bob Valesente has increased his stance on academics, Garner, a personnel administration major, said that was something that had improved the football program. He said the emphasis on academics had been a little lax before Valesente became head coach.
"Now, if we don't go to class, we don't play." Garner said. "If everyone goes to class and concentrates, they can do well with their grades."
Off the field and in the classroom.
Garner said that when he had time away from football and classes he liked to play basketball and go fishing. While at Washington High School in Kansas City, Kan., Garner averaged 20 points per game his senior season on the basketball court. During his freshman and junior seasons, he played for the KU minor varsity teams. Garner, 5-11, 195 pounds, said, however, he never regretted choosing football over basketball as his main sport.
"I like to play inside when I'm playing basketball, so I can mix it up," he said. "I knew with my size, though, that I could go further in football."
Garner said he was concentrating mostly on his immediate college football future. When the time did come, he said, he would play in the National Football League.
"I'd like to give it a try after college," he said. "If 'I don't make it, I'll just get my degree and start something else in the working world."
Brenda Flory/Special to the KANSAN
Strong safety Mitt Garner is one senior KU football player hoping for a winning season this fall. The Jayhawks' first game is Saturday at Auburn.
NCAA chief plans to quit next month
The Associated Press
Poor field conditions a tough match for soccer club
MISSION — Walter Byers, the NCAA's first executive director, said yesterday he would turn his duties over to his successor on Oct. 1, much earlier than expected.
Byers, 65, who has been chief operating officer of the NCAA for 36 years, announced his retirement last year and said at the time he would work with his successor for at least a year.
In a news release issued yesterday, the NCAA said Richard D. Schultz, 59, would assume the post of executive director the same day Byers stepped down. A search committee chose Schultz, in June.
Byers said Schultz was ready to handle the job.
"I recommended the prompt appointment of Dick Schultz to the director's position as soon as convenient," he said. "We feel comfortable in working together, and I will be available to assist Dick through next August."
The NCAA said Byers would become executive director emeritus. His primary responsibility would be development of a foundation for the NCAA and college athletics, said Thomas J. Frericks, the NCAA's secretary-treasurer.
By ROBERT WHITMAN Staff writer.
Staff writer
The coach of the KU men's soccer club said the condition of the soccer field at Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa streets, was so poor that it has contributed to the injuries of four players during preseason practice.
The playing surface is hazardous enough in the opinion of coach Glenn Shirtliffe that it is one of reasons he has also scheduled four of the team's seven home games this year at Memorial Stadium, including Sunday's season-opener against Missouri.
Shirtliffe said the most serious injury at Shenk was an ankle ligament
strain that would keep one player off the field for about two weeks.
He said the team also played at the stadium to eliminate the possibility of a team traveling to the University to play a game, only to have the field at Shenk closed because of too much rain.
Playing on the practice field at Shenk means playing on a bumpy clay surface suffering from lack of maintenance. Shirliffe said.
"In fact, it was played on last spring when it was pretty wet. It has not been rolled or aerated." Shirtliffe said.
Cleat marks made last spring were still visible now because they had, in
I'd say it's 100 percent clay. They seeded it in the spring, but not very much of it took, because the ground is very hard.'
Glenn Shirtliffe Soccer club coach
week and seeding and fertilizing twice a year, said Jim Mathes, assistant director of landscape maintenance.
essence, been baked into the clay surface by the sun, he said.
The only maintenance done to all the fields at Shenk is moving once a
"We really don't have time to do anything more to them." Mathes said, although he added that particularly bare spots on the fields were given slightly more seed or fertilizer.
Mathes said that because his department was responsible for all landscaping on campus, the fields at Shenk didn't get the amount of attention they needed for the amount of use they had.
But Shirtlife said seeding the soccer practice field wasn't as practical as on other fields at Shenk because of
the lack of topsoil.
"I'd say it's 100 percent clay. They seeded it in the spring, but not very much of it took, because the ground is very hard." Shirtliffe said.
Allan Heinze, director of facilities for the health, physical education and recreation department, said he was told the topsoil had been removed from the soccer practice field and was among the other fields at the complex
The field slopes from north to south and west to east and also needs regrading, Shirtliffe said.
While the problem of where to play
See FIELD, p. 14, col. 1
Student chooses finals over chance at pro soccer
Staff writer
By ROBERT WHITMAN
Final examinations turned out to be more important to Allan Klenke than a shot at playing professional soccer in May, but don't be surprised if Klencle makes some arrangements for soccer next May.
team in Canada.
Klenke had a chance to tryout with the Ottawa Pioneers, a professional
"I'm going to talk to my professors and see if I can get some test days changed," Klenke, a junior, said yesterday before he began practice with the KU men's soccer club at the Shenk Complex, 23rd and Iowa streets.
"I had it in the making for a tryout, but the tryout was the first week of finals. After my last final, the first week of the tryout had happened and they had already started offering contracts." Klenke said.
If Klenke signed a professional contract, the club must be affected the session.
"It would be just like a summer job to me." Klenke said.
Klenke said his duties off the field as president included some public relations work, setting up travel and hotel arrangements when the team traveled, and taking care of other details such as arranging for referees.
In addition to playing sweeper for the KU men's soccer club, Klencke also serves as vice president. He will be a designated president at the end of the spring season in May.
On the field, Klenke learned a new position last year. He played sweeper, the last defender between the opposing team and the goalie, for the first time since he has played soccer.
Klenke said he was a starting midfielder for three years at Clark High School in San Antonio, Tex. He said he also played forward and midfield
for select teams in Texas during the summer.
"When I came here, I didn't know anyone. When I came to practice, they had a lot of good midfielders, so we tried to just try you sweeper," Klenke said.
So the club found a sweeper and someone who grew to like the position
"You have to be able to read the other team's offense. Playing forward and midfield all those years. I know what they are thinking and they're only their opinions," Klenke said.
Klenke said he needed goo-
tootsped to play sweeter. Last year,
he was sweeter than he was in
2013.
forwards were a little faster than he was.
"Last year, we had the best defense going in the Midwest," Shirlttie said. "We had tremendous defense and a tremendous defensive line. If we just had offense, we'd be a great team."
As it was, the club had a 7-4-4 record last fall. The team gave up 15 goals in the 15 games, but scored only 33, just
See SOCCER, p. 14, col. 3
Former KU football players find jobs scarce in the NFL
By DARRIN STINEMAN
Staff writer
several former Kansas football players were in National Football League camps this summer trying to earn jobs. Some of them will be spending their Sunday afternoons watching the games on television.
Although few players who are drafted beyond even the fifth round have a good chance of making an impact, that's not news on Monday wasn't shocking.
One KU alumnus who will be involved with the action this season is Paul Oswald, the Jayhawks' center from 1983-86. Oswald was drafted in the 11th round by the Pittsburgh team and survived the final cut Monday.
Oswald said he thought his versatility was a key in helping him land the job. He said he could play offensive guard as well as center, and he had been working on being a long snapper for punts and place kicks.
"I wasn't surprised," he said in a telephone interview. "I had confidence in my ability. I came in knowing I had to work hard, and I did."
Former KU player Johnny Holloway, who had played for the Dallas Cowboys last season, was released by Dallas and then picked up by the St. Louis Cardinals. But yesterday, the Cardinals announced that Holloway had not passed the team physical, and he was released again.
Other players who have survived the preseason and their teams are: Paul Fairchild, guard, with the New England Patriots, and Mike Norseth, quarterback, with the Cincinnati Bengals. Offensive ineman Broderick Thompson, who played with Kansas in 1981 and 1982, was released and then reclaimed by the San Diego Chargers.
Alabama officials give up attempts to restore basketball star's eligibility
Bobby Johnson, a former KU wide receiver, was traded by the New York Giants to the Chargers in the off-season but was cut by the Chargers. Steve Nave, a linebacker at Kansas from 1982-86, was a victim of the Washington Redskins' final cut.
Even though his place on the team
seems secure. Oswald said his life was more hectic now.
Norseth made his team indirectly. After being released by the Cleveland Browns, Norseth was picked up by Cincinnati.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Alabama officials said yesterday that the school would not try to restore the eligibility of 6-foot-9 center Derrick McKey, who was barred from playing his senior season after it was revealed he had dealings with a sports agent.
The Associated Press
McKey now is expected to leave the school to pursue a professional career with the Seattle SuperSonics.
Alabama coach Wimp Sanderson had said he might appeal McKey's loss of eligibility based on an NCAA decision in another case, and McKey recently enrolled in school
But Alabama Athletic Director Steve Sloan issued a statement yesterday that said the university had notified the NCAA and Southeastern Conference that efforts to restore McKey's eligibility had been terminated.
Dave Niebergall/KANSAN
This is the first year on the team for KU tennis player Jeff Gross.
Staff writer
Year on the sidelines readies tennis player to play the baselines
By DARRIN STINEMAN
Last year, Jeff Gross watched the Kansas men's tennis team from the bleachers. This year, he and another newcomer, John Falbo, may fill the bleachers with fans eager to see a Big Eight championship.
Gross was redshirted last season when the men's team finished second in the conference.
"I thought we had a lot of depth a year ago," said tennis coach Scott Perelman. "There were certain parts of (Gross)' game we wanted him to work on. We thought it would be best just to tell him up front and let him work on different aspects of his game."
"At first, I wasn't real sure what it was all about," he said. "Once I thought about it and started thinking about it, it was real good for me; I had a whole year to work on my game. Plus, I got to see what the competition was like."
Gross said he thought sitting out a season was beneficial to him.
Perelman said he was eager to have Gross looking at the competition from the baseline rather than the sideline this year.
One of the things that made the summer a good one for Gross was his performance in the Jayhawk
Open at Topeka. Although he lost in a three-hour semifinal match to Nigel O'Rearke, Topeka tennis pro, he deflected former KU standout Michael Center, the No 2 seed in the tournament, in an earlier round.
"He's part of the cornerstone," coach Scott Perelman said. "This year Falbo and Gross are the cornerstone. (Gross) has had a good summer and he's eager and ready to play."
Gross said he wasn't surprised by his success.
"I think other people were more (surprised)," he said. "I felt going into the tournament that I could do well, I just tried to play my game and concentrate — that's what I did and I did pretty well."
Gross and Jim Secrest won the doubles title.
Although Perelman said he saw Gross as an important cog in the team's drive for a conference championship, Gross was more modest about his importance to the team.
"My main goal is to make the top six and travel with the team," he said, "and to contribute as much as I can with the team."
He said he was excited about the team's prospect of winning a Big Eight title.
"I think it would be great," he said. "I think we can do it, too."
Pereman said he was impressed with how much Gross had improved his game in one year.
"I heard he'd been playing well, when I saw him himself, I was convinced," he said. "He has come a long ways and he's still coming. Right now, he's playing on the national level."