Volume 124 Issue 58
Thursday, November 10, 2011
kansan.com
COMMENTARY
R m b e
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 11,2011
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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MEN'S BASKETBALL
Guards return from suspension
KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
After two rather effortless exhibition wins, Kansas opens the regular season when it takes on Towson tonight in Allen Fieldhouse. Guards Tyshawn Taylor and Elijah Johnson will make their debits after serving two-game suspensions for violating unspecified team rules. The two-game furloughs haven't changed the flow of practice too much though.
kcarpenter@kansan.com
Except a few days before the first exhibition game, both Taylor and Johnson have practiced with the first team, coach Boll Self said. Taylor brings back the most experience in the backcourt, but Self is looking for him and Johnson to step it up on the defensive end of the floor.
"They're both better players, no question, but I still think they're both inconsistent," Self said. "And defensively, they're both average compared to what they could be."
"‘I think I have my 'average defender’ ways at times," Taylor said. "But I think at times I can also be a really good on-the-hall defender."
Taylor said he thinks that kind of talk from Self is largely for motivation, but he says agrees with the sentiment to some extent.
Elijah Johnson, a six-foot-four junior guard, played sparingly last
season behind Taylor, Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed. He looks to be the second option behind Taylor this season, and Self confirmed many suspicions that Johnson will start alongside Taylor tonight and have more leeway this season.
Johnson played just 13.7 minutes per game last season while averaging 3.7 points per game. As he played behind the three aforementioned upperclassman a season ago, it was safe to say he had a short leash with his coach.
"He hasn't had an opportunity yet," Self said on Johnson. "May know he can play through mistakes, that may help him a little bit."
While Self would only confirm that Johnson and Taylor would start against Towson, he didn't rule out to the possibility of playing the duo alongside freshman point guard Naadir Tharpe, who finished the final exhibition game with 19 points, seven assists, and five steals.
"We've got five perimeter players basically," said Self. "We could play small with those three, or we could play a little bit bigger with Conner or Travis both in the game with a guard. We have some versatility there I think."
Whatever the lineup is, Self said he hopes to see more consistency, from an effort and focus standpoint, heading into the season opener as well as next Tuesday's showdown with No. 2 Kentucky.
"That will be something we talk about with this team, I guarantee, all year long." Self noted. "We have a tendency maybe to space out every now and then, and I'd like that to be reduced some."
The core of the team—outside of Taylor and junior forward Thomas Robinson—is inexperienced, no doubt, and the non-conference schedule doesn't do the Jayhawks many favors. After facing No. 2 Kentucky, they could potentially face No. 20 UCLA and No. 6 Duke later this month in the Maui Invitational. The upcoming games aren't totally distracting Taylor from the season opening, however.
Speaking of Kentucky, self didn't deny that the heavyweight matchup in Madison Square Garden is on peoples' minds.
"We're trying to stay focused," he said. "I've said a few things, but not at the expense of getting ready for Friday."
"I'm just excited about my first game." Taylor said. "Kentucky's definitely what I've been thinking about a lot, but I've been thinking about my first game a lot, too."
Edited by Lindsey Deiter
A Powerful and Unique Look at an American Classic
Reserved seat tickets are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS, and online at www.kutheatre.com.
Tickets are $18 for the public, $17 for senior citizens and KU faculty and staff, and $10 for all students. All major credit cards are accepted. The University Theatre is partially funded by the KU Student Senate Activity Fee. The University Theatre's 2011-12 season is sponsored by the KU Credit Union.
KU UNIVERSITY
THEATRE
The University of Kansas
NCAAF
ETHAN PADWAY
epadway@kansan.com
The Red Raiders have fallen hard since upsetting then third ranked Oklahoma, being outscored in their last two games 93-27. The Red Raiders get their second shot at taking down a BCS hopeful when they host Oklahoma State and the nation's second ranked scoring offense. A win for the Red Raiders make them bowl eligible, while the Cowboys will try to stay on the fast track for the BCS championship game.
The Longhorns look to stretch their winning streak to three as they go up to Columbia, Mo., to take on the struggling Tigers. This matchup should be run-heavy; the Longhorns rank 11th in the nation and the Tigers rank 12th. The Longhorns are already bowl eligible, while the Tigers will need to win two of their last three games to become eligible. This will be the rare time this season that Tiger quarterback James Franklin enters the season as the more acclaimed passer; his Longhorn counterpart, David Ash, is a run-first quarterback making the fourth start of his career.
The Wildcats and the Aggies are both coming off two consecutive losses, the difference is the Aggies are still trying to become bowl eligible while the Wildcats have put themselves in position to contend for a top bowl game. Wildcat quarterback Collin Klein will try and keep the Aggie offense off the field by leading long sustained drives that kill the clock. When he has done that, the Wildcats have found success on the year, and it keeps their defense rested to counter the Aggie attack.
to *prove* they don't care reveal their bluff.
Kansas officials and coaches have said they have no interest in playing Missouri beyond this season, and many fans feel the same way. There's probably a lot of truth in that, too. Kansas certainly doesn't benefit financially from playing Missouri in basketball, where an annual game in Kansas City would mean a 50-50 split of ticket money. Kansas will make much more than that when they play Davidson there next month.
But in seven or eight years, when both schools are settled in their respective conferences, some business will try to sponsor a reunion in Kansas City of football, basketball, or both. It will be just enough time to cool off from the messy divorce, and both sides will realize hating someone else isn't quite the same.
Edited by Mandy Matney
Paterno, Spanier fired after Sandusky scandal
MCCLATCHY TRIBUNE
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — The longest and one of the most distinguished coaching careers in college football history ended suddenly with the firing of Joe Paterno by Penn State's Board of Trustees on Wednesday night. Paterno, who offered his resignation in the morning but said he wanted to finish this season, was joined on the unemployment line by university president Graham Spanier.
The move was in response to the arrest on Saturday of Paterno's longtime former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky and the release of a grand jury report alleging he sexually abused at least eight young boys. Although neither Patrino nor Spanier has been charged with any criminal wrongdoing,
Speaking for the board, vicechairman John Surma said. "The past several days have been terrible, but the outrage we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological abuse that allegedly took place."
Surma was pressed repeatedly for an explanation of why Paterno, who is tied with Amos Alonzo Stagg for most games ever coached at 448, was not given a chance to coach the final home game against Nebraska on Saturday at Beaver Stadium. Instead, defensive coordinator Tom Bradley was appointed to replace Paterno on an
Paterno received an eyewitness report of one alleged sexual assault in 2002 and just passed it up the chain of command. No one at Penn State pursued a criminal prosecution of Sandusky for that incident.
interim basis.
2.
"With the difficulties engulfing this university — and they are grave as you all have documented," Surma said, "it was necessary to make a change now."
Speaking at his house to students, Paterno said, "Right now, I'm not the football coach, and that's something I have to get used to."
Perhaps fearing the worst, the 84-year-old Paterno, who has a record 409 wins, attempted to make an end run around the board of trustees in the hope of going out with a shred of dignity. In his statement, which was released through a Washington-area public relations firm as opposed to being approved by Penn State, Paterno expressed regret that he didn't do more to prevent Sandusky's alleged crimes.
MATT ROURKE/AP PHOTO
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno arrives home yesterday in State College, Pa. Paterno and university president Graham Spanier were fired yesterday evening, brought down by their failure to do more about an allegation of child sex abuse against a former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who is accused of molesting eight boys over 15 years.
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