PAGE 6
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2011
FOOTBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Adjustments needed for both sides of the ball
MIKE VERNON
mvernon@kansan.com
As fans get up to stretch, relax and grab some food during the 20-minute intermission known as halftime, a whole other game is taking place behind the scenes.
In the Jayhawks' locker room at halftime, coaches dissect the positives and negatives of the first half while trying to correct player mistakes. The problem is that the halftime routine for Kansas hasn't been working. The Jayhawks have been outscored 76-21 in the third quarter this season.
After the Texas Tech game, coach Turner Gill said that the staff needed to review the way they go about things at halftime. In Tuesday's Kansas football press conference, Gill had come to a conclusion on what needs to be done to fix the team's third quarter woes.
"We've made a few adjustments there in trying to be a little bit more specific as far as what we want to get across coach-to-coach and also what we want to get across from our coaches to our players," Gill said. "We are going to do a couple little things that we think is going to help us to improve at halftime as far as in the third quarter."
What happened in the third quarter against Texas Tech prevented Kansas from a 3-1 start.
The Red Raiders found success switching to the running game in the third quarter. In the first half, Texas Tech ran the ball 11 times for 36 yards. In the third quarter alone, the Red Raiders ran the ball 15 times for 96 yards. Texas Tech adjusted to what the Kansas defense had been showing in the first half.
"It was a battle about controlling how many defenders we had to keep in the box versus how many
we had to commit to the perimeter for the screen game and the running game," defensive coordinator Vic Shealy said. "In the first half, they forced the issue and put the ball in the perimeter. They came back, recognized that we were a little more perimeter in our alignments and consequently tried to run the ball against a thinner box."
The Jajawhaws, who were outscored 21-0 in the third quarter, didn't want to soley put the blame on a lack of adjustments. Junior cornerback Tyler Patmon said that a lot of the defenses' struggles were a result of missed tackles and assignments, which can always be the downfall of a defense.
Patmon said that the typical half-time routine for the Kansas defense includes rehashing its mistakes and adding things that the coaches have seen from the press box. He said that the players will occasionally split up into their positions and their respective position coach will go over specifics, such as routes or run plays that the defense is having problems with.
Sophomore quarterback Jordan Webb pinned the third quarter woes on player execution as opposed to coaching adjustments. While Webb could not deny that there has been third quarter woes for the Kansas football team, he also saw the potential that the team has once they're able to put it all together.
"We've got to try something. I mean we obviously haven't come out with that same fire that we've had starting out the games," Webb said. "We feel like were going to be able to be consistent and if we play four quarters were going to be a hard team to beat."
Edited by C.J. Matson
MIKE GUNNOE/KANSAN
Junior linebacker Tunde Bakare tries to tackle Eric Stephens Jr. of Texas Tech Saturday. Bakare had a total of eight tackles combines during the loss.
WOMEN'S GOLF
Team finishes 11th in Missouri tournament
DANIEL HARMSEN editor@kansan.com
The Kansas women's golf team finished 43 strokes behind the leader at the Johnie Imes Invitational, which ended Tuesday.
After a challenging first round on Monday, the young team showed some resiliency, rallying past Wichita State, UMKC, Bradley and Princeton to finish 11th. After Monday, the Jayhawks were 19 shots behind the leader and eventual winner, Texas State, but in the final round on Tuesday, it finished just 13 strokes behind the leaders for the round.
The team's lack of experience — with just three seniors — was noticeable on Monday morning when it shot a 313 in round one. The team progressed and showed composure in rounds two and three. The players shot a 302 in round two and a 307 in round three. The few veterans have found it especially important to help the younger players.
"We definitely improved; I am encouraged to see it," O'Neil said. "We had a rough first round and that's tough to recover from, but ultimately I am pleased with how we settled down."
Coach Erin O'Neil was proud of her upperclassmen leading the way, but also in the improvement she saw from her underclassmen.
Freshman Nadia Lutner understands that golf has its growing pains, but the best players just fight to overcome them.
Luttner said the team improved each day, but could have played better.
She noticed the improvement from Monday to Tuesday as well.
Luttner said three freshmen played and that learning the course made play more comfortable.
Freshman Gabriella DiMarco said the tournament was difficult, but was good building block for the rest of the season.
"We improved from day to day as we began to settle in. We played a lot looser from behind and we weren't so tight," DiMarco said.
Fans watched as three Kansas soccer players had their jerseys retired Sunday.
Specifically, O'Neil thought Meghan Potee played well.
"She didn't get all the bounces, but she was awesome," O'Neil said. "We have so much ability, but we need to continue to focus on fine-tuning the mental side of the game."
Although many outsiders might think that golf is an individualistic sport, the players say otherwise.
O'Neil sees the encouragement the girls give each other.
"We really pump each other up before matches," Luttner said, "but then we just focus on what we can control: our own game."
DiMarco said the players aren't playing for themselves, but for the University of Kansas.
SOCCER
"After a birdie we wave the wheat," O'Neil said. "It's a fun way to remind us that we are playing for Kansas, not just ourselves."
Edited by Mike Laviert
Recognizing the players of the past
RYAN MCCARTHY
rmccarthy@kansan.com
JEFF JACOBSEN/KAI
Kansas soccer doesn't have the same storied history as some of the other sports on campus. It is an adolescent, this year being the 17th season of the program and with Alumni weekend last Sunday, the coaching staff felt it was appropriate to recognize their most accomplished players of the past.
Before the game, the Jayhawks recognized Meghan Miller, Caroline Smith and Holly Gault, the only three National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCA4) All-Americans in the program's history.
Both in their 13th year with the program, coach Mark Francis and associate coach Kelly Miller began throwing around the idea of retiring jerseys and this year they decided to make it a reality.
"They weren't always the best players," said coach Miller. "They got to this level and their work ethic in this environment is what helped proel them into this success."
"All three of those guys were just really competitive," Francis said. "They hated to lose."
They decided, along with the athletics department, that any NSCAA All-Americans in Kansas' history were eligible forjersey retirement. So with the help of the athletics department's graphics design staff, Miller helped shape three metal placards that now rest on the northwest fence ofJayhawk Soccer Complex.
MEGHAN MILLER
POSITION: GOALKEEPER
2001-2004
The Seattle native came to the Midwest looking for an opportunity to tend the net for an up-and-coming program. At first she was an average goalkeeper, but by her junior year she jumped out of the pack.
In 2003 she helped lead the Jayhawks to a Sweet 16 appearance and finished the season with 18 wins. She followed up her senior year with 18 more wins and received NSCAA All-America Second Team in 2004 after guiding the Jayhawks to their first and only Big 12 Championship title.
When Miller found out she was having her number retired she was stunned.
"I was completely floored when Kelly called me," said Meghan Miller. "I never expected anything like this to happen."
CAROLINE SMITH
POSITION: FORWARD
2002-2005
The all-time leader in every significant offensive category, Smith shattered records for shots, goals and points.
Smith was also on the Sweet 16 and Big 12 conference title team in
"She was really brave, she would stick her head into places where most people wouldn't and cause a lot of problems for other teams," said Francis.
2003 and 2004. She was named to the NSCA4 third-team both years.
"Playing in our home games in front of our home crowd was pretty awesome in 2004," Smith said. "We had a lot of people cheering for us."
Smith remembers those moments at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex as some of the best memories of her soccer career.
HOLLY GAULT
POSITION: DEFENDER
2003-2006
Growing up just east of Lawrence in Spring Hill, Gault was a multisport high school athlete who came into Kansas' soccer program a raw talent.
Under the tutelage of Francis and Miller, Gault developed into one of the top defenders in the country
by her sophomore year and was acknowledged with NSCAA first team All-American status.
"Along with her athletic ability and the work she put in, she really made huge strides," Miller said. "Holly got into this environment and ran with it and really just trained hard and worked very hard."
Gault also showed off some offensive prowess as well. The coaching staff actually converted her from a forward to a defender once she got to college.
"She did a really good job of pushing forward too," Francis said. "She scored some goals coming from the back."
Edited by Stefanie Penn
SOCCER
Player nabs another Big 12 accolade
Kansas junior midfielder Whitney Berry was named the Offensive Player of the week by the Big 12 Conference on Tuesday.
Even though Berry has been recognized by the conference for several accolades, including a two-time selection to the All-Big 12 Second
Team, this is the first week she's received this particular honor.
Berry was crucial in Kansas' 3-2 double-overtime win against Texas on Friday. She accounted for all three assists on the night including the game-
Berry
winning pass in the 115th minute to sophomore forward Carolin Kastor.
In a total of 13 games, Berry is the national leader in assists with 11. Currently is one assist shy of the Kansas single-season record. Berry is the third Jayhawk recognized by the Big 12 this season.
freshman forward Ingrid Vidal also earned newcomer honors in consecutive weeks on Aug. 30 and Sept. 6.
Freshman forward Jamie Fletcher was named the conference newcomer of the week on Aug. 23. Fellow
The Jayhawks wrap up a four-match home stand versus Baylor on Friday at 4 p.m. On Sunday they go to Omaha to face off against Creighton for a non-conference game at 1 p.m.
Ryan McCarthy
presents
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
UNIVERSITY THEATRE
A COMEDY BY KEN LUDWIG
"Shakespeare
HOLLYWOOD"
KU UNIVERSITY THEATRE
7:30 P.M. OCTOBER 13, 14, 15 2:30 P.M. OCTOBER 16 CRAFTON-PREYER THEATRE
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.
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A GRANTOR OF SU FEDERAL CREDIT UNION