kansan.com
Thursday, September 29, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY GANSAN
COMMENTARY
I won't begin this column with a joke about the sheer incompetence of the NCAA. That would be too easy. I will tell a few stories, though.
The first story centers on University of Tennessee freshman wide receiver Justin Hunter, who was pulled from practice last month after issues with his high school transcript arose with the NCAA Clearinghouse.
Record checks too slow
The Clearinghouse, in a nutshell, determines if a potential collegiate athlete is eligible or not.
According to govols.com, Hunter's high school records were under review even though he graduated high school three months before. Until a decision was made he sat and waited. Hunter was eventually cleared, but seeing as the high school credit in question was from an online class he took during the summer of 2009, the decision didn't need to take that long.
Hunter's story isn't unique. It's a reoccurring nightmare for college players and coaches across the country who become handcuffed when the Clearinghouse knocks on their doors, usually at the least convenient times.
Kansas fans should know the Clearinghouse all too well. Just last year it held freshman guard Josh Selby in limbo until mid-November before issuing a nine-game suspension for accepting impermissible benefits while in high school. Unfortunately for Kansas fans, it wasn't the last time the Clearninghouse investigated a future Jayhawk.
It was announced last month that incoming freshmen B Mclemore, Jamari Traylor, and Braiden Anderson had yet to be cleared while the NCAA further reviewed their high school transcripts. Each player attended three different high schools. Understandably, investigating three different high school transcripts can get tricky. Anderson was ruled a partial qualifier and thus unable to play for Kansas this year. Mclemore and Traylor still wait to hear their fates. But when your job mainly consists of checking different high school transcripts, should it really take this long to rule yay or nay? The three players graduated three months ago, and if the classes in question were taken before their final semester of high school, the Clearinghouse has had ample time to dig around and make a ruling
I'm not arguing for the eligibility or non-eligibility of the remaining two players.
In the weeks leading up to tax day on April 1, places like H&R Block hire hundreds of part-time employees to lighten the heavy load pushed upon them in tax season. It makes sense. I'm no math major, but the number of incoming freshmen this time of year — in every sport, not just football and basketball — is a pretty significant number. And if I'm not mistaken, most high schools graduate around the same time of the year. Why not hire a truckload of extra help in the summer so guys like Justin Hunter and the Kansas duo can get an answer before they turn 30?
I'm arguing for a ruling.
Maybe H&R Block can show the Clearinghouse how to handle a rush. They deal with the IRS; it can't be much worse.
DEFENSIVE TACKLE RETURNS
Edited by Jonathan Shorman
Patrick Dorsey expected to play Saturday PAGE 6
KU hockey battles Missouri on the ice PAGE 6 Don't forget to check out the entire gallery at http://udkne.ws/rc4R92
Sophomore defensive specialist Brianna Riley and sophomore outside hitter Catherine Carmichael collide after a dive attack by Iowa State during the third set of Wednesday night's game at Horiesta Athletic Center. The Jayhawks three straight sets to the No.-16 ranked Iowa State to lose 22-25, 17-25, 15-25. The Jayhawks are now 11-3 for the season and 2-1 in Bie 12 play.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
MATT GALLOWAY
mgaloway@kansan.com
twitter.com/IDK_vball
The start of Big 12 play has not been kind to the Kansas volleyball team.
The Jayhawks (11-3) were swept by a ranked team for the second time in five days, falling to No. 16 Iowa State (12-2) at home on Wednesday night, 25-22, 25-17 and 25-15.
"The Big 12 conference is a new season and we're in an 0-2 hole in our new season," said coach Ray Bechard. "The gap between the
top team in the league and the bottom team in the league is very blurred right now, and there is a lot of parody. Every match that we go out is going to take a good effort to win"
The Jayhawks actually jumped out to early leads in the first and second sets. The first was back-and-forth, but the second saw Iowa State go on a 10-0 run after the Jayhawks took a 6-2 lead. The Cyclones never looked back, seizing a 5-1 lead in the third and eventually winning by 10 points.
"You can't let a good team go on a seven," eight-, nine-, 10-point
run," Bechard said. "That's what Iowa State did, and to their credit, they came out and executed their game plan better than we did."
"She's very capable and we've got all the confidence in the world that even though she didn't have her best match today, she'll bounce back and be ready to go Saturday," Bechard said.
Several backup players saw the court for the Jayhawks due to an injury to freshman outside hitter Sara McClinton. Sophomore outside hitter Catherine Carmichael saw the most playing time in McClinton's absence, finishing with five kills and a .056 attack percentage.
Carmichael has dealt with a nagging hip flexor strain all season. She said replacing an injured player while dealing with an injury herself is challenging.
very much in the end. Bechard said that Carmichael has proven herself to her team.
Both Bechard and senior outside hitter Allison Mayfield said they did not think McClinton's injury affected the team's performance
"It's difficult, but I think it's just one of those things you have to push through and know you
can do it." Carmichael said. "No matter what, you have to keep playing."
One encouraging sign throughout the sweep was the serving of sophomore libero Brianie Riley, Riley finished with one ace and 13 digs. Mayfield said Riley's quality served did not surprise her.
"I don't think it's unusual."
Mayfield said. "A libero's main job is to pass, but they also get to serve. Those are the main areas they work in at practice, digging
SEE VOLLEYBALL PAGE 7
Kansas' odds of winning seem slim
Texas Tech's history with Kansas may repeat itself
FOOTBALL
11
RYAN MCCARTHY
rmccarthy@kansan.com
In 2004, the 2-1 Kansas football team initiated a trend that has continued to this day.
The Jayhawks led Texas Tech by 25 points with 48 seconds remaining in the first half. In the second half, Texas Tech, with their patented air-raid offense, had stormed back to cut the Jayhawks' lead to six, and then did something strange.
Texas Tech had the ball with two minutes and 47 seconds remaining on the game clock and the game on the line. On third and six from their own 30-yard line, Texas Tech stunned everyone — including the Kansas defense — by running a draw play to their running back Taurean Henderson.
Henderson ran up the middle and didn't stop until he reached the end zone for a 70-yard go-ahead touchdown run. Texas Tech took a 31-30 lead with which they would eventually win.
The loss was an epic collapse and an embarrassment to the program. The Jayhawks have not been able to shake the loss against Texas Tech, as they've gone on to lose four consecutive games to the Red Raiders.
The losses haven't been ordinary, either. Kansas has allowed 30 points or more in
every game against Texas Tech during the losing streak. In Kansas' last two losses to Texas Tech, in 2008 and 2009, they've given up a total of 105 points while only scoring 42.
Yet, coach Turner Gill had little concern for what has happened in the past.
"That doesn't have any im
VIC SHEALY Defensive coordinator
pact on this ball game," Gill said. "We're looking at their team and what they're doing in 2011 and we're looking at what we're doing here in 2011."
Texas Tech's offensive numbers, while not quite what they used to be, are still very daunting, as the Red Raiders average 523.3 yards of offense per game.
What's happened thus far in 2011 does not bode well for the Javahawks.
Kansas defensive coordinator Vic Shealy said that, although he doesn't have the same running capabilities, Red Raiders' quarterback junior
---
Seth Doege is at a similar level of passing as Northern Illinois quarterback, senior Chandler Harnish.
Against Kansas, Harnish threw 33 passes and completed 27 of them for 315 yards and two touchdowns.
In addition to passing with confidence and ease — which Texas Tech is known to do — the Red Raiders have added a potent rushing attack to their offense with the 38th best rushing attack in the nation.
The numbers really appear to be ominous when taking a glance at what the Kansas defense has done in 2011, ranking last in the nation by allowing an average of 550 yards per game.
So when the Jayhawks take the field Saturday against Texas Tech, the odds will be against them to break the four-game losing skid. To overcome those odds, they'll have to have a defensive game plan that has not yet been seen in the previous matchups against the Red Raiders.
"You've got to be able to pressure the quarterback to get him out of rhythm," Shealy said. "In three ball games, they've had 21 passes for over 20 yards. You've got to limit that big play, and no one's done it. Hopefully we can do it."
Edited by Jennifer DiDonato
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN FILE PHOTO Facing a threatening offense, Kansas will need a new defensive strategy to beat Texas Tech. The Jayhawks have lost the last four games against the Red Raiders.
1