SPORTS
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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FOOTBALL
This one means more to him
Weston White/KANSAN
Junior quarterback Todd Reesing attempts to break a tackle by a Kansas State lineman on Saturday, Nov. 1. Reesing threw for 162 yards and one touchdown in Kansas' 52-21 win over the Wildcats.
BY TAYLOR BERN
tbern@kansan.com
If everything is bigger in Texas, then how do they explain Todd Reesing?
Generously listed at 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, the junior quarterback's small stature scared off a lot of major schools along the recruiting trail. That includes the football factory in Reesing's backyard, the University of Texas.
Reesing's father, Steve, went to Texas.
• Like most kids growing up in Austin, Todd cheered for the Longhorns.
However, that fanhood didn't mean much when it came to getting a scholarship offer. Neither did his stellar high school numbers
In his senior season at Lake Travis High School, Reeing threw for 3.343 yards, 41 touchdowns and just five interceptions. He was named Central Texas Player of the Year.
Still, Texas coach Mack Brown never gave Reeing a serious look. To his credit, Brown already had a record-setting Texas quarterback in his recruiting class, and Colt McCoy has worked out just fine.
At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, McCoy fits the bill of a prototypical Division-1 quarterback. McCoy's commitment ensured that Reesing would never wear the burnt orange, but fortunately, coach Mark Mangino was there to sign him up.
In nearly three years at Kansas, Reesing has accomplished more than anyone expected.
On Saturday, Reesing could check off another goal that's been around since he first came to Lawrence — beat Texas.
"I would be lying if I told you it wasn't a little bit bigger for me," Reesing said. "You've got to try to not make it as big to yourself, but it is going to be fun. I grew up watching Texas and cheering for them, so now that I am playing against them it will be a lot of fun."
Flash forward three and a half months and the game has arrived, but with less national fanfare than Kansas would like.
Back in July at the Big 12 media days, Reesing said he couldn't wait for this game. He said his father had already reserved about 30 hotel rooms for this weekend.
The Jayhawks (6-4) must win out for a shot at the Big 12 North title and a lot of pundits have picked the Longhorns (9-1) to win easily. The underdog role is nothing new to Mangino's crew and Reeing said the key to keeping up with the favorites is to stay on his feet.
Last week at Nebraska he was constantly scrambling and took a number of vicious hits. Now Reesing will line up across from the Big 12's best front four.
"They can rush the passer well and they have gotten a lot of sacks." Reesing said. "Unfortunately for me that might mean
trouble."
One man trying to keep Reesing upright will be senior Ryan Cantrell, a Sugar Land, Texas, senior who's playing his last home game. In total, the Jayhawks have 28 Texans on the roster, which is the most of any state (there are 27 Kansans). Mangino said he could see a little different look from those
guys leading up to this game.
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"I think maybe our Texas players, they get a little bit excited about it," Mangino said. "They're a little bit more bright-eyed about it."
None more so than the fun-slinger. His family and friends are in town, so all that's left to do is suit up and become Saturday's
biggest lone star.
"To get to play them is halfway to the dream I would have had as a kid," Reesing said. "As good as they are this year, maybe pulling off an upset would be special for me."
— Edited by Arthur Hur
SOCCER
Jayhawks finally achieve dream
BY ANDREW WIEBE
awiebe@kansan.com
Not one of Kansas' players knows what it's like to play in the NCAA Soccer Tournament. Zero.
It's the unfortunate result of three consecutive below average seasons. But for the first time since 2004 the dry spell is over, and coach Mark Francis' team has a priceless opportunity to make a statement on an unfamiliar stage.
Sure, the Jayhawks are happy to be in the tournament. But make no mistake, Kansas won't be satisfied with an early exit or a subpar showing.
"One of our team's goal at the beginning of the season was to make
the NCAA Tournament, and we did that" junior midfielder Monica Dolinsky said. "But for a lot of us, that's not good enough"
Hanley
This afternoon Kansas
(12-7-2) and Sun Belt Conference champions Denver (19-2-2) will meet in the tournament's first round for the right to play either UC Santa Barbara or No. 1 seed Stanford in the second round on Sunday.
Junior goalkeeper Julie Hanley hadn't seen any film on the Pioneers as of Wednesday, but said the team was itching to get on the field and get its first taste of the NCAA Tournament, as well as the balmy California weather.
"I just think we need to go in confi-
lance." Hanley said. "We have everything
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 5B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Collins' civil suit charges dismissed
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Jessica J. Brown, who accused Collins of exposing and rubbing himself on her in a jayhawk Tower elevator, dropped her civil suit against Collins Thursday. Collins also dropped his
Sherron Collins is excited to put his legal problems behind him.
counter-suit against Brown.
"I'm just trying to move on and focus on basketball and put it behind me," Collins said.
So is Kansas coach Bill Self. Self has supported Collins since Brown made the claims in May 2007. She filed the civil lawsuit a year later and after Collins failed to respond, a Douglas County judge ordered Collins to pay more than $75,000 in damages by default.
Criminal charges were not filed after Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson cited insignificant evidence. With the civil suit now also dropped, Self said he
SEE COLLINS ON PAGE 5B
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Morningstar, Reed make guard rotation
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
For the time being, the Kansas lineup should have a distinct Kansas flavor.
The only two scholarship players on the Jayhawk roster from Kansas — sophomore guards Tyrel Reed and Brady Morningstar — have earned significant playing time to open the regular season because of their performances in the two exhibition games.
Reed averaged nine and a half points and three assists in the two games, while Morningstar averaged nine points and three assists. Kansas coach Bill Self said both have also improved defensively. They're both going to be on the floor a lot starting with Sunday's regular-season opener against UMKC.
The guaranteed minutes were not handed to the duo of Kansas natives. Reed and Morningstar proved they were worthy of receiving them.
"I don't want to use the words 'separated themselves', but they've really done a good job." Self said. "There's no way we're going into the season without them being a big part of our rotation."
Even with junior guard and Big 12 Preseason Newcomer of the Year Mario Little sidelined because of a stress fracture in his lower left leg, the Jayhawks had seven guards who could fill those spots.
Self primarily uses five guards in his rotation. Self said if a player wasn't one of the top of the five, hed probably be unhappy with his minutes.
Junior guard Sherron Collins already owned one. So Reed, Morningstar, junior Tyrone Appleton, sophomore Conner Teahan, freshman Tyshawn Taylor and freshman Travis Releford were the six candidates competing for four spots.
With the exhibition games as their audition stage, Reed and Morningstar outperformed the others. Self has suggested their experience in the program might have helped win the minutes.
"Look at Tyrel last year or Brady the year before; they were kind of the odd man out," Self said. "Unfortunately, that's the way it is on every team. You're going to have some guys who — until they crack into the rotation group — aren't going to play much."
Morningstar, who was a redshirt last year, has also noticed the advantages of spending two years in the program. Despite not playing in a game last season, Morningstar learned a lot from practicing with the national championship team
Morningstar said it had already started to pay off before the season.
"Even if you're not as good as some of the younger players, being older is an advantage," Morningstar said. "Just because you know what you can get away with on the court."
Self stressed, however, that nothing was permanent. Reed and Morningstar are just the most ready to contribute right now. That doesn't mean their minutes are coming to change. Reed and Morningstar
SEE MEN'S BASKETBALL ON PAGE 5B
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Sophomore guard Brady Morningstar goes up for a shot in traffic during Tuesday's game against Emory State.
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