SPORTS
SWIM AND DIVE OPENS SEASON
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
The KU swimming and diving team will participate in its first meet. SWIMMING AND DIVING | 3B
CROSS COUNTRY TO COMPETE AT OSU
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PETER BOSSINGTON
The Jayhawks will travel to Stillwater to take part in the OSU Jamboree Saturday. CROSS COUNTRY 5B
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3. 2008
STEPPING UP
PAGE1B
Harris becomes defensive leader
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Sophomore cornerback Chris Harris (16) and other Kansas defenders pounce on a Florida International player in the Jayhawks first game of the season. Harris has become a leader for Kansas' freshmen cornerbacks this season.
Chris Harris knew Kansas' trio of freshmen cornerbacks had a rough night two Saturdays ago in a 38-14 victory against Sam Houston State.
Jon Goering/KANSAN FILE PHOTO cornerbacks this season
He saw Bearkat quarterback Rhett Bomar, who passed for 340 yards and a touchdown in the game, pick on Ryan Murphy, Isaiah Barfield and Corrigan Powell by continually throwing to receivers they were covering.
Harris consoled them after the game.
The Kansas football roster lists Harris as a sophomore. But he doesn't seem like one
"That's what's going to happen being a corner," Harris told them. "You've got to have the shortest memory being a corner."
— doesn't act like one. Even Harris fumbles his words when trying to describe his role among the cornerbacks.
He's the same age as Murphy and Barfield, who coaches and fans often peg as being "young." Harris was a member of the same recruiting class, but played his freshman year instead of receiving a red shirt.
But in football, experience trumps age—and Harris has experience. He's started 14 games during the past two seasons for the Jayhawks, practically making him a grandfather compared with the other cornerbacks.
Harris understands that and it's why he's become one of the leaders for Kansas, which plays on the road against Iowa State tomorrow at 11:30.
Harris has spent the Jayhawks' bye week encouraging the other cornerbacks and working on drills with them before and after practice. He knows they need to improve and figures he can help expedite the process. Harris wants them to feel comfortable coming to him with problems. He wants them to know he understands how tough it is to be a freshman cornerback.
"You're not just going to dominate," Harris said. "Especially in the Big 12, it's
not just going to happen."
But it did for Harris. Maybe he didn't exactly dominate, but he certainly didn't struggle during his freshman season.
He won the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year award. Sporting News named him an honorable mention Freshman All-American. He intercepted a pass in Kansas' 24-21 victory against Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl.
All those accomplishments are great. But Harris has new goals for this season. He wants to continue to be a reliable player while establishing himself as a leader.
you not the leader of the secondary."
"From high school, I'm used to it," Harris said. "Just being one year away doesn't make
*****
He's too small.
That's what Bixby High School football coach Pat McGrew kept hearing from college coaches two years ago when he tried to get recruiters interested in Harris.
They didn't listen when McGrew said Harris was a leader on one of the best high school football teams in Oklahoma.
At cornerback, Harris would call the defensive plays on the field and align everyone.
Not just defensive backs. He would make sure the defensive linemen and linebackers understood their adjustments and were in
the right spot.
"He was awesome," McGrew said. "He was like a coach."
But recruiters couldn't get over how short he was. Kansas lists Harris at six feet. Coaches shied away from him because they were worried about how he would match up with taller receivers.
Except for Kansas, McGrew said the Jayhawks were the one team that consistently showed interest in Harris. Kansas coaches traveled to Bixby to watch him play a number of times and be kept in close contact.
The layhawks were the first team to offer Harris a scholarship. McGrew said everything changed after that.
"Everyone started going after him," McGrew said. "And he said, 'no, Kansas was the one that liked me from the beginning and they're the ones who respected me.' He respected them and took the scholarship."
Harris received offers from Tulsa, Wyoming, Colorado State and Iowa State, but knew he wanted to come to Kansas.
McGrew knew the Jayhawks were swiping a great player out of Oklahoma.
VOLLEYBALL
"When he's out there on the field, he's playing hard and making sure everyone else is," McGrew said. "That's what you look for."
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 5B
Junior sparks Jayhawks, sets career high
BY JOSH BOWE
jbowe@kansan.com
Being a defensive specialist, junior Melissa Grieb does not get the attention of some of the outside hitters. After all,
kills are certainly flashier than dug. But it was hard not to take notice of one specialist Wednesday night.
Grieb had five aces against the Wildcats, a career high. More importantly she tailed four of them during an
Grieb
11-0 run during the fourth set that put the Jayhawks up 14-7, and led to their most impressive set of the season, winning 25-18.
"That's about as long a serving stretch as I've seen in quite some time," coach Ray Bechard said.
Grieb, who is also second on the team
in digs per set and aces, has been the spark the Jayhawks have needed in the serving game. She only has nine serving errors and is the only player to have more aces than errors with at least 35 attempts.
"We know that the first contact tells what the rest of the play is going to be like." Grieb said.
Aces are all well in good, but Bechard said after the loss that it really mattered more if Kansas could've secured the fifth and final set against K-State.
Beachard is not content though, he knows that Texas Tech will be hungry to get its first victory against Kansas and will not let the five-set heartbreak cloud his players' thoughts.
Kansas has finally made it out of their toughest stretch of the season, finally playing an opponent tomorrow night in Texas Tech that is not ranked after playning three in a row. Even worse, the Red Raiders do not even have a Big 12 victory this season, winless in five matches.
"Texas Tech is a difficult place to play, and we'll be prepared." Bechard said. "We're not going to let this match affect our preparation for the next one."
But Grieb understands the lessons learned from Wednesday night's match, even if the lessons are repeated. All the players and Bechard talked about the constant struggle for focus and coming out stronger at the beginning of sets. Even in the sets the Jayhawks won against the Wildcats, it was not a picture perfect start.
"I don't know what it is. We just really need to work on being able to come out every set and come out strong." Grieb said.
With a 1-4 standing the in the Big 12, Kansas has to make a move and pick up some victories, and Grieb might have to pull a couple of more aces from her sleeve.
Edited by Brieun Scott
Key player comes back to lead defense
COMMENTARY
It's the kind of situation that no coach ever wants to be in.
When senior cornerback Kendrick Harper was taken off the field on a stretcher during Kansas' game against Louisiana Tech, there were questions of a possible neck or head injury. After the game was finished, coach Mark Mangino was still waiting for word on his status.
"Right now we don't have a whole lot of information. I can just tell you he's in very good care," he said. "We want to talk to his family before, you know, stuff is printed off all over the Internet."
Erring on the side of caution, Harper vould sit out that game and the next against Sam Houston State. Though Harper has recovered, the Jayhawks pass defense has not. Since then, Kansas has had to rely on a platoon of freshmen: Isaiah Barfield, Corrigan Powell and Ryan Murphy. The results have been abysmal.
In a great sigh of relief for everyone, Harper was released from the hospital the following evening. There was even a slight
It's uncertain whether Harper will be up to speed this weekend after the injury, but there is no question about the joke that is Kansas' passing defense. In its last two games, Kansas has given up an average of 339 yards. Louisiana Tech, who has the worst passing defense in the nation, has given up an average of 348.67 yards in its three games. In Kansas' first two
With Harper slated to play for the first time since the injury as Kansas opens its conference season against Iowa State tomorrow, the timing couldn't be better. Make no mistake, Kendrick Harper's return to the gridron may be the biggest key to the lajhawks' success in the Big 12.
possibility at the time that Harper would be ready for the next week's game against South Florida.
After South Florida's junior quarterback and preseason Davey O'Brien Award candidate, Matt Grothe, threw for 338 yards and two touchdowns, engineering a comeback against the Jayhawks, it was arguable that they were just shown up by a ranked team on its home turf.
games, the team surrendered an average of 96 yards.
But when Kansas gave up 340 yards to Division I-FCS Sam Houston State at home the following week, there was a cause for concern. Play after play, Kansas' three freshmen cornerbacks were beat on vertical routes, making the Bearkats' receivers look like Randy Moss and Terrell Owens.
"I'd say on a couple of those plays, (associate athletics director) Larry Keating and I could have got underneath the coverage faster than the corners did," Mangino said sarcastically after the game.
Statistics are misleading and the Jayhaws did intercept Bomar three times.
SEE WHEELER ON PAGE 5B
SOCCER
Jessica Sain-Baird/KANSAN
Kelsey and Kortney Clifton, Wichita freshmen, are twins and forwards on the University's soccer team. Both played soccer in high school, and Kelsey said the biggest differences in college-level soccer were speed and intensity on the field.
Home turf matters in upcoming Big 12 play
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
After practice Tuesday, junior forward Shannon McCabe stood on familiar, and comforting, ground: the Bermuda grass on the lavihawk soccer fields.
The short surface may appear rather insignificant, but it plays a crucial hand in the jahawks' short, crisp passing game.
Following four straight road games, including two played on thicker-cut grass, the Bermuda surface was a soothing sight to McCabe and the Jayhawks.
"It's more comfortable playing at home," McCabe said. "Our fans are here. It's our field, and we're used to this surface. We're able to play our game more."
Kansas returns to the Jayhawk Soccer Complex to play Texas Tech on Friday and No. 15 Colorado on Sunday following a 2-2 road trip. And grass playing fields created a new challenge for the Jayhawks in their last two games — a 2-1 double-overtime loss to Nebraska and a 3-2 victory against Iowa State.
In an attempt to capitalize on long, lofting passes, both schools featured a slowplaying Bluegrass surface.
"That was a bit of a struggle for us this weekend," coach Mark Francis said. "Getting back on our own surface, I know the girls are excited about that."
It isn't just the makeup of the grass, though, that makes playing on the road more difficult. Keeping up with homework and tests can be tricky. So, too, are flights and buses.
"It's just a lot of time in the hotel," McCabe said, "a lot of sitting and waiting around. It's a good team bonding thing, but it's also good to be home."
For the first time since the first week of the season, Kansas enters a game unranked. The Jayhawks are 3-1 at home, having outscored their opponents by six goals.
"At an away game they're cheering against you," McCabe said. "You look in the stands and don't really see anyone you know. It's nice to see familiar faces."
And this weekend Kansas faces two quality Big 12 opponents. Texas Tech enters Friday's contest at 6-3-1 and a 1-2 mark in conference play. Colorado arrives in Lawrence to tote a nine-game unbeaten streak and 8-1-2 record.
For the Jayhawks, the home stand represents a return to normalcy.
"I know the girls are excited about not having to travel, sleeping in their own beds and not having to live out of their suitcases," Francis said. "That's why playing on the road is so tough.
"We're excited to be back."
Edited by Kelsey Hayes
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