6B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 3, 2008
Kansas must fill holes to beat La. Tech defense
BY TAYLOR BERN tbern@kansan.com
The layhawks' week-one performance featured a plethora of highlight-reel plays that coaxed "oohs" and "aahs" from the record crowd. However, there were also a few holes in Kansas' game that will have to be shored up by Saturday with upset-minded Louisiana Tech coming to Memorial Stadium.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Louisiana Tech's Patrick Jackson runs away from Mississippi State defense. Louisiana Tech upets the team with excellent defense, something Kansas will have to counter in Saturday's game.
T he Jayhawks' top two running backs, juniors Jake Sharp and Jocques Crawford,combined to rush for just more than 60 yards. Kansas overcame that with 52 attempted passes from junior quarterback Todd Reesing.
said. "They have corners who are good players, which allows them to do more things inside with the safeties and linebackers."
Mangino said the Bulldogs played the kind of fundamental football that every coach admired.
Last week, the Louisiana Tech defense was stellar, leading them to an upset victory against Mississippi State with three sacks, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
"Their kids get where they need to be. You rarely find them out of position. They have corners who are good players, which allows them to do more things inside with the safeties and linebackers."
That strategy may not work this weekend, because the Bulldog secondary is more talented than that of the Golden Panthers.
MARK MANGINO Kansas coach
"Their kids get where they need to be. You rarely find them out of position," coach Mark Mangino
"Mississippi State is a good-looking squad and I'm surprised that they lost," Mangino said. "I knew they'd be in for a tough time down in Ruston (La.). I was really impressed that La. Tech came away with the victory."
Sophomore defensive tackle Jamal Greene said he wasn't surprised to see that the Bulldogs won.
"It's college football — you never know who's going to win," Greene said. "No. 1 could lose to No. 119, so that's why you play on
Saturdays."
Louisiana Techs 22-14 victory was a typical week one game, with sloppy play on both sides. The teams combined for seven turnovers and Bulldog quarterback Taylor Bennett completed only 14-of-40 pass attempts with one interception.
A transfer from Georgia Tech. Bennett is a southpaw, which has KU defensive coordinator Clint Bowen licking his chops.
"Coach Bowen's got some schemes that he said he likes playing against left-handed quarterbacks, so we're going to figure out some stuff we can throw at him," senior linebacker Joe Mortensen said.
Bennett had one touchdown pass in the game, a six-yard strike in the second quarter to running back Patrick Jackson. Jackson caught three passes for 17 yards and also carried the ball 17 times for 62 yards and another touchdown.
Mangino also mentioned wide receiver Phillip Livas and safety Antonio Baker as players the Jayhawks would have to watch.
Livas caught six passes for 85 yards and returned three kicks for an average of 22 yards, while Baker led the defense with 10 tackles and one interception. On special teams, Bulldog kicker Brad Oestriecher earned WAC special teams player of the week honors for converting on all three of his field goal attempts. Oestriecher connected from 48, 28 and 50 yards.
Kansas has taken some heat for its nonconference schedule the past couple of years. Last week
the Bulldogs proved they wouldn't be a cupcake for the Jayhawks to devour.
"Louisiana Tech has had a tradition of putting good football teams on the field," Mangino said. "When we scheduled this game I knew that it would not be an easy game. It'll take our best effort to win the game, and that's what I expect from our players."
— Edited by Brenna Hawley
BEECHER (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
nent's return specialist. Maybe,
just maybe, more students in attendance could turn an otherwise unremarkable Jayhawk Soccer Complex into Lawrence's own (very) little San Siro.
Lofty goals? Maybe, but goals are what soccer is all about. But let's say this column falls flat. Let's say that only you and a few other students show up to the Jayhawks' next game (5 p.m. Friday, against the University of Alabama at Birmingham). But let's also say that you get to see Monica Dolinsky turn on a defender, rise down the center of the field and then drill the ball into the corner of the net. Let's then say that you're treated to several spectacular saves, courtesy of Julie Hanley. The thing is, these aren't hypothetical examples. Kansas' win against Auburn on Sunday featured both of these occurrences, as well as a dramatic finish. The team's home opener saw the Jayhawks put three past the then-ranked No. 20 Purdue Boilermakers.
Maybe, just maybe, you'll be treated to as entertaining a game if you attend the next contest. And maybe, just maybe, you can help the University's other football team set an attendance record of its own.
Edited by Brenna Hawley
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FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Graduating from Washington High School in 2005, Greene was listed as the third-best recruit in Kansas.
After taking a redshirt in 2006, Greene, who also has a son named Jamal Jr., played sparingly last year but showed glimpses that he would be able to contribute this year, including a three-tackle performance against Oklahoma
"He's stepped up a lot," senior linebacker Joe Mortensen said. "That's
while he waited for his teammates to come up with the tackle.
"It was unplanned, of course but that's just life. You take it how it comes. I'm not compaining. She's a joy to my life and all my family."
JAMAL GREENE Sophomore defensive tackle
against Oklahoma State.
Greene started Saturday against FIU and, though he didn't have a tackle, he made several key stops
one thing about Jamal — atheltically, he's a freak. He's a strong, fast guy. He's the strongest guy on the team. This year, he's put it all together.
The past two seasons Greene learned under the tutelage
Ariel Abrams Megan Adams Heather Allen Whitney Beck Alexa Bondon Helsey Brittingham Colleen Cassidy Nicole Davila ALLY Decker Christine Dietze
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of All-American James McClinton. McClinton has since departed, which means Greene finally has his much-wanted opportunity to be the impact player that he was in high school.
"All the great players want to have that role, and that's what I'm striving to be," Greene said. "Everybody on the defense wants to be an impact player. That's how I want to take on the role of being a D tackle because if everybody has that mentality, then we will have a great defense."
McClinton was known for his dedication and maximum effort on every play of both practices and games, something that coach Mark Mangino said Greene still needs to work on.
"Jamal is a talented guy," Mangino said. "We're looking for consistency from him. We're looking for him to do it play after play, series after series. That's the challenge for Jamal."
"I think he's matured a lot in the last year. He's really starting to understand that you have to get after it every single snap. He's come a long way."
Edited by Andy Greenhaw
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