tuesday, august 26, 2003
the university daily kansan
sports
3B
NEWCOMERS/Results anticipated
CONTINUED FROM 1B
on the depth chart. Remuise Johnson led last year's team with six interceptions and was the team's starting punt returner. He has since lost both jobs.
Junior college transfer Shelton Simmons won the cornerback spot and Charles Gordon and John Randle will take over punt return duties.
The offensive line is as expected, with Adrian Jones at left tackle and Danny Lewis at right tackle. Joe Vaughn won the starting center position in the spring while Tony Coker and Bob Whitaker give Kansas a pair of 320-pound guards. Lionel Anderson will be the tight end.
Neitther Bajza or freshman Moderick Johnson are listed as starters, but both will see plenty of time at wide receiver behind Brandon Rideau, Mark Simmons and Gordon.
Clark Green will start in the backfield, but he will be pushed by freshman Randle. Bill Whitte-more will start at quarterback.
Newcomers have had a bigger impact on defense. Monroe Weekley, Chuck Jones, Gabe Toomey and Simmons are slated to start. Toomey shifted to inside linebacker, while Banks Flood-
Fowler
man moved to the outside. With the injury to captain Travis Watkins, Chuck Jones and Cory Kipp moved from defensive end to defensive
tackle, where both are listed as starters.
Other newcomers who may have an impact are John McCoy, who shifted from inside linebacker to defensive end, Zach Mims at linebacker, and Kenneth Thompson at cornerback.
In all, 15 newcomers to the team this season are listed on the two-deep depth chart, seven on offense and eight on defense.
offense and eight on defense. Whittemore can empathize with his new teammates. He was also thrust into an early role as a newcomer last year when he relieved Zach Dyer in the season-opening loss to Iowa State. He said the team was depending on the newcomers to make an impact.
"I think it took me one or two games to feel comfortable," Whittemore said. "We are expecting them to be ready."
- Edited by Nikki Overfelt
Michael Vick is hyped as the next John Elway or more. He was supposed to carry the Atlanta Falcons past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South this season and, perhaps, on to the Super Bowl.
The Associated Press
Buccaneers in top spot in NFC South
Super Bow.
Then Vick did what comes naturally, scrambling in a meaningless exhibition game against Baltimore.
"Nothing was open and I had to do something to make a play," he said. "It wasn't looking good at the time and I just tried to get something going."
something going.
Instead, he got something stopped: the Falcon's' momentum. He was hit from behind and went down with a broken leg that will keep him out for the first four regular-season games and perhaps more.
Not a good thing in a division that had three teams with winning records and a fourth, Carolina, which made a major push upward last season.
Vick's injury solidifies Tampa Bay's position as the favorite to win the division again. The most significant loss from last year's team is free safety Dexter Jackson, the Super Bowl MVP, who
went to Atlanta.
The heart of the team remains that defense, although the three mainstays — defensive tackle Warren Sapp, linebacker Derrick Brooks and strong safety John Lynch — have a few miles on them.
went to Arizona as a free agent.
them.
Still, none seems to have slowed and defensive tackle Anthony McFarland, who missed the postseason and Super Bowl with a foot injury, just signed a rich new contract. He will team with Sapp as perhaps the best inside tandem in the league.
league. As usual with Tampa Bay, offense is more problematic. The offensive line and running game are so-so and there's no real deep threat at wide receiver.
Brad Johnson is a capable quarterback as long as he stays healthy, which he hasn't in most seasons. The backups are Jim Miller, Shaun King and rookie Chris Simms.
Chris Simmons. The top three receivers all are 6-foot-plus: Keyshawn Johnson, Keenan McCardell and Joe Jurevicius, who shined in the postseason. Thomas Jones was obtained from Arizona as insurance at running back behind Michael Pittman, who has legal problems
that put his status in doubt. Mike Allstot remains the power back and a force near the goal line.
But since Pittsburgh ended its run of four titles in six years after the 1979 season, only three teams have won repeat championships: San Francisco (1988-89), Dallas (92-93) and Denver ('97-98). Their quarterbacks were Joe Montana, Troy Alkman and Elway, all a lot better than Johnson.
Still, the Bucs believe
"I think it's going to be the hardest thing we ever try to do in our lives." Sapp says. "But I think this team is up for the challenge."
Atlanta might be the biggest challenge if Vick is his old self when he returns. Meanwhile, Doug Johnson will be at quarterback and he's not bad — he was 19-off 25 for 257 yards in a road victory against the Giants, a playoff team, in his only start last season, although New York played that game without both starting cornerbacks.
"Doug's a very fiery guy," says middle linebacker Keith Brooking, the Falcons' best defensive player. "He's told me, 'I like it when the D-lineman hits me as I'm throwing the ball. I like to pick myself up in front of him."
That feels good to me.' Hey, not many quarterbacks are going to say that."
say that. Even with Vick, there are questions about the Falcons. The defensive line is light and can be run on, and soon-to-be 34-year old cornerback Ray Buchanan is slipping.
sipping.
Coach Dan Reeves is still trying to figure out how to play running backs Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett at the same time. Dunn is a speed back and Duckett a power guy. The retirement of fullback Bob Christian may make it easier, but only if Duckett can play the position.
play the position.
New Orleans has fallen apart in the last two seasons. The Saints lost their last four games of 2001. Last year, they dropped their last three to finish 9-7, missing the playoffs.
ing the players.
The offense is fine with QB Aaron Brooks, RB Deuce McAllister and WRs Joe Horn and Donte' Stallworth. But McAllister has been injury prone and there's no one behind him.
there is one team. The defense still has problems. There are seven new starters from a variety of systems, including the first-round draft choice, Johnathan Sullivan, at DT, where growing pains are common.
Chiefs, fans look for results in Vermeil's third season
The Associated Press
KANSASCITY,Mo. — Fans of the Kansas City Chiefs are not alone in hoping to see history repeat itself.
From the players' weight room in the bowels of Arrowhead Stadium, to the plush executive offices on the fourth floor, to the lonesome seat at the very end of the uppermost row high above the field, excitement reigns.
the heat. Coach
Year No. 3, everyone knows,
has always been a breakthrough
season everywhere Dick Vermil
has coached.
"When coach Vermeil was at Philadelphia, they went to the playoffs in his third year for the first time in I don't know how long." said linebacker Shawn Barber, one of three key defensive newcomers.
newcomers.
"His third year at St. Louis, they went to the Super Bowl and won it. Now it is his third year in Kansas City."
In year No. 2 of Vermeil's regime, the offense flowered.
regime, the offense has Now it's time for the defense to follow suit. If the offense can be just 90 percent of the unit that led the NFL in total yards last year
and the defense can be improved from worst to just middle-of-the-pack, Vermilil's third year could indeed follow a familiar pattern.
indeed follow a similar pattern.
"If you're doing things right, the good things compound," Vermeil said. "By your third year, you ought to be a better football
team. The sadsack unit that ranked 32nd in total defense last season will have at least four new starters and possibly five.
The key addition is Barber. The Chiefs are counting on the former Eagles star to provide speed and leadership to a defense badly in need of both.
"He's brought a natural instinct to the position," Vermille said. "A lot of guys run fast, but they get started slow. Other guys run fast but they don't read what's happening until it's too late. He has a great sense for what's going
on all responses.
Also signed to free agent contracts were defensive end Vonnie Holliday and cornerback Dexter McLeon. Holliday will help an anemic outside pass rush. McLeon was initially thought of as a nickel back. But if veteran William Bartee falters as badly as last year, McLeon will start.
As important as any newcomer will be safety Jerome Woods, an eight-year veteran who went out for the year with a broken leg last August, an absence that sent shockwaves through the already-shaky secondary. A steel rod in
"His third year at St. Louis, they went to the Super Bowl and won it. Now this is his third year in Kansas City."
Shawn Barber
Chiefs linebacker
his leg gave him trouble in training camp, but the defense will be strengthened significantly if Woods regains his stamina and form.
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If you want to be in the cockpit or on the bridge and you think you have the right stuff; call Ensign Ryan Chappell at The University of Kansas Naval ROTC Unit, 864-3161. Visit our website at www.ku.edu/~kurotc
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