Pro Soccer
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
tuesday
October 14, 1997
Section:
A
Kansas City Wizards general manager Tim Latta resigned yesterday. He had managed the team since its inception in September 1995.
Big 12 Football
Oklahoma running back De'mond Parker, Kansas State linebacker Mark Simoneau and Oklahoma State specialist Tim Sydnes are the players of the week.
Page 8
College Basketball
Kansas State assistant men's basketball coach Bob Hanson resigned to take a job as director of the Wichita Sports Commission. He had worked for the Wildcats since 1994.
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Seeking answers to the frustrating college football rankings question
I love college football and the upsets that come with every season. But one problem remains every season that no Alliance could possibly correct.
The problem is this: How can any coach or sportwriter determine whether one school is better than another when records alone do not tell the whole story?
When I saw that Penn State raska was No. 2 in college football this weekend, I had a flashback to 1994 when both teams were 12-0. Nebraska was voted No. 1, and
Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
renn State had to settle for No. 2 that season.
I will not argue that the Nittany Lions were better than the Cornhuskers that season — they never played each other. But how can anyone determine and justify whether one 12-0 team is better than the other, or whether one 11-1 team is better the other?
When the teams do not play each other, I find it hard to answer that last question. If I had been able to vote in The Associated Press' 1994 poll, I would have split my vote between Nebraska and Penn State.
Even if the Big Ten and Pacific-10 conferences were included in the Alliance, there would not be a perfect method to determine a clear national champion if three or more teams finished the season with identical records.
Last season, five teams finished with only one loss — Florida (12-1), Florida State (11-1), Ohio State (11-1), Arizona State (11-1) and Brigham Young (14-1). No team was undefeated.
With the present system, we have to hope that one team clearly is better than the rest. But that seems unlikely to happen with conference championship games, reduced scholarships and the increasing parity in college football.
Then again, what we used to call the Alliance actually is what we have used to determine national championships in the past.
A team that lost later in the season will be punished more harshly than one that lost earlier in the season. The two games between Florida and Florida State last season are an example.
Losses at the beginning of the season should count just as much as losses at the end of the season. That they do not have never made sense to me.
At home, Florida State defeated the Gators 24-21 in November last season. In the Sugar Bowl rematch in January, Florida State lost 52-20 to the Gators, who won the national championship at that game.
This plan is not perfect because then you must determine which teams get picked and which teams are excluded, but that would be a problem worth facing.
If when a team lost made any difference as to which team was better, the game in question would have to happen in a playoff format. I would like to see a four-team playoff start at the end of December and end in the beginning of January.
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has been an advocate of a national playoff since the early 1980s, and he would have wanted one in 1994.
Gallagher is an Olathe senior in journalism.
Sports shorts
Kansas tennis
Robert Cashman is the new assistant men's tennis coach, Kansas head men's tennis coach Mark Riley announced.
Cashman comes to Kansas after serving in the same position at Barry College in Miami Shores, Fla., for the last five years.
Cashman's coaching resume also includes head tennis pro for the Michael Ann Russell Tennis Center in Miami, director of tennis for the Fountainbleau Hilton Racquet Club in Miami and a collegiate career at Barry College.
Washington 21, Dallas 16
Pro football
PITCH BASEBALL
League Championship Series
■ American League
Yesterday
Baltimore 4, Cleveland 2
Cleveland leads 3-2
Tomorrow
Cleveland at Baltimore, 3:15 p.m.
Pro baseball
Cleveland at Baltimore, 3:15 p.m.
National League
Florida leads series 3-2
Today
Florida at Atlanta, 7:07 p.m. (NBC)
Young Jayhawks explore their nest
Casey Pruitt, Jonesboro, Ark., redshirt freshman, and Jennifer Jackson, Tuscaloosa, Ala., freshman, pose for pictures during the women's basketball media day. The event took place yesterday in Allen Field House. Photo by Geoff Krieger/KANSAN
One senior, youth concern team
Women's basketball loses scoring core, shy on experience
By Penny Walker sports@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
When Koya Scott began her freshman season on the Kansas women's basketball team, she never thought she would one day be the only senior on the team.
"One time [Angela] Aycock, my freshman year, said she always knew she was going to be the only senior," said Scott, who plays center. "When she said it, it stuck in my mind, but that's not what I expected at all."
Three seasons later, Scott is suddenly the sole senior on a team that looks radically different from when she began. The Jayhawks face this season after losing five seniors from last year's squad, players who together scored 69.7 percent of last season's points.
Tamecka Dixon's absence may be felt the most because it means the team will take the court without an experienced point guard. Dixon used her four years of eligibility and now plays in the WNBA.
"It's going to be our greatest challenge," said head coach Marian Washington, who is entering her 25th year at Kansas. The candidates for Dixon's position are freshman Jennifer Jackson and redshirt freshman Casey Pruitt, who has torn her anterior cruciate ligament three times in the past two years.
"We have two very inexperienced people in that position, so it's going to be tough." Washington said.
Shandy Robbins, junior guard, transferred from Central Arizona College. She said she knew that it would be tough for the team to polish its plays in the few practices before games start, but she pointed out that it was the same situation for teams everywhere.
Also adding to the season's challenge is the overall youth of the team, with four freshmen and one community-college transfer joining the Jahwacks.
"We may have a rough start. We may
not." Robbins said.
Although Washington acknowledged the youth of the players, she emphasized the strengths of the others, such as junior forward/center Nakia Sanford and soohomore guard/forward Lynn Pride.
When there is one really good player, such as Dixon, the other players tend to step back and let her take charge, Washington said. But this year, Pride and others won't think they're overstepping their roles and can take the initiative, she said. It simply remains to be seen in practice who will be ready to respond, she said.
"At this level, you can have all the potential in the world, but what really matters is the end result." Washington said.
Jackson, one of the contenders for the point guard position, doesn't see the large number of newcomers as a completely negative thing. Coming in together, she said, means that they're all learning together, and no one person is on her own trying to learn what the rest of the team already knows.
Washington has responded to this learning situation by planning to simplify the offense and defense to help the number of
young players.
Jackson recognizes the challenge of the point guard situation.
"It's going to be tough coming in after such a great point guard like Tamecka Dixon," she said. "She's an All-American. She's playing for the Los Angeles Sparks. That's a tough act to follow.
"Casey and I are the two point guards. I don't think either one of us is going to score as much as she did last year. But I think we can handle it."
Scott, as the only senior, said the newcomers' inexperience and need to look toward upperclassmen could make a difference in a game.
"When you're shooting, and when you're passing, yeah, then it doesn't matter," Scott said. "But when you're in huddles and when you're talking and trying to get people to do something, it matters what class you are."
Despite the challenges that the team faces, Scott said she was optimistic and shared the excitement of the whole team. "I think it's still going to be Division I women's basketball coming from KU," she said.
Offense is young, struggling
By Kelly Cannon kcannon@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
Allen optimistic supportive of team
The Kansas football team's offense has been struggling this year.
After the offense failed to score a touchdown in the 17-7 loss to Texas Tech Saturday in Lubbock, Texas, that much was apparent.
But Kansas football coach Terry Allen said the Jayhawk offense wasn't hanging its head.
"We keep striving with it." Allen said. "We've been fortunate, and we keep elaborating on
it, as in the Oklahoma game. It was like, 'Hey, guys. If everyone does their assignment, you can go 99 yards with it.' We're hanging in there, and patting them on their back."
Of 11 Kansas touchdowns this season, four have come from the defense. Outside linebacker Patrick Brown had two touchdowns against Alabama-Birmingham on Aug. 28, strong safety Maurice Gaddle scored against the University of Cincinnati on Sept. 20 and cornerback Jamie Harris scored Kansas' only touchdown against Texas Tech on Saturday.
"The defense has tried to rally and help the offense," Allen said. "The defense has helped those guys, and I know they're trying."
When Allen was hired as Kansas' new coach last year, he brought a new offensive scheme with him. Allen said Kansas' offensive troubles were not because of the new plan.
"We just have a lack of experience on the offensive side of the ball," Allen said. "We are starting six kids that at one time were walk-ons. They are trying hard, and they are progressing, but it was just an inexperienced group that came back."
Only two of the players who have started for Kansas on offense this season are seniors — quarterback Matt Johner and running back Eric Vann. That means Kansas will return at least nine starters next year.
Johner did not start against
Texas Tech tailback Ricky Williams breaks through a pack of Kansas defenders. Williams, a true freshman, rushed for 179 yards during the game on Saturday. Photo by Pam Dishman/KANSAN
Texas Tech because of a bone break in the little finger of his throwing hand. Sophomore Zac Wegner has taken charge of Kansas' starting quarterback duties. That makes him the 10th Kansas offensive player that will
return next season with starting experience.
Texas Tech football coach Spike Dykes recognized Kansas' ability.
"Kansas has really done a great job." Dykes said. "We knew we would have to play to our best level of competition to win."
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