Inside Sports
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sports
Pro Basketball
Coach Dean Smith will retire from North Carolina today, ESPN reported. Longtime assistant Bill Guthridge will succeed him. SEE PAGE 2B
Thursday
October 9, 1997
Section:
B
Page 1
Chicago coach Phil Jackson is concerned about the team as it prepares for exhibition games.
SEE PAGE 6B
Pro Baseball
Atlanta and Baltimore won their respective League Championship Series games yesterday.
SEE PAGE 5B
WWW.KANSAN.COM/NEWS/SPORTS
Contact the Kansan
Sports Desk: (785) 864-4810
Sports Fax: (785) 864-5261
Sports e-mail: sports@kansan.com
Sports Forum: spfforum.kansan.com
Warner on pace to bag record
Kansas linebacker close to sack mark
By Kelly Cannon
kcannon@kansan.com
Kansan sports writer
Kansan sports writer
If he grabs 3.5 more sacks in the six remaining games this season, Warner will tie Kansas' single-season quarterback sack record.
Outside linebacker Ron Warner is on track for the record books.
Warner leads the Jayhawks with 6.5 sacks this season. The previous single-season record was 10 sacks, set by Dana Stubblefield in 1991. Stubblefield, who was the 1993 NFC defensive rookie of the year, plays for the San Francisco 49ers.
Ron Warner leaps in an attempt to block an Oklahoma field goal. Warner, who leads the team with 6.5 sacks this season, is on track for the record books. Photo by Dan Elavskyi/KANSAN
"He (Warner) is a talented athlete, no question about that," Kansas football coach Terry Allen said. "We try and get him in a situation where he can use his speed and athletic ability to beat people blocking."
So far, Warner has had success. He is in seventh place on Kansas' single-season sack list and fourth in career sacks for the Jayhawks.
"When we got here and started working with him in the spring, we felt there were some things he could do," Allen said. "He hasn't disappointed us."
In addition to Warner's increase in sacks, he put on weight this year.
"He was playing at 215 last year," Allen
said. "Now he's at 250."
"I told them to give me more time," Warner said. "Give me two more seconds, and I'd get it done."
Warner attributed some of his success to Kansas' defensive backs.
Running back Eric Vann has moved onto another Kansas all-time list: 1,000 career rushing yards.
Vann rushed for 137 yards against Oklahoma, including a 99-yard touchdown rush. He is 29th on Kansas' list of 1,000-yard rushers. Vann has rushed for 1,108 yards in his career.
After five games, the Kansas offense is still the source of much scrutiny. The Jayhawks have been falling on the lesser end of offensive statistics and time of possession. Allen said that Kansas was limited in what its offense could do, and was relying on its defense.
"We play within our limits," Allen said. "We can't scatter people all over the field. We let our defense attempt to win football games for us because where we're at offensively, on a scale of one to 10, is a two and a half. I've never been a big believer in time of possession. Numbers and statistics are funny."
Allen said he was confident in Kansas' new starting quarterback Zac Wegner.
"Zac does not lack confidence," Allen said. "He has demonstrated poise in handling himself. He's probably more comfortable taking the reins over now than he would have been out of the chute."
Volleyball squad looking to dig out of streak
Maggie Mohfeld attempts to spike a ball past Kim Carlin while Laura Rohde and Kendra Kahler look on during practice. The Jayhawks play the Red Raiders of Texas Tech at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Allen Field House. Photo by Dan Elvarsky/KANSAN
By Matt Gardner
Kansan sports writer
Not only is the Kansas volleyball team hoping to get a couple wins this weekend, it is hoping to see the return of its intensity in Allen Field House.
Kansas (7-10, 4-0) still is looking for that first Big 12 Conference win and will have two opportunities this weekend to get it when it plays host to Texas Tech and Baylor.
The Jayhawks are riding a five-match losing streak, including opening Big 12 Conference play 0-4.
"We're making some great strides," Kansas volleyball coach Karen Schonewise said. "We've done some good things in the past few weeks, but we've also done a lot of bad things. We're still struggling with our consistency."
Consistency has haunted the Jayhawks since the second game of the Nebraska match on Sept. 26. Since then, Kansas hasn't won a game in three matches and dropped games to Kansas State, 0-15, and to Oklahoma. 2-15.
"We've been working on a lot of different things in practice this week in terms of focus and concentration. We need to get confidence so we know if another team makes a run we can still be in good shape." Schonew said.
Outside hitter Moira Donovan said the Jayhawks needed to regain the desire they had at the beginning of the season.
"We talked recently about picking up our effort and getting the desire back. We've had a couple losses that have set us back a little," Donovan said. "We've just been disappointed with some of our losses. K-State and the Oklahoma losses we big for us
Many of the players on the team have been on a roller coaster lately in terms of their play, which is something Schonewise said a good week of practice hopefully could cure.
because we knew they would be teams close to us in record."
"I think anytime you get into conference play, teams will be scouting a little more," Schonewise said. "When other teams work on your strengths, you need to develop other strengths to counter-attack that."
The Red Raiders are 15-3 overall and 2-2 in conference play. They also received 13 votes in this week's USA Today/AVCa poll. Tech was 15-1 entering last weekend before dropping two matches to in-state rivals Texas and Texas A&M. The Jayhawks have lost all three matches against Tech in their short history.
The Jayhawks face Texas Tech Fridav
The Kansas match against Baylor was moved to 1 p.m. Sunday because of the Bulls-Sonics game on Saturday night. The Bears are 12-6 with a 2-2 record in conference play. Baylor also lost its first conference matches to Texas A&M and Texas during the weekend. This will be the fifth meeting between the two schools, with Kansas' only win against the Bears in 1985.
Schonewise said that if the girls focused on each point and cut down on the errors, they could win this weekend's matches.
"Tech and Baylor are both really good teams," Schonewise said. "If we play great defense and be aggressive and smart with our attacking game we can have a successful weekend."
Fighting through the losing streak, Donovan continues to play with a stress fracture in her left leg that she suffered during the Colorado State match on Sept. 20. Donavan is playing in an air cast and said she would continue to play if it's not painful.
"We're kind of treating it day by day. Like if it's sore I might rest for a little bit," Donovan said. "I don't intend on missing any of the rest of the season."
Kansas is the only Big 12 school to have an overall losing record, despite the Jayhawks' success in nonconference play. The Jayhawks carded a winning record against nonconference foes for the time since 1983 with a 7-6 record.
The Jayhawks are hoping for another weekend of big crowds in the field house. The Nebraska match drew 1,000 fans, Colorado 500 and the Kansas State match set a season high with more than 1,300 in attendance.
"Home matches are good because they give us a little more time to practice and more time to rest," Donovan said. "A lot people coming out is great. We get really excited about it. It's always a lot easier to play in front of a home crowd."
Tennis team, former coach to reunite at tournament
Bv Jason Franchuk
By Jason Franchot
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sports writer
When the Kansas women's tennis team travels to Ohio State this weekend for the inaugural Ohio State Invitational, it will see a familiar face.
Former Jayhawk coach Chuck Merzbachar left Kansas two years ago to return to Ohio, where he was raised, to take over the Buckeyes' program. Merzbachar had served as Kansas coach for four seasons.
"I love Kansas a lot, and I thought I was
going to be there for quite some time," Merzbacher said. "But I couldn't pass up the chance to return to Ohio."
The reunion will happen tomorrow through Sunday, when Jayhawks Maria Abatioglou, Kris Sell, Brooke Chiller and Julia Sidorova, all former Merzbacher recruits, travel to Columbus, Ohio. Kansas also will play No. 16 Notre Dame and Big 12 colorado in the 12-tteam tournament.
"It's going to be a good tournament," Kansas head coach Roland Nordqvist said. "I think the girls will enjoy seeing Merz, too."
Merzbacher's Buckeyes also will play
host to Wyoming, who is coached by Kilmeny Waterman, a former Merzbacher assistant at Kansas.
Another team coached by another former Kansas coach will participate in the invitational. The University of Akron is coached by Frank Polito, who coached the women's team in 1995-96.
"I wanted to make sure I invited Kansas and Wyoming to our first tournament. I thought it would be great to see everyone again." Merbzacher said.
Because NCAA rules limit players to 25 dual matches during the school year, Tornqny opted to leave Christie Sim
behind so that she could participate in a national-level tournament,
Kansas has 21 matches scheduled for the spring, so Thornqvist usually limits his players' match in the fall.
"We normally allow each player four or five tournaments in the fall," Thornqvist said. "We travel together unless a player has a chance to play in a national tournament."
Merzbacher said that he had been keeping track of his former team's results.
"Just because I left doesn't mean I don't care about the team," Merzbacher said. "I want the team to succeed."
Big 12 teams lightweights in NCAA football play
Embarrassing games plague conference
I never have mistaken the Big 12 Conference for one of college football's true heavyweights, and I doubt that I will anytime soon.
Here is a look back at some of the Big 12's most embarrassing moments.
The Big 12 has wilted in the limelight that it created for itself more than a year ago. As a result, the Big 12 became the first football conference to fall from grace before it had even attained prominence.
Aug. 31, 1996: Texas Tech lost 21-10 to Kansas State in the first-ever
Big 12 game.
Despite the victory,
Wildcats football coach
Bill Snyder complained about having to play a for m id i b e l o p p e n t before being tested by Indiana State;
Cincinnati and Rice in the coming weeks.
Sept. 7,1996: Texas A&M, in
Tommy Gallagher
tgallagher@kansan.com
what was supposed to be a rout, lost at Southwest Louisiana, 29-22. The Ragin' Cajuns quickly grabbed a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and never trailed in the game.
Sept. 7, 1996: Oklahoma began the John Blake era with a 20-7 loss against Texas Christian, a former Southwest Conference team. TCU would be the first of three Western Athletic Conference teams to defeat the sooners last season.
Oct. 5, 1996: Kansas State loses again to Nebraska, 39-3, in Manhattan. Wildcats quarterback Brian Kavanhag threw for 34 yards that game — he eventually would be voted second team All-Big 12.
Nov. 2, 1996: Late in the third quarter, Nebraska calls a rare bomb, already leading 45-0 against Oklahoma. Quarterback Scott Frost connects with wide receiver Brendan Holbine for a touchdown as the Cornhuskers won 73-21.
Sept. 13: UCLA recorded seven sacks and forced eight turnovers as the Bruins defeated Texas 66-3. It was the Bruins' most lopsided victory since a 67-0 romp against the San Diego Naval Training Center in 1954.
Sept. 13: Quarterback John Hessler was intercepted four times as Colorado suffered a 27-3 loss at Michigan. The game marked the Buffs' lowest point total since a 7-0 loss to Nebraska in 1988.
Sept. 20. Texas Tech lost at home to North Texas, 30-27. The Red Raiders were 32-point favorites entering their game against North Texas, which moved up to the Division I-A level before the 1995 season.
Oct. 4: Texas was embarrassed again when it lost against Oklahoma State. 42-16. The Cowboys took a 22-0 lead before the Longhorns, considered by some to be the preseason favorites to win the Big 12 South, recorded a first down.
Oct. 4: Colorado loses in a mistake-filled game at home against Texas A&M, 16-10. Just one week earlier, the Buffs had to score 10 points in less than five minutes to defeat Wyoming 20-19 at home.
To be continued Saturday and beyond.
Gallagher is an Oathe senior in journalism.