Inside Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Sports Kansas soccer coach, Dan Magner, has introduced new offensive and defensive schemes to the team. Page 3B. Today in UDKi Check out the redesigned sports site in the online version of the Kansan. WWW.KANSAN.COM Pro Football Thursday August 21, 1997 Section: B Page 1 Washington Redskin receiver Michael Westbrook will not be allowed to play against the Dolphins. Page 1 WWW.KANSAN.COM/NEWS/SPORTS SEE PAGE 7B Contact the Kansan Sports Desk: (785)-864-4810 Sports Fax: (785)-864-5261 Sports e-mail: sports@kansan.com Sports Forum: sptforum@kansan.com New design improves sport section for readers Web site offers new options to audience Welcome to "The University Daily Kansan" sports section. The section is different than last semester's issues, but it's still in the same place. The new design should make reading the section more enjoyable this semester. The design includes a different top portion for this page, which is consistent with the design for the news section. Kristie Blasi sparts@kansan.com The three briefs below the name of the paper have been replaced with information about interesting sports Web sites and methods of contacting the sports staff. Page 2B also has a new look. This page is the permanent home for the horoscopes. The section still will not contain the gambling spreads for sporting events, so the astrological forecast is there to aid your sports predictions. The TV listings, a sports calendar and a sports briefs and scores section completes the second page to give you a quick glance of happenings in the sports world. The sports section also is available online at: www.kansan.com/news/sports and also has a new look. The staff welcomes your comments via e-mail at sports@kansan.com or via telephone at 864-4810. Sports Forum is a new feature of the online sports section that is being developed. The Forum will be an interactive feature of the sports section similar to a chat room for "Kansan" sports readers. It is scheduled to be ready for access later in the semester. Until then, you may voice comments for publication in the section through the "Talkback" feature that allows readers to give their opinions in a letter-to-the-editor format. This semester, published "Talkback" comments will include the name, hometown and class of the student or the name and position of the faculty or staff member who submitted it. But some things will be the same. The sports section still will provide the latest information about Kansas sports and Big 12 Conference athletics. National sports coverage of collegiate and professional events will continue to be provided by The Associated Press. Consider this welcome an invitation to the sports page every weekday during the semester. Blasi is a Caney senior in journalism and is the sports editor. Thrower tries hand at receiver Back-up QB changes jobs to add depth By Tommy Gallagher sports@kansan.com Associate Sports Editor Junior Akili Roberson doesn't want to be called "Slash." He still thinks of himself as a quarterback. But at practices Tuesday, Roberson began an experiment he proposed to Kansas football coach Terry Allen: He started practicing at wide receiver. "After the scrimmage on Saturday, I began thinking about it," Robertson said. "I'll play wherever I can so long as it helps the team. I'll play wherever I fit, or wherever I'm comfortable with." At quarterback, Roberson was locked at No. 3 on the depth chart behind senior Matt Johner and sophomore Zac Wegner. Johner and Wegner have been battling for the starting quarterback spot since spring practices. Allen will make a decision after practice today about who will start the season opener against the University of Alabama-Birmingham next Thursday. "The fact that I was No. 3 on the depth chart has nothing to do with my practicing at wide receiver," Roberson said. "I talked to coach Monday about practicing some at receiver, so he gave me a shot. All I care about is whether or not I can help the team, and I have a chance to help the team here." Sophomore wide receiver John Gordon is out indefinitely with a heart condition and a sleep disorder. He will not be evaluated further until he meets with a cardiologist during the first week of September. At wide receiver the Jayhawks are thin. Gordon had 16 receptions for 240 yards and two touchdowns last season playing in all 11 games and starting in five of them. Sophomore wide receiver Michael Chandler had four receptions for 30 yards last season and is the most experienced receiver in Gordon's absence. Roberson said that while learning a new position required some adjustments, being a quarterback would help ease the transition period if he continued to play some at wide receiver. "I basically know the position Lights stolen from Memorial Stadium Kansan staff report A ligh fixture and bulbs were stolen from the southwest corner of Memorial Stadium last week, delaying installation. The lights were stolen between 7 p.m. on Aug. 6 and 7 a.m. on Aug. 7. Information leading to the arrest of the person or people who committed the crime will be eligible for an award of up to $1,000 from Crime Stoppers and from the Athletic Department. Regardless, the Kansas football team will have a scrimmage under the lights today, starting at 7 p.m. It is expected to last 11 1/2 to two hours. because I have to remember the receiver patterns," Roberson said. "That definitely makes it easier for me to learn the position. I know where a quarterback expects the receiver to be, but the receivers are telling me how to run my routes anyway." The new lights are part of a $24 million renovation project by the University to upgrade the stadium and Allen Field House. When Kansas battles Alabama-Birmingham next Thursday night in its season opener, the Big 12 Conference will cover the cost of turning on the lights. The permanent lights will pay for themselves because conference schools receive a light allowance from the Big 12 for setting aside one home game for a prime time television broadcast. If you have any information about the theft of the light fixtures and bulbs from Memorial Stadium, call KU Crime Stoppers at 864-8888. The search is on Allen said the team is searching for depth at wide receiver. He used three-receiver sets frequently when he coached at Northern Iowa. And even with the lack of experience at wide receiver the Jayhawks now face, Allen said he would stick to his offensive philosophy. "At wide receiver you need six receivers to have good depth," Allen said. "Even then you can have six receivers and still be thin. We'll be rotating our receivers because the positions are interchangeable. Aloha Jayhawks Terry Allen smiles during a speech at Tuesday's Beach and Boulevard on Wescoe beach. Photo by Geoff Krieger / KANSAN Men's basketball schedule out The 1997-98 Kansas men's basketball schedule was released Monday, and it includes a rematch with defending NCAA champion Arizona at the Direct TV Great Eight. Kansan staff report With the possibility of two preseason NIT games on their home court, the Jayhawks could play 16 games of a potential 34-game regular-season schedule in Allen Field House. They will play a minimum of 31 regular-season games. It is likely that every Jayhawk game will be televised, including as many as 18 appearances on national television. Kansas will play between seven and 13 times on ESPN, including three "Big Monday" appearances. Missouri, Colorado and Oklahoma are the Jayhawks' opponents on "Big Monday." ABC will televise the Jayhawks three times, and CBS will carry them twice. "This is the kind of schedule our fans and our players really enjoy," Kansas men's basketball coach Roy Williams said. "I think it's an extremely difficult schedule. One that will certainly challenge our players." Kansas opens the season with five games in the field house. The Jayhawks play their Big 12 Conference foes from Jan. 3 to March 1. 1997 Kansas men's basketball schedule
DateOpponentLocationDateOpponentLocation
Nov.3AustraliaLawrenceDec.29TBAHonolulu
Nov.10Pell Windows AAULawrenceDec.30TBAHonolulu
Nov.14Santa ClaraLawrenceJan.3NebraskaLawrence
Nov.17RiceLawrenceJan.7ColoradoLawrence
Nov.19Western KentuckyLawrenceJan.10TexasAustin, Texas
Nov.21TBATBAJan.14Texas A&MCollege Station, Texas
Nov.26Preseason NITNew YorkJan.17Kansas StateLawrence
Nov.28Preseason NITNew YorkJan.19MissouriColumbia, Mo.
Dec.2ArizonaChicagoJan.24Texas TechLawrence
Dec.4Emporia StateLawrenceJan.28BaylorLawrence
Dec.7MarylandWashington,D.C.Feb.1NebraskaLincoln,Neb.
Dec.8TBAWashington,D.C.Feb.4Iowa StateAmes, Iowa
Dec.10MassachusettsLawrenceFeb.8MissouriLawrence
Dec.13MTSULawrenceFeb.14Kansas StateManhattan
Dec.17PepperdineLawrenceFeb.16ColoradoBoulder, Colo.
Dec.20TCUKansas City,Mo.Feb.21Iowa StateLawrence
Dec.23USCLos AngelesFeb.23OklahomaLawrence
Dec.28Ohio StateHonoluluMarch 1Oklahoma StateStillwater, Okla.
sports@kansan.com By Kristie Blasi Earl's eligibility decision expected by end of week Sports Editor When Kansas basketball player Lester Earl will be eligible to play and how much eligibility he will have should be decided this week. Earl, a 6-foot-8 center, transferred to Kansas from Louisiana State for the spring semester. LSU did not release him from his letter of intent. "Any student who signs a national letter of intent and doesn't fulfill the year of residency — which is what the letter says — is subject to a penalty of sitting out a year and losing a year of eligibility," said Janelle Martin, Kansas assistant athletic director for compliance. Martin said Earl's appeal would be considered by a committee for the Collegiate Commissioner Association by the end of the week. Earl: His release is expected to come this week. Coincidentally, the steering committee's headquarters are located within the Southeastern Conference offices. LSU is a member of the SEC. The committee will notify Earl about its decision after its meeting via conference. When a student-athlete transfers, the normal process involves getting a release from the letter of intent from the university — in Earl's case, LSU. "If students decide not to fulfill the letter, they go to the athletic director and ask for a release," Martin said. "If the athletic director says no, then they can appeal." LSU did not grant Earl a release when he left, and has not released him since then. "If students don't complete the year and no release is given, they can write a letter to the steering committee to explain their case and ask it to grant a release or waive the penalty." Martin said. Earl is now eligible to practice with the team but he cannot play in games. If the committee grants the appeal, Earl would be eligible for Jayhawk games as a junior in December. If no release is granted, he would be eligible for competition as a senior in December 1998. The Kansas basketball roster lists Earl as a sophomore, which is what Earl's academic classification is, said Dean Buchan, Kansas sports information director. ---