4B
Monday, August 18, 1997
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
BIG 12
Continued from Page 3B
Blake said he also felt better having a year under his belt.
"It's much more of a comfortable year for me," Blake said. "It's always easier to have experience of one year. It's really been a more comfortable situation for our players having the same coach for two years."
Oklahoma finished 3-8 last season but is looking to improve under Hake's leadership.
"He's bringing in good talent," senior defensive lineman Martin Chase said. "The last coaches brought in a lot of talent, as well. He's bringing the right attitude to the University of Oklahoma, and I think in time he's going to take it to another level. He's going to make things better."
Oklahoma begins play Aug. 23 at Northwestern.
Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State is starting the 1997 season with only four seniors on the team after finishing 5-6 last season. Head coach Bob Simmons said he saw good things from his team at the end of the 1996 campaign.
"The team improved at the end of last year," Simmons said. "Three years ago they
(the seniors)
were freshmen.
We're still young
and still building."
The defensive line has made great strides
since last year. Six players return, with Alton Weaver the only newcomer. The Cowboys allowed 225 yards a game on the ground last season but are expecting that number to improve this year.
Oklahoma State's starting quarterback has not yet been determined. Three players are in the hunt for the position: Chris Chaloupka, Joe Phears and Tony Lindsay. Chaloupka has the most experience of the three.
Oklahoma State plays Aug. 30 at Iowa State.
After defeating Nebraska in the first-ever Big 12 title game, Texas has its sights set on a second title.
Texas
"The game, for us at Texas, gave us a great opportunity to showcase our team," head coach John Mackovic said. "We played some good teams last year and just came up
of the way our team got ready and prepared because they did not go into that game with any doubt whether we could come through and perform."
Texas is returning quarterback James Brown, who was reported to have said prior to the championship game that Texas would beat Nebraska by 21 points.
"You have to watch how you talk to the media," Brown said. "I didn't even make that comment. We were talking about other stuff and how it felt being a 21-point underdog, and I said, 'We might beat them by 21.' That was all I needed to say. I'm glad I did it. That's what I was thinking, really."
Despite lofty goals, there still are some uncertainties.
"We have some question marks," Mackovic said. "All four of our starting secondary are gone. Our entire starting unit of the receiving core is gone. Our two top tailbacks are gone, so we have to replace them. Our All-America guard is gone, so we have to replace him. We have some key holes to fill."
Texas opens play Sept. 6 at home against Rutgers.
Texas A&M
Texas A&M would like to improve on its 6-6 season this year.
"We did not have the kind of season we'd like to have had last year, and I would attribute a whole lot of that to the way we played, our lack of capabilities in some areas, our lack of experience in some areas," head
Coach of the Year
1996 Big 12 honors
troy Davis, RB, Iowa St.
Offensive Newcomer of the Year
Scott Frost, Nebraska
Spike Dykes, Texas Tech Offensive Player of the Year
Defensive Player of the Year
Succeed Your Four
Spike Dykes, Texas Tech
Hoy Davis, KB, Iowa St.
Defensive Player of the Year
Grant Wistrom, RR, Nebraska
Defensive Newcomer of the Year
Cincinnati, OH - Glitchbins
Offensive Player of the Year Troy Davis, PP Iowa St.
Gana Joseph, DB, Oklahoma
Offensive Freeman of the Year
Offensive Freshman of the Year De'Mond Parker, RB. Oklahoma
Defensive Freshman of the Year Mark Simoneau, LB, Kansas St.
1996 Players of the Week
Mark Simoneau, LB, Kansas St 1996 Players of the Week
Troy Davis, Iowa St. (3); Byron Hanspard,
Offensive
coach R.C. Slocum said, "I thought the league was very competitive, but I do think we would have, had we played at the level we have in previous years, fared much better in the
Texas A&M traditionally has a strong football team, and Slocum said the program still was a contender.
"Two years ago ago, we beat Michigan in a bowl game, so it's not like we've just disappeared off the map and can't play any more," Slouc said. "In my mind, we haven't gone far. Last year's record was obviously a long way from where I intend on being, but in terms of the program, I don't think the program has taken a big, giant step backwards."
Texas A&M plays Sept. 6 at home against Sam Houston.
much better in the league."
The Red Raiders finished 7-5 last season but are without a running back for the 1997 campaign.
Texas Tech (3); Koy Detmer, Colorado (2);
David Thompson, Oklahoma St. (2);
James Allen, Oklahoma; Corby Jones,
Missouri; Rae Carnuth, Colorado; James
Brown, Texas.
Texas Tech
Defensive
Steve Rosga, Colorado (2); Nyle Wiren,
Kansas St. (2); Mike Minter, Nebraska;
Matt Russell, Colorado; Chris Canty,
Kansas St.; Robert Johnson, Texas Tech;
Terrell Farley, Nebraska; Jon Hesse,
Nebraska; *Ronnie Ward, Kansas*; Ryan
Olson, Colorado; Joe Love, Missouri;
Grant Wistrom, Nebraska.
Source: The Associated Press
"We're in the process right now of looking for a running back," head coach Spike Dykes said. "A year ago, we had great backs at Texas Tech. We thought that the
was going to be the heir apparent to Byron Hanspard. Unfortunately in the last stencilimage of the spring, he tore his knee up and had reconstructive knee surgery and will not play this season. It will be interesting to see how that position unravels. It's definitely a concern."
Hanspard, the Raiders' leading rusher last season, did not take any of his final examinations and earned a 0.0 GPA. He consequently declared himself eligible for the NFL draft.
"It was poor judgment on his part," Dykes said.
Texas Tech plays Aug. 30 at Tennessee.Texas Tech plays Aug. 30 at Tennessee.
Three P's will lead college football: Peyton, Powlus and Paterno
Memorial Stadium gets permanent night lights
Tommy Gallagher Associate sports editor
Kansas has played six home games under the lights and has a 3-3 record in those games.
With the installation of four 150-foot poles almost two weeks ago, Memorial Stadium now has permanent lights for the first time in 76 years.
Despite the recent installation, Kansas will play just one home game under the lights this season. The Jayhawks will play host to Alabama-Birmingham at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 in its season opener.
Kansas has won two consecutive night home games, including a 35-13 victory against Ball State one year ago in a Thursday night season opener. The Jayhawks defeated Texas Christian in 1995 on a Thursday night primetime national broadcast on ESPN.
"I guess everybody expected me to leave," said Manning, eighth in the 1996 Heisman balloting and the only Top 10 finisher returning. "I really love college football, and it has a lot to do with how positive my experience has been here — guys on the team, coaches, the friends I'm making."
"I haven't been this excited since my freshman year," said Powlus, the Irish quarterback who returns to play for new coach Bob Davie after four mostly sour seasons under Lou Holtz.
Peyton Manning chose to stay around, too, saying NFL millions can wait because he's having so much fun at Tennessee. Chances are, the Heisman Trophy front-runner also wants another shot at Florida, the defending national champion who has beaten the Vols the past four years. He gets the chance Sept. 20 at Gainesville.
Peyton's in place at Tennessee, Penn State is atop the preseason poll and Ron Powhus is back for one last fling at remodeled Notre Dame.
If you know your three P's this season, College Football 128 should be a snip.
By Richard Rosenblatt The Associated Press
The poles will hold 248 light fixtures, each 22 inches in diameter with 1,650 watts in capacity. The poles are placed for two levels of stadium lighting and were bought from Universal Sports Lighting of Atlanta. Ill.
Eric B. Howell / KANSAN
Penn State coach Joe Paterno has other concerns — his Nittany Lions are Lon 1. In The Associated Press preseason Top 25 for the first time in school history.
"It's nice to be recognized, but it sets you up like a sitting duck," said Paterno, who enters his 32nd season only 11 wins shy of victory No. 300. "I hope we are prepared to handle it."
The Bowl Alliance enters its final year under the current format, with the PAC-10 and Big 10 conferences and Rose Bowl joining next season. The change will make it easier for the alliance to match the top two teams for a true national title game.
This season, the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2 will serve as the top alliance game, with the PAC-10 and Big 10 champs headed to Pasadena for the Rose Bowl. The Sugar and Fiesta bowls are the other alliance games.
Two new bowls — the Motor City Bowl and Sports Humanitarian Bowl — have been added to the postseason.
But it's the players who make the season. And even though 44 underclassmen choose the NFL — Orlando Pace, Darnell Autry, Troy Davis and Byron Hansspard among them — there are plenty of stars for '97.
Start with Manning, who threw for 3,287 yards and 20 touchdowns in leading the Vols to a 10-2 record, including a 38-28 win against Northwestern in the Citrus Bowl.
Powlus, a passer held in check by Holtz's ball-control offense, still enters the season with more touchdown passes (43) than any other Notre Dame quarterback.
In addition to running back Curtis Ennis, 11 starters return, including wide receivers Joe Jurevic and Joe Nastasi, and linebackers Aaron Collins, Jim Nelson and Brandon Short.
If the Huskies and Nittany Lions finish ranked I, 1 and 2 and play in the Rose Bowl for the national title, add a fourth P to the season—for Passada.
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