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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2009
Hawks hang on at the end Kansas defeated Texas Tech for a place in the Big 12 tournament. SOCCER | 9A
PIECES OF THE PUZZLE
PAGE 10A
Coaches begin to fill positions
Exhibition games, red-shirting used to organize new roster
BY COREY THIBODEAUX cthibodeaux@kansan.com
Players will start the audition process for positions as Kansas coaches try to solve the roster puzzle tonight.
The much anticipated 2009-10 season for the layhawks begins at 7 p.m. when they play host to the Fort Hays State Tigers in the first of two exhibition games.
The Jayhawks won almost every accolade there is to win in the pre-season, but by only scrimmaging during practices, they haven't had anyone to prove anything against except themselves thus far. Junior guard Tyrel Reed is embracing the breath of fresh air.
"Going against the same team every practice," Reed said, "it'll be nice to see another color out there."
The Jayhawks have a lot of solid players, but where they fit into the rotation remains to be seen. Coach Bill Self knows he will have to make some tough decisions in the coming weeks.
Of course, Self said, that is still up in the air.
"I think we've got a lot of good players," Self said. "I think it's a good problem to have. And I also think this — we can't keep our good players happy if everybody plays. But if you were to red-shirt a couple that were starters at Kansas, then that's not bad either."
The red-shirting referred to senior guard Mario Little and sophomore guard Travis Releford, both of whom will not play against Fort Hays. The coaches are taking the week to decide whether to red-shirt the two so they may have significant roles beyond this season. If they play in the exhibition game, they are ineligible to be red-shirted, but freshmen can be red-shirted at anytime during the season.
Also not playing in Tuesday's exhibition is freshman guard C.J. Henry because of what Self called a "bum knee." The knee caused Henry to miss nine days of practice.
This first game is the first step toward becoming Self's ideal team. The formula for success for all of
SEE PUZZLE ON PAGE 8A
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Junior center Cole Aldrich hangs on the rim after a dunk to give the Jayhawks a 13-point advantage, their largest of the night, against Michigan State during last year's NCAA tournament. Kansas will play the first game of this season tonight against Fort Hays State.
Offense issues continue for Jayhawks against Texas Tech
BY JAYSON JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
Senior quarterback Todd Reesing slowly walked from the sideline to the middle of the field shortly after Kansas' 42-21 defeat. He was quickly engulfed by red and black jerseys, by Texas Tech offensive and defensive players alike, and Tech defensive coordinator Ruffin McNell.
In the moments after the game, McNeill jogged across the field specifically to find Reesing. He wanted to offer encouragement to Kansas' quarterback after a tougher-than-average afternoon. He said he wanted to tell Reesing he was a good quarterback.
"I said it all week," McNeilf said.
"That was the best skill set that we have faced — and that's all season long. We said we better be honed in and zoned in because we knew what we were facing."
And McNell continued heaping praise on Reesing and the Jayhawks Sunday night — a full 24 hours after Texas Tech stifled Kansas's once-potent offense.
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For the second consecutive season Kansas' offense simply struggled to move the ball against a Texas Tech team more feared for
On Saturday the Jayhawks couldn't run the ball, couldn't consistently pass or catch it, and the offensive line struggled to keep Reesing or freshman quarterback Kale Pick untouched.
its offensive capabilities than its lockdown defense.
As coach Mark Mangino said, it was a case where all parts of the offense failed to click.
Weston White/KANSAN
COMMENTARY
Much of the postgame attention puta spotlight on Reesing's struggles and Mangino's subsequent decision to bench his senior quarterback with seven minutes left in the
"Things just weren't in sync for the whole offense," Mangino said.
Junior receiver Johnathan Wilson reaches for a ball that fell just through his fingers Saturday against Texas Tech. Kansas lost 42-21, in its second loss in two seasons to the Red Raiders.
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NCAA decisions are not uniform
There have been two major suspensions this year in college football. The first was Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount for punching a mouthing-off Boise State player, well, in the mouth. And the second was Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant for lying to the NCAA about meeting with former NFL star Deion Sanders. Both were actions that deserved a degree of punishment. However, the respective penalties made sports fans and commentators alike scratch their heads.
N CAA suspensions this year have fueled debates about the appropriate degree of punishment that certain offenses warrant.
Blount, in his rampage after losing to Boise State in the first week of the season, punched a player, attacked the fans at the game and had to be thrown off the field like an obnoxious drunk kicked out of night club.
The NCAA suspended Blount for the whole season shortly after, and people started talking. Did he deserve that? Some argued he didn't because the Boise State player got in his face and sparked the aggression. Yet it was an act of violence, and it deserved severe punishment.
For now, Bryant is meeting with attorneys to try to figure out a way to get his feet back on the grass, but nothing has developed yet. His nonviolent, yet immature mistake will cost him his last year of college football, as scouts expect him to enter the NFL Draft.
And now eight weeks later, Blount has the opportunity to play the rest of the season for Oregon. Through profusely apologizing and working his guilty behind off to get back on the field, Blount has turned around the initial suspension and might be eligible to play this Saturday.
- Edited by Lauren Cunningham
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Bryant was not so lucky. The NCAA ruled that Dez Bryant would not be able to play at all this year for lying. The suspension of a player for lying to the NCAA is totally acceptable. The system is designed to put every player on the same level of competition, and honoring that system is necessary to the legitimacy of college sports. However, a year-long suspension seems as though the whip is being cracked a little hard on a player who was not trying to cheat the system in any way. Yet the system has seemed to say violence can be forgiven, but lying, heavens no.
The NCAA's rule book is thick, really thick. And anybody who expects these young players to know everything they are allowed to do would also expect Kansas students to know the student handbook by heart. Not likely. The funny thing about Bryant's case is that his meeting with Sanders would not have resulted in a suspension if he would have told the truth about it. Bryant panicked, not knowing if he had overstepped any boundaries, and then naively lied thinking it would help his chances of playing. Then he apologized. Panic is no excuse for lying to authorities.
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Roesler at twitter
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