8A SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
State Saturday.
"We haven't been tested by a Big 12 opponent yet," Reagan said. "There's a long way left to go."
Before each snap, Kansas' offensive line conducts an on-field breakdown of the opposing defense. Heads turn toward one another, fingers point to defenders and then the line gets set for the upcoming play.
More so than any position, the offensive line's centerpiece of success is communication. The position, by nature, demands so.
"We haven't been tested by a Big 12 opponent yet. There's a long way left to go."
"There is nowhere else on the field where five guys play foot to foot and your success might depend on the guy next to you," coach Mark Mangino said. "That's a pretty close-knit position on the field."
But when the pocket is no longer intact — or when Reesing decides to move around — the foot-to-foot idea is tossed aside. The scramble develops into a free-for-all for linemen.
John Reagan Offensive line coach
Reagan insists that the idea — for linemen to maintain their blocks until the whistle blows — is taught at all schools. And surely he's right.
an important part of the offense's success? Both current and former players said that linemen must strictly adhere to that code when playing in front of Reesing.
But with how many other teams does the cliché prove to be such
They said it's a major part of the job.
"You just always have to keep your head on a swivel for him because he's always moving in that pocket," former offensive lineman Adrian Mayes said.
Reagan and Mangino made it a point to note that little changes from an offensive linemen's perspective when playing alongside Reesing. But players said little nuances must be learned.
For instance, Thorson said
it's important to attempt to understand where Reesing may be headed on any given play — a fact that could help create a clearer path for the quarterback.
"There's no more pocket so we're not
trying to create an area for him, were trying to clear guys out," Thorson said. "Everybody has watched Todd run to one side of the field and then turn around and run to the other side. A lot of times you have to be aware of where he's headed and keep guys out of his way."
Added former offensive lineman Ryan Cantrell: "The best way that us old guys learned in the past with these things is once we felt Todd scrambling, we just tried to cut our guy and get him on the ground. That would give him plenty of time to make the throw"
Throughout a game, offensive linemen are required to push, shove and move other 300-pounders — a responsibility that demands proper conditioning.
But Thorson said conditioning is also needed when protecting Reesing. After all, when he decides to move around the pocket, linemen must dart around the field, too.
"He can run around for a while and then he throws a huge bomb and you have to sprint down to the
"A lot of times you have to be aware of where he's headed and keep guys out of his way."
BRAD THORSON Offensive lineman
ball for the next play." Thorson said. "But we can handle it pretty well for big guys."
And the Jayhawks said they wouldn't have it any other way. Scrambling is part of what makes Reeing
so dangerous, and it has led to countless big plays for Kansas' offense.
"It works more often than not," Thorson said, "so we don't really have any problem with it at all."
— Edited by Jonathan Hermes
SOCCER (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
making mistakes as much."
Eliminating those mental slip-ups will be imperative for Kansas in order to find positive results this weekend. They host the top two teams in the conference right now in Texas Tech and Colorado. First up on Friday is Texas Tech (8-4-1 overall, 3-0-1 Big 12), which hasn't beaten Kansas in their past five meetings. Friday's game will be Kansas' first home conference game, as well as Texas Tech's first away game in Big 12
play. Playing in Lawrence will be a welcomed confidence boost to the road-weary Jayhawks, who just completed a four-game road streak.
"I think our kids are just going to be excited to play at home," said Francis. "Obviously that's going to be a huge advantage for us. We have to make the most of it."
Sunday brings Big 12 power Colorado (7-6 overall, 4-1 Big 12), which lost its only away conference game this season to a weak
Baylor team.
So far, the Jayhawks have avoided panicking over their poor start, but are aware how important each remaining game is.
"Basically we all to win," Dolinsky said. "That's all we're thinking right now."
Today's game will start at 4 p.m., and Sunday's game will begin at 1 p.m., both at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex.
Edited by Lauren Cunningham
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Team plays last tournament
BY HALLIE MANN hmann@kansan.com
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JAYHAWK FALL INVITATIONAL
SOFTBALL
Senior first baseman Amanda Jobe stretches out to dig a throw for an out Saturday against Emporia State. The Jayhawks will face off against Johnson County Community College first in this weekend's tournament.
Amanda Jobe (Sr./FB) Grand Slam
Alex Jones (Fr/P) 4 Runs scored, 3 RBs
Mariah Montgomery (Fr/IF) 2 doubles hit in, 1 home run, 3 RBs
This weekend the Kansas softball team will have its second and final tournament of the fall season. The KU Fall Invite will be played in Lawrence with teams from Johnson County Community College, Butler County Community College and Cowley County Community College.
Follow Hallie Mann at twitter.com/ halliemann11.
Denver Broncos rookie head coach Josh McDaniels, left, talks with running back LaMont Jordan during drills at a practice session at the team's NFL football headquarters in Englewood, Colo. Sept. 9. McDaniels had his team practice outside in the elements to prepare for the season.
"I saw some things we need to work on but I saw a lot more positive aspects," Smith said in a prepared statement.
Last weekend the Jayhawks played scrimmages against Emporia State, Washburn and Central Missouri. Kansas beat Central Missouri 7-6 and beat Washburn 7-0 but fell to Emporia State 6-5. This was the first tournament for new head coach Megan Smith and she said there was still work to be done.
Johnson County Community
games this weekend. Both teams are also from the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference.
Kansas will play against JCCC on Saturday at 2 p.m. and again on Sunday at 11 a.m. They will play against BCCC on Saturday at 4 p.m. and CCCC on Sunday at 1 p.m.
College is a member of the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference. In the last two years, JCCC qualified for the Division II NJCAA National Tournament, taking fifth in 2008. So far they have played scrimmages against Maple Woods Community College, Missouri, UMKC and Iowa Central Community College. Today they will play against Park University at 3:30 p.m.
The Cowley County Community College Tigers from Arkansas City, Kan. have played several scrimmages this fall. The Butler County Community College Grizzlies will come from El Dorado, Kan. for the
Edited by Megan Morriss
NFL
Broncos coach uses sleet and rain as teaching opportunity
Associated Press
BY ARNIE STAPLETON
Instead of practicing inside "the bubble," coach Josh McDaniels had his team work out in the rain, sleet and snow that pelted Dove Valley on Thursday.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos didn't go indoors when the weather turned bad.
The forecast for Sunday when the New England Patriots (3-1) visit the Broncos (4-0) calls for a chance of slushy snow, so McDaniels figured it would be silly not to practice in it.
And the players had better get used to it, too.
McDaniels said his philosophy is that bad weather during the week is a gift.
"If it is wet, damp, raining, snowing or whatever, we are going to be outside," he said.
What if somebody gets hurt?
"I don't really weigh it," McDaniels said. "If we play in it (a game), to me, we have got to get ready to play in it. You can't just tell the guys, 'Hey, we are going to practice inside in a bubble all week long. Then, when we go out there and play in the snow on Sunday, just make sure that you do all of the things you are supposed to do when the weather is bad. Stay on your feet. Field the ball. Throw it in the wet and all that stuff."
More than half of Denver's roster
NFL
is new, so McDaniels wanted to use the bad weather as a teaching moment.
NFL Cowboys player returns to team after knee injur
"You have to understand what you can and can't do when the weather is poor," he said. "You can't cut the same way. You may not be able to throw the same way. It definitely affects the kicking game first. Ball handling, our kickers, our specialists, all of those things, doing those types of actions in poor weather, that is not something you (can ignore) and then go out and perform well.
"For all the people that touch the ball, footing is an issue. Passing, catching, kicking, fielding, all of
those things are definitely an issue when the weather gets bad. The only way you get good at doing it in the bad weather is practicing it."
"If there was some clear-cut thing where we knew the weather was going to be beautiful on Sunday and we are out there trying to practice in two feet of snow, I don't think that would be smart. If the weather has got a chance to be poor on the weekend, I think you have got to get ready for it."
And what if Sunday comes and the forecasters were wrong?
"I don't think practicing outside is going to hurt anybody anyway," McDaniels said.
IRVING, Texas — Cowboys center Andre Gurode has returned to practice, while receiver Roy Williams remains sidelined by a rib injury.
Gurode injured his right knee last weekend against Denver. He went through a limited practice Thursday, increasing his chances of playing Sunday at Kansas City.
Dallas coach Wade Phillips didn't rule out Williams playing 'against the Chiefs.
(knee) and safety Gerald Sensabaugh (thumb) remained dilded. Jones is likely to miss his second straight game, and Phillips said doctors probably won't clear Sensabaugh to play this week.
Running back Felix Jones
Associated Press