4B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAIRY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2009
Jayhawk defenders prepare to face Wildcat offense
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Southern Mississippi running back Tory Harrison drags Virginia safety Corey Moseley, left, and safety Rodney McLeod, center, for extra yardage in the fourth quarter of a game Saturday. Southern Miss came from behind to win 37-34. Southern Miss utilizes a variation of the wildcat formation, which has become popular throughout both college and professional football.
BY CLARK GOBLE
cgoble@kansan.com
The wildcat formation is sweeping through both college and pro football. In the formation the running back takes the snap and the quarterback is often split out wide.
Kansas sophomore cornerback Daymond Patterson hasn't worked against a wildcat-type formation much before, but he likely will in practice this week and Saturday against Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles used their version of the formation, the eagle, effectively in their comeback victory against Virginia last week.
"When you do take that wrong step at defensive end or linebacker, it opens up a big gap," Patterson said. "The running back just explodes through it very quickly. You just got to be very disciplined."
However, Patterson did watch the Miami Dolphins use it effectively on Monday Night Football and noticed its danger.
Coach Mark Mangino was mum about the exact approach the defense will take in defending the Southern Miss eagle formation, but he did
Follow Kansan writer Clark Goble at twitter.com/cgoble89.
offer some insight.
"We have to put a sound plan together because if you're not assignment sound, you're going to get in trouble," Mangino said. "The key thing is being smart, being where you supposed to be, being assignment sound."
Perhaps the scariest thing about the eagle formation is that Southern Miss' offensive personnel is very apt for the formation. Senior running back Damion Fletcher averages 115 yards rushing per game and sophomore quarterback Austin Davis ran for 500 yards and nine touchdowns in 2008.
Southern Miss scored its game-winning touchdown in the eagle formation when Fletcher took the snap and handed off to senior running back Tory Harrison coming around the end. Using a block from Davis down-field, Harrison dashed 57 yards for the touchdown.
"You're in four wides and two
backs and there aren't enough defenders. They can't account for the guys," Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora said. "It's just about spreading them out and still having the threat of running east-west at full speed."
Another dangerous factor is that Fedora said in a teleconference Monday there is "a lot more to the package" that they haven't shown yet. He guessed they have used only three plays so far and said they have plenty of other options.
Dangerous wide receiver Freddie Parham, who returned a kick 100 yards for a touchdown against Virginia, could get some snaps in the eagle.
Senior safety Justin Thornton isn't too concerned about the formation, though.
"Everyone's just got to do their job, and we'll be good." Thornton said.
Like Patterson, freshman linebacker Hudson Tharp has only seen the wildcat on television, but he is sure he will see it on film this week.
"We'll find a way to defend it and take care of it." Tharp said.
— Edited by Tim Burgess
NCAA
Isch chosen as temporary replacement for Brand
The Wildcat offense looks much like the shotgun, but has a running back take the snap, and often splits a quarterback wide in a receiver position. The formation also usually has a wide receiver who comes in motion into the backfield before the snap, giving the formation another running option.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
For now, that's Isch's job. He was named Brand's interim replacement Tuesday, less than a week after the NCAA president died of pancreatic cancer at age 67.
INDIANAPOLIS — James Isch wants to fulfill Myles Brand's unfinished goals at the NCAA.
lsch
Isch, 59, had been serving as the NCAAs vice president for administration and chief financial officer, overseeing the budget for the premier governing body of college athletics.
But until then, Isch is in charge and Adams does not expect the longtime NCAA executive to be merely a figurehead. Adams said
"We will continue to focus on academic reform, the fiscal stability of our organization and, most importantly, continue to emphasize the student-athlete," issch said during a conference call with reporters. "Within the next few days, I will be reaching out to members of the athletic community and our staff as we chart our course."
NCAA Executive Committee chairman Michael Adams said the decision was made Monday night. He gave no timetable for naming a new, full-time president.
several other candidates were considered, though he did not name them, and that he wants Isch to pursue the kind of agenda Brand laid out.
"He (Isch) served as liaison to the search group that brought Myles Brand into this organization, and if we don't get the financing right, all the other association goals would be moot. So the board has full confidence in Jim Isch's ability," Adams said. "We will move ahead with Myles' goals."
Isch joined the NCAAs staff in 1998 after holding administrative posts at Arkansas, Kansas State and Montana State.
president Walter Harrison.
Over the past nine months, as Brand underwent cancer treatment, Isch was one of four members on the president's cabinet who helped oversee the day-to-day tasks. The other three were
"Myles did talk with me about the people in the association in which he had the most confidence," Adams said. "He mentioned four or five people in that regard. He did not offer a belief in who the next interim should be and, as Myles usually did, he trusted the decision of the committee."
"Within the next few days, I will be reaching out to members of the athletic community..."
Isch worked on the NCAA's strategic-planning effort in 2003-04 and the Presidential Task Force in 2006, a project designed to help universities make more cost-effective decisions about athletics. He also helped oversee the NCAA's move from Overland Park, Kan., to
Bernard Franklin, Greg Shaheen and Wally Renfro, all of whom hold vice president titles.
JAMES ISCH NCAA Interim President
The executive committee is not scheduled to meet again until Oct. 29, with details of the formal search almost certainly taking center stage. Among those believed to be top candidates are Franklin, Adams and University of Hartford
Indianapolis.
Isch's top priority: Following Brand's vision with a personal touch.
"I'm going to be reaching out to all the vice presidents, but I will be facing special reliance on the other three individuals who were part of the small
group that helped direct and guide the association during Myles' illness," Isch said. "I would intend to also expand that group some. At this point, I can't tell you exactly how many.
Isch, an Army veteran, earned a bachelor's degree from Kansas State and a master's from Boston University. He also has a doctorate degree in philosophy from Kansas State.
Isch is married, has two children and three grandchildren.
"But I can tell you this, I will be on the road."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Philadelphia Phillies 'Paul Baki slides' safely into home as Florida Marlins pitcher Andrew Miller attempts to tag him during the eighth inning in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday in Miami. The Phillies defeated the Marlins 9-3.
Phillies' Blanton outpitches Johnson
ASSOCIATED PRESS
MIAMI — Ioe Blanton allowed two hits in seven shutout innings to outpitch Josh Johnson, and the Philadelphia Phillies beat the Florida Marlins 9-3 in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday.
The victory reduced to five the Phillies' magic number for clinching the NL East.
Raul Ibanez hit his 32nd homer. Jayson Werth and Ryan Howard each had a two-run single for the Phillies, who also scored on a wild pitch, two RBI groundouts and Jimmy Rollins' sacrifice fly. They won despite striking out 16 times and going 2 for 11 with runners in scoring position.
Blanton (11-7) struck out nine and walked two, and he allowed no hits after a leadoff single in the second. The right-hander went six
MLB
Facing Sergio Escalano, Florida scored three times in the eighth, with one play destined for the blooper reel. When Hanley Ramirez hit an RBI double, center fielder Shane Victorino chased it down, but when he tried to throw the ball toward the infield, it slipped from his hand and landed at his feet.
Compounding the comedy, Florida's Nick Johnson could have easily scored but didn't see the bobble and stopped at third. Ramirez didn't see Johnson stop and nearly caught up with him at third before retreating safely to second.
Clay Condrey pitched a perfect ninth to complete a five-hitter.
shutout innings in his last start to beat Washington.
five innings, but he gave up seven hits and four runs.
Johnson (15-5) twice struck out the side and had 10 strikeouts in
Philadelphia remained unbeaten in five games in doubleheaders this year. The Phils also improved the best road record in the majors to 46-29.
The Marlins, beginning their final homestand, fell nine games behind the defending World Series champions in the East.
Philadelphia made it 4-0 in the fifth. Victorino and Chase Utley singled, advanced on a double steal and scored on Werth's two-out, two-run single.
The Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the second on Miguel Cairo's RBI groundout, then scored again in the third when Ryan Howard hit into a fielder's choice with runners at the corners.
Ibanez hit a solo homer in the Phils' four-run eighth.