Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Victory needed for strong start Team heads to Columbia, Mo., for first Big 12 game this season. VOLLEYBALL | 3B
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009
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FRESHMAN PHENOMENON
Weston White/KANSAN
Toben Opurum, Kansas freshman running back, carries the ball against UTEP Saturday. Opurum has emerged as the second-string running back behind senior Jake Sharp in his first year with the team.
Opurum sees the field early
New running back uses maturity and size to get carries
BY JAYSON JENKS jjenks@kansan.com
The physical side of freshman running back Toben Opurum is easily and visibly noticeable. He's 6-foot-2, 235 pounds and with pads and a helmet on, he looks even bigger.
That part of Opurum is well known.
What's harder to understand and harder still to quantify is Opurum's smooth transition into the ranks of Division I football in just his first season.
Senior running back Jake
Follow Kansan football writer Jayson Jenks at twitter.com/JaysonJenks.
Sharp, who played sparingly as a freshman four years ago and works daily with Opurum, thinks he has an answer.
"It's kind of odd," Sharp said. "You have to be very calm and mentally capable of learning the offense and taking everything in. And he's a guy that's pretty laid back. That allows him to take everything in and roll with the punches."
In just two games — both of which were lopsided Kansas victories — Opurum has displayed the qualities that originally attracted traditional football powerhouses such as Notre
Dame and Florida when he was in high school.
Opurum has rushed for 141 yards on 24 carries this season while totaling three rushing touchdowns in relief of Sharp, Kansas's starting running back.
"He's a good one-two punch with Jake," offensive coordinator Ed Warriner said. "That's a good change up for us."
AgainstUTEP on Saturday, Opurum carried
the ball 16 times for 62 yards and a touchdown. In that game, he showed a versatility relatively unique amongst running backs: The speed to gash the middle of the defense and the size to power through smaller defenders.
"I think I've done a good job when I actually do get in a game in taking advantage of my carries."
Still, as both Warriner and coach Mark Mangino noted, Opurum is only a freshman.
"Every day is probably something new for him," Mangino said. "He probably learns something on the practice fields or in
TOBEN OPURUM Kansas running back
the meeting rooms probably every day."
PAGE 1B
"I think I'm only going to get better and improve as I get more comfortable with the offense and get more playing time," Opurum said.
chart as Kansas' backup running back along with sophomore Rell Lewis.
During the offseason. Opurum was listed on the depth
But in the weeks leading up to Kansas' season opener against Northern Colorado. Opurum separated himself from Lewis to
become the lone second-string running back. He hasn't relinquished the title since.
"I think I've done a good job when I actually do get in a game in taking advantage of my carries," Opurum said.
Warriner said the number of carries Opurum receives this season will depend on his continued progress and the situation of the game. His size, Warriner said, obviously plays a large part in the equation.
But Sharp said that's far from the only reason he's seeing significant playing time early.
"For a freshman, mentally is what's really set him apart and allowed him to play out there," Sharp said. "He's very mature for a freshman. If he keeps working hard we'll see some great things from him."
Edited by Tim Burgess
SOCCER
Star players stay in Big 12 by refusing prestigious spot
BY JOEL PETTERSON jpetterson@kansan.com
Both Dolinsky, a midfielder, and Johnson, a defender, were invited to participate in the United Soccer League's W-League combine this month, but turned the opportunity down because it conflicted with games against Oklahoma State and Oral Roberts University. The combine provides a chance for woman soccer players to train and play in front of professional coaches from different professional leagues, including the elite Women's Professional Soccer league. But both players decided it wasn't worth missing a conference matchup against Oklahoma State.
A coveted spot in a professional combine wasn't enough to lure seniors Monica Dolinsky and Estelle Johnson away from their commitment to their team even for a weekend.
Follow Kansan writer Joel Petterson at twitter.com/ j.petter.
"If it wasn't during conference, I definitely would have gone," Johnson said, "But it wasn't worth it to miss that game."
"It was definitely a big decision, but the biggest thing is my commitment here," Dolinsky said, "And if we have a good season, that will only better our chances of being recognized."
Dolinsky said some of her family advised her to attend the combine anyway, but she decided the game was still more important.
The two said they still hope to attend a similar combine put on by the higher-level WPS in December, however, plans for that combine have not been confirmed.
A
Coach Mark Francis said both players deserved the invitation, and said he believed they should still get the opportunity to promote themselves at a professional level.
"I think it's really dumb for the league to have a combine in September and invite college players," he said. "It makes no sense."
Melanie Fitzgerald, director of W-League operations, said.
Fitzgerald said the W-League timed the combine to cater to older players last year and decided to stick with the same time frame this year. The WPS held two combines last December, which required separate invitations from WPS coaches.
Dolinsky and Johnson received their invites after spending the summer playing for the Colorado Force, a USL W-league team. The
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 8B
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
Senior defender Estelle Johnson turns down the chance to play semi-pro soccer this summer. She and senior midfielder Monica Dollinsky refused the professional combine invite.
COMMENTARY
Success dependent on Big 12 opponents
I've always been an ardent supporter of the Big 12.
But early results this season are definitely testing my faith.
Last year, when some of my buddies doubted the legitimacy of Texas Tech because it couldn't stop a high school offense, I defended it. I've been on the Big 12's side in way too many arguments.
- Oklahoma State is obviously the biggest victim of last weekend, losing at home to Houston 45-35. The Cougars came out firing, leading at half 24-7, and weathered a Cowboy comeback to take down the No. 5 ranked team in the nation.
We've seen Oklahoma score only 13 points in a loss to BYU. Texas was in a battle with Wyoming until the second half.
That SEC vs. Big 12 debate?
Yeah ... about that.
The bottom of the Big 12 North looks even worse. Iowa State got shellacked by an Iowa team that needed two blocked field goals to beat Northern Iowa. Colorado gave up 54 points and 624 total yards to Toledo. Kansas State couldn't knock off the Ragin' Caunts of Louisiana Lafayette
This all affects Kansas football in a few ways.
First, a sub-standard Big 12 will not help Kansas' strength of schedule, a key factor in where it will be ranked in the polls. Kansas could lose just once in the regular season, lose in the Big 12 championship and not end up in a BCS bowl.
Ask Missouri fans about 2008 if you want to know how much that hurts. Something about Kansas getting into the Orange Bowl despite losing to the Tigers two weeks before.
Second, it could hurt its ability to bring in quality recruits. Last year, it seemed as though ABC had a big-time Big 12 game on Saturday night week in and week out. High school football players watch those games, and you know some of the skill players on offense drol about the possibilities in the Big 12.
If the Big 12 can't make Saturday night quite as often this year, maybe a few more stud recruits will head to the SEC.
Despite all the hatred built up for Missouri or Kansas State, Kansas fans should cheer for them to win their non-conference games. Seeing Indiana winless in December might be entertaining for some, but it won't help Kansas get where it wants to go: a quality bowl eame
Now none of this really matters at all if Kansas gets upset anywhere along the road. Duke may not be a huge challenge, but Southern Mississippi has looked impressive in its two victories so far. Kansas must avoid the upset bug.
But in the end, Kansas' success is tied to the success of the teams in the Big 12.
Edited by Sarah Kelly
Follow Kansan writer Clark Goble at twitter.com/cgoble89.