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4B SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
TENNIS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
really gaining that respect from the underclassmen, and that's really going to help with the transition from being a junior to a senior this year"
Dorn said she understands that being a senior comes with some extra expectations from her head coach.
"I think she kind of expects me to be a leader this year." Dorn said of Hall-Holt. "But I'm not like, 'Oh my God, I'm going to be a senior, so I've got to be the leader.' I like to work with the girls and share my ideas. So we all work as a team."
One goal Dorn ranks among the highest this year is to defeat Missouri. The Jayhawks have lost all three dual matches with the Tigers since Dorn joined the team in 2006, along with a first-round loss to the Tigers at last spring's Big 12 Championships in Norman, Okla.
Not only does the team hope to
top its biggest foe, but it also hopes to finish higher in the conference. Last year, the Jayhawks finished ninth.
Individually, Dorn is focused on winning a lot of matches. She recently spent time in physical therapy after suffering from an elbow injury, but she says that it's healed now and is ready to go.
"Kunigunda has been working really hard on her strength and conditioning," Hall-Holt stated during an earlier interview.
Since the injury cost her valuable training time, Dorn hopes to play a singles position somewhere in the middle of the lineup.
When not on the court, Dorn spends the majority of her time studying for classes. She said it's difficult to have a social life during the season, especially since she's working toward a double-major in journalism and communications.
Assistant tennis coach German Dalmagro thinks Dorn's work ethic will help encourage the younger players on the team.
"She was an honor student last year," Dalmagro said. "I think our freshmen and sophomores can look up and say, 'Hey, I can play and I can study. And I can do well, too.' Some freshmen might think it's really tough to iuggle both."
Dorn's attitude has not only impressed her coaches, but also her teammates. She was given the Most Improved Player Award in 2008 and the Hardest Worker Award in 2009. Persistence and hard work are recurring elements in this young student athlete's life.
The lajawh tennis team will compete in its first fall event at UNC-Wilmington Sept. 11-13.
Edited by Tim Burgess
NFL
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre avoids Houston Texans defenders Amiobie Moko and Mario Williams during the first quarter of a game Monday in Houston. Favre has only with the Vikings for 12 days but hopes to help the team to a Superbowl.
Favre, despite flaws,may be worth the wait for Vikings
BY TIM DAHLBERG Associated Press
Chalk the first up to rust and age. Blame the second more on youthful exuberance.
Brett Favre's senior moment came early, when some temporary indecision led to Mario Williams dropping him to the turf in Houston. His stupid moment came late, when he lined up wide left and threw an ill-advised — and illegal — crackback block.
No wonder Favre has such a hard time trying to decide whether to retire. His body may sometimes scream yes, but his mind keeps thinking that, hey, this is way too much fun.
Just 18 months ago he was crying as he announced his first retirement. On Monday night he was out on the field smiling even when things didn't go exactly as planned.
He may not lead the Minnesota Vikings to the promised land. At his age, there's always the chance he may not even finish the season.
But judging from his first real work of the preseason, the old guy with the aching ribs might have been well worth the wait for both the Vikings and their long suffering fans.
As long as he doesn't try to block anyone, that is. Turns out there are some things you can't teach old quarterbacks.
"I will be 40 years old in October and (was) weed-eating 13 days ago," Favre said. "I wasn't thinking about throwing blocks."
Not thinking happens sometimes when you get old, though Vikings coach Brad Childress deserves some responsibility because he was the one who had Favre line up as
a wide receiver in the wildcat set. The formation is the rage around the NFI, but there are some things even future Hall of Famers like Favre shouldn't be doing — and throwing blocks tops weed eating on the list.
Behind center, though, Favre looked right at home.
He wasn't always on the same page with his teammates, but that will come. He didn't always see his reads, but he's had only a dozen days to work on them.
It won't be long before we begin to see just how far he can bring a Vikings team that was loaded to begin with toward a Super Bowl.
But he brings the intangibles. He brings an undercurrent of energy a guy his age isn't supposed to have.
"We've got to do it quickly," Favre said after helping lead the Vikings to a 17-10 win over the Texans.
together quickly,
Indeed,
the clock is ticking for
Favre, and not just
because he turns
40 next month.
His waffling over
whether to play
again got him in
camp late, and
his play in Houston
will almost certainly
be the last
together quickly"
time he takes a live snap until the Vikings open their season on the road in Cleveland.
Any other quarterback wouldn't be making that start with so little work with a new team. But there aren't any other quarterbacks who hold NFL career records in almost every passing category, either.
tainly be the last
practicing his art in basically the same offense the Vikings run, and he will benefit from taking as few hits as possible in preseason. But it's probably going to take a few regular season games before everything begins clicking, so the Vikings are fortunate that they open against two weaker teams in the Browns and Detroit Lions.
"I will be 40 years old in October and (was) weed-eating 13 days ago. I wasn't thinking about throwing blocks."
Behind him will be the league's best running back in Adrian Peterson. Ahead of him will be rookie receiver Percy Harvin, who showed flashes of brilliance against the Texans.
Still, make no mistake about it;
This team is loaded, and Favre may be the final piece of the puzzle.
Favre, of course, knew all of that before he finally put his name on a
Backing it all up are Kevin and Pat Williams, leaders of one of the NFLs toughest defenses.
BRETT FAVRE Vikings quarterback
top shape.
two-year $25 million contract to play for the team he made a career out of beating. The Vikings wanted him so badly they sent a private jet for him and Childress drove him to practice from the airport.
They waited for him to make up his mind. Now they'll wait until he gets into
The Vikings are convinced they did the right thing. Their quarterback seems pretty sure of himself, too.
"I would not have come back if I didn't think I could play at a high enough level or if I didn't think I could help this team win," Favre said.
foot on campus in the summer, I knew he had potential to play right away."
On Saturday, McDougald will run onto Kivisto Field in front of 50,000-plus fans wearing blue. At one point, though, McDougald seemed set to play in one of college football's most storied venues: the Horseshoe at Ohio State.
MCDOUGALD (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
But McDougald, who played high school football just 20 miles from Ohio State's campus and was suspended for three games for disciplinary reasons during his senior season, rescinded his initial verbal commitment to the Buckeves.
Instead, McDougald evaluated his remaining options with one desire: to stay on the offensive side of the ball. Many schools viewed McDougald as a better fit at defensive back.
"Right now, if I could get playing time early, I felt that it was going to be on the offensive side
McDougald started considering Kansas after a teammate from high school, redshirt freshman linebacker Josh Richardson, committed to the Jayhawks while McDougald was attending Dublin Scioto High School.
of the ball," McDougald said. "That eliminated a lot of schools that were recruiting me early in the process."
Two weeks after Richardson's commitment, McDougald received a scholarship offer from Kansas — one he eventually accepted.
"Coach Ed Warriner, the offensive coordinator, is the person who recruited me out of high school," McDougald said. "He mentioned possible (early) playing time but I never thought it would be like it is now. I thought I would be rotating."
Upon arriving at Kansas, McDougald was issued a "Big Brother," which is essentially
a teammate assigned to help a new player adjust to college. McDougald was paired with Meier.
Meier, along with Briscoe and quarterback Todd Reesing, guided McDougald through offseason practices. That preparation, McDougald said, was a big reason he adjusted so smoothly to the college level.
And he'll get his first public showcase in a Kansas uniform Saturday against Northern Colorado.
"He's a guy that I think everything comes very smoothly for him."
"It's just his knack to play ball," Meier said. "Usually, with incoming freshmen, they have to worry about so much other than football. His ability to put that stuff behind when he's on the field has enabled him to be where he is.
— Edited by Samantha Foster
OPURUM (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
powerhouse Plano East High School, Opurum served as the featured running back in the Panthers' spread offense.
"The fact that I had the opportunity to come here and play running back was definitely big," Opurum said.
Second, he had the opportunity to do so immediately after Kansas' depth at running back thinned during the offseason.
"And I saw there was playing opportunity that was there."
Opurum gives Kansas a different option at running back. Opurum, who is 6-feet-2-inches and 230 pounds, provides the jayhawks with a bigger back to complement the more diminutive combo of senior Lake Sharp and sophomore Rell Lewis.
"A lot of times when it was third and short last year, we never got those." Meier said. "With what Toben brings to the table, we're going to get those."
Opurum is currently listed as Kansas' second-string running back along with Lewis. But he has drawn praise this offseason from Mangino, who said Opurum will play immediately for Kansas.
"He's a guy that I think, as we go along, is going to get better and better every week as he gets comfortable with what we're doing and realizes that things are a little faster-paced here than they are in high school," Mangino said.
Edited by Samantha Foster
NFL
Teams change lineups, get rid of struggling players
ASSOCIATED PRESS
49ERS RELEASE HUARD
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers have released quarterback Damon Huard.
After the move Tuesday, Nate Davis is in line to be the team's No. 3 quarterback behind starter Shaun Hill and backup Alex Smith.
The 36-year-old Huard is a 12-year pro best known for his lengthy backup stints behind Miami's Dan Marino and New England's Tom Brady. He started 13 games over the past two seasons with Kansas City, but never firmly claimed the Chiefs' starting job during five seasons with the club.
Kansas City released Huard in February and he signed with San Francisco on March 4.
Interestingly, the Chiefs could be in the market for a quarterback after starter Matt Cassel sustained a knee injury last week that could sideline him two to four weeks.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
RAMS TRADE HILL
St. Louis Rams cornerback Tye Hill is seen during Rams football training camp at Concordia University on July 31, 2009, in Mequon, Wis.
ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Rams cut ties to their top two picks from the 2006 draft on Tuesday, trading cornerback Tye Hill to the Atlanta Falcons for an undisclosed draft pick and releasing tight end Joe Klopfenstein.
Hill missed 20 games the past two seasons, including the last 12 games of 2008 with a knee injury.
"We wish Tye all the best," coach Steve Spagnuolo said. "It's not an easy part of the business. We do wish him well. We feel like we did what is in the best interest of the team."
Hill started 10 games as a rookie and had three interceptions and a fumble recovery. Hed been working behind Jonathan Wade, a third-round pick in 2007, during the preseason.
"News like that always shocks you," Wade said. "Because that happened, it doesn't necessarily change anything. It could very easily have been me. When things like this happen, you have to roll with the punches."
In three seasons, Klopfenstein totaled 33 receptions for 386 yards and two touchdowns. He was behind Randy McMichael, Daniel Fells and Billy Baiema.
"I'm not going to go into specifics of why," Spagnuolo said. "All those guys were evaluated, we make our decisions and move on."
The Rams have only two players remaining from the 2006 draft, defensive end Victor Adeyanju (fourth round) and offensive lineman Mark Setterstrom (seventh round). That was Scott Linehan's first season as coach.
The Rams also released three undrafted rookies; center Daniel Sanders, cornerback Marcus Brown and wide receiver Jarrett Byers, Rookie wide receiver Brooks Foster, a fifth-round pick who underwent ankle surgery on Aug. 21, was placed on injured reserve.
BRONCOS CUT FOUR
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Veteran tight end Jeb Putzier was among four players released Tuesday by the Denver Broncos, reducing their roster to the
75-player limit.
Also waived was rookie punter Britton Colquitt, who was edged out for the job by holdover punter Brett Kern.
Center Blake Schlueter, a seventh-round pick out of Texas Christian, and third-year wide receiver C.J. Jones also were released.
Meanwhile, the Broncos retook the practice field without quarterback Kyle Orton, who suffered a finger injury in Sunday's 27-17 exhibition loss to Chicago.
Backup Chris Simms also has been sidelined by a high left ankle sprain, leaving rookie Tom Brandstater and journeyman Ingle Martin as the only healthy quarterbacks on the team's roster. Neither Brandstater nor Martin have had a meaningful snap in an NFL regular season game.
I