THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009
SPORTS
5B
BIG 12
Area schools rearrange, update line-ups as football seasons commence
ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY HALLIE MANN
hmann@kansan.com
Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy, right, points out some of the features of the new locker room to T. Boone Pickens, left. Oklahoma State is one of the Big 12 schools currently ranked in the Coaches' Preseason Poll.
In the last week, adding or dropping and eligibility problems of players in the Big 12 have changed the line-ups for some teams. Here are your football updates from around the conference:
ATM
TEXAS A&M
Coach Mike Sherman announced on Monday that junior
Jerrod Johnson will start at quarterback for A&M after being selected over sophomore Ryan Tannehill who will move to wide receiver according to the Aggie Athletics Web site.
NEBRASKA
Running back Quentin Castille was dismissed from the
team last week after violating team rules, according to the Lincoln Journal Star. Coach Bo Pelini did not specify what rule he violated but he is no longer practicing with the team. Castille was competing with junior Roy Helu Jr. for the starting running back position for Nebraska and Pelini also freshman Rex Burkhead would probably be the No. 2 running back position.
Linebacker Mike Balogun may earn his eligibility back for his final season from the
OKLAHOMA
NCAA this week, according to The Oklahoman. Oklahoma had found out that Balogun, now 25, may have played a year of semi-professional football when he was 22. This was presented to the NCAA for further investigation.
OKLAHOMA STATE
Coach Mike Gundy cut off access to his media from the media
until at least Aug. 31 to keep his team more focused, according to the Tulsa World. Currently ranked 11 in the Coaches' Preseason Poll, Gundy said they needed "to reel the players in" and get them to focus as the season is about to start.
TEXAS
Sophomore safety Earl Thomas has impressed coaches and fellow playin the defense according to The Daily Texan.
MISSOURI
Sophomore offensive lineman Dan Hoch. one
of the key players for Missouri's offense, may be out for the Sept. 5 game after spraining his MCL at practice. Hoch said he's feeling better but his absence could affect the chemistry of the offense, according to The Columbia Missouri.
COLORADO
Junior wide receiver Andre Simmons was cleared to enroll
at Colorado earlier this week after a tumultuous transfer and admission process this summer from a junior college, according to The Daily Camera. Simmons had his first day of practice with the Buffers on Wednesday, and coach Dan Hawkins said Simmons had a lot of work to do to get caught up for the game on Sept. 6.
Two defensive backs, junior Jarrell Routt and sophomore
TEXAS TECH
AP TOP 25 POLL (AS OF 8/27/09)
2. Texas
3. Oklahoma
4. Oklahoma State
24. Nebraska
25. Kansas
Other Big 12 Teams who received votes: Texas Tech, Missouri
Angelo Traylor, have left the team because they do not think they will get any playing time with the Raiders this season, a Texas Tech spokesperson said on Wednesday. Running backs coach Clay McGuire said they still had a good corps of running backs to work with despite the losses.
Those are the top updates, stories and changes from around the Big 12 this week. Look each week for the latest news on Big 12 football in The Kansan.
FOOTBALL
Edited by Lauren Cunningham
Jayhawks open practice for Fan Appreciation Day
"A lot of people come to Memorial Stadium and say this is pretty place. We don't want pretty. We want hostile."
Coach Mark Mangino addressing fans after Wednesday's open practice
BY JAYSONS JENKS
jjenks@kansan.com
SPRINGER ON THE FIELD
On Wednesday afternoon, Kansas football held its Fan Appreciation Day. Before signing autographs for fans, the Jayhawks participated in an open practice. A few observations:
on Wednesday evening. Springer saw the field, playing mostly with what appeared to be the second team defense.
Two weeks ago, junior Linebacker Justin Springer didn't participate in Kansas' practice. But
"We look forward to seeing you on game day Saturdays, and we look forward to bringing back the Big 12 North title to Lawrence."
Springer played well in a reserve role last season before suffering a season-ending injury against Kansas State on Nov. 1.
MCDOUGALD FOURTH RECEIVER
Freshman wide receiver Bradley McDougal spent time as Kansas' fourth receiver, working with the
Quarterback Todd Reesina
first team during the scrimmage at the end of Wednesday's open practice.
McDougald also returned kickoffs with junior wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe.
Coach Mark Mangino wasn't available for comment afterward, but Mangino previously said that McDougald will play this season.
A FEW CHANGES...
— Sophomore Steven Foster has been moved from linebacker to
defensive line. Foster, originally ranked the fourth-best fullback in the nation according to ESPN. com, moved to linebacker earlier in his career.
Junior college transfer Vernon Brooks switched to the No. 9. Brooks previously wore No. 39.
He spent time Wednesday at defensive end and defensive line.
- Junior Brad Thorson spent time practicing at guard with what appeared to be the first team
Kansas Union: Gateway to Gameday, starts 3 hours before kickoff Enjoy free giveaways, discounts and food at the Kansas Union
MLB
Kansas Athletics: Hospitality on the Hill
Fans can reserve a spot on Campanile Hill to tailgate before and during games
Going to the game: Memorial Stadium
KU FAN ACTIVITIES
offensive line. Thorson is nor mally used as a center.
Gates open 2 hours prior to kickoff for students (30 minutes before public)
PLAY OF THE DAY
Junior defensive end Quintin Woods tipped a pass in the air and then made hauled in the
falling ball for an interception. OK, so it was just an intra-squad scrimmage, but the play was still impressive.
Edited by Abby Olcese
Associated Press
Padilla boosts Dodgers' team spirit
BY ARNIE STAPLETO
DENVER — Vicente Padilla gave the Los Angeles Dodgers a shot in the arm and the Colorado Rockies a punch to the gut.
The right-hander, jettisoned by Texas earlier this month after angering the Rangers by throwing at hitters, returned to the National League on Thursday and pitched
the Dougles to a 3-2 win over the Rockies.
Rafael Furcal, in the game for his defense, delivered
"I can do a lot for this team," said Padilla, who allowed two runs and six hits in five solid innings.
"We didn't win this series, but we won this homestand."
a tiebreaking RBI single in the sixth and Matt Kemp hit his career-high 19th homer as the Dodgers put the brakes on the surging Rockies by taking two of three at Coors Field. They also opened a four-game lead in the NL West over the wild-card leaders.
"Damn right that's what we needed and wanted," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said.
"We didn't win this series, but we won this homestand," said Rockies manager Jim Tracy, whose team has to face Tim Lincecum, Barry Zito and Matt Cain this weekend. "We're still in a wonderful position."
series after an emotional week in Colorado, where they took three of four from the Giants before facing Los Angeles.
And now the Rockies have to go to San Francisco for a weekend
The relieved Dodgers appear
JIM TRACY Rockies Manager
The resurgent Rockies, who once trailed L.A. by $15\%$ games, had won eight of 10 before the Dodgers took the last two games of this crucial series.
and Jonathan Broxton got the last four outs for his 28th save in 32 chances. The Rockies put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth before Broxton struck out Eric Young Jr. and Seth Smith.
Four relievers combined to preserve Padilla's first win for his new team.
to have a much easier road ahead, with three games at Cincinnati this weekend nine games against struggling Arizona and San Diego.
"I'm not worried about cooling anybody off. It's all about our
record," Torre said. "We're trying to enhance our record. We hold our fate in our own hands and if we take care of business ourselves then we don't have to look around for help."
Padilla (1-0), who played for Arizona and Philadelphia before getting traded to the Rangers in 2005, signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers on Aug. 19 after he was released by Texas, where he was 8-6 with a 4.92 ERA
in 18 starts this year.
"He hangs in there. He eats up innings. That's big at this time of the year," Torre said.
With sinkerballer Padilla on the mound, Torre decided against resting slumping shortstop Furcal, a decision that paid off — but not in the field — when he singled up the middle to score Orlando Hudson from second base in the sixth and give Los Angeles a 3-2 lead.
Torre was eager to see if Padila could help L.A. down the stretch considering the uncertainty surrounding right-hander Hiroki Kuroki, who went on the disabled list after being hit in the head by a line drive Aug. 15.
League. He didn't hit anybody Thursday.
Kemp hit a two-run shot in the first off Jorge De La Rosa (12-9), who allowed baserunners in each of his seven innings but yielded just three runs and eight hits.
"I'm not worried about cooling anybody off. It's all about our record."
JOE TORRE
Dodgers Manager
"They had been playing really well and had some hot hitting and good pitching. We shut them down," Kemp said. "We showed them we aren't going anywhere."
Carlos Gonzalez returned to the Rockies' starting line-up for the first time
since cutting his left hand with a steak knife Saturday night, but he left in the fifth after jamming his left thumb into the grass while trying to rob James Loney of a double.
Gonzalez said the stitch didn't come out but his wound bled and his palm swelled up so much that he couldn't grip a baseball or bat. He said he was unsure if he'd be able to play Friday night.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Vicente Padilla works against the Colorado Rockies during the first inning of a baseball game in Denver on Thursday.