THE UNIVERSITY OF DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009
SPORTS
3B
NFL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Atlanta Falcons running back Michael Turner stretches during an NFL football camp in Flowery Branch, Ga., Aug. 6. This bowling ball of a running back is ready for another year of punishing defenses after his breakout season for the Falcons.
Atlanta Falcons excited for future
Turner shows no signs of slowing this season
Associated Press
BY GEORGE HENRY Associated Press
FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. — No player carried the ball more than Michael Turner last season and no NFC team ran more than the Atlanta Falcons.
Turner sees no signs of slacking off from the plan that took the Falcons to the playoffs, and takes some satisfaction in breaking off a couple of 40-yard runs this preseason.
"We're pretty happy with the progress we're making," Turner said Sunday. "We've been pretty clean timing-wise, who to pick up (on blocks) and things like that, but you still can't be satisfied or comfortable. Still got to keep working at it."
Last season, the workhorse back ran the ball 376 times for 1,699 yards, good enough for second most in the NFL behind Adrian Peterson's 1,760 yards on 363 carries. The Falcons ran the ball 560 times overall.
With the offseason acquisition, however, of 10-time Pro Bowl tight Tony, Gonzalez, Turner doesn't
know if Atlanta will need him as much this year. Matt Ryan already had an elite target with Pro Bowl receiver Roddy White, and the second-year quarterback still wants to get as many touches as he can for wideouts Michael Jenkins and Brian Finneran and speedy running back Jerious Norwood.
For the Falcons, the problem is a good one, and their Pro Bowl running back agrees.
"Last year, with a rookie quarterback, I knew there be a lot of carries," Turner said. "This is his second year. He's more comfortable with the offense, and now in our playbook, with the addition of Tony."
"All I know is I feel better than this time last year."
it makes it even more wide open. The ball will still get spread around, but I'll still expect to carry the bulk of the load."
That certainly was the case on Atlanta's opening drive in last week's 20-13 preseason victory in St. Louis. And the scenario might be similar Saturday night when the Falcons (1-1) host San Diego (1-1).
Against the Rams, Turner took the game's second handoff and ran up the middle for 43 yards. One snap later, he went around right end
MICHAEL TURNER Atlanta running back
for a 9-yard gain
After running 7 yards around left end to leave Atlanta first-and-goal at the 6, Turner went up the middle for four, took a handoff in a shotgun formation for a 1-yard gain over left tackle Sam Baker and another handoff for a 1-yard touchdown over left guard lustin Blakeo.
That's all the work Atlanta needed from its $34.5 million running back. No need risking injury to the
back who expects the Falcons to play deep into postseason this winter.
"I can't judge anything yet," Turner said. "All I know is I feel better than this time last year. I don't know if it's midseason form or not, but we'll find out pretty soon."
Atlanta was supposed to rebuild last year with a rookie quarterback, a first-time head coach in Mike Smith and a first-time general manager in Thomas Dimitroff.
Turner, who spent the first four years of his career as a backup in San Diego, showed flashes of brilliance when he spelled for injured superstar LaDainian Tomlinson, but he had never taken the kind of beating required of a starting NFL running back.
though, Turner scored 17 touchdowns, Ryan was named NFL offensive rookie of the year, Smith was NFL coach of the year, and Atlanta won 11 games.
The results were impressive.
"Philosophically, we've said from the beginning that we're going to run the ball." Smith said. "We're going to control the line of scrimmage. But as an offense, we're going to take what the defense gives us, and I think the more options that you have, the more options you (present) for the opponent."
Adding Gonzalez, the league's career-leading tight end, could give Ryan more chances to exploit opponents in play-action with Turner.
"If they want to load the box and try to take away our run game, then we're going to try to make them stay on the outside or with our tight end," Smith said. "The more weapons you have, the more chances you have for success."
Gonzalez, who spent his first 12 years in Kansas City before the trade, believes his run-blocking can help Turner more easily reach the third level of a defense.
"That's something I've always taken pride in, not just being a receiving tight end, but being a combo tight end." Gonzalez said. "It's something I have to keep working on, but a guy like Mike makes everyone's job easier. He's a total professional."
story. Maybe after turning in a solid season as a freshman, Harris became somewhat lackadaisical as a sophomore.
HARRIS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
"He may have relaxed at a point in time because he was so young and experienced so much success that it took something like that to make him hungry again and to become that great player he can be," senior safety Darrell Stuckey said. "And we're pretty excited about the mentality he is right now, and he's one of the better players on our defense."
The common belief this season, the one Stuckey, Thornton and yes, Lisa Harris share, is simple: Chris Harris is ready to turn things around.
They said he's ready to show that last season was a fluke and that a season like 2007 was more what people should expect.
Lisa talks to Chris every day, and she said she knows.
"He's ready," Lisa said. "I think he's ready to make a strong comeback."
RECRUITS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Edited by Nick Gerik
TOBEN OPURUM
Plano East High School,
Plano. Texas
fy of running back.
Part of Opurum's potential to see the field early rests in the logistics of Kansas' depth chart.
With Angus Quigley shifting to linebacker and Jacques Crawford transferring, Kansas is short on returning options at running back. And those remaining fall into the smaller, speedier catego-
That's where Opurum's 6-foot-2, 235-pound frame could factor in
doubt that Jake Sharp will shoulder the bulk of the carries. But Opurum's size provides Kansas with a different look and a possible short-vardage option.
There's no
Opurum
Plano East's Johnny Ringo's take: "He's a great running back, a tremendous receiver out of the backfield and also a very good blocker. He's the whole package; he's not just one or the other. As a running back, he brings a lot to the table."
VERNON BROOKS
The last member to join Kansas' recruiting class, Brooks originally appeared Division II bound because of academics.
Bilinn County Community College. Brenham, Texas
But after being cleared for Division I eligibility late in the recruiting process, Brookes drew interest from Oklahoma and Tennessee before settling on a Kansas team with little line-backer depth.
Brookes said he wants to be an immediate impact player and he possesses all the necessary tools to do so. As long as he grasps Kansas' defensive schemes in the
offseason, there's a good chance he could play right away.
Blinn County Community College assistant Keith Browning's take: "He's just an intense football player...I feel confident with his ability to play in space and in coverage. But I love the way he plays in the box when he gets to stop the run and get physical with people. He's fast enough to cover somebody and he's big enough and physical enough to play in the box and mix it up with the big boys when he needs to...He was a vocal leader for us and a very emotional guy."
CALVIN RUBLES
Tyler Junior College, tyler, texas With Kansas' switch to a new defensive alignment featuring two linebackers and five defensive backs (4-2-5), the Jayhawks will lean more heavily on the depth of their secondary.
Kansas' five starting slots appear filled but Rubles could
very well be the sixth defensive back to see the field.
At 6-foot 3,
Rubles' height
makes him
somewhat
of a rarity
at cornerback
Rubles
— a fact that could allow him to match up more easily against the Big 12's bigger receiving targets.
Tyler Junior College's Danny Palmer's take: "They're getting a dominant corner. He's a big corner, which people really look for today. In his coverage, I like to use the word absorb. He absorbs people in man coverage. He's a great man corner and he's real good in zone. He's a really smart corner."
— Edited by Megan Morriss
PGA
Ryan Moore tees off on the second hole during the final round of the Wyndham Championship PGA golf tournament at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, N.C., Sunday. Moore won for the first time on the PGA Tour with a birdie on the third hole of a sudden death playoff to beat Kevin Stadler.
Golfer wins first Wyndham championship
BY JOEDY MCCREARY
Associated Press
ASSOCIATED PRESS
GREENSBORO, N.C. — For Ryan Moore, the Wyndham Championship was a lesson in patience.
He spent much of the week sitting around the clubhouse while thunderstorms produced three unwelcome delays. Then he finished his final round and wound up waiting again, this time to find out if a playoff was necessary.
That patience paid off Sunday in his first PGA Tour victory, when Moore birdied the third hole of a sudden death playoff to beat Kevin Stadler.
After vaulting up the leaderboard with five consecutive birdies on the back nine, he had two chances in the playoff to seal the victory after his approach on No. 18 landed in the middle of the green and rolled to 6 feet. He sank that putt for his first victory in his 112th event.
"I was able to stay patient, really," Moore said. "That's what won this one."
Stadder's second shot on the third playoff hole skipped off the back of the green. He chipped within 20 feet, but his putt drifted to the low side of the cup.
That cleared the way for Moore to make his first putt, pick up $918,000 and claim 500 FedEx Cup points for winning the final tournament before the playoffs start later this week.
"This felt like an uphill battle," said Moore, who turned pro in 2005. "The whole time I've been on the PGA Tour, I just haven't
been healthy, haven't felt like myself,
and really kind of got some good momentum (finishing tied for 10th) at the U.S. Open, really feeling like myself again over the golf ball, and just kind of getting some confidence back in the putter and every aspect of the game. That's really carried through to this week."
Stadler, Moore and Jason Bohn forced the playoff after they were tied at 16-under 264 through 72 holes. Bohn was eliminated on the first playoff hole after he had trouble escaping the greenside bunker on No. 18 and his first try rolled back into the sand.
Sergio Garcia blew a threestroke lead midway through the final round, shot a 70 and finished at 265. Michael Allen (68), Kevin Sutherland (66), Fred Couples (67), Brandt Snedeker (68) and Justin
Rose (68) were at 266.
Moore sailed his drive near the cart path. His second shot bounced into the sand and — after a remarkable bunker chip to 8 feet — his short parp bent bent around the hole. The younger Stadler's third shot landed on a hill behind the green but rolled back to 8 feet from the flagstock, but he left his par putt about 6 inches short.
Moore and Stadler both bogeyed No. 18 in regulation.
Moore shot a 65 in the final round and had five consecutive birdies on Nos. 12-16 in moving to 17 under, then waited while Stadler finished his final-round 66 that included back-to-back birdies on Nos. 14 and 15.
"I can't play that hole." Stadler said. "I'll just leave it that."
Bohn — who started the round
seven strokes off the lead — had a 62 that was the best round of the day. He followed birdies on seven of his first 14 holes with an eagle that pushed him to 16 under, grabbed the lead with a par on No. 16 and didn't miss a green until No. 17.
He had roughly an hour's wait — a common theme at this rain-deluged tournament — while Moore and Stadler finished their rounds.
Stadler was attempting to join his father — 13-time PGA winner Craig Stadler — in winning in Greensboro. The elder Stadler cruised to a six-stroke victory in the Greater Greensboro Open in 1980.
"I wasn't even thinking I would get in a playoff." Bohn said.
The participants in the playoff had combined for one previous victory on Tour: Bohn's win in the 2005 B.C. Open.
Garcia could have joined them in sudden death, had he holed a 35-yard bunker shot on No. 18. His chip rolled within an inch of the cup.
"I wish I could blame it on that but, unfortunately, it happened before that," Garcia said.
Fittingly, a tournament that had trouble getting itself started seemingly didn't want to end, either.
Play stopped and started three times during the first three days due to lightning and heavy rains. The combined 9½ hours in weather delays meant none of the first three rounds finished before sundown, forcing players to return to the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield each morning to finish their rounds.
7
1
.