UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesdav. October 2. 1996
3B
OU's defense shifts to apply rush sooner
The Associated Press
NORMAN, Okla. — Another loss,
another lineup change for Oklahoma.
The Sooners, who switched quarterbacks after the first game and changed starting tailbacks after the next, have decided to move Travian Smith from outside linebacker to defensive end.
Oklahoma has had little success pressuring opposing quarterbacks, and coach John Blake said yesterday he hoped the change would free up Smith to rush all the time.
"He has the speed to turn the corner and run quarterbacks down and also to be a threat where those guys won't feel they can just scramble and spend time in the backfield," Blake said.
The Sooners (0-3) have only six sacks. They had none two weeks ago against San Diego State, a team that had given up 11 sacks in its previous game. The lack of a pass rush has placed added pressure on Oklahoma's inexperienced secondary, which has given up several big plays and nine touchdown passes.
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Smith is perhaps Oklahoma's best all-around athlete. But because he is new to the position, Smith probably will not start Saturday against the Kansas. Instead, Martin Chase will continue as the starter and Smith will play on passings, Blake said.
"You have got to have things that can give you pressure any time you need it, and Travian helps us in that area." Blake said.
His spot at linebacker will be taken either by Dale Allen or Terrance Malone.
Oklahoma has allowed 102 points thus far, the most ever allowed by Oklahoma during any three-game stretch. The secondary has been
John Blake
"I think we just need to make sure our guys
who are in the secondary just do their jobs," Blake said. "They know what to do; they've done it in practice; they need to be more disciplined in executing that.
especially vulnerable — Billy Blanton threw five TD passes for San Diego State, and last week Tulsa completed a 99-yard touchdown pass.
"We've got to encourage those guys to get better and also try not to put ourselves in a situation where our kids are in one-on-one situations. But there's times they have to be and they need to really just focus in and get it done."
Despite the problems with the defense, Blake said he was looking forward to opening Big 12 Conference play this week against Kansas (2-1). The Jayhawks, who fell out of the Top 25 after losing 45-42 to Utah last week, are averaging 464 yards per game in total offense. Tailback June Henley led the way, rushing for 201 yards per game.
"I think we're more suitable for the run, to be honest with you," Blake said. "Right now the concerns we've had are the deep passes. We'll accept the challenge of the run. I think this is something that will give us a true test of what we're all about."
SOONER NOTES: Blake said he expected tight end Stephen Alexander to play Saturday. Alexander hurt his shoulder against Tulsa and was expected to be out a week to 10 days.
Baseball, NFL playoffs similar, says Cardinal
The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — Brian Jordan is the only player in baseball's postseason who can compare the experience to an NFL playoff game. The St. Louis Cardinals outfielder said there was not much difference.
"I was in a playoff game with the Atlanta Falcons, and I haven't had that feeling until today."
"I was really pumped before the game," Jordan said yesterday after the Cardinals opened the playoffs with a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres. "You can't really describe the feeling.
Jordan was an alternate for the Pro Bowl in 1992. The former safety, who opted for baseball full time after three
seasons with the Falcons, said baseball and football had at least one thing in common.
"Like any big game, you're glad when it's over." Jordan said.
Dennis Eckersley pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings, tying his longest stretch of the year, for his playoff-record 11th career save. He couldn't resist showing the ball and then pumping his fist after snaring Tony Gwynn's grounder for the final out.
"There's a lot of emotion, but you can't really show any until its over." Eckersley said. "I'm not trying to show anybody up, but there's a lot of emotion that you've got to let go of because it's tense. It's fun when you win.
Penn State prepares for battle
The Associated Press
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Joe Paterno says Penn State won't have to play much better against Ohio State than it did against Wisconsin.
Outcome may show possible champions
"Not much better," he said yesterday.
"Much. much. much better."
The No. 4 Nittany Lions, who edged Wisconsin 23-20 on Saturday, are on the road again this weekend for a crucial conference battle against the third-ranked Buckeyes.
"Ohio State is one of the best teams that I've seen in a long time," Paterno said. "We're going to have to play much, much better for us to stay in it. Even then we might not be able to stay with them."
Paterno said he was not upset about being a 10/2-point underdog or about having dropped one spot in the rankings. He said he was surprised, however, to be ranked so high and to already be playing in a game with national championship repercussions.
"That tells me that we're either a little ahead of schedule or we are a little overrated. One or the other. I'm not sure which," Paterno said. "We are a better football team at this stage than I thought we'd be, though."
Ohio State, coming off a 29-16 victory at Notre Dame, defeated the Lions 28-25 last season at Beaver Stadium when eventual Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George scored on a six-run run with 1:42 to play. The Buckeyes survived a season-high performance by Penn State tailback Curtis Ennis, who rushed for 146 vards.
Enis, averaging 137.5 yards a game this season, said he was even better prepared for the rematch.
"Ive lost 10 pounds and I've increased my
"We are a better football team at this stage than I thought we'd be, though."
Joe Paterno
Penn State football coach
speed and my stamina to be a four-quarter back," he said. "I'm able to read defenses better this season and I'm more capable of making adjustments."
Looking back at the Wisconsin game, Paterno explained why he attempted a fake field goal that resulted in a third-quarter fumble.
"We had scouted Wisconsin and they gave us a situation in which we felt it would be reasonably effective," he said. "I wanted to get the seven and hopefully put the game out of reach and play some younger people."
Paterno said he hadn't changed his mind about the new overtime rule even though his Lions would have needed an extra period if Wisconsin had made its 58-yard field goal attempt as time expired.
"I don't like it," he said. "One game last week went three overtimes. You get on television and the game's 3 hours and 15 minutes minimum. Now you put a couple of overtimes in there? I don't get paid by the hour.
"It's ridiculous. I don't see any reason for it. I've played three ties in 31 years," he said "It puts an extra hardship on the kids and you are going to start to get people hurt."
Penn State coach Joe Paterno knows his Nittany Lions must play a near flawless game to defeat the Ohio State Buckeyes Saturday in Columbus, Ohio.
Evan
Continued from Page 1B
ruined that race, didn't it?
There are still purists out there clinging to the good old days. The days of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and
... Wait a minute, come to think of it,
the 1996 New York Yankees wouldn't have made the playoffs under the old format. This despite the fact they won 92 games, the second-best record in the American League.
Now forgive me, Texas and Baltimore fans, but I think most people would agree that Cleveland and New York are the two best teams in the American League this season. Two years ago, we would have been deprived of that matchup because both teams were in the same division.
That was the problem with the old
In fact, the Yankees would have finished seven games behind Cleveland and likely would have been eliminated more than a week ago. That's an awful lot of meaningless games for an entire division.
two-division system. Often, we weren't watching the two best teams in the playoffs. Talk about cheapening the regular season's value, what good did it do for the 1993 San Francisco Giants to win 102 games? Even though they were neck and neck with Atlanta the whole year, they were sitting home in October. It still burns me that the 1987 Minnesota Twins, a team that won only 85 games during the regular season, made the postseason, let alone won the World Series. This was a team that resembled a grade-school outfit when they weren't playing in their cracker-box excuse for a stadium, the Metrodome. The Twins' road ineptitude during the '87 regular season meant nothing in the long run. Oh, but I forgot, the wildcard cheapens the regular season.
By the way, San Diego now has home field advantage against 88-74 St. Louis in the first round. The Dodgers now face Atlanta and its league-best pitching staff in the first round. I guess there was no advantage gained, was there?
Send questions or comments to elbakwell@kansan.com.
Dan
Continued from Page 1B
week of September, a full two weeks before it would have clinched the East and eliminated the Yankees under the old, two division system.
Under the old system, the Braves were five games better than the Padres in the West, but the Expos and Cardinals, who had the same 88-74 record, would have forced a one-game playoff in the East.
There also were some teams this year, like the White Sox in the Central division, and Seattle in the West, that were clinging to wildcard hopes. But they were chasing the Orioles who are in the East. With teams playing only within their own division the last month of the season, it would be almost impossible for a team to control its playoff destiny.
The wildcard thankfully didn't ruin last season's Seattle and California pennant race because the wildcard team didn't come from the old Western division.
There have been a few instances
wwhere good teams, heck, 100-win
teams like the 1980 Orioles and 1993
Giants, weren't good enough to make
the playoffs, and that's unfortunate.
But those instances are rare, and if they weren't good enough to defeat the teams in their own division then they shouldn't be in the playoffs.
The wildcard also has had negative effects on two other aspects — the magic number and television.
It took Cincinnati two days last season to realize they clinched the West and this season it took Houston almost a week to find out they had been eliminated from wildcard contention, because nobody fully understands the playoff.
And because the wildcard has forced more teams into the playoffs, more games are on television. I hope you so-called fans who don't understand the rich history of this great game are enjoying watching the watered-down playoffs. I'll watch with the hope that it will be Cleveland and Texas in the ALCS, and Atlanta and St. Louis in the NLCS — the way is should have been.
Send questions or comments to dgelson.kansan.com
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DONT FORGET! KANSAS FOOTBALL 1996
Oct. 12 Texas Tech Nov. 9 Kansas State
Oct. 19 Colorado Nov. 16 Texas
In celebration of 1996 HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH HALO presents
Pocho:
The National Pochism Heritage
a comedy skit, video and slide show by
Lalo Lopez and Esteban Zul
Hispanic comedians from California, Lalo Lopez and Esteban Zul use their comic strip and the publication of their Pocho Magazine to present a satirical look at the importance of Latino issues in the world today. Lopez and Zul are former members of the Chicano Secret Service comedy group and are currently working on a feature film.
OCTOBER 2nd
6:30 PM
Frontier Room, Burge Union
Ballet Folklorilo de Topeka will perform traditional Mexican dances before the presentation.
Sponsored by HALO and Student Senate.
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