UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN Monday, August 19, 1996 3B Defensive core returns intact Experienced group anchors Jayhawks'line Staff Photographer / KANSAN Dan Dercher (90), shown pursuing Iowa State quarterback Todd Doxzon in the Jayhawks' Oct. 14 34-7 victory, returns to a defensive line that features 21 lettermen. By Dan Gelston Kansan's sportswriter Kansas will be reacquainted with some familiar faces on defense this year. But it isn't the faces that Kansas coach Glen Mason and defensive coordinator Mike Hankwitz are concerned about. They're concerned about the health of junior safety Tony Blevins and senior linebacker Ronnie Ward, both of whom return to the defense after medically red-shirting last year. They rejoin a defensive corps which has 21 returning lettermen, including all seven interior linemen. Blevins said this was very encouraging. "We look really good on paper,' Blevins said. "We've got a lot of guys with experience and who know how to play, but a lot more is expected of us because of what we accomplished last year. I think we can be just as good or better than last year." Defensive stalwarts returning include junior Brett McGraw, who led the line with 31 solo tackles last year, seniors Chris Jones and Kevin Keep, Juniors Maurice Gaddie and Dewey Houston, and sophomores Jason Thoren and Jamie Harris. "We have some very good players who can make the big plays for us," Houston said. Houston said this could be a break-out season for him and the defense. "I think last year was just the beginning for us as far as how good we can be. We're going to have to take our level of play up because we're in the Big 12 now." Last year was Houston's first as a defensive tackle after spending the 1994 season as a backup tight end. "It took a while to get used to, but I was able to make the adjustment," Houston said. Houston had 23 tackles in the 10 games last season. "This year I want to make at least six tackles a game and maybe a sack every other game or so," Houston said. Thoren, a second-team all-conference selection, led the team with 119 tackles and had three interceptions, while Gaddie led the secondary in tackles with 93. The Jayhawks suffered two major losses in Dorian Brew, an all-conference selection and secondround draft pick by the Miami Dolphins, and Keith Rodgers, who had 69 tackles. But Ward said the team would overcome the losses. "It's tough because they were great players," Ward said. "But every year you lose great players. We have the type of players that can step in and do the job." Kansas finished fifth in rushing and fourth in pass defense in the Big Eight Conference last season and third in scoring defense, allowing just 21 points per game. That came despite the fact that the Jayhawks were sixth in total defense with 386.2 yards per game. "We could stop teams when we had to." Houston said. "That's something we'll have to continue this year if we want to keep being successful." 1996 Kansas football schedule Aug. 29 BALL STATE ...7:00 p.m. Sept. 14 at Texas Christian ... 7:05 p.m. Sept. 28 at Utah ... 8:05 p.m. Oct. 7 at Oklahoma ...1:30 p.m. Oct. 12 TEXAS TECH ...1:00 p.m. Oct. 19 COLORADO ...1:00 p.m. Oct. 26 at Nebraska ...1:00 p.m. Nov. 2 at Iowa State ..1:00 p.m. Nov. 9 KANSAS STATE ... 1:00 p.m. Nov. 16 TEXAS ... 1:00 p.m. Nov. 23 at Missouri ... 1:00 p.m. *Home games in CAPS Blevins, Ward ready to make their comeback By Dan Gelston Kansan sportswriter There were times last season when Ronnie Ward was hurting. "It hurt not being able to be a part of it on the field," Ward said. "To stand and watch and not be able to contribute wasn't very fun." But it wasn't always from rehabilitating his injured left shoulder. He couldn't tolerate standing on the sidelines watching while his teammates enjoyed perhaps the greatest year in their team history. Last season was full of mixed emotions for senior linebacker Ward and his defensive teammate, junior safety Tony Blevins. They were forced to medically redshift last year and vowed to come back even stronger this year. Ward will be the starting inside linebacker after missing the final three games of 1994 and all of last year. He received a shoulder injury in a 1994 game against Oklahoma State and later was reinjured in a pick-up basketball game before last season. "I tried to brace my fall and I ended up injuring it again." Ward said. "I had to have another surgery." Ward was forced to the sidelines by an injury for the first time in his career. "There wasn't much I could do except cheer on my teammates," he said. "I wanted to be part of what was going on so badly. I felt like something was missing." One thing comforted Ward, a two-time Big Eight Conference honorable mention. " T h e defense was doing so well," he said. "They didn't miss a beat. I was really proud of everybody and the job they were doing." Ronnie Ward After playing his first two years as cornerback, Blevins moved to safety last fall. He enters this year as the starting free safety. Tony Blevins He injured his right knee, which forced him out of the final four games of 1994 as well. "This is very exciting. I'm part of something special again," Blevins said. Both players said they were completely healthy. "I'm 100 percent," Blevins said. "It gets a little sore sometimes, but that's only after a game." They said they were looking forward to this season and playing on a defense that returns 21 lettermen. "I'm going to prove that I'm just as good as I was before," Ward said. "It won't slow me down on the field." JOCK'S NITCH SPORTING GOODS The Sports Look of Today! 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