PAGE 8
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL FROM PAGE 10
WHAT WE'RE STILL WONDERING:
When will Kansas win another conference game? The losing streak is at an astronomical 21 games and the schedule won't get any easier next year. Weis said it best when he noted there's a clear difference between "fighting" and "winning." We see the fight in the Jayhawks. When will we see positive results?
WHAT WE LEARNED:
Kansas can run the ball. Kansas can run the ball when teams know Kansas will run the ball. Kansas can run the ball because of James Sims and Tony Pierson. James Sims and Tony Pierson can run the ball because they have a balanced combination of speed and strength, and an offensive line that can open holes. And both Sims and Pierson are returning in 2013, where, presumably, Kansas will run the ball.
NOTED
3) Kansas' receivers were undersized and under-skilled which didn't help any of the Jayhawks quarterbacks in the passing game, but since it's a team sport, the onus falls on the entire offense to correct the passing game's flaws. Quarterback Jake Heaps and wide out Justin McCay, who were ineligible this year, should be key additions, but then again, that's what was said about Crist.
2) While the run game is returning its best rushers, Pierson and Sims, the offensive line that made their lives so easy is losing seniors left tackle Tanner Hawkinson, center Trevor Marrongelli, right guard Duane Zlatnik and tight end Mike Ragone. Replacing them will be key to the success of the run game and it will not be an easy task.
1) Expect to see a lot of unfamiliar names near the top of the depth chart next season. Much like
Kansas State has done under Bill Snyder, Kansas will be going after a bevy of junior college transfers. Weis has said the Jayhawks need players who can step in immediately and it's clear where those players reside.
THE NUMBERS:
1,903 Kansas total rushing yards
20 — Kansas turnovers gained
20 — Kansas (trolls) gained
115 — Kansas FBS ranking out
of 120 teams in scoring offense
12 - Sacks by Kansas
4 — Kansas FBS ranking in fewest penalties (45)
31:59 — Kansas average time of possession
JAYHAWKS SOUND OFF:
"If there is reason to replace the first guy with the second guy you do it. It doesn't make a difference what position they play. But there is a big separation between the first guy and the second guy." - Charlie Weis on the possibility of benching Dayne Crist after losing to Northern Illinois
"There's definitely a toughness factor to our defense. We're not a bunch of high profile recruits or anything like that, but we bought into coach Campo's system and we're executing a lot better than we have in the past." — Junior linebacker Huldon Tharp on the defense's mentality
"When we got him all of the Texas players were excited and I was kind of lost as to why everyone was like 'We just got the best coach in the world', but it turns out we did,' Bradley McDougald said on the hiring of Dave Campo.
"Coach told me whenever I get the ball don't look for the big play just keep moving the chains," James Sims said.
RECAPS:
Kansas 31,
South Dakota State 17
The Jayhawks took a 24-7 lead into the fourth quarter powered by the performances of running backs Tony Pierson and Taylor Cox. The duo combined to rush for 245 and three touchdowns. The Kansas defense picked off SDSU quarterback Austin Summer four times making up for a 99-yard touchdown run they allowed in the first quarter.
Senior quarterback Dayne Crist looks for a teammate to pass to in a game against Oklahoma at Gaylord Family Memorial Stadium. The Sooner outperformed the Jayhawks to win 52-7.
Rice 25. Kansas 24
After going up 24 to 16 in the third quarter the Jayhawks began relenting and allowed Rice an opportunity to come back and steal a win. Kansas ran only six plays in the fourth quarter, the last of which was an interception thrown by Dayne Christ. Crist's error set up Rice for a 45-yard game winning field goal as time expired.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
The Jayhawk defense had another big game gobbling up four TCU turnovers. The offense, however, could not sustain long enough drives to put points on the board. Kansas could only muster two Ron Doherty field goals in the first half before getting shut out the last two quarters.
NIU 30, Kansas 23
Kansas built a 10-point lead at the start of the fourth quarter, but for the second time eased up too soon, allowing Northern Illinois to score 17 points in the last 14:33 in the game. Tyler Patton had a pick-six to give Kansas its 13th takeaway of the season, which ranks second in the nation.
Kansas State 56. Kansas 16
Kansas held its own in the first half against what would become the top team in the nation, going into halftime down 21-14. Yet the second half showed the Wildcats' true strength. K-State outscored the Jayhawks 35-2 in the second half. Quarterback Collin Klein passed for two touchdowns and scored another two rushing.
Oklahoma State 20, Kansas 14 On a rain-soaked Saturday night in Lawrence, Dayne Crist
was benched, Michael Cummings emerged and James Sims shined as a Jayhawks comeback fell short. Sims gained more than 80 yards in the fourth quarter, including a 30-yard touchdown run.
Oklahoma 52. Kansas 7
Kansas went up 17-14 with just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter after a 14-play. 61-yard drive that took more than seven minutes and was capped off with Nick Prolago's 29-yard field goal.
Michael Cummings got his first career start in Norman, Okla., but the outcome for Kansas was the same. Sooners quarterback Landry Jones passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns as the Jayhawks could not slow down the OU offense or break its defense. James Sims gained 102 yards and scored the Jayhawks' lone touchdown in the fourth quarter with the game well out of hand.
Texas 21, Kansas 17
But Texas' quarterback Case McCoy led a 70-yard game-winning drive to stop Kansas from getting its first win over UT since 1938.
Baylor 41. Kansas 14
Baylor 41, Kansas 14
Baylor quarterback Nick Florence threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns, while James Sims rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown himself. Yet Kansas had no answer the Bears' Terrance Williams and Glasco Martin who carved up the jayhawks' secondary. Kansas went scoreless in the second half.
Texas Tech 41, Kansas 34
Texas tech 41, Kansas 34
The Jayhawks played their first game with both James Sims and Tony Pierson healthy and suspension free as the Red Raiders had no answer for the Kansas run game.
Tech pulled ahead in double overtime after Eric Stephens took a snap from the wildcat formation and tossed a jump pass over the line of scrimmage to a wide open
Darrin Moore.
Iowa State 51 Kansas 23
Iowa State 51, Kansas 23
Charlie Weis paid for students to come to Senior Night, bought the team all new black jerseys and then watched as his Jayhawks got walloped by a third-string freshman quarterback named Sam Richardson. Kansas was unable to sustain any offense and Sims broke his streak of six consecutive 100-yard rushing games.
West Virginia 59, Kansas 10
West Virginia 19, Kansas 10
WVU quarterback Geno Smith passed for more than 400 yards, completing 23 of 24 passes with three touchdowns and one interception. All of the progress Kansas had made this season seemed to disappear as the Jayhawks chased the Mountaineers all around their home turf in Morgantown, W.Va.
Edited by Brian Sisk
NBA
Wizards beat Heat, emerge from cellar
WASHINGTON — His feet soaking in a tub of ice, his eyes scanning a box score, LeBron James chuckled a bit at the notion that his Miami Heat might learn something from a surprising setback against the Washington Wizards.
"Nah, man, there's not no lesson. This ain't a lesson for us. We just lost," James explained. "We've seen and been through everything, so we don't need a loss to be like, 'Oh, let's catch ourselves.' It happens."
Not too many people figured this outcome would happen, though, a message Wizards coach Randy Wittman delivered
to his players before their worst-in-the-NBA team went out and beat the Heat 105-101 on Tuesday night behind Jordan Crawford's 22 points — and despite James' triple-double of 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.
Perhaps inspired by the courtside presence of Washington Redskins rookie quarterback Robert Griffin III, who exchanged a handshake with Cowboys fan James after the final buzzer, the Wizards doubled their victory total this season. The Wizards improved to 2-13, earning their second win in the past three games after starting a franchise-worst 0-12.
"I'm so happy for those guys," said Wittman, who called this perhaps the most satisfying victory of his
He said he told his team beforehand:
"The only people that think you have a chance tonight are the people here in this room. ... We need to have a statement game."
coaching career.
And, Wittman continued, "I said,
'I've seen it a number of times, guys.' ...
(People say), 'They ain't got a chance to win this game.' And that's what people were saying. We all listen. Could hear it on the street and all that. These guys, it bothers them."
The reigning NBA champion Heat's six-game winning streak ended, and they fell to 12-4.
"The temperature in my house was never comfortable. My friends with bigger homes would have smaller utility bills.I knew I needed help."
"You move on," said Dwyane Wade, who scored 24 for Miami. "You learn from it, but you don't become a good team by holding onto certain losses — or certain wins."
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ASHLEIGH LEE/KANSAN
BASKETBALL
Ernie Rodriguez, a senior from Lenexa, sets up for the women's basketball practice on yesterday in Allen Fieldhouse. Rodriguez has been a student manager for the past two years after starting out as a practice player for one year. "The coolest thing about the job was able to sit on the bench during the Sweet 16." Rodriguez said.
MANAGERS FROM PAGE 1
"This year, myself and two other managers will go to every away game and then the three other managers that are new will rotate so just to get that experience so that next year, once people graduate, they know what to do on the road." Rodriguez said.
Even for those that don't travel on a trip, their days can be long. The managers that stay behind are responsible for the laundry when the team returns, and if the team doesn't return home until 9:30 or 10 p.m. at night, those managers can be at the fieldhouse doing laundry until well past 1 a.m.
Hare can't guarantee his managers a trip to the Final Four, or being able to be involved in the NCAA volleyball tournament the first time it's held at Allen Fieldhouse.
"I can't promise them those things, but I can promise them the work." Hare said.
He wants those experiences to wow the managers, but he doesn't want the workload to surprise them.
While the athletes are only permitted to have 20 hours of contact while class is in session, the manager's responsibilities of preparing and then cleaning up after practice can keep them working longer.
"The first semester being a student-manager, my grades suffered because I lacked the time management," Miller said. "From then on out, my grades have done nothing but improve."
The NCAA permits managers to have up to 30 hours of work a week during the school year.
If they receive below a 2.5
Just like student athletes, the student managers are expected to maintain a specific GPA.
for a semester, they are put on probation. If it happens in consecutive semesters, they are removed from the program.
"I can't promise them those things, but I can promise them the work."
"What I like to see them do
is make sure they're taking care of business on the hill, and let this be the icing on the cake for the college experience." Hare said.
"It's pushed me to be a better student," Rodriguez said. "It's made me manage my time better so I can manage my classes and I'm getting better grades."
To assist with their academics, the managers meet with the academic counselors from their specific sports' programs in order to properly plan their semester and make sure they won't be overwhelmed.
LARRY HARE
Assistant Athletic Director,
Equipment Operations
.
In September, Hare held an information session for all the freshmen that had contacted him about entering the student manager program.
He brought with him a manager from football,men's basketball, softball and baseball — four sports that all have significant demands on its managers.
The managers went into great detail about all of the work they put in their programs and the
because they had to do laundry for the team or they had to get up early.
long hours.
They also described some of the sacrifices they've made, such as taking tests on the road and missing out on time with friends or significant others.
"We spent most of the meeting 'trying to scare them off," Hare said.
At the end of the meeting, a prospective student approached Hare and asked him if the time he spent as a manager during school was worth it.
"I couldn't imagine doing anything else." Hare said.
Edited by Lauren Shelly