Volume 125 Issue 34
Thursday, October 18, 2012
kansan.com
COMMENTARY Basketball future is promising
Bill Self didn't exactly compare this season's freshman class to the herald-
By Kory Carpenter
kcarpenter@kansan.com
man class to the heralded 2005-2006 crop that included Brandon Rush, Julian Wright and Mario Chalmers.
This Kansas team is better than the 2005-2006 version. The senior trio of Elijah Johnson, Jeff Withey and Travis Releford will help settle in the seven freshmen. Led by Ben McLemore, Perry Ellis and Andrew White, this class could leave Lawrence with a resume as impressive as the 2005 class.
Of course, the situations aren't exactly the same.
However, at Wednesday's Big 12 Media Day in Kansas City, Mo., Self mentioned the similarities between both groups.
But what Self did in 2005 laid the groundwork for the 2008 national championship, and if everything goes well, the 2012 freshmen might have the same impact.
The Jayhawks already have a head start on the 2005 group. This year's squad has legitimate Final Four and national title aspirations because of the lack of talent near the top of college basketball this season.
"There are always provisions in any contract where, if you don't do a good job, they can get rid of you, so to me the pressure is still on, and that's the way it should be," Self said. "I probably look at it in a more relaxed state now, though, which is probably positive."
"I do think it's going to be a challenging year, but not in a bad way," Self said. "It was challenging back when Mario, Julian and Brandon were all freshmen... but that team still managed to do pretty well."
The Jayhawks are still in the running for forward and No.1 overall recruit Julius Randle as well as forward Aaron Gordon (No.5), who visited last weekend for Late Night in the Phog.
At Big 12 Media Day, Self was asked about the recent contract extension he signed which keeps him at Kansas for another decade.
With the fat contract and white-hot recruiting, I'd be pretty relaxed as well.
A signed letter of intent from Randle or Gordon could make the Jayhawks national title favorites in 2014. Even without those players, Self is setting himself up perfectly for a four-year run that will most certainly lead to another Final Four appearance and could eventually make him the first Kansas coach to win two national titles for the Jayhawks.
Out of this 2012 group, McLemore is the only real threat to bolt for the NBA after this season. If that does indeed happen, it still leaves plenty of talent returning to compliment next year's class, which might be better and is still not complete. The players already committed include the guard duo of Conner Frankamp (No. 28 prospect according to Rivals) and Wayne Selden (No. 23), and small forward Brannen Greene (No. 22).
Self and his staff are looking to round out that class which ESPN recently called the second best recruiting class for 2013.
- Edited by Ryan McCarthy
REPLACING ROBINSON
Kansas coach Bill Self answers questions from the media about Kansas's upcoming season Wednesday at the Sprint Center for the Biz 12 Men's Basketball Media Dav.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
IN WITHEY SELF TRUSTS
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
Senior center Jeff Withey answers questions from reporters about Kansas' plans to succeed in the postseason again this year at the Big 12 Men's Basketball Media Day Wednesday at the Sprint Center.
ETHAN PADWAY epadway@kansan.com
Without Robinson, the burden of opening Kansas coach Bill Self's inside-out offense with low-post play falls on the shoulders of senior center Jeff Withey.
KANSAS CITY, Mo.— When Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor packed up their lockers for the final time last April, more than 50 percent of the Kansas men's basketball team's scoring in conference play walked out the door with them.
"Jeff naturally isn't one of those guys that just looks to score or it comes easy for him. That's not the case," Self said. "Last year he averaged nine a game and a large part because he played next to Thomas, and Thomas would get doubled or whatever and Jeff would benefit from that."
In the offseason, Self placed an emphasis on Withey developing a low-post move with his offhand, which would make him harder to cover.
In Withey's first three years at Kansas, Danny Manning was always the one working closely with Withey on his low-post game. But Manning's departure to take the Tula head coaching job created a hole in the Kansas staff.
Former Self assistant Norm Roberts returned to the staff to fill that void.
"I feel like he's watched a lot of film from last year, because we're doing a lot of the same things from when coach Manning was here," Withey said. "He's been extremely good with me."
Roberts' previous experience under Self eased his transition into his role at Kansas. Before leaving to take the head coaching job at St. John's, Roberts coached in the same capacity under Self in each of his previous coaching stops.
In his first go-around on Self's staff, Roberts used many of the same coaching techniques later implemented by Manning.
This year's Kansas offense is much stronger and deeper on the perimeter than it is on the inside.
"We'll probably shoot more jump shots than we have in any other time since I've been here," Self said. "I'm not sure that's a strength as much as we should play through our bigs more, but we don't have a natural scorer inside."
Self said without Robinson around, a jump to an average of 12 points or more per game would show a vast improvement in Withey's offensive game because of how often Withey will see opponents double-team him down low.
It will also add another element to Withey's expanded role in the offense, which will see more plays designed to go through him, including some plays that aren't expected from a seven-footer.
"He can shoot the jumper, which a lot of people don't really know," said senior forward Kevin Young. "He can put it on the floor as well and go by some guys, but at the same time, he's going to be able to draw in double-teams, which will leave me open to rebound."
Edited by Ryan McCarthy
FOOTBALL
Campo turns defense around
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
For the third time in as many weeks, Kansas defensive coordinator Dave Campo is looking to slow down an offense averaging more than 40 points a game with the Jayhawks taking on the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.
It's a tireless job, which head coach Charlie Weis has admitted is costing the former Dallas Cowboys defensive coach some sleep. But when you're facing a Heisman-hopeful in senior quarterback Landry Jones, a big-play threat junior wide receiver Kenny Stills and backup sophomore quarterback Blake Bell, sleeping will probably lead to nightmares anyway.
Fortunately for Campo and the jayhawks, the countless hours at the office have begun to pay off. What was 2011's last-ranked defense in the FBS is now sitting 30 spots higher than where it ended last season.
"The kids believe in what we're doing." Campo said. "We're
making progress with discipline and making sure they know where they are supposed to be."
TCU is averaging 35.8 points against teams not named the Jayhawks, but when the Horned Frogs visited Lawrence, Kansas held them to 20 points.
It's not just that Kansas is making tackles and applying pressure. The Jayhawks have been stumping some of the nation's best offenses.
The same is true for Oklahoma State. The Cowboys averaged 55.8 points heading into last week's game but were held to 20 points as well.
The only gaffe in Kansas' game came at Kansas State, when the Wildcats exploded for 35 points in the second half. Northern Illinois also scored 30 points in its victory over the lavhawks.
And yet Campo and his staff are doing all of this with virtually the same players that placed 120th in FBS defenses a season ago.
"We've got good players here," said defensive backs coach Clint Bowen. "They just needed to be pointed in the right direction."
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Nevermind that his team was one of the nation's best at gaining turnovers, or that the Jayhawks
After months of pointing, yelling, teaching, helping and scheming, Campo finally felt his defense click last week against Oklahoma State.
Defensive Coordinator Dave Campo addresses members of the media at the Anderson Family Football Complex.
— with the exception of K-State
— have been within striking distance at the end of each game this season. Campo's moment of peace came during a rain-soaked Saturday when his player came up with stop after stop.
"I felt calm, really for the first time, in that game," Campo said. "I felt calm that we were getting lined up where we needed to line up, and there was not a lot of looking around and pointing. I look back at the Northern Illinois game, and I felt like a chicken with his head cut off sometimes in that game. I felt like we were making progress really for the first time last week."
In 2010, the Michigan
Coming from the NFL, Campo is by no means setting any coaching precedent with the Jayhawks' continual improvement.
And even with his background coaching defense, when Nick Saban left the Miami Dolphins to take over Alabama, he brought with him the Dolphins' safeties coach, Kirby Smart, to be his defensive coordinator.
Wolverines ranked 110th for total defense in the FBS. Two years after Brady Hoke pegged Greg Mattison after his time with the Baltimore Ravens. The Wolverines now have the 10th best defense in college football.
No matter what team is being taken over, the first emphasis is on stopping opponents from scoring before worrying about
your own offense. Hoke found Mattison, Saban came with Smart, and Charlie Weis grabbed Dave Campo — whether his players knew who he was or not.
"I didn't know anything about coach Campo," said safety Bradley McDougald, a native of Ohio. "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."
清
Edited by Ryan McCarthy