Volume 125 Issue 15
kansan.com
Wednesday. September 12, 2012
COMMENTARY Bleak outlook for season
1-11.
The Jayhawks may be better by the season's end — better than they have been for the last two to three years — but that doesn't mean the record will show it.
That obtainable record is smacking everyone involved with Kansas football in the face.
1-11.
Kansas almost certainly will not be favored in any of the games it plays this season from here on out. They will be underdogs to: TCU, Northern Illinois, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech, Iowa State and West Virginia.
Sure, the Kansas football team may improve this season. It certainly should. New coaches, a new (mediocre) quarterback, it will all take time, blah blah blah. You've heard it all by now.
The palm of defeat is hitting the fans, the players, the coaches, Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger, the faculty and local businesses, Everyone
Oh, and it stings — a lot
The fact is, Kansas football may have to continue its free fall before it can bunge back. By that, I mean 1-11.
It would take an upset — and a big one at that — if the Jayhawks hope to finish anything but 1-11.
1-11.
Dayne Crist will have to play well to give Kansas a chance to win another game, and if the quarterback doesn't look good against Rice and South Dakota State, why should anyone think he'll be good against Texas or Oklahoma?
For the record: completing 16 of 28 passes for 144-yards against Rice is not playing well. It's not even playing average or close to it. Last season, Rice allowed 278.7 passing yards per game.
That's part of this long, boulder filled route to recovery.
However, there were some positives to come out of Saturday's debacle. For instance, at least the players know that what happened wasn't and isn't OK.
Apparently, amazingly, it hasn't always been this way for the lavwhaws.
But my question is: How was it fathomable that these players did not know giving up a fourth-quarter lead to Rice wasn't OK?
Until then, the losses will pile on.
I'm just going to guess that they knew. Maybe the difference is that they're getting reminded of it now, and that's a good thing for Kansas football.
"The reaction from Coach Weis after a game was significantly different," junior linebacker Huldon Tharpe said. "In years past there's kind of been some pats on the back and stuff like that. It was almost like a breath of fresh air. I want a coach that's hard on me and expects everything from us. You need a coach that's going to push you. It's not just about the players, he's pushing himself. He said he made plenty of mistakes."
Good for Weis. He did what a coach should and challenged the team after a bad loss. He said one of his big teaching points after the game was telling them what happened wasn't OK.
1-11, here Kansas comes.
Edited by Sarah McCabe
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT
CRIST TO 'LOOSEN UP'
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
Dayne Crist was hard on himself after Saturday's disappointing loss.
As a fifth-year senior, Crist felt more pressure and expected more out of himself in his first two games as a jayhawk. He said no player on the team was more upset than he was.
Coach Charlie Weis noticed Crist needed
some motivation. Although the two often hold private conversations, after the Jayhawks game against Rice, Weis and Crist's discussion strayed from its normal route when they spoke on Monday night, and Weis gave him the optimism he needed to move forward and prepare for the Texas Christian game.
Crist did not want to go into the specifics with what was said, but he made it clear that he changed his mindset, and the loss to Rice is now behind him. Now he will set his focus on getting his team ready for TCU as the Jayhawks prepare to kick off their first conference game of the season this Saturday.
"He and I had a great conversation at length about that," Crist said. "I think that we both came out of
that conversation very positive and just having a better understanding of what is going on around me on offense"
Crist
Crist completed 52 percent of
completed 52 percent of his passes in his first two games this season. He aims to improve his completion percentage by relaxing more in the pocket.
"With how tight I looked playing, that's not me at all," he said. "I'm missing throws that I
don't miss. That was a combination of a lot of things. I've identified the issues that I think I needed to identify"
Weis reminded Crist that the burden is not all on him, nor is it his job to carry the team. When Crist struggles again in the future, Weis let him know that his teammates are his best source of help.
"We've got a couple of good runners who can run the ball efficiently," Weis said. "So if you're a quarterback, then you don't have to bear all the weight on your shoulders. Now it means that we don't have to throw it on every down to win. We just need to be much more efficient when we do throw the ball. I think that's what I'm expecting to see from him this week."
Crist said his coaches' words of encouragement helped him realize the talent that surrounds him. Crist knows that even as one of the leaders of the team, he should not feel the need to put the team on his back.
When times get tough in the passing game, Crist can lean on running backs Tony Pierson and Taylor Cox for support.
"I've gone out and said it publicly before, but with the way our running backs have been able to run the ball, it's really about going out, running the offense and having fun," Crist said. "Any great, winning offense is going to have a solid running game. That's awesome that we have that. Now we have to build on the passing game, I think that's something that takes a lot of pressure off the quarterback."
With the lajhawks facing a big conference game, Crist will go into the game more focused and in a better state of mind. And should things go wrong, Crist knows he has players around him who he can rely on to move the offense.
"Whenever he needs me, Taylor or any other running back, we'll be there for him," Pierson said. "He told me to just go out there and have fun and loosen up."
Quarterback Dayne Crist throws the ball to wide receiver Daymond Patterson. The Jayhawks were dominant most of the game on Sept. 8 but lost in the last quarter.
TYLER ROSTE/KANSAN
Edited by Ethan Padway
GOLI
Team regroups after loss, focuses on short game
TREVOR GRAFF
tgraff@kansan.com
Academy.
Kansas men's golf finished 12th at the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational at Eisenhower Golf Course on the campus of the US Air Force.
Chris Gilbert led the layhawks on day one with scores of 76 and 72, finishing the day tied for 36th after playing the
first six holes seven over pat.
"He made a couple bad swings, a couple bad decisions and wasn't in very good shape," head coach Jamie Bermel said. "But he played really solid over the last 30 holes."
Gilbert wasn't the only Jayhawk
SOCCER
who suffered a slow start on day one.
"It was just a terrible start overall." Bermel said. "We brought it back a little bit in the second round, but we were just way too sloppy around the greens. There are a lot of putts on this course that you have to really pay attention to."
The Jayhawks' lack of experience with the course also may have contributed to their slow start. Most of the team was playing at Eisenhower Golf Course for the first time in Saturday's practice rounds.
"You have to know where the mountains are, because everything slopes away from the mountains," Bermel said. "If you're heading down hill on the green away from the mountain, the putts are really fast. Sometimes that's hard to figure out."
Bermel said the high altitude made finding the correct yardages difficult for players on all squads. For the layhawks, preparing for tomorrow's final round yardages are key.
"We have to do a better job of getting the yardages down and trusting that the ball is going to fly that far in this thin air," Bermel said.
Dylan McClure finished the day tied for 40th with a two-round total of 140. Stan Gautier and Alex Gutesha followed, twining for 48th
McClure led the Jayhawks on
with scores of 151. Bryce Brown completed the Kansas lineup tying for 57th with a score of 152.
McClure
day two with a final round score of 71, one under par at Eisenhower. He finished tied for 23rd with a tournament total of 220 on a course that featured tough pin placements.
"The course was a bit harder on day two." Bermel said. "The pins were tougher, and that's why the scores weren't quite as low as day one"
The Jayhawks struggled on the greens and in gauging yardages in the altitude of the Rocky Mountains.
"We certainly need to putt the ball much better." Bermel said. "Each guy needs to have a better idea of how far each club in his bag goes, because our ball control is not very good. Even with the altitude it's not very good."
Chris Gilbert finished the final
round with a score of 75 tied for 41st. Bryce Brown finished tied for 49th with a final round with a 75. Stan Gautier and Alex Gutesha struggled in final round action. Gautier finished tied for 59th with a 77. Gutesha finished 63rd with a final round 78.
The Jayhawks will focus on the short game as they prepare for next week's Golfweek Conference challenge in Burlington, Iowa.
"It all starts everyday in practice," Bermel said. "We have to work hard out there and get in the weight room and push ourselves so we can see results. They have to realize that 12th place is not OK, and 12th place is not where we're going to finish and be happy about it."
Edited by Sarah McCabe
Kastor takes reins, improves team's record to 6-1-1
TYLER ROSTE/KANSAN
Forward Caroline Kaurer kaster战 a UC Santa Barbara defender to the ball. After a scoreless first half, the Jayhawks tied the game in the second half 1-1.
NICOLE EVANS
nevans@kansan.com
Speed, precision and consistent playing helped junior forward and midfielder Caroline Kastor earn the Big 12 Offensive Player of
the Week for the first time in her career after leading the jayhawks to achieve two victories last weekend.
Kastor, a junior from Wichita,
found the back of the net twice
playing against Missouri State last
Fridav.
She then repeated the same feat on Sunday against a strong and physical North Carolina State, scoring two of Kansas' three goals, which pushed the Jayhawks to victory.
She also notched her second assist of the season against Missouri State after threading a cross-over to sophomore forward Jamie Fletcher and was named the Player of the Game.
Kastor's performance remained solid in both games, capitalizing
on opportunities and creating scoring chances that helped Kansas improve its record to 6-1-1.
"I feel really honored to have gotten that, and honestly it says a lot about our team and the weekend that we had!"
Kasher said. I could do it without them, and I'm just proud of our team."
Kastor also credits her teammates for helping her get pumped
"The Rock Chalk chant always gives me chills," Kastor said.
Kastor
during pregame warm-ups by listening to music beforehand and practicing as a unit, which helps keep Kastor's mind away from distractions. One song in particular always helps her stay focused while a challenging opponent awaits the team on the pitch.
The Wichita native has played soccer since she was three and a half years old, practically since she could walk.
Not only has she played soccer
Playing such a demand-
all her life, but Kastor has also played every position on the pitch. Starting out as a defender, Kastor made her way through the various positions until she decided to play the power forward position.
ing position only has helped Kastor's enthusiasm for the sport continue to grow.
I'm playing, and it is just a big part of me; it just comes really natural to me," said Kastor. "[Playing soccer] allows me to have fun and just run around and be a little spastic."
"I feel really comfortable when
The results of her positive and genuine excitement to play the game show through in the record books.
Kastor leads the team with 16 points this season, attaining seven goals — three of which were game winners — and two assists.
She has great promise to continue increasing her tally with 17 shots on goal recorded.
As the team hosts Denver this Friday at 5 p.m. and faces opponents from the big 12 conference in the upcoming weeks, Kastor's powerful shot and speed will be needed. And she has no plans of stopping.
"You can always get better, so I just want to maintain that level of play and it do again on Friday," Kastor said.
Edited by Christy Khamphilay