kansan.com
Volume 125 Issue 13
Monday, September 10, 2012
COMMENTARY
Fourth quarter failure leads to Jayhawk loss
Every aspect of a football game matters.
The start decides how the teams will do. If a team does well in the first few possessions, odds are that momentum will carry into the second and third quarters.
In Kansas' case, the start was decent. Senior quarterback Dayne Crist did throw an interception to start the game, but on a trick play that was blow up. Senior wide receiver DJ. Beshears fumbled the ball on a kickoff return, but the Kansas defense responded with an interception by senior cornerback Greg Brown.
On fourth and four, the Owls converted on a huge play to keep their chances alive. Three plays later, a third down with seven yards to go on the Kansas 37 with 40 seconds to play, Kansas allowed a 12-yard scramble to set up the game-winning field goal.
Kansas went scoreless in the fourth, and every part of the team struggled. Big plays in the fourth quarter decided a crucial win or an inexcusable loss. The lack of finishing strong handed Kansas a scarring loss under the new Charlie Weis regime.
The Kansas offense marched down the field and capitalized with a touchdown. The Kansas defense held the Rice Owls to zero points after the field goal in the first three minutes of the game.
The first possession after halftime sets the tone for the second half. When the offense starts with an explosive offensive drive resulting in a touchdown, more momentum is added to achieving a victory.
Butthe Kansas defense couldn't stop the Rice offense, keeping the team from advancing to 2-0 under Charlie Weis.
On third down, Dayne Crist forced a pass that was intercepted at the Rice 47 with 4:47 left in the game.
The second quarter showcased exceptional offense and defense. Though the Owls scored more points than the Jayhawks, Kansas still had the led at the half, 17-13.
After the turnovers, things appeared normal.
Edited by Laken Rapier
But nothing is more important than the fourth quarter in a close game. That was what cost Kansas the victory over Rice.
FOOTBALL
After a punt by both teams, Rice responded by scoring a touchdown on a seven play. 93-yard drive.
That didn't happen.
The third quarter couldn't have started any better for the Jayhawks. Kansas capped off a nine-play, 75-yard drive with an eight yard rush by junior running back Taylors Cox. The Kansas defense started to struggle, only allowed a field goal. Kansas led 24-16.
That's when the pressure set in for the Kansas offense. All the Kansas offense needed was a first down and the Jayhawks could run out the clock.
The Jayhawks offense started the fourth quarter, marching down the field. But, Kansas failed to record any points after a 40-yard field goal miss by junior kicker Ron Dohrerty.
Kansas can't contain Rice in fourth quarter, losing in final seconds
CLAIRE HOWARD/KANSAN
TOO MUCH STARCH
Bradley McDougald, a senior safety from Dublin, Ohio, and Corrigan Powell, a senior cornerback from Garland, Texas, successfully defended what could have been a touchdown for Rice University during Saturday's game at Memorial Stadium. Kansas opened with a strong first quarter, outsourcing Rice 10-3; however, a scoreless fourth quarter for Kansas and Rice's last second field goal led to the 25-24 Rice victory.
Then, the wheels came off bus in the final quarter. It wasn't one wheel; it was all four.
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousoughian@kansan.com
Holding on to a narrow two-point lead with 4:47 left to go in
point lead with 4.7 feet to the game, senior quarterback Dayne Crist lofted a pass to junior receiver Chris Omigle in attempt to keep Kansas on the field and extend its drive. Instead of completing the pass, Rice's cornerback Bryce Callahan jumped up and intercepted the ball at the 47-yard line to give the Owls new life.
Rice then advanced the ball to the 27-yard line and set up junior kicker Chris Boswell for a 45-yard game-winning field goal that he sent through the uprights as time expired, lifting Rice over Kansas,
Kansas held a 24-13 lead late in the third quarter before Rice scored 12 unanswered points to comeback and win.
25-24.
Crist
"My biggest disappointment
was that we didn't "finish," coach Charlie Weis said. "The whole motto this week was to finish the game, because I didn't think we finished last week very well either. We didn't finish on offense, we didn't finish
on defense and we didn't finish on special teams. When that happens there is a good chance you'll lose"
Weis said Kansas struggled in all three phases of the game and pointed out the teams flaws. The jayhawks turned the ball over
three times and missed a pair of field goals that could have helped increase their lead.
Crist, who was trying to help his team down the stretch to run down the clock, was disappointed with his effort. His goal was to hold possession of the ball, and he needed to complete a pass on third down to do so. Little did he know that the throw would result in Rice's favor.
Crist, who hoped to make strides in his second game as a Jayhawk, took a step back against Rice.
"I didn't make enough plays, and at the end of the day, that's the most valued trait in a quarterback," Crist said. "It is to make enough plays to win, and we didn't do that today. Naturally, I'm upset."
For Rice, quarterback Taylor McHargue caused problems for
the jayhawks in the fourth quarter. On a fourth down play late in the game, McHargue escaped the Jayhawks pressure and completed a pass to senior wide receiver Vance McDonald to keep Rice on the field.
Three plays later, McHargue pulled through again for Rice on third-and-seven when he scrambled for 12 yards despite being hit by a jayhawk defender behind the hit of scrimmage. That play set up the Owl's game-winning field goal.
"Obviously that was a crucial moment in the game where the game is over if we make that play," senior defensive end Toben Opurum said. "He just made a play. I think it is one that we let slip away."
Although Kansas blew an
11-point lead and were shut out in the fourth quarter, the team is not ready to throw in the trowel. With conference play coming up against Big 12 newcomer TCU next week, the Jayhawks will work on changing their mindset in practice this week.
"I think in years past, we kind of let that hang over us like a dark cloud," junior linebacker Holden Tharp said. "Part of the growing pains with this team is being able to overcome a loss, being able to overcome that adversity and I think this next week is going to be a true test to what kind of team we can be"
—Edited by Andrew Ruszczyk
SOCCER
Jayhawks win physical test
TYLER CONOVER
TYLER CONOVER
tconover@kansan.com
With the game tied in the second half, junior forward Caroline Kastor showed off her speed as she scored two goals in less than 90 seconds to give the Jayhawks the lead. This proved to be enough for Kansas to defeat the North Carolina State Wolfpack 3-2 on Sunday.
Kastor and the layhawks were able to cool off a North Carolina State team that was riding a five-game winning streak coming into Sunday's contest.
Senior midfielder/forward Whitney Berry was credited with assisting Kastor on both goals. The first came off a free kick following a foul by NC State, and the second came from a burst of speed by Kastor that beat the defenders and the goalkeeper.
Both were solid shots, but Kastor knows they wouldn't have been possible without direct passing.
"We did a really good job distributing and they played me perfect balls so it was really easy to run on and finish," she said.
The Wolfpack answered back with less than 10 minutes left to
Coach Mark Francis was impressed with how well his team played against what he says is a really good team. Francis said he was a little upset with how his team performed defensively on set plays from NC State, but the final score is what matters most.
The Jayhawks defense held up for much of the game, but Francis has been concerned with how his team has handled set plays - like free kicks and corner kicks - this season. Those types of plays have been the teams' soft spot, and he knows they need to get it fixed.
make the score 3-2, but Kansas was able to hold tight on defense and come away with the win.
"I thought we played really well today," Francis said. "I told the girls that is probably our best game this year in terms of how consistently we kept the ball and moved it quickly."
Kansas was able to limit NG State to one corner kick in the first half, but the Wolfpack had three in the second half.
"We have got to stay focused and disciplined in those situations because on set pieces it's a controlled environment," Francis said. "When they run a play we aren't giving up very much, but on
NC State brought a physical game to Lawrence, committing 14 fouls compared to just six by Kansas. However, the biggest factor in the game was the speed of the Jayhawks; Kansas was able to use that speed to stay active. The Jayhawks out shot the Wolfpack 17 to 13. Kansas also had 10 shots on goal, while NC State had three.
Even though the Jayhawks gave up two goals, they played well on defense. From the onset, Kansas was attacking. Francis said that intensity was a criterial factor in the outcome of the game.
"I thought we did a really good job of not allowing them to get in to too much of a rhythm today by just putting them under pressure." Francis said. "I think that was a big key."
set pieces a lack of focus is allowing other teams to score."
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— Edited by Nikki Wentling
Kansas will return to the soccer field on Friday when it takes on the University of Denver at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex. The Jayhawks will face the Pioneers at 5 p.m.
With the win, Kansas improves its record to 6-1-1.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
Junior defender/midfielder Madi Hills hitles the ball from her North Carolina State opponent Sunday, at the Jawahir Soccer Complex, Kansas defeated NC State 3-2.
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