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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2012
FOOTBALL
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
BIG12 POWER RANKINGS
FARZIN VOUSOUGHIAN
fvousougin@kansan.com
Oklahoma struggled against UTEP to start off the season, but senior quarterback Landry Jones remained placid and helped his team score 24 unanswered points. The Sooners are still the team to beat in the Big 12.
1. OU
(1 last week) 1-0
7. Kansas State (5 last week) 1-0
Senior kicker Anthony Cantele helped Kansas State add some points on the score board with three field goals in the first half. Coach Bill Snyder eventually got his offence going in the second half, amassing six touchdowns against Missouri State to start off the season.
2. WVU (2 last week) 1-0
Coach Dana Holgorsen has to love what he saw from his football team last week against Marshall. Senior quarterback Geno Smith had the hot hand all game long with only four incompletes out of 36 pass attempts. The Mountainers offense will prove a force to be reckoned with this season.
3. OSU (6 last week) 1-0
Oklahoma State made some noise last weekend against Savannah State. The Cowboys scored two touchdowns less than five minutes into the game and finished the first quarter with a 35-0 lead, resulting in an 84-0 victory. Coach Mike Gundy hopes his offense can stay focused and provide more strong offensive outings next week at Arizona.
TCU was off in Week 1 and got a chance to watch in action some of the Big 12 teams it will face later this year. Their season begins this Saturday against Grambling State where coach Gary Patterson wants this game to be a stepping stone before visiting Kansas to kick off conference play.
4. TCU (3 last week) 0-0
The Texas Longhorns offense showed a lot of resilience when converting on 9 of 17 third downs and both of their fourth downs while only allowing Wyoming to convert once on a third down. Sophomore quarterback David Ash did a good job of taking care of the football and has a strong running game to work with.
5. Texas (4 last week) 1-0
Senior quarterback Nick Florence still has a long way to go, but Baylor fans were pleased with his 21 completions for 341 yards and four touchdowns in the team's 59-24 victory over Southern Methodist. If Baylor can continue to get more out of its offense, it could sneak its way into the top 25 and gain some attention in the Big 12.
6. Baylor (7 last week) 1-0
8. Iowa State (8 last week) 1-0
Tulaa gave Iowa State a run for its money after a two-possession lead to end the first quarter. Coach Paul Rhoads got his Cyclones offense to rebound and score 24 unanswered points after a slow start to the game. Defensively, junior defensive back Deon Broomfield shined with a 51-yard interception to help his team maintain a big lead. However, Rhoads wants to see a better start and more consistency from his team.
GOLF
Ryder Cup selections
ASSOCIATED PRESS
He announced Dustin Johnson, Jim Furky and Brandt Snedeker before getting to the fourth and final pick.
NEW YORK—Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III caused a few murmurs at the Nasdaq Market Site on Tuesday when making his picks.
"And then last but not least — and if you read between the lines, not in any particular order except that we are doing it by height," he said.
Rickie Fowler? No, it was Steve Stricker, who is listed at an even 6 feet in the PGA Tour media guide, which made him the shortest of the picks. Stricker has never been considered short, except when compared with a Ryder Cup team that is getting taller all the time.
Talk about growing the game.
"We're getting bigger and bigger athletes." Love said.
Love, who is 6-foot-3, was the tallest player when he made his first Ryder Cup team in 1993. There are five players who are at least 6-foot-3 on this team — Johnson, Matt Kuchar, Keegan Bradley, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.
The only players on the U.S. team listed under 6 feet are Zach Johnson (a very generous 5-foot-11) and Jason Dufner (5-foot-10).
"I wasn't a good athlete, I was just tall." Love said. "Now we're getting good athletes...There's obviously going to be great chippers and putters — short guys — but we're trending toward bigger, more powerful athletes."
Missouri Iowa
Nebraska Kansas
Thursday, September 6, 2012
2:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Overland Park Convention Center
6000 College Boulevard, Overland Park, Kansas
PCC directions at http://www.opconventioncenter.com
Pre-Register at http://law.missouri.edu/mink/
MINK Law Day provides prospective students with an opportunity to speak with law school representatives from around the country. If you are interested in attending law school, come to learn what law schools are looking for in applicants! Attendance and parking are free.
Informational Sessions: 2:30 p.m. & 6:15 p.m.
Law School Fair: 3:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
9. TTU (9 iast week) 1-0
Although Texas Tech is expected to finish near the bottom of the conference, it opened the season with a 44-6 win against Northwestern State. Senior quarterback Seth Doege knows he has a lot to work on before conference games get underway. The jury is still out on the Red Raiders.
TARA BRYANT/KANSAN
10. KU
(10 last week) 1-0
Sophomore running back Tony Pierson and junior running back Taylor Cox combined for 245 rushing yards and three scores to help Kansas make up for some offensive mishaps. The Jayhawks defense also shined as they are currently tied with Tennessee for most interceptions with four.
CROSS COUNTRY
Runners set expectations high
NATHAN FORDYCE
nforduce@kaagsan.com
nfordyce@kansan.com
During the 1950s and 1960s, the University of Kansas men's crosscountry team was a consistent powerhouse in the sport. In those two decades of glory, the Jayhawks
records as its 1950s counterpart, but team officials said this year's runners could be the best in recent memory.
"We're great from where we have been," assistant coach Michael Whittlesey said. "Not from a historical standpoint."
Fast forward to 2012. There is a buzz brewing that this team could reach a similar level of success. The team may not break the same
captured 15 conference titles — they swept the entire 1950s — and won a national championship in 1953.
Senior Donny Wasinger, right, and junior Josh Munsch finish a race during an indoor track meet at the Anschutz Indoor Sports Pavillion on Saturday December 9.
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Whittlesey said senior runner Donny Wasinger, who placed 14th at the 2011 National Championships, has more competition this year from his teammates, improving the group as a whole.
"For my tenure the last four years, it's by far the best team. It's no question. Overall talent, there are more guys that can run with Donny." Whittlesey said. "Donny has some work to be that No. 1 guy. So if we're running where Donny was two years ago with a pack, that's a pretty darn good nucleus. And now you're competing with the upper echelon in the country"
Wasinger, a senior from Winona. Minn., has seen how much the team has changed during his time leading the Jayhawks from his freshman year to now.
"The team now is more committed," Wasinger said. "Coach Whit has built more of a culture within the team. We are taking it more seriously. The usual run as a freshman was 8 miles during the summer, but now its 10 to 12 miles every day. Everyone is a step above where we were my freshman year."
"I think it's really cool that Coach has that kind of faith in us." senior Josh Baden said. "We all have to believe in ourselves because we know what we can do."
Whittlesey's confidence in the group has been well-received by his runners.
"By setting the bar so high saying that, it gives us confidence, and he believes we can do it, so it helps a lot," Dyson said.
Senior Eric Dyson agrees.
The men's squad failed to reach the National Championships last season, but that won't keep the team from talking about it.
"Our goal is to be at the National Championships. It was our goal last year and it didn't happen, but I do know we are a lot better this year," Whittlesey said. "The guys have done a tremendous job preparing themselves for the season."
Whether or not the team lives up these expectations and recaptures the glory of its midcentury counterparts remains unseen. But one thing is for certain: The team has the confidence to try.
"Greatness is decided by results and what others think of you." Whittlesey said. "What we have to do is keep fighting to be a better and better team."
Edited by Joanna Hlavacek