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Volume 125 Issue 9
Thursday, August 30, 2012
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COMMENTARY
Tough schedule ahead
Edited by Lauren Shelly
Good times appear to be coming, but a schedule with that many tanked players spells trouble for Kansas in 2012.
Senior defensive end Toben Opurum chases after Texas quarterback David Ash but fails to make the sack during a game at Darrell K Royal — Texas Memorial Stadium.
Temper your expectations.
Enjoy (hopefully) not seeing 40-point losses or delay-of-game penalties following a timeout.
KANSAS VS. SOUTH DAKOTA STATE
Jimmy Johnson, former University of Miami and Dallas Cowboys coach, had a saving.
"It's about the Jimmy's and Joe's, not the X's and O's."
While coaches are hired and fired, the formula for great teams remains the same: talent, all over the field.
This isn't about the upgraded Kansas coaching staff or the improved roster that fans will see for the first time in action against South Dakota State on Saturday in Memorial Stadium at 6 p.m.
It's about the schedule.
Coming off one of the worst seasons in decades, the Jayhawks are rewarded with games against six pre-season ranked teams this fall. Underachievers Missouri and Texas A&M were replaced with perennial bowl game winners TCU and West Virginia. Both teams are ranked heading into this season.
After two apparent layups to open the season at home against South Dakota State and Rice, here what Kansas is looking at the following seven weeks: No. 15 TCU, No. 22 Kansas State, No. 19 Oklahoma State, No. 4 Oklahoma and No. 15 Texas.
But for a team that has one conference victory the last two seasons, this year's schedule is a wake-up call for any fans getting a little too excited about the positive changes surrounding the football program this offseason.
It's no surprise that playing football in the Big 12 is tough, though. Ranked teams are not a rare thing, and Heisman hopefuls come and go nearly every season.
READY FOR THE START
Northern Illinois, one of three non-BCS schools in the non-conference schedule, has won 11 games each of the last two seasons. The Jayhawks travel to Dekalb, III., for the matchup on Sept. 22.
The Jayhawks are 1-10 all-time on the road against Texas Tech and Baylor and have just one road victory over K-State (2007) in Big 12 play.
The games one might consider possible conference wins heading into the season are Iowa State, K-State, Texas Tech and Baylor. Iowa State is the only home game for Kansas.
The Jayhawk defense, which was last in the country in points per game last season with 43.8, faces two Heisman trophy frontrunners in quarterbacks Landry Jones of Oklahoma and Geno Smith of West Virginia (both at 8/1 odds to win). Both games are on the road.
Two years removed from an embarrassing opening game, Jayhawks look to beat Jackrabbits
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Charlie Weis only has fond thoughts of South Dakota State University. The Jackrabbits are, after all, responsible for two of Weis' feated Super Bowl rings. Former South Dakota State kicker Adam Vinatier made the blue and yellow quite proud when he became the only NFL player to be the deciding factor in multiple championship games.
Teams from the Dakotas have caused trouble for Kansas in the past — particularly to its new coaches — and Weis would like to keep his affectionate attitude intact.
"I think that bringing back moments from the past, both good and bad, are always good teaching points." Weis said of the loss to North Dakota State in 2010. "Especially how that 6-3 game turned out. That's not too far in their distant past."
Senior defensive end Toben Opurum remembers North Dakota State all too well. Opurum had just switched from running back to defense under then coach Turner Gill, but Gill decided not to use Opurum when the game got rough. Opurum instead watched helplessly from the sidelines.
"It was not a fun game to even watch," Opurum said. "I felt like I could have helped on defense, I felt like I could have helped on offense, but I just couldn't do anything."
"I remember getting the score and being pretty shocked," Bowen said. "I didn't see it until afterwards but when I was the score I thought it was the first quarter. Then I realized how late it was and that it had to be the final."
Defensive backs and special teams coach Clint Bowen remembers the monstrosity too. Bowen was the defensive coordinator for Western Kentucky at the time, but as a former Jayhawk defensive back, he kept tabs on his alma mater.
The game and coach are long gone, but not forgotten. The
current Jayhawks are using it as a lesson in coming out strong. Opurum said the players and coaches have talked about making sure they don't get off to a slow start, but that it also serves another purpose: motivation.
As Opurum puts it, just as Kansas has prepared all summer
for South Dakota State the opposite is just as true.
"We've got to make sure we bring the energy and treat them like any other team." Opurum said. "We can't act like we're anyone special because we are a Division I team."
Unlike the last time a Dakota
team visited Lawrence, Opurum will not only be playing in the game, he'll do so as a captain. Where his eyes were trying to hide from the poor play on the field in 2010, this time they'll be as wide as can be, looking to direct him toward his next big play. In 2010 Opurum could only
pray for a different outcome.
"This time I'll be on the field." Opurum said. "Making the plays that my team needs me to make."
Edited by Ryan McCarthy
SOCCER
Goalie remains focused on shutout streak
TYLER BIERWIRTH/KANSAN
Senior goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau leaps to stop an attempted goal while colliding with Northwestern's Maggie Graham. The Jayhawks lost in overtime to Northwestern the first overtime loss since the opening match of the 2011 season.
NICOLE EVANS
nevans@kansan.com
Starting senior goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau has already made her presence known early this season, making other teams pay through her dominating, goal-preventing talent and relentless effort.
Liebetrau, a native of Centennial, Colo., has the team's two shutouts of the season after playing only four games. She earned both wins back-to-back this past weekend in the Kansas Invitational, when the team played against Georgia and University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Kansas won both matches, beating Georgia 1-0 and UNLV 3-0. Liebetrau reflected how playing Georgia was a redemption game for the team and a great win for them after losing to the Bulldogs in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, but she didn't keep all the credit to herself.
"Beating Georgia was amazing." Liebetrau said. "While getting the win was huge, getting the shutout was the cherry on top of a great win.
The entire team did a tremendous job on defense."
Before this season began, Liebetrau already had 197 saves and 16 wins in her career. She can tack on another 10 saves and an additional three victories so far this season; good enough to have her ranked fourth all-time at Kansas in both categories. She also had the team's only shut-out last season against Purdue. Playing all four years for Kansas after being red-shirted her freshman year, she has learned a lot about playing such a crucial position at an intense and competitive level.
"While I'm in the goal, I really
I would tell any aspiring athlete to just continue to work hard and push yourself even when things might get rough," Liebetrau said. "Playing at such a high level and having such great teammates is the best reward any athlete can ask for."
She plans to keep working hard and rolling up that stat count as the season progresses, concentrating on staying focused and always being an active presence on the field.
focus on staying engaged with the game, constantly communicating with my teammates and moving." Liebetrau said. "It's important to stay focused 100 percent. I always have to stay alert and aware of where the next play might end up"
Liebetrau is graduating in December after majoring in liberal arts and plans to go to a culinary arts institution next fall.
"Outside of school and soccer, I love cooking, particularly baking." Liebretrau said. "I love meking cakes and pastries and trying new things in the kitchen."
Another fact fans may not know is that while Liebetrau's favorite movie is a classic that deals with another sport entirely; baseball.
"My favorite movie is 'The Sandlot.' I fell in love with the movie when I was a kid and still love it today," Liebertrau said.
Keep an eye on Liebetrau as she may get two more chances to continue her shutout streak this weekend.
Edited by Stéphane Roque