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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2004
Buffalo offense threat to 'Hawks
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaiani尼@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWOMEN
Kansas' offensive battle against the Colorado Buffaloes last season ended in a 50-47 overtime loss for the layhawks.
This season's Buffaloes have many of the same strengths, and when they come to Lawrence this weekend, they will face a we a k e r I av a w k
offense, offset by a vastly improved defense
Last year, both teams had quarterbacks who threw for more than 400 yards in that contest, including the Buffaloes' current quarterback Joel Klatt.
But Klatt has not been as dominant this season as he was last year. This season, he has thrown for 1,312 yards and five touchdowns. Last season, he passed for 21 touchdowns, which placed him second on Colorado's all-time passing touchdown list.
"Their offense, at times, has been explosive throwing the ball," said Kansas coach Mark Mangino. "Joel Klutt is certainly a quality quarterback, and when he is hot he can do some damage."
This season, the Jayhawk defense is much improved — it is coming off a defensive performance in which it allowed less than 200 yards of total offense against Iowa State.
Klatt also lacks the support of Colorado's wide receivers from last season. The Buffalooes lost D.J. Hackett and Derek McCoy at the end of last year when they graduated.
Hackett and McCoy combined for nearly 2,000 yards
Joel Klatt is certainly a quality quarterback
Mark Mangino Kansas football coach
and when he is hot he can do some damage."
receiving and 18 touchdowns last season.
"Those receivers they had were really good," Kansas junior linebacker Kevin Kane said. "They have great receivers this year too, but those guys really helped their offense."
Klatt and the rest of the Colorado team will face a Kansas secondary that is tied for first in the conference with 13 interceptions, led by sophomore cornerback Charles Gordon who has made four this season.
"We just have to go out there and execute in the secondary." Rodney Harris, Kansas sophomore safety, said. "Attack the ball when it is in the air and go get it and try to keep the lead in the conference in interceptions."
In Saturday's game, Klatt may be forced to throw the football more than he normally does. Colorado's starting running back, Bobby Purify, may have to sit it out with a shoulder injury.
Purify has rushed for 689 yards and six touchdowns this year, and he averages 5.3 yards per carry. But the rest of the team has struggled running the football.
"They have not run the ball the way they would like on a consistent basis." Mangino said.
Mangino said the Kansas defense would prepare for the game as if Purify would be playing.
Kickoff is at 12:30 Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
- Edited by Paige Worthy
In addition to Barmann, junior cornerback Theo Baines missed last week with an unspecified leg injury, but is probable for this week. Also injured are sophomore John Randle and junior Clark Green, the team's two primary tailbacks. Senior center Joe Vaughn left the first half of last weekend's game against Iowa State with an injury, but he returned for the second half and should play this week.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE PAGE 14A
FOOTBALL: Injuries unlikely to heal completely by last games
Baines' injury has been fairly perplexing to the Kansas team. As late as last Wednesday, Mangino had expected Baines to be available against Iowa State. This week, Mangino said Baines had practiced, but had developed pain and soreness after a limited number of reps.
"He didn't finish practice yesterday," Mangino said. "But we are optimistic that as the week
Randle's situation is unique in that the injury is not mechanical, but is painful. Mangino said. Randle was originally hurt during the Jayhawks' Oct. 23 game at Oklahoma. He was able to play a few minutes against Iowa State before having to go back out.
progresses there will be less soreness."
"John's injury is a lot of pain," Mangino said "We thought we'd get a few plays with John, but after three or four plays, he just couldn't function."
Randle was extremely limited for the week before the game, and some of that showed on the field.
"His injury was such that he wasn't able to push up in practice, but they felt that with a lot of treatment he may have been able to play." Mangino said of the trainers' comments on Randle.
He added that Randle felt
better every day and that he could be ready to play this weekend.
Green's injury, which he suffered against Iowa State, is entirely different from Randle's in that it's not a question of pain, but of sheer mechanics.
"Clark is playing with a fairly debilitating injury," Mangino said. "But he's not having as much pain as John is."
Mangino said that Green's injury was of a nature where he would have to play through it for some time, but the team was hopeful Green would not need surgery. Saturday against Colorado, Green will probably get the start, with Randle's status uncertain.
In addition to keeping some players out of games, injuries have also limited the number of reps players can take in practice.
Mangino said yesterday that the offense's biggest problem
was execution, and freshman defensive lineman Todd Haselhorst attributed a lot of the team's execution problems to the practice situation.
"I'd say that we have to change our plans a little bit," Haselhorst said of how the injuries affect the team. "It hasn't been too bothersome, it's just been a pain."
And when injuries keep players out of practice, they tend to make things harder during the game.
"It's definitely a lot harder to come off the week cold turkey and do the things you have to do for Saturday." Haselhorst said.
Because of the nature of some of these injuries, they cannot truly heal until the season ends, leaving Kansas in an awkward position in its final three games.
— Edited by Rupal Gor
Chiefs backup RB itching to play
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Larry Johnson has been agitating all year for more playing time as running back. The Kansas City Chiefs might have no choice but to accommodate their former No.1 pick.
Derrick Blaylock, who has passed Johnson to become Priest Holmes' top backup, is doubtful for Sunday's game at Tampa Bay because of a deep thigh bruise. That could mean a bigger role for Johnson, who was drafted out of Penn State in 2003 when the Chiefs weren't sure Holmes could return from offseason hip surgery.
Johnson touched the ball for the first time this season on Sunday, in Kansas City's 45-35 victory over Indianapolis. But his lone carry, for 19 yards, came on the last play of the first half with the Colts playing deep to
avoid a long pass.
Johnson could have played more, coach Dick Vermeil said, but the Chiefs needed Holmes on the field to help answer Indianapolis' second-half scoring surge.
Johnson, who led the nation in rushing as a senior at Penn State with 2,087 yards in 13 games, has only 20 carries as a pro. He's been inactive for several games this year and has made no effort to conceal his unhappiness.
"When Derrick went down with a thigh bruise, I had talked to Larry and said, 'Be ready to go,'" Vermil said. "It didn't work, but he will be ready to go this Sunday."
He and Vermeil clashed earlier this year when Vermeil said Johnson should "take off the diapers" and go to work. Then last month when he was not traded by the deadline, Johnson
But the Chiefs said they did not trade their disgruntled back-up because they still believe in his potential.
"We want him to be a top running back here," Vermei said at the time.
Despite his public discontent with his role, Johnson remains popular with his teammates. The day after his latest flare-up, fullback and team leader Tony Richardson roped off Johnson's locker with warm caution tape.
Many teammates also crowded around and offered encouragement on Sunday when it looked as though Johnson might be going in.
"Larry Johnson is a very likable kid. I like him." Vermil said. "Just because I get mad at him — I get mad at my wife but I still love her.
"Our players, the kind of team we have, the chemistry we have, they want the other guy to succeed," he added. "Why? They know we're going to need everybody one time or another."
Blaylock, who scored four of the Chiefs' NFL-record eight rushing touchdowns against Atlanta on Oct. 24, is frequently used on third-down situations — and now, in his fourth season in Kansas City, has learned the ins and outs of the Chiefs' offense.
"What you have to realize as a backup running back is you don't know when you're going in, and you don't know what down and distance it's going to be," Vermeil said. "It might be third and 1, or third and 15. That's what's so tough on a young player. That's why Derrick Blaylock is so valuable, because he's in tune to every one of those kind of environment situations you throw him into."
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