OLYMPICS Olympics provide an opportunity to enjoy positive competition and escape from other depressing news. PAGE 38
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
www.kansan.com
SPORTS COMMENTARY
RYAN COLAIANNI rcolaianni@kansan.com
Barmann a perfect field chief
Adam Barmann may only be a sophomore, but he is the perfect quarterback to replace Bill Whittimore this season.
Mangino saw Barmann as the quarterback of the future and wanted him to ultimately replace Whittemore. Now Barmann will likely start for the next three years.
It's hard to believe that Barmann may be a better passer than his predecessor, as Whittemore completed just more than 60 percent of his passes last season. But Barmann was even more accurate, completing 67.1 percent of his passes when he was just beginning to learn the offense.
With Barmann at the helm, it is easy to understand why coach Mark Mangino says this year's offense could rack up numbers similar to last year's.
Barmann has a stronger arm than Whittemore, so expect him to be successful looking deep to receivers Brandon Rideau and Mark Simmons. If he stays healthy, he could easily top Whittimore's 2003 passing yard total of 2,385 and could also break the school record of 2,995 set by Mike Norseth in 1985.
next three years.
He is exactly the type of quarterback Kansas needs to lead its offense: one who believes in his abilities and believes he should be the starter. Confidence is key at Barmann's position, and if he is successful this year look for Kansas to go to back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history.
Last season, Whittemore had 534 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns, while Barmann gained just 53 yards in four games. These totals include yards lost due to sacks, and Barmann is more of a pocket passer than Whittemore. Expect Barmann to be a much improved runner this year.
Barmann's style mirrors Whittemore's; he possesses the same agility and talent for moving out of the pocket and picking up rushing yards. Like Whittemore, he also has the ability to lead an option attack.
In just the first start of his career, when he had only one week to prepare for the job, he went 25-37 for 294 yards with four touchdowns and one rushing touchdown against Texas A&M. Not too shabby for a freshman who had seen very few reps in practice.
Very few steps in practice. Now, Barmann has gone through the spring and summer as the team's top quarterback. He is completely comfortable with the offense, and he will be a much better quarterback than he was last season. Also, the extra month of practice the team saw last season as it prepared for the Tangerine Bowl gave Barmann even more time to learn the offense.
The only way the offensive numbers may level off is if Barmann is not at the helm the entire season. With his style and abilities, the Kansas offense should be in good hands with him in the starting spot.
four games
Barmann went from being a red-shirt candidate to a freshman starter when Whitmore went down last season. He stepped up and proved he was able to play at the Big 12 level.
And expect him to continue to make plays with his arm strength, which more than compensates for what he lacks in speed. That strength has been visible in practice this season, and it was equally visible in the four games last season.
Ryan Colaiani is a McLean, Va., sophomore in journalism and political science.
With this extra preparation time paired with Barmann's natural talents, look for him to have a very special season.
Receivers bear big load
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaianni@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
Editor's Note: As the Kansas football team prepares for its season opener against Tulsa on Sept. 4, sportswriters Ryan Colaiani and Jonathan Kealing will be taking a position-by-position look at the team's depth chart. A position breakdown will appear every day leading up to the game.
Kansas File Photo
Charles Gordon will not see nearly as many plays at wide receiver this season, but even though the team's leading receiver from last year will not have as much of an impact this season, the Jayhawks aren't expecting the wide receiver position to be a liability.
Simmons, like Gordon, had 769 receiving yards last season. He also led the team in touchdown receptions with seven and averaged nearly 20 yards per catch.
Kansas senior wide receiver Brandon Rideau ran with the ball before N.C. State's Lamont Reid tackled him during last year's Tangerine Bowl on Dec. 22, 2003. The Jayhawks will rely on Rideau's 6" frame and strong record收到 help to the team this season.
catch.
Rideau had 51 grabs last season for
677 yards. Both Simmons and Rideau
will likely have to shoulder a larger part
of the receiving load if the team wishes
to be as successful through the air as it
was last year.
The Kansas receiving corps returns nearly all of its impact players from last year, including junior Mark Simmons and senior Brandon Rideau.
was last year.
Simmons is quicker than Rideau with a smaller frame, and he was a huge threat last season going deep as he had three touchdowns of more than 65 yards.
At 6-foot-4-inches, Rideau's size makes him an asset.
Simmons and Rideau did more than just work on their receiving abilities in the off-season; they also spent a considerable amount of time improving their blocking.
SEE RECEIVER ON PAGE 6B
Correa back with team
Janaina Correa, sophomore outside hitter for the Kansas volleyball squad, is from Sau Paulo, Brazil. The Jayhawks will look to Correa to be an impact player this season.
BY BILL CROSS
bcross@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIVER
The first stage was denial.
When Janaina Correa, sophomore outside hitter for the University of Kansas volleyball team, was helped off the court on Oct. 11 last year, she expected to return before the season was done
very good. The injury occurred during warmups before an away game against the Oklahoma Sooners.
"It was hard for me to accept what happened," she said. "I was playing very good."
After confirming MRI results with several doctors, reality set in: She had torn her anterior cruciate ligament, and she would be out of action for at least
six months. Correa was stranded. She had been at the University of Kansas for barely two months after leaving her family and friends in São Paulo, Brazil.
six months.
"It was the hardest experience of my life," she said.
Correa dedicated four hours every day to rehabilitation exercises.
Coach Ray Bechard said he admired the courage of Correa, who stayed in the United States for the majority of her rehabilitation while attending team practices. At various times, she exercised at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, on campus and at home in São Paulo, she said.
"I still wanted to be part of the team," Correa said. "I wanted to learn."
Bechard said, "It's hard when anyone gets injured, but to get injured a full day's plane ride from home is completely different."
--golf Course.
"I am sad that I have to leave behind all of these projects with so much potential," Hinrichs said. "But KU has done such a wonderful job with this that the person who replaces me should have a nice transition."
Cornea said she leaned on her teammates at practice and away from the gym. Her closest friend on the team is junior middle blocker Josi Lima, with whom she played on a club team in São Paulo.
"We're like sisters," Correa said. "It's very easy for us to communicate."
"If she wants to yell at me, I'll listen," Correa said.
Very easy to say. Now that she's back to full strength, Correa will lean on Lima and vice versa.
Bechard said that the pair's chemistry would benefit the team.
SEE CORREA ON PAGE 6P
Hinrichs to leave Kansas for N.Colorado
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mienning@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
Bob Heiny, faculty athletic representative at UNC, has served as interim athletics director since Fallis left.
If the University of Northern Colorado is going take its athletics department to the Division I level, Jay Hinrichs will be the man who helps take it there. Hinrichs, associate athletic director for facilities planning at the University of Kansas, accepted the position as director of intercollegiate athletics at Northern Colorado on Monday, effective Aug. 30.
Hinrichs, who also directed the Williams Fund at the University, was selected from three finalists to replace former UNC director of athletics Jim Fallis, who became athletics director at Northern Arizona University in June.
The three finalists visited with UNC President Kay Norton, and she made the final decision to hire Hinrichs.
"All three were capable," said Ken McConnellogue, vice president for university advancement and chairman for the replacement search committee. "At that point, you look for some intangible things, and Jay had a good set of experiences, energy and enthusiasm that fit well."
Hinrichs said UNC offered him the job last Friday evening, and he informed Kansas athletics director Lew Perkins that he would accept. Hinrichs, who has a bachelor's and master's degree from the University, will leave behind a series of projects set to get underway this fall, including a women's basketball office and locker room improvements, an indoor baseball hitting facility, a hydro-therapy room for all athletes and a golf project in conjunction with Alvamar golf course.
Hinrichs' replacement remains unknown to the Athletics Department.
Jim Marchiony, associate athletics director, said the department does not currently have anyone in mind for the position.
position. "We have just begun thinking about it," Marchiony said. "Since we just found out on Friday, we have not had a chance to evaluate the position."
Marchiony said they would most likely form a committee to conduct a
SEE HINRICHS ON PAGE 6B