GOLF Last year's freshman star calms down and improves accuracy, advances in tournament PAGE 6A
SPORTS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 2004
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
www.kansan.com
O-Line ready to rumble
Offensive line experienced after last season's comeback
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWITTER
Last year the Jayhawks' offensive line was unknown and inexperienced, but this year's group is just the opposite.
Coming out of the spring game, Kansas projected to return three starters to their front five; Bob Whitaker, sophomore left guard; Joe Vaughn, senior center; and Tony Coker, senior right guard.
Joining those three are redshirt freshman Cesar Rodriguez at left tackle and junior Matt Thompson at right tackle.
Coker recently broke an ankle and could miss at least three games. Thompson or David Ochoa, sophomore lineman, are possible replacements for Coker's position.
Rodriguez and Thompson replace Adrian Jones, a fourth-round draft pick of the New York Jets. Jones was
SEE RUMBLE ON PAGE 7A
OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH CHART
Here is the depth chart coming out of the spring game.
| Name | Position | No. | Year | Height | Weight |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Cesar Rodriguez | .Left Tackle | .71 | RS Fr. | 6-7 | .278 |
| Travis Dambach | .Left Tackle | .69 | Soph. | 6-5 | .295 |
| Bob Whitaker | .Left Guard | .77 | Soph. | 6-5 | .317 |
| Nick McCaslin | .Left Guard | .64 | Sr. | 6-2 | .285 |
| Joe Vaughn | .Center | .56 | Sr. | 6-1 | .285 |
| David Ochoa | .Center | .74 | Soph. | 6-4 | .280 |
| Tony Coker | .Right Guard | .75 | Sr. | 6-5 | .315 |
| Reid Kirby | .Right Guard | .66 | RS Fr. | 6-4 | .305 |
| Matt Thompson | .Right Tackle | .66 | Jr. | 6-4 | .295 |
| Marcus Ford | .Right Tackle | .60 | RS Fr. | 6-5 | .300 |
Source: www.kuathletics.com
Gruber runs in Athens today
Olympic trials challenging for alumnus runner
BY FRANK TANKARD
fankard@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
At 11:56 a.m. today in the newly opened Olympic Stadium in Athens, Charlie Gruber, a former Kansas distance runner, will line up in heat three of the 1500 meter first round against 13 of the fastest middle distance runners in the world.
For most American runners, the path to the Olympics is straightforward: qualify to compete in the Olympic trials and finish in the top three. For Gruber it was not so simple.
On July 18 at the Olympic Trials in Sacramento, California, Gruber, a 26-year-old Denver native who starred on Kansas cross country and track and field teams from 1997-2002, placed second in the 1500 meters with a time of 3:38.45.
Had Gruber run 2.25 seconds faster, he would have started packing for Athens after he crossed the finish line. But as it stood, he still had some work to do.
To make the Olympics, an athlete must reach a minimum qualifying mark for his event, known as the "A" standard, as set by the International Association of Athletic Federations.
Because Gruber's best time was slower than the A standard, he did not automatically qualify for the Olympics when he placed second in Sacramento.
"It was a strange feeling after the race," Gruber said via e-mail from Athens. "It was nice to get second, but that didn't do much for me. There was still much work to be done to achieve the goal I set of making the Olympic team."
The Association set Aug. 9 as the deadline for hitting the A standard.
SEE GRUBER ON PAGE 6A
Kansan File Photo
Charlie Gruber, a former Kansas distance runner from 1997-2002, raced in a meet at KU in 2000. He competes in the 1,500-meter race at the Olympic Stadium in Athens.
Recruits plan visits to Kansas
BY JESSE NEWELL
jnewell@kansan.com
KANAN SPORTSWRIVER
A Texas twosome could be one step closer to joining the Jahawk basketball team.
C. J. Miles, the sixth-best small forward in the 2005 class according to www.Rinals.com, will visit Kansas on Aug. 28. The 6-foot-5 senior from Dallas is considering Kansas, Arizona and Georgia Tech, with Kansas leading the way.
"Kansas and Arizona are the only two schools that I have scheduled visits to," Miles told Rivals.com. "But if I am really impressed with my time at Kansas, I might be ready to end my recruitment."
Miles might help draw another top recruit to Kansas Kevin Rogers, a teammate on Miles' summer team, will likely follow his friend so they can continue playing together in college.
Rogers, also from Dallas, will visit Kansas on Sept. 25 after
"Kansas and Arizona are the
only two schools that I have scheduled visits to. But if I am really impressed with my time at Kansas, I might be ready to end my recruitment."
C.J. Miles
Basketball recruit
trips to Georgia Tech and Arizona. He told Rival's.com that Kansas was the current leader. Rogers said he and Miles had Kansas at the tops of their lists.
"Playing together at Kansas is something we talk about all the time." Rogers told Rivals.com. He and I have talked about the feelings he has for Kansas and the great tradition."
The Web site ranked the 6-foot-8 Rogers as the 35th-best player overall and the 11th-best power forward.
■ Monday will be decision day for highly recruited Tvler Hansbrough.
Basketball Notes
The 6-foot-9 forward from Poplar Bluff (Mo.) High School has scheduled a press conference Monday to announce his college plans for next season. Hansbrough, the eighth-best player in the nation according to Rivals.com, will choose between Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and Missouri. The senior visited all four schools in the past year, with his last visit to Kansas on May 7.
Those wanting to catch a glimpse of Kansas' exhibition trip to Canada will have one option this side of the border.
Kansas athletics officials announced Kansas' first exhibition game against the University of British Columbia will be shown on Memorial Stadium's MegaVision video screen at 2 p.m., before the football team's 6 p.m. home opener Sept. 4 against Tulsa.
Fans will need their football tickets to be admitted into the stadium early. Gates will open at 1:30 p.m., with the basketball game shown live at 2 p.m.
The stadium will be the only place where the game can be seen in the area.
Fans will be allowed to exit the stadium after the basketball game concludes and re-enter for the following football game.
BY JONATHAN KEALING
jkealing@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWIRED
At a press conference at Hadi Auditorium before the team's first practice, coach Bill Self said he was more excited about these 10 practices than he was about the games themselves.
For the first time since early last season, everyone on the team practiced. Injuries hobbled many on the team last year, especially as the season ended.
"I'm much more excited about this season than last season," he said. "Much more."
"We'll have a full boat practicing today." Self said. "The only one who
Practices for the men's basketball team's Labor Day trip to Canada began yesterday.
Edited by Anna Clovis
Men's basketball holds first practice
According to NCAA rules, a team gets 10 practices of no more than four hours per day before these trips. Also, a team may not exceed 20 hours per week. Self said.
"I would hope that the big guys try to beat each other up ever possession to see who plays next to Wayne." Self said.
Especially important, as far as a depth chart, is who will play along side senior forward Wayne Simien.
VOL.
"The great thing about this is we have 10 practices spread over 15
may have any limitations is J.R., and we don't even know if he will be limited."
Giddens, sophomore guard, is coming out of an off-season during which he had surgery on his foot.
Self said he planned to use these 10 practices as a football team used its spring practice.
This will be the first trip to Canada for many members of the team, including Self.
"We went through a gentleman that sets these up for a living." Self said. "He's been bugging me for 10 years to do something like this. He was the only person who could give us a contingency deal for going to Coaches vs. Cancer."
"It's a way where you can develop a depth chart," Self said.
The Canada trip is the team's way of making up for the inability to play in the Coaches vs. Cancer preseason tournament. NCAA rules state a team can only participate in two exempt tournaments every year.
days. We can basically give them two days off per week." Self said.
Kansas was entered in the tournament because Kansas athletic department officials anticipated a court ruling overturning the rule. The court has yet to decide.
"I've been to Seattle, which is close, but I've never been to Canada," Self said.
Self said while he looked forward to the trip, the team probably would not see as much of the country as it wanted.
Nick Bahe, sophomore guard, has never been to Canada either but was ready to start practice.
The team will hold a scrimmage on Aug. 28 at 4 p.m. in Horeisi Family Athletics Center behind Allen Fieldhouse. It will be open to the public and will be before the KU varsity vs. alumni volleyball match. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and will close when the building reaches its capacity of 1,300.
"It's exciting to get the guys together early and lace them up," Bahe said.
Edited by Anna Clovis
Jared Soares/NANSAN
Senior forward Wayne Simien fields questions from media during a press conference regarding the teams Canada Tour. The Thursday afternoon event was held at Hadi Auditorium.
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