Thursday, September 9. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B • Page 3
Texas quarterback affirms starting role
By Michael T. Rigg sports@kansan.com Kansan writerswritter
Times are changing in the Lone Star state.
Gone from the Texas football team is 1998 Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams. New to the Longhorns this season is freshman quarterback Chris Simms, the reigning USA Today High School Offensive Player of the Year.
And, through all the variables in Austin this season, sophomore quarterback Major Applewhite remained a constant.
A returning starter from last season, Applewhite was chosen as a preseason All-Big 12 Conference quarterback. This season, the stakes went up for Applewhite. Simms was willing to take his job and Applewhite needed to prove he was fully recovered
Applewhite: Eat sleeps, breaths 'football
from off-season appendix surgery.
After all, Applewhite has a habit of playing his best when it matters most, as witnessed by last season's 296-yard, two-touchdown performance at Nebraska and his 292-yard, three-touchdown performance against Mississippi State in the Cotton Bowl, both Texas victories.
This season, after Texas opened up with a disappointing 23-20 loss to North Carolina State, Applewhite almost single-handedly led the Longhorns to a 69-17 win against Stanford on Saturday. Applewhite threw for 353 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals and was named Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week.
Texas coach Mack Brown said Applewhite's determination nearly made him immune from the attention.
"There is so much publicity over quarterbacks that it put a tremendous amount of pressure on these guys," Brown said. "Major has an obsession to be good at what he does. He loves football. He studies football as much as anyone I've been around as head coach. He gets a lot of respect from the other guys because of his work ethic."
Brown was equally impressed with Applewhite's showing on Saturday against the Cardinals.
"That was the best we've seen him play." Brown said.
In that victory, however, Brown inserted Simms into the game in the fourth quarter.
Simms came to Texas this fall as the top high school recruit in the country, and Brown was quick to downplay a quarterback controversy. In fact, Brown said he played Simms on Saturday with the purpose of developing him.
"When you play in a time when defenses blitz so much, you're going to get a quarterback hurt," Brown said. "You are going to need a secondteam quarterback to play, so you need to recruit the best quarterbacks in the country."
Brown may find it difficult to put both quarterbacks on the field in the upcoming years because of their youth. Simms is a freshman, Applewhite is only a sophomore. The Longhorns also have redshirt freshman quarterback Adam Hall, another highly-recruited member of the class of 1999.
While many outsiders think the competition would drive Applewhite and Simms apart, Applewhite insisted that was not the case.
"Chris has been very fun to work with," Applewhite said. "Since I've had the opportunity to see a lot of game action, I've tried to pass on some insights to him from my experiences over the past couple of years." Simms agreed.
"Major has been great to me," Simms said. "I can't say enough about the way he's treated me and the relationship we've developed in a short period of time."
-Edited by Matt Gardner
Football not the only game in town
This weekend will give me a good indication of how students here truly care about Javhawk sports.
Volleyball team deserves strong student support
The football team will open its season Saturday vs. California State-Northridge. I know that it's not exactly a Missouri or a Penn State coming to town, but each student gets a free ticket for each one they purchase. There is no excuse to not attend the football game Saturday night.
But the football game is the epilogue to the big weekend of Jayhawk sports. Just as important to the football game is the Kansas volleyball team.
The Jayhawks will welcome Texas Christian, Chicago State and Auburn for the annual Jayhawk Classic, which takes place tomorrow and Saturday at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center. Tomorrow's matches will begin at 2:30 p.m. Kansas will play at 5 and 7:30. Saturday play starts at 9:30 a.m. with Kansas will at 2:30 p.m.
At stake is Kansas' unblemished 4-0 record. A weekend sweep would give the Jayhawks their second-best start ever. Only in 1990 did Kansas have a better start when it began the season 8-0.
But despite the 4-10 record, coach Ray Bechard and middle blocker Amanda Reves realized that they were a long way from the level they need to be at
"Obviously it's good to be unbeaten, but looking at it from a broader picture, we are a ways from being at a level for Big 12 play." Bechard said.
"We did really well last year when we were 6-0." she said. "It's very
in order to compete in the Big 12 Conference.
Reves, a senior, has been in a similar situation before.
important for us to win our tournament. It would give us a great start and we would go to Tennessee (next weekend) on a win streak and start Big 12 play with confidence."
Kansas starts Big 12 play Sept. 27 against Texas. This weekend will give the Jayhawks a variety of teams to face. Chicago State will be swep, given
its horrible 0-60 record in the past two-plus seasons. The Horned Frogs will provide better competition, but Bechard said that Texas Christian, at 1-4, was still progressing in its fifth year.
But the true test will come Saturday. Three-and-a-half hours before the football game starts, the volleyball team will battle Auburn. The Tigers play in the tough Southeastern Conference and are currently 3-1. They are led by
Brad Hallier
associate
sports editor
sports @ tarsan.com
So you are still skeptical about coming out the the match Saturday? Think any sport that women play isn't worth it, huh? When I attended practice on Monday afternoon, I could not believe my eyes.
Lawrence High School graduate Jaunelle Hamilton, a two-time first team all-SEC performer.
I was grimacing at the thought of taking a Danielle Geronymy spike off my face. These women can play. Go check them out this weekend. If nothing else, students should go to check out Reves. She's 6-foot-1, is ranked in the top-10 in four Jayhawk career records, has been named to eight consecutive all-tournament teams and she is only Jayhawk to be named to an All-Big 12 team. She was honorable mention last year, but might challenge for a spot on the first or second team this year.
So grab three of your frat brothers, sorority sisters or beer buddies and kick back and watch some volleyball. Talk smack to the Tigers. It will be good preparation for the football game.
I know that many will attend the football game. But how many will attend the volleyball matches? Horejsi has a capacity of 1,300 people. That's 15,000 fewer than the capacity of Allen Fieldhouse. I bet it won't be filled either day. I've heard that Kansas students like nothing but basketball. I always have looked the other way, but I think it might be true.
Chiefs tackle and his wife establish charity
Hallier is a Mission senior in journalism.
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Life can be tough for teen-age mothers and their children. Just ask someone who's been there.
"We know how hard it can be," Victor Riley, an offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, said Tuesday.
He and his wife, Kym, who both were born to teen-age mothers, have established a charitable foundation that will provide transitional
housing and other services for teen-age mothers and their babies.
Organizers hope to have the first group home for eight or fewer mothers operating within a year. It will be called Victory Place.
Participants likely will receive medical assistance, tutoring, job counseling mentoring and have access to transportation. Plans still are being finalized.
In addition, Victor Riley will develop a program of
chat sessions with Kansas City middle and high school students. He wants to
counsel boys about
responsible
behavior and
teen fathers
about being good
parents.
Victory Place is expected to cost
ing on the project. That donation could exceed $19,000 annually
$200,000 to $300,000 the first year. Kym Riley will donate her entire paycheck from a part-time job with St. Luke's Hospital, which is collaborat-
The Rileys' Road to Victory Foundation will receive some
I receive some funds raised Sept. 17 from Red Friday, an annual charity pep rally staged by Red Coaters. The also will seek a Football League organize its own g events.
the Chiefs' Red Coaters. The foundation also will seek a National Football League grant and organize its own fund-raising events.
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Board of Class Officers and Student Union Activities
Applications are now being accepted for the Ex.C.E.L. Award $500 Scholarship
One male and one female KU student will be chosen on the basis of their capacity for leadership, effective communication skills, involvement in the KU community, academics, and their ability to work with a wide variety of students and student organizations. Each recipient of the Ex.C.E.L.Award will receive a $500 scholarship.
Excellence in Community, Education, and Leadership
Applications available at: O & L Office, 4th Floor Kansas Union SUA Office, 4th Floor, Kansas Union Applications are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 14, to the SUA Office For more information, call SUA at 864-3477