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Colorado coach Ricardo Patton announced Wednesday that he would resign at the end of this season.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
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SPORTS
Barmann to replace injured Meier
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Kansas' dwindling bowl chances took another serious hit Wednesday with the news of another change at quarterback.
Meier
Kerry Meier's injured right shoulder will not be healed enough for him to play Saturday against Colorado, coach Mark Mangino announced after
Barmann
Wednesday's practice. That means senior Adam Barmann will once again be the starter for the fourth time in the last six
"Kerry cannot go." Mangino said.
"It just isn't functional."
Meier reinjured his right shoulder in Saturday's loss at Baylor.
Mangino said Barmann had taken the majority of snaps with the first
team offense in practice the past few days.
With Barmann back in the starting lineup, Kansas' offensive game plan would seem to veer away from the dual rushing attack of Meier and running back Jon Cornish that was so successful early in the Baylor game.
Instead, Kansas will likely rely on Cornish for more carries and limit the passing from Barmann, which was used early in the conference season. The problem Kansas ran into with that offense was Barmann's
continual struggle to hang on to the football. In his three starts earlier this season, Barmann had two fumbles and four interceptions.
Mangino said the key this week would be for the coaches to call plays based on Barmann's strengths.
"I feel good about Adam." Mangino said. "He knows the offense, makes a lot of good plays. Mentally, he understands the game plans very well because he's a veteran guy. We think he'll do well."
Barmann struggled in limited action against Baylor last week. He
never seemed to get into a rhythm and was unable to help the offense mount a scoring drive to preserve the layhawks' lead. He was only 4-10 for 25 yards with an interception in four possessions.
In five games this season, Barmann has completed 53 percent of his passes and has thrown three touchdowns and four interceptions. As a starter, Barmann is 1-2 on the season.
Meier reinjured his right shoulder against Baylor when he scrambled toward the Kansas sideline. After
he was hit, Meier fell onto his right shoulder, rolled over and lay on the ground for several minutes before getting up. Meier was originally injured late in the Sept. 15 game at Toledo when he was tackled and had his right shoulder driven into the turf.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneeper@kansan.com.
VOLLEYBALL
Postseason odds lessen with loss against Sooners
Oklahoma continued its storybook season last night when it defeated Kansas during a four-game match.
Oklahoma (18-4, 10-2 Big 12) finished last in the conference one year ago and was placed at 10th in the preseason this year, but has ascended to second place. Kansas (10-11, 3-9) is currently tied for seventh.
"Last year, they lost so many close matches," Kansas coach Ray Bechard said. "They went into one of those cycles where they didn't think anything good was going to happen and now, they don't think they're going to lose."
lica innvar/KANSAN
The Sooners defeated the Jayhawks by scores of 30-23, 30-19, 27-30 and 30-25 last night in the Horeisi Family Athletics Center.
Despite the loss, Kansas freshman middle blocker Brittany Williams had a career-high 20 kills last night.
"I just attribute it to my team," Williams said. "They wanted it bad, and I wanted it bad."
Beachard said Williams looked like an All-American at times.
With the loss, however, Kansas postseason chances became slim.
Bechard said the Jayhawks needed to win at least four more games to have a shot at the postseason. Kansas snuck into the postseason last year with a 7-13 conference record.
Brittany Williams, freshman middle blocker, hits the ball during the Jayhawks game against the Sooners. Williams averages 2.68 points a game for a season total of 174.5 points.
Jana Correa, senior outside hitter, said she wanted to become a part of Kansas volleyball history by being the only class to reach the NCAA tournament all four years.
"I just have eight more games
left," she said. "It's very important to me. We need to win."
In game one, Kansas fought a 2-8 score to tie it at 20-20. Oklahoma pulled ahead by scoring 10 more points, while Kansas got only three. The Sooners were led by senior outside hitter Joanna Schmitt who had a game-high five kills.
After the Jayhawks scored the first point, Oklahoma pulled away and never trailed again in game two, cruising to an 11-point victory. The Sooners committed zero errors in the game, while the Jayhawks committed nine.
SOCCER
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 4B
SHE SCORES, KANSAS WINS
Team undefeated when Jessica Bush knocks in a goal
THEBY MARK DENT
Jessica Bush, sophomore midfielder/forward, has become an important part to the Jayhawks soccer team this season. Bush is leading the team with seven goals, including three straight game wins. Kansas is undefeated during Bush's career when she scores.
Jessica Bush said she didn't mind facing bigger, stronger players despite her 5-foot-2-inch height.
Considering the hits she's taken during her career on the soccer field, it's obvious to see why she no longer worries about taller opponents.
"Jessica Smith turned and hit me, and I had a black eye for two weeks," said the sophomore midfielder/forward. "People came up to me and said, 'Man you were the one who had that black eye when I met you."
This year there was the facial. At Nebraska Bush charged toward one of the Huskers near midfield and was given a ball to the face for her aggressiveness.
Lisa Linovar/KANSAN
"I was pressuring the girl and all of the sudden I was on the ground," she said. "Obviously, I had a pretty good headache."
The mishaps haven't fazed Bush. It's her opponents who felt the pain while Bush helped lead Kansas to four straight victories.
"Bushy's a bit of a spark plug." Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "She's always knba buzzing around
Bush's play during the Jayhawks streak has been remarkable. She's scored at least one goal each game, set a school record by scoring the game-winning goal in three straight games and been named to the Soccer Buzz National Team of the Week.
and making things happen. She has a knack for doing that."
Bush has been scoring more for multiple reasons. Francis said it was partially because she has been playing more of an attacking role
and being in the right place at the right time. As for the modest Bush, she said the play of her teammates Holly Gault, Monica Dolinsky and Missy Geha had been the biggest reason.
"A lot of the goals I've had aren't anything great," she said. "I've just had good balls by people."
Whether it's good passes, perfect
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 4B
FOOTBALL
Sophomore receiver could save season's football hopes
If the jayhawks are going to reel off the three victories needed to become bowl-eligible, they will need an improved passing game in the second half as well as a passion for victory.
Sophomore Dexton Fields could be the solution for Kansas in both categories. As Kansas' No. 3 wide receiver, Fields has sure hands and a
BY SHAWN SHROYER
knack for making the big play. But Fields has added something more to the Kansas offense that can't be coached.
Fields
"What he adds is his heart." sophomore receiver Marcus Herford said.
"He plays with nothing but heart.
He plays hard every play and does a
great job."
After rotating wide receiving positions throughout his high school career, Fields has found his niche as Kansas' inside receiver, a position that some receivers shy away from because with it comes the responsibility of frequently crossing the middle of the field, where hard-hitting linebackers lurk. Nevertheless, Fields has become the go-to guy in the red zone for jayhawk quarterbacks.
According to Fields, the inside
receiver role suits him best. And while inside receivers may take more brutal hits than outside receivers, he said the Kansas offense rarely put him in vulnerable situations.
Of course, Kansas shouldn't be surprised by Fields' production near the goal line. His only catch of 2005 was a 15-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of the Iowa State game. The ensuing extra point tied
With Fields ready and willing to brave the middle of the field, he's become the main target for his quarterbacks when in the red zone. He leads the team with five touchdown receptions, and his longest of the season came from 20 yards out.
"With our schemes and the plays that we have, it's not like we're going to be taking on a lot of head-on hits going across the middle," Fields said. "If the quarterback is throwing it to you, it's probably because you're open. You don't need to fear a linebacker trying to rip your head off."
the game, 21-21, before Kansas won in oyertime, clinching a ball berth
He has also been the lone bright spot for Kansas' passing attack the last three games. While Fields has caught a touchdown pass the past three weeks against Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Baylor, Kansas has passed for just 64, 97 and 43 yards, respectively, in the second half of those games.
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SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 48