Racer Jeff Burton talks about his love of college basketball and gives his opinion on which team he considers a powerhouse.
The women's golf team is currently in first place in its Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 10A
》 FOOTBALL
David J. Phillip/ASSOCIATED PRESS
DAVID T. RILLIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS
(Above left) Junior wide receiver Marcus Henry lays in the end zone after missing a possible game-tying touchdown catch in Saturday's 39-32 overtime loss to Nebraska. The game was tied at the end of regulation. (Above right) Texas Tech's Robert Johnson makes the game-winning touchdown reception as Texas A&M's Jordan Peterson defends during the closing seconds Saturday. In College Station, Texas, Texas Tech men 31-17
Teams face same struggles after weekend losses
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Two games and two heart-breaking losses equal one challenge this week for Kansas and Texas A&M.
Both teams enter Saturday's game after tough losses this weekend. Kansas football coach Mark Mangino and Texas A&M football coach Dennis Franchione know one of their toughest jobs this week will be helping their teams rebound.
Texas A&M was stunned by
Kansas lost to No. 21 Nebraska in overtime, after mounting a second-half comeback to tie the game at the end of regulation.
Texas Tech's 37-yard, last-minute touchdown, which won the game. Before the Red Raiders struck downfield, the Aggies took a one-point lead with a field goal just minutes before.
"Certainly losing a tough game in overtime is a tough pill for our kids and all of us to swallow," Mangino said during Monday's Big 12 Conference Football Coaches' Teleconference. "But our kids have shown time and time again that they bounce back."
Reboundingfromthosecloselosses has been tough for the Jayhawks and Aggies. Kansas is just 3-5 in
games following a loss by seven or fewer points since Mangino became coach. The most recent of those victories came last week against South Florida. In Franchione's three seasons in College Station, Texas, the Aggies are 1-2 in its past close-loss games.
Both Mangino and Franchione said the key to rebounding from close losses was not to dwell on the past.
"Whether it was a W or an L, you can't let the last game affect the next game," Franchione said. "This will be a tough football game. You've got to be ready to play week in and
week out."
Kansas may have an advantage this week playing at home, where it has won a school-record nine straight games. A stretch of two straight home games may be just what the Jayhawks need to rebound from another close road defeat.
"I think our kids always bounce back, no matter where they're going to play," Mangino said.
A&M has won just one of its past seven road games.
Football Notes:
Kansas' home game on Oct.14
Kickoff announced:
against Oklahoma State will kick off at 1 p.m. and will not be televised.
Meier update:
Mangino said there was a chance that freshman quarterback Kerry Meier could play in Saturday's game against A&M. Mangino said he was told by Meier that he "feels a lot better." Before he will be allowed to play, Meier must get clearance from the team's medical staff and show Mangino he can throw without pain.
"If those things come together," Mangino said. "There's a good chance he'll play this week."
He missed his second-straight
start this weekend after suffering an undisclosed injury in the loss to Toledo.
Groundbreaking Friday:
The ceremonial groundbreaking for the Anderson Family Football Complex will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Memorial Stadium. Construction on the $31-million complex will begin at the end of the season.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneider@kansan.com.
Edited by Dianne Smith
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Jayhawks rise early to run
Pre-dawn workouts condition team for upcoming season
Then-freshman guard Brandon Rush powers past a K-State defender during the first half of play last year in the Jayhawks' 66-52 victory against the Wildcats. The basketball team is in the second week of its two-week boot camp to prepare for this season.
BY C.J. MOORE
The junior guard pulled himself out of bed and walked to Allen Fieldhouse in the pitch-black morning for treatment of a few minor injuries before enduring coach Bill Self's version of two weeks of hell. Monday began the second and final week of Self's annual boot camp.
Russell Robinson's alarm clock went off at 4:45 Monday morning.
Players arrive every day at 5:45 a.m. for an hour-long workout with no basketballs, no breaks and no fun.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
"It's definitely not heaven" junior guard Jeremy Case said.
Strength and conditioning trainer Andrea Hurly welcomed the players at 5:45 Monday morning for 15 minutes of stretching and light jogging. At 6 a.m. the players began a grueling 53-minute workout with Self that included jumping rope, defensive drills, sprints, grimaces and puddles of sweat.
The toughest part of boot camp for the players is not the running, but the early wake-up call and walk to the Fieldhouse.
"it's kind of like sleepwalking"
Case said. "Am I dreaming or do I really have to come over here?"
Once the players arrive, Self doesn't allow them to sleepwalk through the workout. Several players
"The toughest thing for them is looking up at that clock and thinking, "Jeez, we've still got 22 more minutes," Self said. "Because it's all mental. It's a
struggled through Monday's workout and looked like they were ready to head back to bed before the halfway point.
pretty grueling thing and when they get to the last 10 to 15 minutes, they can see that finish line."
When the players gave in to their exhaustion and fell to their knees on the floor after wind sprints,
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SEE BOOT CAMP ON PAGE 8A
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Incoming freshman could take command as team's new leader
BY JACK WEINSTEIN
For a Kansas basketball team without seniors, finding a vocal court leader this season could be difficult. Three of the four leading scorers from a year ago will be sophomores, but points don't necessarily translate into leadership.
learning scorer from last year, is the obvious choice. Last year's starting point guar d emerged
Junior Russell Robinson, the
as the type of player who
coach Bill Self could see taking on that leadership duty, but he said he wouldn't be shocked if incoming freshman Sherron Collins stepped into that role.
"Sherron has more natural leadership ability than most our guys because he's more naturally vocal," Self said.
Collins' roommate, freshman guard Brady Morningstar, agreed with Self.
"He brings a great attitude and another floor leader on the court," Morningstar said.
Collins, a highly touted recruit from Crane High School in Chicago, may turn out to be a leader on this year's team, but it was his
athletic ability that caught the eyes of most fans. The 5-foot-11 guard doesn't have stereotypical basketball height and he looks more like a running back than a point guard. He excelled in both football and baseball in addition to basketball in high school. What Collins lacks in height he makes up for with pure athleticism.
Morningstar said that Collins was the quickest person he had ever been around and that Collins' ball handling was "unbelievable."
Collsm may not throw a pass off the backboard to himself in a game this season, like he did during last spring's McDonalds All-American game, but it may have given Kansas fans and his teammates a glimpse of the kind of athleticism Collins possesses.
When asked if it was all right that people remembered him for that dunk, Collins said he wouldn't have it any other way.
Morningstar said Collins was tired his first few days on campus when he arrived during the summer and had some trouble jumping to dunk.
"He said 'I can dunk,' and I said 'I know, I saw you on TV'," Morningstar said.
Collis' athleticism isn't the only thing he'll add to the layhawks next season. His addition could make the already strong back-court of Robinson, sophomore Mario Chalmers and junior Jeremy Case even stronger. Collins would also add a competitive element
to the team next season. Self said Robinson and Chalmers would agree with that.
Robinson, Chalmers and Collins could vie for the two starting guard spots before the season begins Nov. 2, with an exhibition against Washburn in Allen Fieldhouse; Last year's starters, Robinson and Chalmers, would be the favorites, but Self said everyone had work to do.
"We'll play the best guys." Self said.
Collins said he thought he could be the missing piece to a team that finished strong last year by winning the Big 12 Conference tournament, but fell short in the NCAA tournament, losing to Bradley in the first round.
"I don't want to bad mouth any one," he said, and described how he thought he could help with the backcourt by controlling turnovers and putting the ball in the basket.
"I love to push the ball," Collins said. "These guys will run with me."
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Collins wouldn't make any predictions about how good a backcourt could be that included Robinson, Chalmers and himself.
"We'll see what happens," he said, and added that he thought it would work out.
Kansan staff writer Jack Weinstein can be contacted at jweinstein@kansan.com.
Edited by Nicole Kelley