UNIVERSITY BABY KANSAS
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2006
SPORTS
9A
athletics calendar
TODAY
Women's golf, Mari Lynn Smith Sunflower Invitational, all day, Lawrence
Playar to watch: Meghan
glocker
finished
in a tie
for fourth
place at
Nebraska's
Chip-
N-Club
invitalian
in Lincoln.
Gockel
in the month. Gockel recorded a final score of 231.
WEDNESDAY
Volleyball at Missouri, 6:30 p.m., Columbia, Mo.
FRIDAY
Women's swimming, Intra-squad, 4.p.m., Robinson Center
Soccer vs. Texas, 4 p.m.
Jayhawk Soccer Complex
Women's tennis, Indiana Tournament, all day, Bloomington, Ind.
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
Football vs. Texas A&M, 11
a.m., Memorial Stadium
Volleyball at Oklahoma,
p.m., Norman, Okla.
Softball, Big Red Fall Classic,
2:30 and 4:45 p.m., Lincoln,
Neb.
Tennis, Indiana Tournament all day, Bloomington, Ind.
Men's golf. Windon Memorial Classic, TBA, Skokie Country Club, Glencoe, Ill.
SUNDAY
Softball, Big Red Fall Classic, 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., Lincoln, Neb.
SUNDAY
Soccer vs. Texas A&M, 1
p.m., Jayhawk Soccer Complex
Tennis, Indiana Tournament all day, Bloomington, Ind.
Chiefs defense returns
》 'HORN BORN 'HAWK BRED
Shutout against 49ers brings back memories of former greatness
Remember 1997? That year, everything seemed to be just as it should. Kansas was a heavy favorite to win college basketball's national title and the Chiefs had a great defense.
BY TRAVIS ROBINETT
KANSAN COLUMNIST
TROBINETT KANSAN.COM
It shouldn't be difficult to reminisce, because the same situation is right in front of your eyes; 2006 is eerily similar.
They haven't yielded a touchdown in 10 quarters of football. That's 150 minutes of game time. In the NFL, no matter who the opponent is, that's great.
I got the feeling on Sunday, when Kansas City obliterated San Francisco 41-0 and recorded its first shutout since 2002. I can hear the voices of dissent: San Francisco is terrible and shutting them out doesn't mean the Chiefs have a great defense again.
The Chiefs are finally fast, athletic, cooperative and intelligent enough to keep the other team out of the end zone. They even know how to tackle someone on the first hit, something I haven't seen out of the Chiefs since, well, 1997. And
on Sunday they shut out an offense that had been productive so far, one that had made big strides since last year.
But the Chiefs aren't just stopping the 49ers.
Second-year San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith hadn't thrown an interception since his rookie campaign, an impressive three-game streak considering last season's struggles. On Sunday, however, he threw two, one of which went to newly acquired cornerback Ty Law. It was his first interception as a Chief.
With Law helping the secondary by shutting down the opposing team's best receiver, the linebackers were blitzing and succeeding. Smith had only been sacked four times during his first three games.
The Chiefs sacked Smith five times, a nice change of pace from quarterbacks sitting endlessly in the pocket and picking the Kansas City defense apart.
Kansas City's run defense deserves credit too. San Francisco's rushing attack was held to 93 yards, 20 below its season average. It all goes back to the secondary. Kansas City was able to stop San Francisco because the secondary didn't let anyone open, while the rest of the defense concentrated on the run, all signs of a coherent unit.
Great defensive football is back in Kansas City. Too bad it didn't come three years ago, when the Kansas City offense was one of the best in the NFL.
Anyway, I sure did miss it. My only regret is that I didn't start the Chiefs defense in my fantasy football league.
Kansan sportswriter Travis Robinett is an Austin, Texas senior, in journalism.
Edited by Nicole Kelley
FOOTBALL
Mangino to thank for Kansas' recent success
Saturday's game gives coach, team a good reputation despite problems with offense, recruitment
LINCOLN, Neb. — As one of the few pebbles of blue surrounded by a garden of overzealous red — a reporter masquerading as a fan — I was convinced the Jayhawks would roll up to Lincoln and get blown out.
And after the first quarter, that prediction looked like a safe bet. But that's why coach Mark Mangino makes the big bucks.
Mangino showed why he is worth his $1.5 million contract, and also showed why Lew Perkins made the right choice to leave the football program in Mangino's capable hands.
Kansas needs Mark Mangino.
In the past, I have been critical of the direction of the program. There have been two big question marks during Mangino's reign: the lack of an offensive production and the inability to recruit a big-time playmaker at wide receiver.
All of that changed during Kansas' 39-23 overtime loss on Saturday. The Jayhawks looked doomed after a disastrous first quarter, which included two interceptions and 16 yards of offense. With a loud, boisterous, hostile environment, Kansas could have given up like past squads would have. But the team, led by Jon Cornish and Adam Barmann, rebounded to take the lead in the fourth quarter, completely silencing
And while moral victories are still losses, respect and admiration from your opponents is something you cannot recruit, it can only be obtained on the playing field. Saturday the Jayhawks proved they will have all of their opponents' attention in the foreseeable future.
85,000 stunned 'Husker fans.
Atway is a Phoenix, Ariz., senior in journalism.
of numerous BCS appearances, but he has planted the seeds of change that have led the Jayhawks to the land of respectability. In the past few years, Kansas had Texas on the ropes in Lawrence, played a gritty game against Oklahoma and came within an overtime period of beating mighty Nebraska in Lincoln.
The Jayhawks amassed 574 yards of offense against the dreaded pinkshirt — excuse me — blackshirt defense.
After the complete mess the Kansas program was left in during the Terry Allen era, Mangino has recruited better, coached better and headed the team toward greener Big-12 pastures.
The days of KU football being an automatic victory for opponents are gone, and the Jayhawks have Mangino to thank for that.
— Edited by Dianne Smith
Mangino won't lead the Jayhawks to college football's promised land
Follow the daily clues in this week's paper to find a special KU Medallion on campus. The winner will receive $25 to the KU Union or 75 Homecoming points!
TODAY'S CLUE:
We hope this clue isn't too tall, and you figure it out before it drives you up the (Insert Monday's Hint) . 99
MONDAY'S CLUE:
"From the beginning, I've always had pep. To find the next clue, be careful where you step."
Follow Monday's clue to a special spot on campus and look for The Medallion Hunt sign. The sign will give you the final word of today's clue.
CAMPUS
Fans get chance to preview teams at Late Night show
The Kansas men's and women's basketball teams will hold their first practices of the year at Late Night in the Phog at 6:45 p.m. Oct.13 in Allen Fieldhouse.
Doors for the 22nd annual Late Night will open at 6 p.m. and seating will be on a first-come, first-served basis. The event is scheduled to last until 9:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring nonperishable food, which will be donated to local food pantries. Children aged 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Source: Kansas athletics
All fans will receive a free set of thunder sticks and the entertainment will include performances by the KU pep band, video highlights and scrimmages by the men's and women's teams. One Kansas fan will get the chance to win a trip for two to Las Vegas to see the men play Ball State and Florida in the Las Vegas Invitational. The Fieldhouse doors will close when capacity is reached.
-Shawn Shrover
5.
20% OFF TODAY
TOUCH DOWN TUESDAY
Discount available at all three KU Bookstores, Oread Books and online at kubookstores.com
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