Kansas will play Northwestern State on Saturday. The Demons tied for third in the Southland conference last year.
Predictions for the Big 12 breakdown continue. Find out the teams who could reach the top and those who don't stand a chance.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2006WWW.KANSAN.COM
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SPORTS
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Freshmen prepare for debut in season opener
Brandon McAnderson, junior running back, tries to get past Justin Thomton, freshman defensive back, during open practice Aug. 19.
Ryan McGeeney/KANSAN
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
With final preparations for his first game as a Jayhawk wrapping up, Kerry Meier can feel the nervousness setting in.
It's not that he's worried, but it's more that Meier, a redshirt-freshman quarterback, is just ready to get the season started.
"Each day, I think about it a little more and a little more," Meier said. "But I think once that first play gets under way, it'll be smooth sailing from there."
And for that first play?
"I'd like to start off with a passing play," Meier said with a laugh. "But we have Jon Cornish back there, and we're in good hands when we give the ball to him."
At least three freshman defenders — linebacker Maxwell Oyebuleg, cornerback Anthony Webb and safety Olaitan Oguntodu — will see the first action of their college careers on Saturday night. All are listed as backups. Despite the inexperience, Mangino said he wasn't worried about younger players seeing time early in the season. "We expect these young guys to play at a high standard and they expect the
Meier is the only freshman or redshirt-freshman that is expected to start on Saturday, but there are 11 listed as backups, primarily on
"The first game in college football is the most dangerous of the year," Mangino said. "You don't know what you have and you don't know what you're playing."
"We expect these young guys to play at a high standard and they expect the same thing. They have a swagger about them."
Even with all the snaps Kansas coach Mark Mangino has seen Meier and his teammates take over the last month, he still has yet to see them play against someone not wearing a blue or white uniform. That fact makes Saturday's game against Northwestern State a tough one to predict.
MARK MANGINO Coach
Of the 22 available first- or second-team spots on defense, only seven are filled by juniors or seniors. The
same thing," he said. "They have a swagger about them."
rest belong to freshmen, redshirt freshmen and sophomores who will get their first crack at significant defensive playing time on Saturday.
That young defense will have the task of stopping Demons' junior quarterback Ricky Joe Meeks. As the backup last season, Meeks saw action in seven games, completing nearly 61 percent of his passes, throwing one touchdown and one interception. Like Meier, Mangino said Meeks was a quarterback capable of scrambling outside the pocket when needed.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 2B
SOCCER
Cal Invitational provides tough games
Emily Strinden, junior midfielder/forward, tries to steal the ball from Furman players during the game Aug. 25.
BY MARK DENT
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Leave it to Mark Francis to find the bright side of what could be viewed as a bad situation.
Kansas' soccer game against Loyola Marymount, its second game of the season, was rained out on Sunday, but the coach isn't worried about his young team's lack of game experience.
gametips
"It would've been nice to play,
but I don't see it as a negative," Francis said. "Now we're a lot more rested."
The Jayhawks travel to Berkeley, Calif., this weekend for games against nationally ranked California and Saint Mary's at the Cal Invitational.
No matter how refreshed Kansas is, it cannot afford to start any more games as poorly as it did last week against Furman. The Jayhawks (1-0-0) won 3-0, but they were only able to pull away in the second half; after some choice words at halftime from Francis.
"I think we started off the game kind of slow," sophomore forward Sara Rogers said. "He shouldn't have to get on us, but it definitely motivated us, and we played a lot better in the second half."
Francis addressed the issue of playing with more energy in the first half.
California (2-0-0) should provide a greater challenge for Kansas than Furman did last week. The Golden Bears are currently ranked 10th in the nation in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Alditas soccer poll and defaced Big 10 schools Indiana and Wisconsin last week. Valerie
first that.
"It mainly about preparation in the locker room," Francis said. "I told the girls to make sure they don't come out and play like that against Cal."
Depth on offense will be key for Kansas to defeat California, Rogers, senior forward Lovey Novak and freshman forward Monica Dolinsky led the jawhaws' balanced scoring attack against Furman. The three forwards, who had one career goal between them before Friday, and the 10 other players who attempted shots showed that anybody is capable of scoring on this year's team.
Barnes scored both goals in the two 1-0 victories and is one of five returning starters from last year's Sweet Sixteen team.
"We've got a lot of people who can finish," Francis said. "It gives us better opportunities out front and makes us a little bit harder to defend against."
California may be nationally
ranked, but Kansas faces another test Sunday at noon when it squares off against Saint Mary's. First-year coach Kelly Lindsey has led the Gaels to a 1-10 record.
With two highly touted teams lining up against Kansas this weekend, Francis is sure his team will come out with something beneficial.
"If we can get a result playing against good competition, that's great." Francis said. "But they will also help prepare us for the conference season."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdant@ kansan.com.
Edited by Erin Wiley
Temple classic brings together Jayhawks, Owls for second time
》VOLLEYBALL
For Linsey Morningstar, senior setter/defensive specialist, this weekend will be like a homecoming. Morningstar transferred to Kansas after playing three seasons with Temple.
The Kansas volleyball team (3-1) will play Temple (3-1) at 6 p.m. today at McGonigle Hall for the Temple classic. On Saturday, Kansas has a doubleheader scheduled with
BY DREW DAVISON
Amanda Sellers/KANSAN
Maine (0-3) and Rutgers (2-2).
Emily Brown, junior opposite hitter/setter knocks the bat toward UMKC's Caitlin Koenig, freshman redshirt setter and Sarah Johnson, junior red shirt midiole hitter, during Tuesday's game in Horeksi Family Athletics Center.
"I'm really excited to see all the players and my friends up there," Morningstar said.
"We're real excited about going to Temple this weekend," coach Ray Bechard said. "I think there is a certain level of momentum we can carry over, but we've got to get better before we head to Tempe."
To get better, the Jayhawks must improve their serving, where they committed 17 service errors Tuesday.
Emily Brown, junior right side hitter/setter, said it was just going to take time before the Jayhawks found their niche in serving.
Kansas swept Temple, an Atlantic 10 school, in Lawrence last season at the Jayhawk Invitational, the first meeting between the two schools.
Fresh from defeating UMKC on Tuesday, Kansas is ready for this weekend's tournament.
"We're working hard every day, and we'll be ready," she said.
Delaware swept Temple on Tuesday for Temple's first loss of the season. Yue Lui, junior outside hitter, leads Temple's team with 4.23 kills per game. In the loss against Delaware, Lui had 14 kills, 12 digs and three blocks.
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Kansas will get an early wake-up call Saturday. It will take on Maine from the America East Conference at 9 a.m., also in Temple's McGonigle Hall. The Black Bears have yet to win this season, and since a good attack percentage is anything above .4, their .067 attack percentage explains why.
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