KU Crew is recruiting students who are interested in participating in club rowing. The team offers an alternative to the busy pace of NCAA sanctioned sports.
The Kansas football team released its depth chart Wednesday night, showing who will start at each position. Visit Kansan.com for the complete list.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2006 WWW.KANSAN.COM
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
PAGE 1B
FOOTBALL
Redshirt-freshman quarterback Kerry Meier runs around a block thrown by junior offensive lineman Cesar Rodriguez at Fan Appreciation and Kid's Day Wednesday, August 23 at Memorial Stadium Despite having a first-year quarterback, several publications have high expectations for this year's team.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Media predict decent conference standing
Despite its reputation as a lackluster program, Kansas has been dubbed by some publications in the sporting press as a contender in the Big 12 North
BY THOR NYSTROM
Jayhawk football fans are used to praying for a revival. This season, according to the national media, it may actually happen.
Some sports publications across the country have weighed in with unusual optimism for a program that has spent most of the last 10 years hovering near the cellar of the Big 12 North. Of the ten publications surveyed for this story, six project the Jayhawks to finish fourth or better.
Since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996, the Jayhawks' highest finish in the six-team north division was 4th in 1999, when the team went 3-5 in conference play.
the preseason third, along with a Dec. 30 trip
Because of predictions, the Jayhawks will have to deal with something they aren't used to: Higher expectations. The national consensus is that the Kansas is a team on the rise.
A th l on
Sports sees a giant leap in the standings.
pegging Kansas second in the north. CBS Sportsline projects the law
Jayhawk predictions
Magazine Big 12 North National rank
Athlon Sports 2 46
Sporting News 4 59
CBS Sportsline 3 43
Lindy's 5 N/A
Street + Smiths' 4 N/A
Phil Steele T-4 60
Sports illustrated 5 66
KC Star 4 N/A
USA Today 5 56
Blue Ribbon 5 N/A
Source: Preseason magazines/newsapers
trip to San Antonio, Texas to play a Big 10 school in the Alamo Bowl.
"KU has an excellent shot of getting to their 3rd bowl in 4 years," Phil Steele wrote.
The Kansas City Star is predicting a 7-5 season and a trip to the Independence Bowl, which will be played in Shreveport,
projects the Jayhawks to finish and pits the Big 12 against the
La., on Dec. 28, sig 12 against the
SEC.
The pressure from these predictions will fall on a quarterback who has never taken a collegiate snap, and a defense that lost the Big L2 Defensive Player of the Year, linebacker Nick Reid, among many other starters.
The Jayhawks' strong 2005 campaign, which included a 7-5 finish and a Fort Worth Bowl victory, has stirred optimism inside the program as well.
"We obviously had some success last season," coach Mark Mangino said. "That success has helped tremendously with our program in terms of the confidence we're building in
SEE STANDING ON PAGE 2B
THE RANT
Nothing compares to home football
BY RYAN COLAIAINI
KANSAN COLUMNIST
RCOLAIAINi KANSAN.COM
The smell of brats cooking on an open flame. The sound of the marching band playing the alma mater. The roar of the crowd as the players rush onto the field. The illusion of acres of wheat drifting at Memorial Stadium after a Kansas touchdown.
These are things that I have been missing for a long time: The sights and sounds of football. After spending two years covering the team for the Kansan, Saturday will mark the first time in more than two years that I attend a football game as a fan.
I won't miss my return to fandom on Saturday, and here are some reasons you shouldn't either.
With kickoff set for 6 p.m. you and your friends have the entire day to get ready for the action. You can watch the early games from around the nation or make predictions about how many touchdowns Kerry Meier will throw later in the day. Most importantly, the late kickoff gives you what feels like endless hours of tailging — complete with plenty of cold ones — before heading into the stadium.
Every year, many students head home during the first football game of the season because of Labor Day weekend. I always thought it was ridiculous to do so. During my freshman year I watched the first game of the season, and my first game at Kansas, in a virtual monsoon. That year Kansas lost to Northwestern. This year Kansas has Northwestern State and I guarantee you Kansas won't lose by
eight like it did in 2003.
There's no place like Memorial Stadium on game day. There's not the stress of preparing for a game at Allen Fieldhouse. There's no need to camp out for seats or the need to get there early enough that tailgating has no purpose. Go home Sunday if you have to and enjoy the experience of game day at the stadium. You can go home any time, but there are only seven home football games. We all should relish our time at the games.
There will be a lot of faces taking to the field on Saturday that you might not recognize. You need to get acquainted with them. Names like Mike Rivera, Jake Sharp, Joe Mortensen and Blake Buellet are some that will catch your eye right away. These players are the future of the team and will be the primary factors involved in bringing this year's
squad back to a bowl game.
If nothing else, you should go to the game on Saturday to simply see how the team looks. Throughout training camp, Kansas players have talked about how impressive freshman quarterback Kerry Meier has looked. Granted, his showing this weekend against a I-AA opponent will not tell us how he will look against Nebraska later in the month, but Meier's performance will give us a good indication of how improved the quarterback position and the overall offense are this year.
So I will leave you with one question: Where will you be on game day?
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Colaianni is a McLean, Va. senior in journalism and political science.
» FOOTBALL
Punts, kicks looking up
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Watching Brian Murph's first punt return of last season was nerve-racking for football coach Mark Mangino.
Murph initially fumbled the ball in the first quarter of the Fort Worth Bowl, retreating all the way to the Jayhawks' 15-yard line. After regaining control of the ball, Murph made his move back up the field, straddling the Houston sideline as he cut upfield into open space, scoring the Jayhawks' first touchdown of the game.
Mangino was pleased with the result, but not exactly happy with how Murph started out the return.
"I like that he ended up in the end zone," Mangino said. "I don't like the way he started that particular play out. I have confidence in his ability to run the punts back after the ball is under his arm. Now he is working on gaining our confi-
SEE KICKS ON PAGE 2B
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell prepares to throw the football during practice Friday, Aug. 11, in Lubbock, Texas. Harrell, a sophomore from Ennis, Texas, holds the state high school record for touchdown passes in a season with 67.
Stack/Gray/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Experience key for Red Raiders
Offense and defense return many upperclassmen to make run at South
BY SHAWN SHROYER
Add Texas Tech to the short list of contenders that could win the Big 12 South, but historically its odds are slim.
Eight times in the first 10 years of the Big 12 Conference's existence, Texas or Oklahoma has finished first in the South. 1998 was the last year neither team played in the conference championship game; instead it was Texas A&M.
Texas Tech players agree that Texas and Oklahoma deserve the attention they get every year, but this season the Red Raiders think they have
the power to join them in the spotlight.
"It's up to use to change that," senior linebacker Keyunta Dawson said. "It's not us sitting back and saying we're tired of hearing that; we have to change that."
What may take Texas Tech to Texas and Oklahoma's level in 2006 is a veteran defense to match its high-powered offense. Nine projected starters are either juniors or seniors.
J
Although the Red Raider defense lost its leading tackler and emotional leader, safety
SEE RAIDERS ON PAGE 2B