THE UNIVERSITY OF DALY KANSAS
THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 2000
SPORTS
3B
FOOTBALL
Freshman running back looks sharp early
Jake Sharp begins his KU career as one of the best players in Kansas high school football history
BY RYAN SCHNEIDER
Jake Sharp takes everything seriously.
Whether it's taking snaps at running back with the offense or just running sprints before wrapping up practice, the freshman is intense.
"I guess that's kind of the way I've been brought up." Sharp said. "It's how I've been taught the game of football. It's not a game for boys."
That. intensity doesn't mean he can't have some fun, though.
"I go out there and focus on the task at hand and try and balance it with as much horseplay as possible," Sharp said.
All games and horseplay aside, Sharp's intensity at practice is hard not to notice. For him KU Football is a learning experience, a chance for one of the most successful running backs in the history of Kansas high schools to prove himself at the college level.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he had already seen Sharp's "game face" in practice.
"He is so serious in practice every day," Mangino said. "I'll be interested to see what he looks like on game day"
Mangino has certainly been impressed with Sharp in practices so far this month. At Big 12 Football Media Day in Kansas City, Mo. last month, Mangino called Sharp the hardest-working freshman hed ever seen.
"He wants to get in the mix and play," Mangino said. "He is certainly competing."
In an open practice for fans and media on Aug. 5, Sharp took several reps in the backfield with the third-team offense. His speed was evident as he made cuts to the right side of the offensive line and exploded through holes for long downfield runs.
Sharp's work ethic during less than a month of practice has already impressed his teammates, including redshirt freshman quarterback Kerry Meier.
"These first couple of practices, he's, showcased his talent," Meier said. "He's a very talented man and I'm looking forward to great things from him."
While it's possible for Sharp to
see some time in the backfield this season, it's more likely that he'll play on the special teams unit or possibly take a redshirt. In addition to his running back duties, he has already practiced as a punt and kick returner. Sharp said he'd be open to the possibility of being a Jayhawk for five seasons.
"If I would redshirt, I'd get anoth
"If I would redshirt, I'd get another year here. But then again, if I wouldn't redshirt, it'd be nice to play because I'm not a guy that likes to watch from the sidelines."
JAKE SHARP
Kansas running back
er year here," Sharp said. "But then again, if I wouldn't redshirt, it'd be nice to play because I'm not a guy that likes to watch from the sidelines?"
Watching from the sidelines was hardly a part of Sharp's high school career.
Sharp arrived in Lawrence as one of Kansas' top high-school running backs. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Kansas in 2005. The Salina native also set a state record with 63 career touchdowns and is the second leading rusher in Kansas state high school history. His team, Salina Central High School, went undefeated last season and captured the Kansas 5A state title.
The adjustment from high school to college hasn't been easy, despite his success and reputation. Practices have been long, but Sharp admitted it has been a valuable learning experience. He said the transition has been made easier because of the workload in high school.
"Coming up here, it's much more of a challenge," Sharp said. "I'm lucky, coming from a program where we lifted and ran a lot, but some guys aren't lucky enough to come from a big school, so it takes a little longer for them to make gains."
Ochoa named to award watch list:
Football Notes:
Senior offensive lineman David Ochoa was named to the Lombardi Award watch list. The Lombardi Award honors the top lineman in college football. Ochoa — an All-Big 12 honorable mention selection last season — was also named to the Outland Trophy and Rimington Trophy watch lists. As a junior, Ochoa started all 12 games at center for the Jayhawks last season.
Open practice on Friday:
The Kansas football team will host its second open practice of the season for fans and media on Friday beginning at 3:40 p.m. Practice will be held at the practice fields near Hoglund Ballpark. Following practice, Mangino will be the guest at a kick-off rally at the Corinth square parking lot, 83rd Street and Mission Road, in Prairie Village, from 6 to 8 p.m.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneider@kansan.com.
—Edited by Travis Robinett
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
Cowboys have experienced youth, but few seniors Heavy in underclassmen, Oklahoma State predicted to finish fifth in Big 12 South conference
BY SHAWN SHROYER
Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of Big 12 previews by Kansan football writer Shawn Shrover. Look for his previews in the next 11 issues of The University Daily Kansan.
This season, Ohio State is considered a national championship contender, whereas Big 12 media predict Oklahoma State will finish fifth in the Big 12 South.
Two seasons ago, Oklahoma State played Ohio State in the Alamo Bowl and lost 33-7. The two OSU programs have gone in opposite directions since.
Nevertheless, Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy is confident his second season will be better than his first, when the Cowboys went 4-7 overall and 1-7 in the Big 12.
"We're a better football team than we were at the end of the season," Gundy said. "We're more mature in areas that I think make a big difference."
Those areas include quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and center. Oklahoma State had freshmen starting at each of those positions last season. Some struggled, while others flourished, but all are trying to improve as sophomores.
Sophomore Bobby Reid appeared in seven games last year, starting five. The highlight of Reid's season was leading Oklahoma State to an upset victory against Texas Tech when he completed 10 of 18 passes for one
touchdown and no interceptions.
For the season, however, Reid completed just 48.1 percent of his passes, threw four interceptions to two touchdowns and was sacked 15 times.
Those sacks were a result of inexperience on the offensive line, as center David Washington was only a freshman. Reid hopes the year of experience translates into him staying on his feet more often.
What could complicate matters on the line again this year are freshmen Brady Bond, Noah Franklin and Jacob Secrest, who are fighting for the two guard spots.
Despite their youth, senior offensive lineman Corey Hilliard said they're looking good and, as a result, Reid has looked better this spring.
"They'll be all right, I have all the confidence in the world in those guys," Hilliard said.
In the backfield, sophomore Mike Hamilton is coming off a freshman campaign that left him just 39 yards short of a 1,000-yard rushing season. Hamilton averaged five yards per carry and was the team's second-leading receiver with 20 receptions, but he was only able to break into the end zone once.
Reid should have more receiving options this season. Receiver D'Juan Woods is entering his senior season after racking up nearly 900 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last year.
Joining Woods are sophomore Ricky Price and junior Adarius
Oklahoma State Schedule
Sept. 2 – vs. Missouri State
Sept. 9 – at Arkansas State
Sept. 16 – vs. Florida Atlantic
Sept. 23 – at Houston
Oct. 7 – at Kansas State
Oct. 14 – at Kansas
Oct. 21 – vs. Texas A&M (Homecoming)
Oct. 28 – vs. Nebraska
Nov. 4 – at Texas
Nov. 11 vs. Baylor
Nov. 18 – at Texas Tech
Nov. 25 – vs. Oklahoma (Senior Day)
Source: Oklahoma State University
Bowman. Price had 16 catches for 238 yards as a freshman, while Bowman had to sit out a year after transferring from North Carolina. In two years at North Carolina, Bowman caught 28 balls for 510 yards and five touchdowns.
Gundy is eager to see what extra element Bowman can add to the offense.
"When there's guys that make plays with the ball in their hand, that makes you look a lot better, and he's
the guy that can contribute to that." Gundy said.
Also getting into the mix will be sophomore tight end Brandon Pettigrew. Pettigrew had 11 receptions for 128 yards and a touchdown as a freshman.
This combination of experienced youth with seniors like Woods and Hilliard has the Cowboys looking to tear up defenses in 2006.
"If we get in and protect Bobby and make lanes for Mike, I think we'll be one of the best, if not the best offense in the Big 12," Hilliard said.
Oklahoma State's defense should be more experienced than its offense, but not by much.
The Cowboys have seven returning starters on defense, but only four of the seven are seniors and all four are on the defensive line. To fill in behind them, Gundy will be throwing some youngsters on the field and moving players to new positions.
Junior linebacker Rodrick Johnson is Oklahoma State's top returning tackler from 2005, but joining him will be freshman Chris Collins and junior Jeremy Nethon, who took a redshirt last season and is converting to linebacker from safety.
Sophomore Calvin Mickens and junior Martel Van Zant are returning starters at corner and sophomore Jacob Lacey should see significant playing time with them.
Junior Donovan Woods is a retuning starter at strong safety, but alongside him will be freshman Andre Sexton.
Opposing offenses may take advantage of Oklahoma State's young secondary, but the Cowboys should be able to s'uff the run with the likes of senior defensive tackle Ryan McBean.
"I think we've got some of the best ends," Hilliard said. "And in Ryan McBean, he's probably one of the best d-tackles in the conference. He's going to have a breakout year."
In 2006, the key to success for the Cowboys will be avoiding the kinds of mistakes young teams are prone to committing.
Last season, turnovers killed the Cowboys on offense and the defense gave up too many big plays.
Gundy and Hillard say the team has improved in the turnover category. If it hasn't, the Cowboys will be at home for the second straight winter.
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Kansan sportswriter Shawn Shroyer can be contacted at sshroyer@ kansan.com.
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"So far I haven't heard it's anything disabling, so I'm optimistic" manager Tony La Russa said. "I heard there wasn't anything they found that makes them think he wouldn't be back playing at some point."
Hair may not look this cute on you...
Juan Encarnacion moved from right to center field, where Edmonds has won eight Gold Gloves, for Wednesday night's game. Edmonds, 36, was batting .261 with 18 home runs and 65 RBIs, third-best on the team.
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sports briefs
Owens returns to the Cowboys
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Terrell Owens ditched the bike and got back onto the field for the Dallas Cowboys
He did keep them waiting, though.
Edmonds underwent an MRI exam of his head Tuesday night that showed normal function, then had another battery of medical tests on Wednesday to rule out other potential sources of his problem, including diabetes, other nutrition issues or an Infection. He was not in the lineup against the Cincinnati Reds, and the team said he was day-to-day.
Owens, who missed 14 straight practices because of a hamstring problem, was the last player on the field Wednesday in Oxnard, Calif. He did ride the stationary bicycle on the sideline, where he's spent the last two weeks, but this time just for a quick warm-up before the only practice of the day, his first since Aug. 2.
"That doesn't mean he would play," Parcells said. "He has missed a lot of time. It wouldn't be so much whether he practiced or not as to how he looked, how much he practiced and did he get enough practice to make a good judgment about playing him."
Edmonds diagnosed with post-concussion syndrome
Coach Bill Parcels wasn't sure if Owens' return to practice meant he'd be available for Monday night's game against New Orleans.
St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Jim Edmonds, who was removed from Tuesday night's game after complaining of dizziness and blurred vision, has been diagnosed as suffering from post-concussion syndrome.
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