SPORTS
K
COACH PICKS NEWCOMERS TO SHUFFLE BASEBALL LINEUP
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 8A
WWW.KANSAN.COM
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2007
PAGE 12A
>> FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE
Not so easy to work off rust after long break
Shawn Shroyer, baseball beat writer and sports columnist, is writing a series of articles about his experiences participating in open tryouts for the Kansas baseball team.
So, how does a baseball player recover skills lost during a three-and-a-half-year layoff from the game in just a week? Simply put, it can't be done.
But I did the most I could last week to prepare for walk-on tryouts, which began this week.
I had actually been running since the spring to get in better shape, but it won't matter how far or fast I can run if I can't hit or field. As a left-handed hitting first baseman, I soon found myself praying to the prophet Ted Williams and the patron saint of first basemen Keith Hernandez
But the baseball gods help only those who help themselves. It was time to strap on the ol' batting gloves and lace up my spikes.
WEDNESDAY
The weather reports weren't promising. All I wanted to do was to get off work and get to the Kansas Sports Center in Lenexa for some batting practice, and all Weather.com was telling me that by the time I got there, it would be pouring.
Ever the optimist, I decided to test nature.
But the baseball gods had frowned upon me. No sooner than I began seeing exit signs for Lenexa on K-10, the rain began and became heavier by the minute. I arrived at the Kansas Sports Center just in time to see an employee locking up the batting cages.
One look at the sky told me this rain wasn't stopping any time soon, and I cursed it.
FRIDAY
Ted Williams always said that hitting a round ball with a round bat was the single hardest thing to do in sport. Yet, there was a time in my life when doing so came naturally.
So Friday afternoon I inserted my token into the pitching machine and selected the fastest speed setting. But even from the afterlife, Teddy Ballgame can humble hitters. I struggled just to make contact and took it down a notch for my next round.
Contact was still minimal in round two, and I gave a nice breeze to the family a few cages down. I took it down another notch.
SEE SHROYER ON PAGE 8A
Schedule preys on weaker FCS teams
FOOTBALL
Some fans would prefer to see big-name opponents in Lawrence
BY THOR NYSTROM
tnystrom@kansan.com
The shocking Appalachian State upset of Michigan will do nothing to change the ideology of KU schedule makers. The Athletics Department plans to continue to schedule FCS, formerly known as Division 1AA, opponents in the future, according to Associate Athletics Director Jim Marchiony.
"I remember a couple years ago when we played Appalachian State, and nobody here thought they were any good," Marchiony said. "There are no gimmies in college football. You can't worry about what people think of the schedule, you just do what you think is best for the program."
In 2005, KU defeated the Mountaineers 36-8. ASU won the FCS championship that year.
Marchiony said FCS schools generally accepted less money than lower-division FBS opponents to travel to Lawrence.
FCS opponents are considered inferior to their larger division counterparts, without the exposure, resources or prestige to recruit on a national level. Michigan's hiccup, coupled with such upsets as Saturday's Northern
Iowa victory against Iowa State, has gone lengths to debunk the notion that FCS games are sure-wins.
Marchiony said the Athletics Department has tried to "schedule for success," with an obvious eye on bowl eligibility.
Eric Sternberger, Wichita junior, said he would rather see a marquee nonconference game in Lawrence than the Jayhawks in a lower-tier bowl game with wins against inferior competition.
"What does bowl eligibility mean?"
SEE SCHEDULE ON PAGE 9A
FCS opponents
2007 — Southeastern Louisiana, W 62-0
2006 Northwestern State,W 49-18
2005 Appalachian State, W.36-8
2004 — None were scheduled
2003 — Jacksonville State, W 41-6
2003 — Jacksonville State, W 41-6
Friendly competition
2002 — Missouri State, W 44-24
2001 — Missouri State W 24.19
2001 — Missouri State, W 24-10
2000 — Southern Illinois, W42-0
1998 — Illinois State, W 63-21
1999 — Cal-State Northridge, W71-14
Adam MacDonald/KANSAN
Ed Colson, Olathe sophomore, tucks the football under his arm after catching a pass while Brian Cordes, Lansing sophomore, pursues him. They play pick-up games with their friends at 4 p.m.every Monday along Naismith Drive near Hogland Ballpark.
Adam Stant, Overland Park
Adam Stant, Overland Park sophomore, reaches back to launch a deep pass to a teammate Monday afternoon in a field along Naismith Drive. Stant and his friends gather to play pick-up football games on Mondays after class.
COMMENTARY
Despite impressive numbers, sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing didn't bring his A-game on Saturday. Other players picked up the slack to carry the team to a 62-0 victory against Southeastern Louisiana
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Kansas impressive, not perfect
Strong offensive line, defense make up for Reesing's off day
Fusco: Last weekend was definitely an eventful one for Kansas football and the entire Big 12 Conference. Starting here in Lawrence, there was an awful lot of scoring — at least by the Jayhawks — and quite a few highlights. Todd Reesing once again put his powerful arm on display and Kansas received positive contributions from almost every player on the roster. Granted, it was against Southeastern Louisiana, but the Jayhawks won very convincingly.
BY CASE KEEFER AND ASHER FUSCO
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNISTS
CKEEFER@KANSAN.COM, AFUSCO@KANSAN.COM
Keefer: Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Brian Babin had the best analysis of Saturday's game when he said "Well, they're Kansas. We're Southeastern Louisiana." Babin is correct. But the Jayhawks did little things well, which made the victory more
On Kansas' two longest pass plays, Reesing would have had enough time to run up to the Campanile and back to the field without any pressure in the backfield. It's unfair to expect Todd Reesing to be Peyton Manning every week, which is why the offensive line's ability to hold blocks is vital.
Todd Reeing finished 13-for-23 with 251 yards and two touchdowns. Reesing's numbers were just as impressive as week one, but he didn't look nearly as proficient. The offensive line undoubtedly aided his performance.
meaningful than just another game closer to bowl eligibility.
Fusco: Reesing was undoubtedly a little off. He missed his receivers quite a few times, and his 66-yard completion to Marcus Henry wasn't exactly a thing of beauty. But with loads of help from every other Jayhawk, Reesing certainly got the job done. Speaking of other Jayhawks, the Kansas defense may have been the most
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 9A