SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY 2-0 PAGE 6B
POLICE
WWW.KANSAN.COM MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10,2007 PAGE 1B
TEXANS BEAT CHIEFS 20-3 PAGE 8B
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10,2007 PAGE 11 KANSAS 62, SOUTHEASTERN LOUISIANA 0
》 GET BUSY LIVIN'
Jayhawks swinging harder than ever
BY RUSTIN DODD
KANSAN SPORTS COLUMNIST
RDOD@KANSAN.COM
It was almost as if Ron Burgundy and the Channel 4 news team were narrating this game.
"Boy, that escalated quickly. I mean that really got out of hand fast."
By the time Aqib Talib cradled in a 36-yard touchdown pass, giving Kansas a 22-0 lead with 8:29 left in the 2nd quarter, the students had already begun making their post-game plans, and Jayhawk fans turned their attention to the next cupcake on the menu — err uh
game on the schedule.
It wasn't that Kansas dominated a grossly undermanned Southeastern Louisiana team. It was that they didn't even break a sweat.
Excuse me, Coach Mangino. What have you done with the real Kansas football program?
Kansas football teams don't put up consecutive 50 point games. In fact, they never have in 118 years, the entire history of the program. Well you can scratch that stat off the "Kansas never has" list after the lajahawks out-scored Central Michigan and Southeastern Louisiana 112 to seven the first two weeks.
Kansas teams don't shut people out — at least not often. Kansas's last shut-out came in a 42-0 victory over Southern Illinois in 2000.
Kansas football teams don't out gain teams 501 yards to 75 yards in total offense, even if they are playing "The Little Sisters of the Poor."
It's almost as if Extreme Makeover: College Football Edition rolled into town and transformed Kansas from stale underachievers to motivated gridiron poets.
"Last year we came so close to being 11-1," he said.
Should we have seen this coming? junior wide receiver Marcus Herford thinks so.
You know what? He's right. If you take away the overtime losses against Toledo and Nebraska, the fourth quarter collapses against Texas A&M and Baylor, and the Adarius Bowman game against Oklahoma State, Kansas is looking at an 11-1 season and a trip to the Big 12 championship.
There's an old saying that coaches tend to use that says, "When you win, things are never as good as they seem, and when you lose, things are never as bad as they seem"
Instead, Kansas finished 6-6 and stayed at home for the holidays.
So things do need to be kept in perspective, and we won't know how good this team is until they travel to Kansas State on Oct. 6, but I would suggest one thing. If you want to hop on the bandwagon, you better buy a ticket quickly, because Kansas football is about to explode.
Toledo is up next on the schedule, and if you believe in the transitive property of college football, things could get ugly quickly for Toledo. Central Michigan, fresh off a 52-7 loss at the hands of Kansas, rolled over Toledo 52-31 on Saturday at home.
Following the Toledo game, Kansas welcomes a Florida International team that is sitting at the poll position of ESPN's college football Bottom 10 rankings. Yikes.
But if you think that four blow-out wins is going to make this team complacent going into the Kansas State game, you haven't talked to Aqib Talit.
Edited by Chris Beattie
"Week in and week out, we're preparing the same way," Talib said. "We're meeting the same way, so it's not going to be hard to keep that edge."
So Kansas football is relevant again, and you know what, it's fun. But if you want to take the next few weeks off and watch some pennant race baseball or focus on fantasy football, you won't miss much. Just make sure to be there in Manhattan on Oct. 6.
Special teams strike first as'Hawks dismantle Lions
BY ASHER FUSCO
afusco@kansan.com
For nearly seven minutes, Kansas didn't dominate Southeastern Louisiana. For the remainder of Saturday's 62.0 victory, the Jayhawks ran roughshod over the Lions.
"I'm pleased with all three phases of the game," coach Mark Mangino said. "We stopped the run, we played the pass well, our special teams were sharp and our return and coverage teams were good. PAT's, field goals — all of it."
But it took a few minutes into the game for the Jayhawks' gear to start turning.
When Kansas took over on offense for the first time with 13:32 to play in the first quarter, it gained 12 yards and a new set of downs on its first play from scrimmage. A quick touchdown drive seemed inevitable, but Kansas only gained seven yards on the next three plays and punted the ball after burning only two minutes off of the game clock.
The next time the Jayhawks had the ball, sophomore quarterback Todd Reeing forced another punt when he badly overthrew freshman wide receiver Tertavian Overgrath. Five minutes into the game, the favorite had not yet begun dismantling the underdog and the crowd of 43,912 grew restless.
SPECIAL TEAMS SCORE FIRST
The Lions managed to keep their heads above water for the first quarter's first half, but it took just 11 seconds for the Jayhawks to assert their dominance with nine quick points — all scored on special teams plays.
The collapse happened with about 6:30 remaining on the clock in the first quarter. Southeastern Louisiana prepared to punt from its own 28-yard line after hanging in the game early and ceding only two first downs on Kansas' first two possessions. Junior long snapper Kyle Tutor launched the snap over the outstretched arms of junior punter Cody Samples. By the time Samples caught up to the errant ball, it was bouncing out of the end zone for a safety.
Kansas junior wide receiver Marcus Herford then returned the ensuing free kick 74 yards for a touchdown. Herford's teammates provided several good blocks, leaving Herford streaking down the east sideline with just one Lion to beat — freshman kicker Danny Hrapmann. Herford slowed his stride at the 20-yard line, then blew by the kicker on his way to the first kick-return touchdown of his career.
"I knew I had to score because, if I didn't, I knew my teammates were going to let me have it," Herford said. "I was just excited to finally get into the end zone and help our team get extra points on the board."
A SPARKED OFFENSE
With a bit of momentum in tow, the Kansas offense came alive. In the second quarter alone, senior running back Brandon
Andrew Wacker/KANSAN
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 4B
A Kansas player holds his helmet high during the opening kickoff at Saturday's game against Southeastern Louisiana. The Javahawks went on to win the game in a 62-0 thirtieth.
VOLLEYBALL
'Hawks soar past Eagles win home tournament
BY RUSTIN DODD rdodd@kansan.com
Sixteen hours after Kansas beat Wyoming in a five-set, two hour and 26 minute marathon match, Kansas was back on the Horeisi Family Athletics Center floor leading Morehead State two games to zero, but still trailing in the third game 28-26.
Standing along the sideline as his team struggled to put away a resilient Morehead State team, Coach Ray Bechard called time-out.
"I just told our players that if you let an excited team extend this match, then you're
Kansas avoided a repeat performance by winning four consecutive points after the time-out, highlighted by a block by sophomore Brittany Williams that fell to the floor and gave Kansas a 29-28 lead. Kansas closed out Morehead State 30-28 in the third game, earning a 3-0 sweep against Morehead State, and clinching the Jayhawk Classic Tournament title.
going to be in the same situation you were in last night," Bechard said.
Senior Emily Brown was named the tournament's most valuable player after
SEE VOLLEYBALL ON PAGE 8B
Day Opponent Result
Friday St. Peter's Three-set win: 30-14, 30-16, 30-16
Friday Wyoming Five-set win: 38-40, 30-27, 30-25, 20-30, 15-13
Saturday Morehead State Three-set win: 30-17, 30-24, 30-28
cumbowkansan.com
BY ALISON CUMBOW
SOCCER
Kansas fails to get first victory against Southern Methodist
Kansas remained winless this season after losing 2-0 against Southern Methodist on Sunday. A visibly angry coach Mark Francis talked to his players in a tight circle after the game, and the players walked away with distraught faces.
"We're definitely off to a rough start," sophomore midfielder Monica Dolinsky said.
The Jayhawks wore their white jerseys during the game, while the Mustangs sported blue. The blue-outfitted players seemed to be all over the field at all the right times, which made both halves unfortunate for Kansas.
Dolinsky said the team was creating opportunities but not finishing plays.
In addition to being unfortunate, the Jayhawks were also unlucky. Though the Jayhawks more than doubled the Mustangs in shot attempts, they never scored.
The Jayhawks didn't sit once on the sidelines throughout the entire game and
Shots by period
SHOTS
| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| SMU | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| Kansas | 10 | 6 | 16 |
CORNER KICKS
1 2 Total
SMU 0 2 7
Kansas 2 5 7
FOULS
| | 1 | 2 | Total |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| SMU | 7 | 3 | 10 |
| Kansas | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Final Score
SMU 2
Kansas 0
SEE SOCCER ON PAGE 8B