THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6. 2007
SPORTS
3B
FOOTBALL
Lions look for courage to face the'Hawks
Mangino, players not underestimating Lions
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
Make no mistake. Southeastern Louisiana, Kansas' next opponent, is not a great team.
The Lions, a Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) team, are still in the process of rebuilding their program, which was re-introduced in 2003. They lost 35-14 in their opener to New Mexico State and were picked to finish last in the Southland Conference by the conference's sports information directors.
But talk to Kansas coach Mark Mangino and his players and they'll say Southeastern Louisiana is capable of surprising the Memorial Stadium crowd Saturday.
"They look real athletic on film and really fast," Kansas junior guard Chet Hartley said. "It's going to be a tough game."
Southeastern Louisiana has played five FBS (formerly Division 1-A) opponents in the last five years. The Lions are 0-5 in those games, losing by an average of 31 points.
The Jayhawks faced one of the best teams in the Southland Conference last year, Northwestern State, and demolished it, 48-19. The Lions played fellow Big 12 Conference school Texas Tech last season and were waxed, 62-0.
All signs point to a lopsided victory for the Jayhawks against the Lions. Mangino, however, isn't so convinced.
"This is a team looking for a vic
tory, and it's our job to make sure it doesn't happen here," he said. "We've always said we prepare for everyone the same way. That's just me and how I view the game, and our kids understand that."
The players definitely seem to be focused on the game against the Lions. Coming off a 52-7 blow out win over Central Michigan, a team that won 10 games and the Motor City Bowl last year, it's almost expected that players would be overconfident.
Not the Jayhawks. Instead of boasting about its outstanding performance, the team is concentrating on how it can get better.
"We are pretty close to being great but we can't settle for this because we made a lot of mistakes," sophomore safety Darrel Stuckey said. "There is still a lot of room for improvement."
Even if the Jayhawks weren't busy working to improve; Mangino said a certain football game last weekend should serve as a reminder to never take an opponent lightly. He was, of course, alluding to FCS team Appalachian State, that upset then No. 5 Michigan, 34-32.
At least one Jayhawk compared the Mountaineers to the Lions. Freshman cornerback Chris Harris said that Southeastern Louisiana was probably motivated by Appalachian State's performance.
"We can't sleep on any team. Every team is trying to be Appalachian State," he said, "so we are coming very prepared this week."
- Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
Jayhawks have history of FCS victories, Lions don't look tough to beat
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
This weekend's match-up against Southeastern Louisiana is not the first time the Jayhawks have squared off against a Football Championship Subdivision, formerly Division 1-AA, opponent. In fact, the Jayhawks have scheduled an FCS opponent in all but one season of the Mark Mangino era. During Mangino's tenure, Kansas has never fallen flat on its face against a lower-division foe. Here's a look back at the Jayhawks' last four games against FCS teams:
2002
MISSOURI STATE
2002
Mangino had lost his first two games as coach at Kansas when Missouri State came to Lawrence in week three of the 2002 season. Kansas did not pummel Missouri State, only out-gaining the Bears by 29 offensive yards. Kansas quarterback Bill Whittemore threw two interceptions, but running back Clark Green tallied 131 rushing yards and the Jayhawks triumphed, 44-24.
at a glance
Location: Hammond, Louisiana
Enrollment: 15,118
Mascot: Lions
Colors: Green and gold
Conference finish: 7 (Southern)
Head coach: Mike Lucas
2006 record: 2-9
2003
JACKSONVILLE STATE
The 2003 season went a bit better for Mangino and the Jayhawks. When the Jacksonville State Gamecocks rolled into Memorial Stadium, Kansas was 2-1 and coming off of a victory against Wyoming. After the Gamecocks rolled out of Lawrence with a 41-6 loss on their résumé, Kansas was 3-1. The Jayhawks somehow accrued 641 yards of total offense, nearly three times the amount the Gamecocks could muster. Whittemore threw for 319 yards and wide receiver Brandon Rideau recorded 106 receiving yards.
APPALACHIAN STATE
2005
The Mountainees went on to win the FCS national title but were no match for the Jayhawks on Sept. 10. In front of 37,070 spectators, running back Jon Cornish battered Appalachian State, picking up 103 yards in the first big game of his Kansas career. The famed 2005 Jayhawk linebacking corps enjoyed a great day as Banks Floodman, Nick Reid and Kevin Kane combined for 28 tackles en route to a 36-8 win. The victory helped Kansas reach seven wins in 2005, good enough to earn a trip to the Fort Worth Bowl.
2006
2006
NORTHWESTERN STATE
Jon Cornish once again feasted on an opponent from the FCS ranks, collecting 140 rushing yards in the season opener. It was an auspicious debut for quarterback Kerry Meier, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more. Kansas racked up 49 points to Northwestern State's 18 and outgained the Demons on the ground by 147 yards.
This year's foe, Southeastern Louisiana, might be the weakest of the FCS teams Kansas has faced
recently. The Lions went 2-9 last season against largely unheralded competitors from the Southland Conference and lost the 2007 season opener to a low-level FBS team. Southeastern Louisiana lost to New Mexico State, 35-14, last week despite keeping the game close through the first half.
Speaking in a teleconference earlier this week, Coach Mike Lucas did not sound optimistic about his team's chances at Memorial Stadium. He spent much of the conference call touting Kansas' personnel.
"Kansas has two absolute monsters who are very athletic anchoring a very good offensive line," Lucas said. "They have two very good running backs and their quarterback has a quick release and is throwing to a pair of big, athletic receivers."
Lucas went on to speak highly of senior tight end Derek Fine and junior cornerback Aqib Talib. He said his team was intending to improve and sharpen its skills this weekend against Kansas. If past results provide any indication, the Jayhawks may not have their hands full against the Lions.
Edited by Elizabeth Cattell
football notebook
» Coach Mark Mangino said junior cornerback Kendrick Harper's recovery from an injury was progressing as expected. The time frame for Harper's return remains somewhat uncertain. Mangino said that Harper should definitely be back in time to travel to Kansas
State on Oct. 6 but that he could play against Florida International on Sept. 22. Harper, a Butler County Community College transfer, was expected to start at cornerback until his training camp injury Freshman Chris Harris started in Harper's place last week.
Mangino also said freshman
linebackers Drew Dudley and Justin Springer could see more playing time as Kansas plays the rest of its nonconference games. Both Dudley and Springer played on special teams last weekend and appeared on defense in the fourth quarter. Dudley is listed as the team's No. 2 middle
linebacker but Springer, who made two tackles against Central Michigan, is not included on the most recent depth chart for the position.
Asher Fusco
》 PRO WRESTLING
Edited by Chris Beattie
Doctors analyze Benoit murders
BY HARRY R. WEBER ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATLANTA (AP) — Pro wrestler Chris Benoit suffered head trauma from his years in the ring that could help explain why he killed his wife, son and himself, a doctor who studied his brain said Wednesday.
The analysis by doctors affiliated with the Sports Legacy Institute suggested that repeated concussions could have contributed to the killings at Benoit's suburban Atlanta home, though there was no way to know for sure.
"Whether it is the sole factor, I believe, is speculation, and I will not go there," said Dr. Robert Cantu, a member of the Waltham, Mass-
based institute, which researches the long-term effects of concussions.
The level of brain damage Benoit had could have caused depression and irrational behavior, said Cantu, who also is chief of neurosurgery service at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Mass.
Richard Decker, an attorney for the mother of Benoit's slain wife, said the brain test results "don't make a lot of difference to us."
"Even if the theories about the effects of continuing trauma on Chris' personality are accurate, they don't rule out Chris' excessive steroid use, which we know he was involved in, as a factor in the murders." Decker said. "In either case, it wouldn't excuse his conduct."
Prosecutors have said Benoit, 40, strangled his wife with a cord, used a choke hold to strangle his 7-year-old son, placed Bibles next to the bodies and hanged himself on a piece of exercise equipment the weekend of June 22.
Authorities have said Benoit's personal doctor, Phil Astin, prescribed a 10-month supply of anabolic steroids to Benoit every three to four weeks between May 2006 and May 2007. Astin has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of improperly prescribing painkillers and other drugs to two patients other than Benoit.
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