THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAS MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007
SPORTS
5B
» FANTASY FOOTBALL
Sleepers get wake-up call
Small-name players might prove to be fantasy threats
Buffalo Bills quarterback J. P. Losman, left, is pressured by Atlanta Falcons' John Abraham, right,
during the first half of the NFL preseason football game at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park,
N.Y., on Friday.
David Duprey ASSOCIATED PRESS
BY KELLY BRECKUNITCH kbreckunitch@kansan.com
The Kansan's Fantasy Football writer Kelly Breckunitch will profile his top sleepers in a three-part series. Check The Kansan on Tuesday for part three.
REM sleep is most commonly the stage of sleep where people dream. These players are looking to have dream seasons in the NFL and break out as true fantasy threats.
QB J.P. LOSMAN, BUF-FALO
Last year, a lot of fantasy writers told fantasy owners to stay away from J.P. Losman. Last year he threw for 3.051 yards, 19 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, had a passer rating of 84.9 and a completion percentage of 62.5 percent. He has a big play threat in wide receiver Lee Evans and has steadily improved during his past three seasons.
TE DANIEL GRAHAM,
DENVER
A solid defense will get Buffalo's offense the ball enough, and a rookie running back will put most of the offensive emphasis on Losman. Look for Losman to bring some excitement to the frigid north this season.
Daniel Graham had to get out of New England, where he was primarily used as a blocking tight end. The emergence of Ben Watson last year and the signing of the plethora of receivers in the offseason helped make his move easier.
Denver is a good fit for Graham.
The Broncos are going into their
2006
21 catches
235 receiving yards
2 touchdowns
Dreamers
Daniel Graham
start alongside Reggie Brown at the receiver position.
first season with Jay Cutler as the starting quarterback and he will need all the help he can get.
Curtis has played second fiddle to Holt and Bruce for his entire career so far, and now he will get the opportunity to play every down. Considering Brown is the next best option, Curtis should see a lot of balls thrown his way this year, which could lead to a lot of fantasy points.
DALLAS DEFENSE
Projected 2007
38 catches
425 yards
7 touchdowns
Rod Smith is
aging quickly, and though Javon Walker proved himself as a major threat last year, he is more of a deep threat than a possession receiver. Therefore, Graham could become a viable option in the redzone for Cutler and break out of the shell that contained him in New England.
That should all improve this
The hiring of Wade Phillips should help improve a defense that had many holes last season.
Kevin Curtis has had to play behind Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce for the past four seasons. His move to Philadelphia should improve his role in the passing game. He should
Dallas will try to get rid of that bad taste left from its playoff loss to Seattle last season. The hiring of Wade Phillips should help improve a defense that had many holes last season. Dallas gave up 322.8 yards per game last season, had 34 sacks and 18 interceptions.
WR KEVIN CURTIS, PHILADELPHIA
season because Phillips has a defensive mindset and has worked with a 3-4 scheme in the past few seasons with San Diego. Phillips inherits a number of versatile playmakers like DeMarcus Ware, Marcus Spears, Greg Ellis, Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Spencer, Roy Williams and the new Cowboy Ken Hamlin who he can mold into perfect form in his defensive scheme. The Dallas defense should improve drastically under Phillips, who knows the 3-4 scheme extremely well.
RB BRANDON JACOBS,
NY GIANTS
Eli Manning has one thing in common with his brother Peyton:
his last name. Other than that, the two are entirely different quarterbacks. Eli Manning lacks the confidence and intangibles that make Peyton Manning such a great quarterback. That is why I have no faith in the Giants' passing game this season.
However, running back Brandon Jacobs could break out and have a decent season. He is a bruising back who has been limited to goal line duties the past two seasons behind Tiki Barber. Now Barber's retirement leaves Jacobs in competition with Reuben Droughts for the starting spot. Droughts has not proven himself as a starter.
Droughts has had only one good season out of the running back haven in Denver. His highest number of touchdowns in a season is six. Jacobs has had more touchdowns than that in his first two years in the NFL.
The question is, can Jacobs hold up as a starting running back? I think he will stay strong for this year at least and be the only bright spot on a dismal Giants offense.
— Edited by Meghan Murphy
>> KANSAS BASEBALL
Price refutes Oregon rumor Coach emphasizes his dedication to the Jayhawks
BY SHAWN SHROYER
sshroyer@kansan.com
A newspaper reported last week that Kansas baseball coach Ritch Price was on Oregon's short list of coaching candidates to rebuild
the Ducks'
baseball
program
f r o m
scratch
The situation may be sorted out as soon as this week
Price
but Price wants to clarify as much as he can in the meantime.
"I have not heard from them. I have not applied for the job," Price said Saturday afternoon. "They just ran that article last week that said I could be a candidate for that, and my phone has blown up since."
The article Price referred to ran in The Oregonian last Thursday and linked Price to the head coaching vacancy at Oregon. Price, a Sweet Home, Ore., native, said when the school began its search for a coach, it decided to target Oregon natives, so his came up.
"I was flattered to have that be my home state and be mentioned as a candidate for the job, but it certainly hasn't been anything that I've initiated." Price said.
The coaching position has been empty for the last 26 years. Oregon eliminated its baseball program for financial reasons following the 1981 season. But in July, Oregon athletics director Pat Kilkenny announced that the program would be reinstated and play would begin in the 2008-09 season. Prior to that announcement, Oregon was the only Pacific 10 Conference school without a baseball program.
Originally, Vanderbilt coach Tim Corbin and Atlanta Braves Triple-A manager Dave Brundage were the leading candidates for the job, but both turned down the position last week. University of California, Irvine coach Dave Serrano is now thought to be Oregon's top choice and will interview with the school on Monday.
Since last week's report, Price has tried to remain business as usual. The Jayhawks held a team meeting on Friday and not a word was spoken about the Oregon coaching position.
"I didn't even address it because there's nothing to it on my end," Price said. "If they were to contact me next week, I would certainly let my players know, and obviously, I would visit with (University of Kansas associate athletics director) Sean Lester first."
Price said he was scheduled to meet with Lester on Monday at Lester's request. Price said Lester was out of town last week when the report came out, and that Lester wanted to talk to Price about it when he got back to Lawrence.
Kansas signed football coach Mark Mangino, men's basketball coach Bill Self and women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson to contract extensions last year, and the Athletics Department might now be prompted to do the same with Price. However, Price isn't looking to use Oregon's possible interest in him as a tool to parlay a bigger contract at Kansas.
"I'm certainly not using it as bargaining power at all. That's not my personality." Price said. "My personality is I do my job the best I can, and I just hope the people I work with bear with me."
If Price were to leave for Oregon, he would be met with the task of building a program from the ground up. Some people believe
that the baseball program would only have 3.5 scholarships the first year, and it may take as many as five years before it can offer the maximum 11.7 scholarships.
"It's going to be a building process there. It will be a huge challenge," Price said. "But they're going to build an $8 million stadium. They're going to make it one of the best jobs in the country. That's literally what it's going to be."
While Oregon could turn into a Top 25 program down the line. Price has built his own.
Price is 173-142-1 in five seasons at Kansas and is currently third on the school's all-time victories list. Price's 2006 squad won the Big 12 Championship and reached an NCAA Regional for the first time in more than a decade.
This year's team looks to have as much potential as the one from 2006 and includes Price's two youngest sons, senior Ryne Price and sophomore Robby Price. Price's oldest son, Ritchie, also played baseball at Kansas and holds eight school records. All of which are reasons why Price is happy right where he is.
"I've got my hands full at Kansas," Price said. "There's nobody in America who works harder than I do. I'm completely committed to baseball at Kansas and putting the best product on the field that I possibly can. I just signed the best recruiting class I've signed in the five years I've been at Kansas. Those players have signed to play at KU, and they signed to play for me. Oregon would have to make me an offer that I just absolutely couldn't refuse before I ever leave. I've never once thought about leaving."
Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Top 25 college preseason poll
The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press preseason college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, 2006 records, total points based on one point for a 25th-place vote through 25 points for a first-place vote, and final ranking from last season.
Team Record Pts Pvs
1. Southern Cal (62) 11-2 1,622 4
2. LSU (2) 11-2 1,511 3
3. West Virginia (1) 11-2 1,396 10
4. Texas 10-3 1,375 13
5. Michigan 11-2 1,371 8
6. Florida 13-1 1,276 1
7. Wisconsin 12-1 1,192 7
8. Oklahoma 11-3 1,166 11
9. Virginia Tech 10-3 1,148 19
10. Louisville 12-1 1,031 6
11. Ohio St. 12-1 876 2
12. California 10-3 790 14
13. Georgia 9-4 782 23
14. UCLA 7-6 605 _
15. Tennessee 9-4 571 25
16. Rutgers 11-2 560 12
17. Penn St. 9-4 542 _
18. Auburn 11-2 519 9
19. Florida St. 7-6 392 _
**20. Nebraska** **9-5** **377** _
21. Arkansas 10-4 376 15
22. TCU 11-2 283 22
23. Hawaii 11-3 256 _
24. Boise St. 13-0 187 5
**25. Texas A&M** **9-4** **162**
Others receiving votes: **Missouri** 128, Georgia Tech 94, Boston College 75, Oregon 73, South Carolina 69, Miami 68, Alabama 66, Oregon St. 42, Wake Forest 40, South Florida 28, Arizona St. 17, BYU 14, Southern Miss. 12, Notre Dame 11, Virginia 7, Clemson 6, Oklahoma St. 3, Texas Tech 2, Houston 1, Kentucky 1, N.C. State 1, Purdue 1.
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