THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007 SPORTS 3B BIG 12 Buffaloes gain experience BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com Colorado 0-6 start last season was its worst in more than 25 years. Things didn't get much better in Boulder, Colo., during the offseason. The only time the team made the headlines was when coach Dan Hawkins blew up at a press conference. The cure for all of this turmoil is simply to win. And with 15 returning starters, that's something the Buffaloes feel capable of. OFFENSE Colorado hired coach Dan Hawkins last year. The team went 2-10 in its first season under Hawkins, and its offense was 11th in the Big 12. The Buffaloes hope Hawkins can help turn things around this season. Hawkins's son, redshirt freshman quarterback Cody Hawkins, is the 2006 recap Record: 2-10 Overall, 2-6 Big 12 Bowl game: Not eligible Points Per Game: 16.3 Opponents Points Per Game: 22.3 starter going into the season. Last year's starting quarterback, Bernard Jackson is third on the depth chart now, but his athletic ability should be useful in the offense. Colorado returns every receiver who caught a pass last season. Senior Alvin Barnett and junior Patrick Williams are the most experienced receivers. Senior running back Hugh Charles rushed for almost 800 yards last season and has the talent to pass the 1,000-yard mark this season. He'll Cliff Grassmick/ASSOCIATED PRESS Colorado's Patrick Williams, right, catches a touchdown pass in front of Gardner McKay. Colorado scrimmaged on Aug. 12 at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo. have to do it behind an offensive line that loses three starters. DEFENSE The Buffaloos have a pair of outstanding defensive talents. Senior linebacker Jordon Dizon was second in the Big 12 last year with an average of more than 11 tackles a game. Senior cornerback Terrence Wheatley had five interceptions last year and can cover the Big 12's best receivers. Junior Benjamin Burney is not as experienced but should start at cornerback opposite Wheately. The addition of Idaho transfer Daniel Dykes gives the Buffalooes depth at the safety position. Junior outside linebacker Brad Jones was the Buffaloes' third leading tackler last season and can cover the pass well. Juniors George Hypolite and Brandon Nicolas will start at defensive tackle again. They combined for 14 tackles for losses last season. Dizon will be the leader of a defense that features both veterans and newbies. SEASON OUTLOOK Colorado opens the season with four tough non-conference games. The Buffaloes will be underdogs when they travel to Arizona State the second week of the season and again when they return home the following week to play Florida State. Colorado will face Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Baylor from the Big 12 South. Preseason rankings consider Oklahoma one of the top 10 teams in the country, and Texas Tech remains an explosive offensive team. Colorado plays 11 straight games before its bye week, which could cause problems if players are injured. Oklahoma, Missouri and Nebraska each travel to Folsom Field in Boulder, Colo., and Colorado will likely have to win at least one of those games to become bowl eligible. Edited by Chris Beattie PREDICTION: 5-7, not bowl eligible ROWING KANSAN FILE PHOTO The rowing team is preparing for the season by building on the skills of the returning women. The team had one of its best seasons last spring, placing 10th at the NCAA South-Central Regions. Past success sets season's pace BY BRYAN WHEELER bwheeler@kansan.com The Kansas rowing team is looking to improve from last season's success with the return of four members of the First Varsity Eight crew: Carrie Selden, Valerie Jackson, Lindsay Lawrence and Kara Boston, as well as the First Varsity crew'e coxwain, Katie Brosius. Kansas rowing gained varsity status in 1995 and has been improving ever since. Under coach Rob Cattæ´›, the rowing team finished ninth in the Central regional last spring. At the NCAA South-Central Regionals, Kansas finished one of its best seasons to date, placing 16th. The team finished just six points behind Texas and three places ahead of Kansas State. Catloth said that, this season, the team's main goal is to make a push to make it past Texas and stay ahead of Kansas State. Texas and Kansas State are the only other Big 12 Teams that compete at the Division I level. Catloth said developing talent was the key to success this season. The team may have some key members returning to the First Varsity Eight crew, but the rest of the team is young. Catloth said the team "will be looking for a lot of improvement out of younger women." The team finds most of its players by recruiting walk-ons on campus.Assistant coach Jennifer Myers will hold recruitment meetings this week at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 22, and Thursday, Aug. 23, in the Hadi Auditorium in Wagnon Student Athlete Center. The walk-ons recruited at the meetings this week will have a chance to participate on the rowing team's novice crew for their freshman season and work their way up to varsity status, potentially earning a scholarship. With plans underway to build a new $6 million rowing boathouse and with walk-on recruitment, the team has come a long way since it first became a varsity sport at Kansas. This season looks to see Kansas rowing continue its success as a Division I sport. 2007-2008 Kansas rowing schedule See Page 2B for details on walk-on tryouts. 11/3/07 11/10/07 3/29/08 4/26/08 5/4/08 5/17/08 5/30/08 Opponent/Event Head of the Des Moines Head of the Iowa Head of the Chattahoochee Sunflower Showdown KU vs. Tulsa Kansas vs. Texas Kansas Cup (KU vs. KSU) Southern Intercollegiate Championship Kansas vs. Minnesota Big 12 Invitational South-Central Regionales NCAA Championships Location Des Moines, IA iowa City, IA Chattanooga, TN Manhattan, KS Tulsa, OK Austin, TX Kansas City, KS Oak Ridge, TN St. Paul, MN Austin, TX Oak Ridge, TN Oak Ridge, TN Todd accidentally took History for the first time in college. A prankster slipped it into his bowling class. Todd eventually began binging on History, taking it whenever possible. History was cheaper on half.com. Which led to Todd getting so into History that he would run around naked, yelling "The British are coming..." He thought being naked would help. This did not reflect well on the school and Todd was forced to leave and join the circus. LEARN FROM TODD. Just because half.com is cheaper doesn't mean you need to buy twice as much History. Use your savings for good on half.com and try a video game console and games instead. Type in "overstudy" on half.com and get started on your subject of choice today.* - We do not condone the overuse of History or any such substance. Please use responsibly and in moderation. **$5 off promotion open to legal U.S. residents 18 years of age or older who are first-time buyers on half.com. $5 off promotion good for first-time purchase of $50 or more, excluding shipping and handling, on half.com only. Limit one offer per user ID, and offer may not be combined with any other offer, coupon or promotion. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted. Offer expires September 30, 2007 at 11:59:59pm PT.