THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
FOOTBALL | 12A Football releases depth chart Football released a tentative lineup for the fall season. Jordan Webb has been named quarterback going into fall practices.
THURSDAY, MAY 12, 2011
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 14A
COMMENTARY
Self's future. Big 12 titles are uncertain
BY KORY CARPENTER
kcarpenter@kansan.com
Do you know who replaced Dan Marino as starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins? What about the successor to John Wooden, the hall of fame coach at UCLA? Or Bobby Knight's replacement at Indiana? It's hard replacing legends. It doesn't seem to matter if that legend is a player or coach, amateur or professional. With few exceptions, that next guy becomes an afterthought, a small blip on the collective radar of sports history.
In 2003, Bill Self seemed up for the challenge, leaving Champagne, Ill. for Lawrence after Roy Williams went home to North Carolina. Self's resume was impressive, but he was replacing a legend, and there was definite uncertainty about whether he could continue the success of the Roy Williams era. In 2004, with a roster nearly filled with Williams' players, (a team coming off a national title game appearance) Self had his worst conference season yet at Kansas.
He finished second.
Bill Self has won the Big 12 conference championship every year since.
The Big 12 has had some really good teams in that seven year span. A couple of NBA All-Stars (Kevin Durant and Blake Griffin) couldn't top Kansas. Neither could a top five team named Kansas State this past season. Whether he was the pre-season underdog like last fall or he lost six of his best players to the professional ranks, it hasn't seemed to affect Self. He keeps collecting Big 12 championship trophies.
MAJOR DECISIONS
Although not as dramatic as the mass exodus of players in 2008, the roster shakeup this off-season has reverberated throughout college basketball. Tyrel Reed, Brady Morningstar and Mario Little graduated. The Morris twins, along with freshman Josh Selby, who never really found a role in the Kansas system, left early to enter the NBA draft. Nonetheless, he has some all-world talent that would have been put to good use next season
And similar to the 2009 season, people are questioning whether Self can continue his Big 12 dominance. Future NBA All-Star Blake Griffin had a fine Oklahoma team that year, but it didn't matter. The Sooners lost the conference race by one game, giving Self another Big 12 title.
- Edited by Danielle Packer
Sitting today with a good but-not-great recruiting class and a bevy of key players gone from last year's team, the consensus from fans and talking heads seems to be the same: 2011 is finally the year Self could have a 'down' year and — gasp — not win the conference. On one hand, it's hard not to blame them. Kansas is thin in the post, with only Thomas Robinson returning with major minutes from last season. There doesn't seem to be any legitimate three-point threats after the departures of Reed, Morningstar, Selby and the twins. So, the skepticism is warranted. The sheer dominance has to end sometime.
But when a coin lands on heads seven straight times, are you really going to bet on tails?
However, Self has become somewhat of an expert at landing big-time recruits late in the spring signing period (see Xavier Henry in 2009 and Josh Selby last year). This year looks to be the same, with Kansas still in the mix for five-star wing Deandre Daniels, four-star guard Trevor Lacey, as well as a few others. Self might land one or none, it's hard to tell right now. Betting against self seems futile at this point.
The skeptics are right. The streak of conference championships will end sooner or later, and that may very well be next season.
Junior first baseman Zac Eloe plowed for the Oakland Athletics right out of high school. He opted not to stay a part of the Athletics and instead came to KU to improve his draft stock.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
For Elgie, emphasis on education
BY BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Zac Elgie remembers the morning of June 6, 2008, like it happened yesterday. Perhaps because, to date, it was the biggest moment in his life.
With the 364th overall pick in the '08 MLB Draft, the Oakland Athletics had selected Elgie, the 18-year-old first baseman from Minot High School, in Minot, N.D., and suddenly Elgie faced more complicated decisions than the average high school senior was expected to encounter.
At the time of his selection, Eligie had just woken up and was in the middle of a shower when he heard someone banging on the bathroom door, followed by the sound of his mother's excited voice.
Tammy Elgie was dialed in, ensuring that she was able to
catch each selection as it was announced. After all of the hard work that her son had put into baseball, she wouldn't miss out on the moment where his dreams were realized.
Elgie's assistant high school coach — who also doubled as a scout for the Phillies — kept tabs on the high school star, and made sure that Philadelphia checked him out as his high
When Elgie found out he was drafted, his mind raced toward the east coast and the visions of himself donning a Phillies jersey cluttered his head.
"When she started screaming, I was like this is pretty amazing. I was coming out of high school, getting drafted, and having a chance to play in the minor leagues, and then reaching my goal of playing professional," Elgie said.
Zac was ecstatic.
With Elgie gearing up to head to the Phillies, the last thing he expected was to be drafted out west.
The first concrete inkling that Elgie had of being taken by the As came on June 5,2008 — the night before Elgie would eventually be drafted in the 12th round.
Elgie even had a successful interview with Jerry Lafferty, a super-scout credited with discovering Ryan Howard.
After the first six rounds of the draft had been completed on June 5, an Oakland scout who had seen him play earlier that week contacted Elgie.
Of all the teams that had been scouting him, Elgie communicated most with the Phillies.
"The Philies and I seemed to click real well." Elgie said.
school days began to dwindle.
The scout had only one question for Elgiz Are you serious about wanting to play baseball?
Elgie didn't hesitate to answer.
"Yes, I'm ready," Elgie said to the scout. "It's always been my goal to play in the majors, I'm ready for it."
getting an education, Elgie took the latter.
Hours later, Zac Elgie became the newest member of the Oakland Athletics.
With the chance to go play minor league ball and get a head start on his career, Elgie opted not to stay a part of the Athletics. Before the draft, Elgie had his sights set on attending the University of Kansas. When it came down to going pro or
Both of Elgie's parents, who had attended college, expressed to Zac that there was no way to put a monetary value on the college experience.
To Elgie, it didn't matter that he wasn't going to be a member of the Phillies. The fact that his name was called consumed him. He would now be able to say that he had a chance to go to the Maiors.
Armed with the knowledge that he would be unable to be redrafted for another three years Elgie decided to come to KU to work on his game, and improve his draft stock.
Elgie, like five other current Jayhawks — Alex Cox, Ka'iana Eldredge, Kevin Kuntz, Wally Marceli, and T.J. Walz — had a shot to realize his childhood dreams, and decided to hold off
For Elgie, there are no regrets.
"I'm living the dream here at Kansas," Elgie said.
Edited by Emily Soetaert
BASEBALL
Jayhawks have a crucial weekend of play ahead
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Junior pinch hitter Chris Manship connects for a RBI single Friday against Texas. Kansas lost the game 9-1.
BY MIKE VERNON mvernon@kansan.com
Senior pitcher T.J. Walz will step onto the turf Friday night at Hoglund Ballpark pitching for his 26th career win as a Jayhawk. A win for Walz would tie the all-time Kansas baseball record for wins in a career. His big night could come at the perfect time for Kansas when they play the Alabama A&M Bulldogs.
With only two weekends left in their regular season, the Jayhawks are in a battle with Kansas State for the last spot in the Big 12 tournament. Both teams will have to wait though, as the Jayhawks and Wildcats will both take on non-conference opponents this weekend.
Coming off six straight losses, the Jayhawks (22-27, 9-15) will have a recovery weekend of sorts, in their four game series in Lawrence against Alabama A&M (10-33, 6-17).
"I hope we get some momentum back in our dugout after the devastating last couple of weekends we've had," coach Ritch Price said. "We can get the guys feeling good about themselves, get the swagger back in our dugout, and gain some
momentum for the final weekend."
After sitting as high as fourth in the Big 12 standings earlier in the year, the Jayhawks have fallen to ninth — half a game behind K-State.
The reason for some of the dropoff: the Jayhawks' young pitching staff that has fallen apart during the final stretch of the season. Twelve games into conference play, the pitching staff anchored the Kansas team with an ERA of 3.57. Now, 24 games into conference play, their ERA has increased to 3.95.
The play of the defense behind their pitchers has also led to the jayhawks late-season struggles. Kansas has made 68 fielding errors this season, leading to 52 unearned runs. Its problems pitching and fielding culminated last weekend when they were swept by Oklahoma, giving up 12 unearned runs and 33 total runs in three games.
"I think a lot of it has to do with the wear and tear of it being a long season." Price said.
The four games against the Bulldogs, who bat .250, provide the perfect chance for the pitching staff and defense to recover. Alabama A&M only has one batter with an average over .300.
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After Walz throws Friday, sophomore Tanner Poppe will start in the first game of a double header Saturday at 2 p.m. for the Jayhawks, followed by freshman Alex Cox in the 5 p.m. game.
Sunday at 1 p.m. junior Colton Murray will forgo his usual role as closer to start for the Jayhawks. Price said he hopes the start will get Murray's rhythm and confidence back after struggling the last couple of weeks.
With its season coming down to the last week, Kansas must take full advantage of its weekend with Alabama A&M to set itself up for a weekend with K-State, in which a Big 12 tournament bid will be on the line.
Price wants the weekend against the Bulldogs to help correct some of the pitching issues that have plagued the layhawks down the stretch.
"The first thing I'm looking for is quality starts by each guy that goes out there," Price said. "They need to get into the 6th or 7th inning, and give us an opportunity to win, because that has not been the case for two consecutive weeks."
Edited by Corey Thibodeaux