SPORTS
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SPORTS YEAR IN REVIEW
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 7B
THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2008
PAGE 1B
GO-TO MAN
Briscoe expected to step up next season
Jon Goerina/KANSAN
Sophomore wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe tries to fight out of a tackle during the first half of the spring game. Briscoe made eight catches for 92 yards in the game. Jon Goering/K
Sophomore wide receiver could replace Henry
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
Dezmon Briscoe is fast — Kansas' sophomore wide receiver proved as much when he caught 43 passes and seven touchdowns last season.
But Briscoe's speed couldn't make up for his hands' follies during last month's spring game, when he dropped two catchable passes, one of which resulted in an interception. Briscoe's juxtaposition of talent and inconsistency is common among the Jayhawk wide receivers — a group which added a junior college star but lost leading receiver Marcus Henry this offseason.
"As a receiving corps, we left a lot
briscoe said. "This year, I plan on bringing a lot of those balls in and keeping them off the ground. I think that's where my weakness was."
Briscoe seems the heir apparent to Marcus Henry, the Jayhawks' top receiver and sixth round NFL Draft choice. Last year, Henry reeled in 1.084 receiving yards
and 10 touchdown catches, both team highs. Briscoe's lean frame resembles Henry's, and his first-year numbers easily trump Henry's production as a freshman. Briscoe caught a Kansas freshman record seven touchdown passes in 2007, but dropped passes during several games.
Kansas brought in Rod Harris Jr. a sophomore wide receiver from Binn Junior College in Texas to take some pressure off of Briscoe. Harris caught 23 passes last year at Binn, his only season in junior college. At 6-foot-2 and 200
pounds, Harris has the size to line up as an outside receiver, where he played in the spring game.
"I think I can run up to the catch and be a distraction to the secondary to help the other receivers get open," Harris said. "I just need to play my part and fill my role — whatever my role may be — week in and week out."
The Jayhawks' most sure-handed receiver, senior Dexton Fields, should fill his usual role as the starting option in the slot. Fields wasn't a big-play threat last season, averaging just 13.2 yards per catch, but he hauled in a team-high 63 receptions and six touchdowns.
Junior Kerry Meier will assist Fields in the slot, lining up at tight end and wide receiver in the same way he did for much
“This year, I plan on bringing a lot of those balls in and keeping them off the ground."
DEZMON BRISCOE Sophomore wide receiver
of last season. Meier displayed the best hands of any Kansas receiver, snaring 26 receptions for 274 yards in his first year doing double duty as a multi-purpose player. Meier caught four passes for 40 yards in the spring scrimmage.
Many of the same wide receiver reserves will return in 2008. Junior Raimond Pendleton, who caught four passes last year, is the team's main backup in the slot. Sophomore Johnathan Wilson and senior Gary Green could also see playing time. Wilson contributed as a true freshman reserve last season, and Green is learning the receiving ropes after converting from defense to offense in the offseason.
Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
spring depth chart: receivers
Wide Receiver
- Dezmon Briscoe; 6,3, 200, sophoma
* Marcus Hertford; 6,3, 208, senior
Slot Receiver
Wide Receiver
- Johnathan Wilson, 6-3, 187, sophomore
- Rod Harris Jr., 6-2, 200, sophomore
- Kerry Meier, 6-3, 220, junior
- Gary Green, 5-9, 175, senior
Tight End
Slot Receiver
- Dexton Fields, 6-0, 204 senior
* Tertavian Ingram, 18-0, 195, sophomore
- Bradley Dedeaux, 6-3, 2-49, sophomore
* Nick Plato, 6-6, 2-28, freshman
BASEBALL
Weather conspires against KU schedule Closer named to college all-star team
BY SHAWN SHROYER
shroyer@kansan.com
Steeeriilike two! For the second straight year, inclement weather has forced Kansas to cancel a midweek game with Oral Roberts..
Late Wednesday morning, Kansas announced that, because of the threat of thunderstorms in Lawrence, it was canceling its game with Oral Roberts, which was supposed to be played at 6 p.m. In 2007, Kansas was supposed to play a home-and-home series with Oral Roberts, but the second leg of that series, scheduled for April 10, was called because of similar weather concerns.
Smyth
With the cancellation, Kansas — baring an NCAA Regional appearance — finishes the season 21-9 against non-conference opponents. One of those non-conference victories came against the team that will roll into Lawrence this weekend — No. 15 Missouri.
On April 29, Kansas defeated Missouri at Kauffman Stadium, 3-0, in what was officially a non-conference contest. As jovial as the Jayhawks were after that victory, that game means almost nothing compared to the three games they will play against the Tigers this weekend. What happens this weekend could
Kansas junior left-hander Nick Czyz (2-5) will face Crow Friday, while senior right-hander Andres Esquibel (3-4) will start Saturday and freshman right-hander T.J. Walz (4-0) will start Sunday for the Jayhawks.
end. What happens this weekend could
very well decide Kansas' postseason fate.
Missouri, which had its game last night with Missouri State canceled, as well, will send All-American right-hander Aaron Crow to the mound against Kansas in the series opener, at 6 p.m. Friday. In 11 starts this season, Crow is 10-0 with a 3.08 ERA. Earlier this season, he had a 43-inning scoreless streak.
SMYTH RECEIVES COLLEGE BASEBALL FOUNDATION HONOR
It was also announced Wednesday that Kansas junior closer Pam Smyth was named to the CBF's National All-Star Lineup for his performances last week against Missouri and Oklahoma.
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Smyth was involved in all four of Kansas' victories last week, earning three saves and a victory. For the week, Smyth pitched 7.1 innings of relief, allowing two runs, eight hits and no walks while striking out six.
Smyth is the second Jayhawk to receive this honor after Walz was named to the CBF's National All-Star Lineup on April 23.
Edited by Kaitlyn Syring
》 CLUB BASEBALL
Jayhawks end regular season with first conference title, regional tournament spot Weekend regionals offer a pre-finals breather, world series shot
BY JOE PREINER
jpreiner@kansan.com
Final exams won't be the only weekend focus for the KU club baseball team. The Jayhawks, who clinched their first regular-season conference title in the program's three-year history, advance to the regional tournament this Saturday in Topeka.
The club baseball team dropped only two games all season, ending with a 15-2 record. The dominance the team showed throughout the semester will be
tested this weekend against elite teams like Colorado State, Northern Iowa and Colorado. Kevin Sterk, Oak Lawn, Ill., first-year law student and team captain, said the double-elimination tournament promised to be a battle of attrition.
Should the team win its way through the weekend, it will earn a spot in the Club Baseball World Series. The event is the end-all-be-all for the club sport and will be held later this month in Fort Myers, Fla.
"Now when people schedule us, they know they aren't just playing a scrub team."
The team is not overlooking this weekend or the upcoming week of
"It's pretty rare to go undefeated in regionals," Sterk said. "Most teams really only have one pitcher. There will probably be some pretty outrageous scores this weekend."
MIKE IRVINE Chicago senior
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finals. Instead of being one more thing to crowd into already busy schedules, team members are looking to the tournament as a way to relax.
"Baseball to us, it gives all us boys some relief"
catcher Mike Irvine, Chicago senior, said. "I don't think it'll be much of a distraction for us. For those two hours a game, we get to really be ourselves."
The possibility of a world series berth is something the team could only dream about in its 2006 inaugural
Irvine said the team would be in the driver's seat on the way to the world series if it was able to win its first two games of the regional tournament.
season. The last two years the team has come up short in the regular season, just missing the regional tournament. Irvine said the first season was all about getting marks in the win column with no real postseason aspirations. This year things are different, as the team's work in past years has paved the way to the regional tournament. Irvine, who has played with the team all three years, said he looked forward to bringing the team full circle.
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"This team is finally putting the University of Kansas up in a league with teams like Illinois and Colorado State," Irvine said. "Now when people schedule us, they know they aren't just playing a scrub team. They are playing a team that's established itself as a force in the club baseball association."
Sterk said the team looked to win the regional tournament, with each opponent being beatable. He said the team had a competitive edge on the other teams.
"It's our first regional tournament together as a team, and there's really no pressure on us," Sterk said. "It's just another weekend of baseball for us, and I think that will help."
Edited by Katherine Loech