SPORTS
UniversityDaily Kansan/Friday, August 30, 1991
11
Although Kansas sophomore kicker Dan Eichloff has been playing organized football for only three years, he was named to the Football News 1991 preseason All-American team.
Kansas kicker honored
Dan Eichloff named preseason All-American; coach gives kudos
By David Mitchell
Kansan Sportswriter
When Dan Eichloff, KU sophomore, came to the United States from Germany, he did not know anything about American football.
Seven years later, he is a Football News preseason All-American.
Heading into his fourth year of organized football, Eichloff he still did not understand many aspects of the game that was paying for his college education.
"When it comes to the rules, I'm still a little shady," he said. "I'm starting to know the plays and formations. I still don't have much of a clue, but that doesn't matter."
In Eichloff's freshman year, he was voted 1999 Big Eight Conference Newcomer of the Year by United Press International. He was named to the team as a punter and second team as a place kicker.
Eichloff's 42.6 yard punting averaged a ledge conference last year. As a place kicker, he hit 22 of 31 in the game.
Eichloff was an unheralded freshman. To him, the Kansas kicking game was a question mark.
- "Coming out of high school I had hit a total of eight field goals in two years," he said. *Nearly
His success was even more surprising considering that he began his football career against his
Eichloch said he began playing soccer when he was 5 years old. However, when his family moved to the United States, his Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., middle school did not have a soccer team.
One day, early in his sophomore year, the football coach of Northeast High School noticed Eichloh kicking a soccer ball. The coach was convinced he had found a place kicker. Eichloh resisted, but the coach also happened to be the teacher of his weightlifting class.
“This went on for two or three months,” Eichloff said. “Finally, he said, 'Come out for the team or fail my class.'”
Eichloff passed the class.
Despite his early success at Kansas, Eichloff had he hoped to do better in 1991. His accuracy declined toward the end of the 1990 season.
Through the first eight games of 1990, Eichloh did not miss any field goals from inside 49 yards. In the final three contests, he missed four, including two of less than 30 yards.
"All I can do is improve my record. It all comes down to technique."
He said his concentration waned because he was homesick, but he was learning to conquer the
Election will face an upset challenge this season.
"I've got the strength," he said. "I know I can do it. I just have to go in there and concentrate on every day."
An NCAA rule change requires the width of the
goal posts be narrowed from 23 feet, 4 inches to 18 feet, 6 inches.
He said he had already seen the rule's effect on kickers. Wednesday night, in the season's first game, Penn State and Georgia Tech combined to miss two goal goals and two extra-point attempts.
"Yesterday I hit one right off the post," he said.
"I think they're' (narrower goal posts) going to make a definite impact."
Because of the narrowed goal posts and preseason honors, Eichloch said he felt pressured.
Offensive coordinator Golden Pat Ruel said no one expected more out of Eichloff than Eichloff himself.
"I think there is some pressure," Ruel said. "His individual pressure of wanting to succeed is more than any outside pressure."
Ruel also said Eichloff's preseason honors were well-deserved.
"It's all based on performance and he has performed" Ruel said.
Elichoff's admitted lack of football savvy is not uncommon among kickers. However, Ruel said the sophomore was becoming a true football player.
"I've never liked kickers," Ruel said. "In all my 20 years of coaching he's the only one. He punts, he kicks off, he kicks field goals and extra points and he does it all pretty well.
"Kickers usually drive me nuts. I actually kind of like him."
Senior line-up eager to volley
Lady Jayhawks meet Lobos, 10th-ranked New Mexico team
By Jeff Kobs
Kansan Sportswriter
The Kansas volleyball team will pick up and head Southwest to open the 1991 season against 10th-ranked New Mexico.
New Mexico competed in the NCAA tournament last year, losing to eventual champion UCLA in the Western region.
"We told the players they were ranked and that we would have to be fired-up to play them," volleyball coach Frankie Albitz said. "We are going to trv and just play our game."
The Jayhawks, who finished last season with a 15-16 record, will meet the Lobos at 7 p.m. today and then play in a tournament at Texas-Epaso.
Kansas, who has an 0-2 lifetime record against New Mexico, will counter the ranked Lobos with a start-up up consisting mostly of seniors.
Projected to start are seniors Julie Woodruff at setter, Kris Kiesmischnicht and Adrian Powell at outside hitters, and Mary Beth Bella at middle blocker.
The other two positions will be filled by junior Kim DeHoff at front line and sophomore Cyndee Kanabel at off-boad bitter.
Bella said the team was ready and would be on a first-game high.
"We are pumped up because they
are ranked," she said. "I've been excited because I think we are going to have a good year.
"We have five seniors and a lot of depth in the younger players."
The Jayhawks won't get any time off after playing New Mexico. Saturday morning the team will fly to El Paso, Texas, to compete in the Lady Miners Tournament.
The Jayhawks will open tournament play against Southwest Texas State on Saturday at 4:30. Other teams in the two-day, round-robin tournament are Illinois-Chicago, New Mexico and Texas-El Paso.
Albizt said the experience factor would help overcome any negatives caused by the long weekend on the road.
"With so many veteran players, we shouldn't be hurt by factors like traveling," she said. "If we are, then it's are own fault.
*Hopefully, we can concentrate on why we are down there and just play
Seileg said that after three straight weeks of practice the team was ready to play against someone other than themselves.
"It will be neat to finally play some one else," she said. "It should measure us so we can see how we've progressed.
"We ended last season strongly against Nebraska, so hopefully we can pick up where we left off."
Chiefs suspend Jones one game after hit-and-run
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Chiefs runn-
back back Bill Jones, who admitted to
police that he left the scene of a hit-
and-run accident, was suspended
without pay for Sunday's game
against the Atlanta Falcons.
Jones went to the Kansas City Police Department on Tuesday and said he was the driver of a car involved in an accident Saturday in which four people had to be extricated from an overdose. He said the serious injury was a broken ankle.
"Notwithstanding the outcome of any court action, the Chiefs have determined that Bill exercised very poor judgment in leaving the scene of an accident, the Chiefs said in a statement released Wednesday and signed by President Carl Peterson and Coach Marty Schotteneheimer.
"We believe his action constitutes conduct detrimental to the team and therefore we are imposing a one-game ban for this week's game against Atlanta."
Jones was charged with misde-
meanor offenses of careless driving
and leaving the scene of an accident. He was released after posting $1,050 bond.
Jones had been ticketed for speeding and failing to produce a license in February 1990 and for driving without a license in December. He also was stopped in March for disobeying a police ticket and being ticketed for driving without a license.
Police said that Jones was driving on Saturday alongside another car. The two cars bumped, and Jones' car collided with a third car.
Jones' place in the game line up will be taken by fourth-year running back James Saxon.
The Chiefs also announced Thursday that Mike Bell was back with the team. The 11-year veteran defensive end was released by the Chiefs on the final roster cut Monday but was resigned later this week.
The Chiefs said they signed running back Todd McNair to a contract. The third-year running back will be subject to a two-week roster exten-
First-year quarterback Mike Perez was signed as a free agent and assigned to the club's practice squad.
Baseball is money; Tartabull wants it
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Nobody knows better than Danny Tartabull that the game of baseball has turned into a business.
Tartabul, the Kansas City Royals right fielder, is having a career year — just in time for the first year in which he's eligible for free agency.
The combination should translate into big bucks — and there is a good chance those bucks will be too big for Kansas City to afford.
"My number one priority is my family," Tartabull said. "I have a chance to get ultimate security for my family."
With Royals owner Ewing Kauffman already losing $8 million a year in one of the major league's smallest markets, that group may be too pricey for Kansas City.
Tartaubill and his agent, Dennis Gilbert, are taking the position that he is worth what the elite in baseball is worth. Clemento, seco, Roger Clemens, Bonjolla.
"I would like to stay here 12 or 13 years," Tartulla said. "I would like to be identified with the Royals and some of the great players they've had like George Brett, Frank White and Amos Otis. But it comes to the point where it
becomes a business and maybe I'm not able to do that.
"I'm comfortable here. I've been here five years in the friendly confines. I've had the same locker for five years, and we still situation of it becoming a business."
"Let's say the top players are getting $25,000 a year. 'Tartabull said. "Look at the top offensive players and let's say that's what they're getting. If the top players are getting that, then you deserve it.
Tartabull talks of how he is being forced to leave to the Royals won't agree to a five year contract that pays $27 million. But by $4 million and $5 million a year.
"You need to be paid according to the market. All I'm saying is if you compare me to all the offensive players in the game, put me on my level."
But the logic is there.
Gilbert said there were no active negotiations with the Royals, and general manager Herk Robinson declined to describe the status of any talks.
"We desire to have Danny back," Robinson said. "We will make any effort to have him back. We've had a number of discussions. He's done a fine job and we'd love to have him back."
Sampras' Open success continues
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - It is all so easy for Pete Sampras at the U.S. Open, and all so hard for him off the court.
On a day when fans and players were collapsing in the heat and humidity, Sampras breezed in the shade of the grandstand when his opponent, Wayne Ferreira, quit with a sprained ankle, losing 6-1, 6-2, 2-2. The abbreviated match lasted
Give him failure without fame, respect without responsibilities, and he'll be happy to hit tennis
about as long as Sampras' first-rounder, a straight-sets romp in which he yielded only five games to Christo van Rensburg.
Boris Becker was also a winner, reaching the third round with a 6-0, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory over Javier Gandolfini.
"My game is as high as it has been in a long time," Sampras said. "I played probably as well."
Fereira was one of four players who quit in midmatch for different reasons. Others retiring were Christian Bergstrom, Thierry Champion and Jaime Yaga.
David Wheaton, who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, also advanced easily, beating Horst Skoff 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
French Open champion Jim Courier, wearing his familiar baseball cap to block the sun, needed only 1 hour, 39 minutes to beat Jimmy Arias 6-3, 6-2, 6-0.
On the women's side, four-time champion Martina Navratilova and No. 4 seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario were among those advancing.
Wimbledon champion and top seed Steffi Graf took only 39 minutes to beat Catherine Mothes 6-0, 6-0, the first double-bagel of the tournament.
Kansas football receives vote for Top 25
Kansan staff report
Fans of Kansas football are not the only ones with high hopes for the Jayhawks this year.
In the recently released Associated Press preseason Top 25 football poll, Kansas received one vote for the last slot in the ranking.
The vote came from Ivan Maistel,
college football writer for the Dallas
Dolls
- "I always take the 28th spot and try to reach with it." he said.
1988. and the team won 10 games.
Maisel said he thought Kansas would do well.
Last year, Maisel picked the Purdue Boilermakers 25th in the preseason poll. They finished 2-9. However, he said he ranked Texas-Ell Pasch 25th in
"The team has 51 returning lettermen, a better schedule, and the players are a year ahead." The new coach and Chap Hilleary are capable of putting up good numbers.
Since he picked the Jayhawks, Maisel said his peers have been unmerciful.
"I hear about it every 20 minutes. I really need the Jayhawks to do well this year," he said.
Maisel will get his first glimpse of his No. 25 pick at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 7 when Kansas plays the University of Toledo in Ohio, Detroit.
Big Eight Skywriters'poll
| | Poll points | preseason ranking | 1990 record | 1990 Big 8 record |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Oklahoma | 157 | 10 | 8-3 | 5-3 |
| 2. Colorado | 132 | 13 | 11-1-1 | 7-0 |
| 3. Nebraska | 131 | 15 | 9-3 | 5-2 |
| 4. Kansas | 81 | NR | 3-7-1 | 2-4-1 |
| 5. Iowa St. | 71 | NR | 4-6-1 | 2-4-1 |
| 6. Missouri | 56 | NR | 4-7 | 2-5 |
| 7. Oklahoma St. | 54 | NR | 4-7 | 2-5 |
| 8. Kansas St. | 28 | NR | 5-6 | 2-5 |
KANSAN GRAPHIC