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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Marching into 'boot camp'
BY MIRANDA LENNING
mlenning@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTSWRIETER
Before the start of basketball season every fall, the men's basketball team endures coach Bill Self's two-week "boot camp."
The term boot camp can refer to anything from army training to Billy Blanks' Tae Bo workout, but for the Jayhawks it means early mornings, tired days and early nights.
"To sum it up, I think boot camp is about sacrifice," freshman forward Julian Wright said. "You are sacrificing your body.
ing and puffing." Wright said.
You sacrifice your social time and the things you do outside of basketball. It is really just getting your priorities straight and taking care of yourself properly and staving focused."
"There are not balls, just squeaky shoes and a lot of huff
On Monday, the first day of boot camp, the team worked on fundamental defensive drills, sophomore guard Jeremy Case said. The drills included defensive slides, stances, jumping rope and conditioning. Yesterday, Case said the team worked more on defensive techniques, such as denying the basketball, seeing the opponent and the ball, helping on defensive and jumping to the ball.
If the first two days of boot camp are any indication of what this year's preseason training is going to be like, the Kansas players expect to focus on defense and conditioning. It's just the players and coaches alone at the Horejsi Family Athletics Center, learning and teaching defensive fundamentals.
The first couple of days have been slightly less intense than what the players expect for the rest of the two weeks, because
PAGE 1B
there is some down time when the coaches are explaining drills and procedures.
Case, who has been to two of coach Self's boot camps in the past, said the coaches have players do a variety of different drills in practice, but the overall schedule was the same.
"This is the first few days, so there was a lot of demonstrating," Wright said. "So I feel like the second week there will be less demonstrating, and they will expect us to know if they say 'defensive slide,' we will have to just do it."
SEE CAMP ON PAGE 3B
VOLLEYBALL
Freshman setter Katie Martincich, senior setter Andi Rozum, freshman middle blocker Savannah Noyes, sophomore middle blocker Caitlin Mahoney, and sophomore opposite hitter Emily Brown get hyped up during the announcement of the starting line-ups before the match against Baylor on Saturday at Horeisi Family Athletics Center. The team hits the road for a match against Texas Tech tonight at 7 in Lubbock, Texas.
Kansas tries to keep it steady for Texas Tech
BY MATT WILSON
mwilson@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
When the Kansas volleyball team squares off with Texas Tech at 7 tonight in Lubbock, Texas, it will try to avoid the trap of playing down to a lesser opponent's level. It's a trap that has nearly caught the team on multiple occasions this season.
Kansas' first close call came in a home match against Oklahoma earlier this month. The Jayhawks (11-2 overall, 3-1 Big 12) fell behind 2-1 before charging back to win in five games.
The Jayhawks looked sluggish again Saturday despite sweeping
Baylor. The Bears pushed two of the games past 30 points.
"As much as you try to tell your team, as much as you plead with your team, about how every Big 12 opponent is going to be extremely worthy of our best effort, you've got to experience something like that to really truly believe it," he said after the Oklahoma match. "In this league, if you don't close out games, you will be in trouble."
Kansas volleyball coach Ray Bechard said the Jayhawks needed to play at the same level every match, no matter who was on the other side of the net.
Another early problem has been traveling. Kansas is 3-2 away from home after its loss
last week at Texas. The players recognize the importance of playing well in tough environments, and they want to start against Texas Tech.
Junior outside hitter Philister Sang, originally from Kenya, leads the team with 4.88 kills per game. Texas Tech was picked to finish tenth in the Big 12 coaches' preseason poll.
Texas Tech is led by Nancy Todd, who is in her third year as coach. The Red Raiders added six newcomers to their roster this season, including three international players.
Texas Tech (7-5, 1-2 Big 12) is coming off of a 3-0 defeat of Oklahoma two weeks ago. The team's match scheduled for Saturday against Texas A&M was postponed because of Hurricane Rita.
"We need to win on the road," freshman middle blocker Savannah Noyes said. "We need to come out and not take them lightly."
Texas Tech leads the all-time series between the two teams, 12-7. Kansas has won the last four matches though, while dropping just one game in that span.
"I think we need to stay focused for the whole game," junior outside hitter Jana Correa said. "It's like what coach talks about; we lose our concentration in the middle of the game. If we can keep it, we will be good."
Edited by Tricia Masenthin
FOOTBALL
Kansan file photo
Senior linebacker Brandon Perkins runs to celebrate after sacking Louisiana Tech quarterback Matt Kubik, while junior defensive and Paul Como heads to the sidelines. Perkins recorded a school-record five sacks during the game Saturday, Sept. 17 at Memorial Stadium.
Jayhawks prepare for Raiders' offense
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaiani@kansan.com
KANSAN STUDENT WRITER
The Kansas secondary will be tested early and often Saturday against a Texas Tech passing attack that has averaged 488 yards and scored 199 points in its first three games.
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino said the defense would not approach the game any differently, despite the Red Raiders' high-powered offense.
"We are going to play defense the way that we play defense all the time," Mangino said. "We are not ma king any special preparations for this offense. They execute well so you have to play good, sound, assignment and fundamental football, and that is what we plan to do."
Texas Tech is coming off a 63-7 victory against Indiana State last week. The Red Raiders passed for 292 yards and four touchdowns on the night.
"As you know, offensively they can score a lot of points; they rack up a lot of yardage," Mangino said. "They have a system that their kids are real comfortable in, and they execute it very well."
After having no interceptions in the first two games of the season, the Kansas secondary came alive against Louisiana Tech, picking off four passes.
The KU defense will look at the defensive line rather than the secondary to stop the Texas Tech offense.
"They get rid of the ball real quick; we just have to interrupt his comfort level back there and just have to put as
much pressure on him as we can," senior linebacker Brandon Perkins said.
Perkins set a school record against Louisiana Tech with five sacks. The Jayhawks hope to get as much pressure on Texas Tech quarterback Cody Hodges on Saturday.
"That is what we have been preaching this whole season, offseason and everything," senior defensive end Charlton Keith said, regarding pressure on opposing quarterbacks. "Just for our defensive line to come through, step up."
Hodges has passed for 1,117 yards and 12 touchdowns and just one interception in the first three games.
"I don't think their offense is complicated. I think it is very efficiently operated," Mangino said. "It is not something where they take a lot of chances with the ball. They execute, their players execute, and that is really the key."
Texas Tech's rushing attack is led by Taurean Henderson. Henderson has 264 yards rushing this season. He scored the game-winning touchdown last season against Kansas with a 70-yard run in the fourth quarter.
The Kansas secondary will have to be prepared to cover many receivers. Texas Tech could feature four or five wide receivers on any given play. The offense has incorporated passes to 16 different receivers this season.
"As a DB, preparing for this game, we know we are going to have to stay in coverage so that the quarterback doesn't have anyone to throw to."
SEE OFFENSE ON PAGE 3B
THE FISH
Football fans, be ready when easy competition gets tougher
Heading into the first weekend of Big 12 Conference play, their hopes inflated by an easy non-conference schedule, fans' expectations for the lavhawks are sky high.
Kansas boasts a suffocating defense. an improved kicking game and an offense that explores ways to utilize surprise playmakers. That said, it would still be shocking to see the team make a bowl appearance. There is too much talent on the schedule to make reservations for a warmer locale during winter break.
To secure a postseason berth, the Jayhawks will need
BY JOSH FISHER
ifisher@kansan.com
at least six victories. Through a combination of smart scheduling and adequate performance, they are already halfway there, with victories against Florida Atlantic, Appalachian State and Louisiana Tech. But Kansas has yet to face teams that are traditional powerhouses such as Texas, Texas Tech and Oklahoma. Where are the other victories
Iowa State, defending Big 12 North Conference cochampion, must be considered the favorite to win the division. Iowa State boasts the highest-profile non-conference victory of any division team, beating Iowa 23-3 earlier this season.
After Iowa State, things get a little murky. Nebraska has looked lost at times, but managed a 3-0 start highlighted by victories against Wake Forest and Pittsburgh. Colorado, the other Big 12 North co-champion, looked downright awful against powerhouse Miami.
Kansas State and Missouri are both off to winning starts, but Kansas State squeaked by Florida International and Marshall, and Missouri fell to New Mexico.
Perhaps the answer to that question lies in another: Has Kansas football caught up enough on the talent scale
Offensively, Kansas is not capable of matching point for point in a high scoring game. To put it nicely, the offense is built for playing with a lead.
I'm rooting for the Jayhawk to make their way to a Hawk game this winter, but
to compete nationally? Defensively, the Jaynawks have looked surprisingly vulnerable against the pass, which does not bode well for this weekend's game at explosive Texas Tech.
On both sides of the ball, Kansas football headlines are much more likely to include "shootout" than "shootout."
I'm not buying the early hype. If they can manage to keep the Red Raiders on this side of the Mississippi River this weekend and pull out a victory, it will be an encouraging sign.
If they can follow that up with a victory at Kansas State, I'll humbly request whatever space is left on the Jayhawk football bandwagon.
If not, the great thing about Kansas is that basketball starts before football gets too depressing.
Fisher is a Los Angeles sophomore in English.