8A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
GAME DAY
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2005
Jayhawks tackle Owls in opener
Offense key to Kansas' success
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaiani@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The season opener is finally here for the Kansas Jayhawks as they take on the Florida Atlantic Owls at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Memorial Stadium.
The Jayhawks look to improve on a 4-7 campaign from last year in which they lost five games by six points or less and the offense struggled.
The Jayhawks will face three unheralded teams before they begin conference play, and they will look to work out the offensive struggles that they encountered last season.
The Kansas defense kept the Jayhawks in nearly every game last season and will be led by a trio of senior linebackers. Seniors Nick Reid, Kevin Kane and Banks Floodman look to contain Florida Atlantic quarterback Danny Embick.
Junior cornerback Charles Gordon will attempt to shutdown Florida Atlantic's passing game. Gordon had an NCAA-leading seven interceptions last season.
The Jayhawks offense will likely determine how successful the team is this season. Kansas football coach Mark Mangino said the offense was vastly improved from last season.
The offense will begin with junior quarterback Adam Barmann and senior running back Clark Green. Green appears to be quicker than he was last year after shedding some unneeded muscle. Green, who ranks eighth on the Kansas career rushing list, is expected to receive the majority of the carries tomorrow, with junior Jon Cornish and freshman Gary Green II backing him up.
Barmann was not named as starter until this week, after he beat senior Brian Luke and freshman Kerry Meier for the position.
Mangino said that it was possible that Luke or Meier could see playing time.
Barmann started eight games last season until an injury ended his season. Mangino has said throughout training camp that Barmann has improved in nearly every facet of the game.
Kansas will be the favorite to win tomorrow, as Florida Atlantic is building a program that will begin its first season of Division I-A competition.
Edited by Patrick Ross
Kansas vs. Florida Atlantic Saturday 6 p.m.Memorial Stadium
TEAM RANKINGS
KANSAS
OFFENSE
The Kansas offense averaged more than 300 yards of total offense last season, but consistently let the team's solid defense down. The team's running attack will be the first way of monitoring the offense's success, as it averaged just 2.7 yards per carry last year. If senior running back Clark Green can get some solid runs early in the game, quarterback Adam Barmann should be able to throw the ball downfield and the offense will be successful. Until the team takes the field tomorrow, it's difficult to know how improved this offense really is.
DEFENSE
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
The Owl offense will have difficulty moving the ball downfield against one of the strongest defensive units in the Big 12 Conference. The Kansas defense has continued to improve since last season, where Reid, Kane and Floodman orchestrated one of the most drastic defensive unit improvements in the conference. The Jayhawks were ranked fifth in total defense. The team added depth at linebacker, as well as on the defensive line. Not only are the linebackers returning, but so is All-American cornerback Charles Gordon. The junior led the nation in interceptions last year with seven, and is expected to have just as large an impact this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS
It's tough to know how successful the Jayhawks will be kicking field goals this season. Sophomore Scott Webb handled the short field goal opportunities as well as the PAT's last season, but he lacks the leg to kick long field goals. Sophomore punter Kyle Tucker may kick longer field goals this season with his booming leg. Tucker averaged 40.1 yards per punt last season and was impressive during the team's practices in August. The team will have a talented group of punt and kick returners in Gordon, junior Jon Cornish and freshman Gary Green II. Gordon is a threat to take it deep and Cornish and Green's speeds could make things interesting on kickoff returns.
COACHES
The Owls averaged just less than 400 yards a game in total offense last season and scored nearly 25 points a game. But the team must replace its starting quarterback from a season ago, along with its three top receivers. The team's leading rusher is also gone, and the starting running back for this season racked up only 84 yards last season. If quarterback Danny Embick can put up similar numbers to last year's starter Jared Allen, the Owls could put a lot of points on the board.
Coach Mark Mangino may not have the record (12-24) that reflects a successful program, but the Jayhawks are clearly more competitive than they were before Mangino arrived at Kansas. Mangino took the Jayhawks, in his second season, to a bowl game and has a talented group of players that may make a second trip possible this year.
OFFENSE
Ryan Colalanni
DEFENSE
The strength of the Owls team will be their secondary. Willie Hughley will lead the charge and will most likely be responsible for covering Kansas' top receiver Mark Simmons. Charles Gordon will not be the only Gordon on the field tomorrow, as Florida Atlantic's Lawrence Gordon is also a returning starting cornerback. The linebacking unit will be anchored by Shomari Earls, who led the team in tackling last season. If Kansas' offense struggles early, look for the Owls to carry the momentum and stop the Jayhawks a few times.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Returning for the Owls on special teams is punter Mike Brown. Brown averaged almost 42 yards a punt last season and had seven touchbacks. Brown is the only returning starter on special teams, as the Owls must replace their kicker from a year ago, along with both their punt returner and kick returner. The likely candidate for punt returns will be Troy Pindell, and for kick returns it could be Casey McGahee. Sophomore Daniel Kennard will most likely handle the kicking duties.
COACHES
This one is a no-brainer. Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger has 126 career victories and captured a national championship at Miami in 1983. He has coached under Paul "Bear" Bryant and Don Shula. He also has two years experience in the NFL and is in the midst of building the Owls program.
Each category is based on a score of four logos, four being the best.
- Daniel Berk
Owls not so easily defeated
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTS WRITER
After posting back-to-back winning seasons, the Florida Atlantic Owls will look to steal a game from Kansas in their opener.
The Owls know all about season-opening upsets; they traveled to Hawaii last season and defeated the Rainbows 35-28 in overtime.
The team will continue to play a hard schedule this season, as it will face Oklahoma State, Minnesota and Louisville.
Senior quarterback Danny Embick will lead the Owls into Memorial Stadium. Embick is a transfer from West Virginia and played in 11 of the team's 12 games last season, but didn't start any of them.
Embick's best game as an Owl came in 2005, when he was 8-for-9 for 132 yards and a touchdown against Northern Colorado.
Embick's targets at wide receiver are bringing something new to the game. Casey McGahee will be one of the starting wide receivers. He is making the transition from defensive back to wide receiver. The other starting wide receiver is Frantz Simeon, who took a redshirt last season. He will see his first collegiate action tomorrow.
The running game is also inexperienced, as sophomore B.J. Manley will handle most of the carries. Manley rushed for only 83 yards last season on 13 carries.
On defense, the Owls most experienced and talented unit is their secondary. Senior cornerback Willie Hughley is the team's most experienced player, as he racked up 43 total tackles and six interceptions. Hughley has 14 interceptions in his career, ranking him first on the Owls all-time list.
Senior cornerback Lawrence Gordon is also in the secondary. Gordon had 63 tackles last year and registered one sack. Gordon and Hughley will be assigned to Kansas' top two receivers, senior Mark Simmons and junior Brian Murph.
Senior linebacker Shomari Earls will return for the Owls as well after a solid 2004 season. He had 81 tackles and five sacks.
Florida Atlantic will be an underdog against Kansas, but with as much big-game experience as the team has, it could be a closer game than what most Kansas fans are expecting.
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PROFILE
KA Rod runs City since allow
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Florida Atlantic coach known for improvements
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SENIOR SPORTWRITER
During his 20 seasons in college football, Howard Schnellenberger has won 126 games at programs such as Miami, Louisville and Oklahoma. Now, Schnellenberger coaches at Florida Atlantic and will be across the field from Kansas football coach Mark Mangino tomorrow.
"I got my schooling from those guys," Schnellenberger said. "They have all been very helpful in the growth of my career. Now, I hope I can pass some of that on to the coaches that are working for me."
Schnellenberger has coached with some of the most successful coaches in football history, including Paul "Bear" Bryant and Don Shula. He said working with coaches like them has made him the coach he is today.
Schnellenberger arrived
at Florida Atlantic in time for the 2001 season. It was the first season Florida Atlantic had a football team, and its record was 4-6. After another losing season in 2002, the team went 11-3 in 2003 and 9-3 last season.
Schnellenberger
"It was just something I couldn't turn down," Schnellenberger said. "It was close to where I was living, and just a great place for me to finish my career. I want to do big things for this university."
Now in his fifth season, Schnellenberger said the Florida Atlantic job was appealing because he could build the program from scratch.
Schnellenberger has experience rebuilding programs; he turned around both the Miami and Louisville programs.
It was something I couldn't turn down. It was close to where I was living and just a great place to finish my career."
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Howard Schnellenberger Florida Atlantic coach
In his first season at Miami, the team went 5-6 and was close to being eliminated by the university. Four seasons later Miami went on to win a national championship under Schnellenberger, defeating Nebraska in the Orange Bowl 31-30.
After he left Miami, Schellenberger returned to his hometown, Louisville, Ky., to rebuild that program. Again,
EXPERIENCE
One season later, Louisville went 8-3, and only two years after that, Louisville went 10-1-1 and defeated Alabama in the Fiesta Bowl.
during his first three seasons at Louisville, he compiled an 8-24 record.
"I learned to rebuild from the other coaches I have coached with," Schnellenberger said. "In Shula's third season with the Dolphins, he went undefeated and won the Super Bowl. Bear Bryant rebuilt the program at Alabama. I just took it in from those guys."
Schnellenberger's coaching career
1973-1974: Baltimore Colts
1979-1983: Miami Hurricanes
1985-1994: Louisville Cardinals
1995: Oklahoma Sooners
2001-present: Florida Atlantic
Schnellenberger also spent two years as head coach for the Baltimore Colts in the NFL, and was an assistant coach for the Miami Dolphins when they won the Super Bowl in 1972.
During his weekly press conference, Mangino said Schnellenberger had one of the best backgrounds of any college coach.
Career Collegiate record: 126-98-3
Career NFL record: 4-13
Now, in Florida Atlantic's first season in Division I, Sellenn-
Source: Florida Atlantic media guide
berger said he hoped the team could continue to be successful and build on the success from the past two seasons.
The Owls spent the season as a Division I-AA school last season, and now that they are Division I, they received an increase to 85 scholarships. The increase allowed Schnellenberger to recruit more athletes than in years past.
Even though Florida Atlantic has begun to win games and has started building a program, Sch-
nellenberger said he knew there was still a lot of work to do before the rebuilding process was complete.
"We're moving this program ahead, and we expect big things," Schnellenberger said. "We are in the process of building a 40,000-person dome stadium and are traveling to play some of the best teams in the country. That is unheard for a program like us."
Edited by Patrick Ross