8A THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
ATHLETICS CALENDAR
THURSDAY
FRIDAY. AUGUST 19, 2005
THURSDAY
❖ Soccer vs. Drake, 1 p.m., Lawrence
❖ Volleyball KU Alumni game, 7 p.m., Lawrence
FOOTBALI
Defensive line tries to keep pressure on
BY RYAN COLAIANNI
rcolaiani@kansan.com
KANSAN STAFF WRITER
While the linebacking corps may be the most talked about unit on the Kansas football defense, the defensive line hopes to have the depth to be just as strong as the unit behind them
this season
Last season, the defense led the Big 12 in turnovers with 27. Many of those turnovers came from pressure that the defensive line put on the opposing quarterback.
"Our defensive line is going to be pretty good," Mangino said. "I don't like to make predictions because when you do that you always end up with egg on your face, but I think our defensive line will be among the best in the Big 12 Conference."
Ashley
The defensive line will return two starters in senior defensive end fernial Ashley and senior defensive tackle Tim Allen.
Ashley, who was an honorable mention all-Big 12 selection last season, had 28 tackles last year. Ashley's speed helped him get to the quarterback, because he was second on the team last year in sacks, with four.
Allen started 10 games last season and had 15 tackles and three sacks.
Kansan file photo
Newcomer Wayne Wilder will compete with Allen at defensive tackle. Wilder spent last season with Allen in Garden City, where he recorded 55 tackles. At 6 feet 3 inches tall and 295 pounds, Wilder's size gives him an advantage in the middle of the line.
"We expect Wayne to help us as defensive tackle," Mangino said. "He's a big, strong guy. He's quick and can jump the ball."
The defensive line will have to replace graduated defensive tackle Travis Watkins. Sophomore defensive tackle James McClinton will be the frontrunner to fill the position. McClinton saw action in just six games last season, but is currently listed as the starter on the depth chart next to Allen at defensive tackle.
The defensive line will also have to replace defensive end David McMillan, who graduated and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns last April. McMillan had a team-leading seven sacks last season.
Senior defensive end Charlton Keith will be expected to help replace McMillan.
Keith had 21 tackles and three sacks in his first season with the Jayhawks after he transferred.
Also pushing for playing time at the defensive end spot is highly touted junior college transfer, Rodney Allen. Allen spent the last two seasons at Garden City Community College and was a first team All-Jayhawk Conference selection last season.
Junior college transfer Paul Como is fighting for a spot and will likely see time in a reserve role this season. Como hails from Dana Point, Calif., and played for Saddleback College last season in Mission Viejo, Calif.
The defense faltered at times last season late in the game because of the amount of the time the players spent on the field. The defense worked this offseason to finish out games, so that last-minute collapses against Texas Tech, Northwestern, and Texas last season do not occur again.
Edited by Patrick Ross
Texas Tech needs good start
BIG 12 FOOTBALL
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTSWRIETER
Editor's Note: This is the second of 11 articles, by Daniel Berk, previewing Kansas' competition in the Big 12 Conference. The articles will run every day from now until Sept. 1. Monday, the Kansan will look at Oklahoma State.
The last time the Texas Tech Red Raiders played football, they defeated a top 10 team and won a notable bowl game.
This season, the Red Raiders look to carry some of the momentum gained from that victory against California, crack the top 25 and compete in the Big 12 South division.
The biggest question for Texas Tech will be the quarterback position. Sonny Cumbie, who led the nation last year in passing yards, graduated. Now it is a three-man battle for the job.
Senior Cody Hodges, freshman Graham Harrell and sophomore Phillip Daugherty will fight for the position. Texas Tech football coach Mike Leach said he was pleased with how the quarterbacks were preforming in practice, but has not yet decided on a starter.
velop," Leach said. "We will make the best decision as a staff that we can, and we will invest a lot of reps in one or two and go from there."
"At some point you have to make a decision so you can invest the reps in one guy or another and allow him to de-
Whichever quarterback emerges from the battle victorious will have some time to adjust to the Red Raiders' offense, as the team opens its season with three home games against Florida International, Sam Houston State and Indiana State.
Adam Barmann, then sophomore quarterback, dodges Brock Stratton, then Texas Tech sophomore linebacker, while Matt Thompson, then junior offensive lineman, blocks. The Jawhaves lost the game. 31-30.
Barring a major upset the Red Raiders should be 3-0 when they face the Jayhawks in Lubbock, Texas. on Oct.1.
Leach has had tough non-conference schedules in the past, with games on the road against ranked opponents, but thought it would help his team to schedule three home games against weaker opponents.
"We have had some non-conference schedules in the past where we probably won the award for toughest non-conference schedule, which I am not sure that's the one we are chasing," Leach said. "The season in football is all about steady improvement. We have to see that we are able to get that."
On the defensive side of the ball, the Red Raiders boast a much improved unit from years past and return seven starters from last season. The defense will be led by senior cornerback Khalid Naziruddin and junior linebacker Brock Stratton.
Naziruddin tied for the team lead with 83 tackles last year. This year he teams up in the defensive backfield with another returning cornerback, junior Antonio Huffman.
Despite having to replace Cumbie, the Red Raiders do return two of the most talented offensive players in the conference. Junior receiver Jarrett Hicks and senior running back Taurean Henderson were both named to the Big 12 Media Preseason Football team.
son in receiving yards per game with more than 98 yards a game and also had a school record 13 touchdowns.
Henderson is the only player in Big 12 history to rush for at least 2,000 yards and have more than 1,500 receiving yards in his career.
If everything goes the Red Raiders' way, the team could be 6-0 when it travels to Austin, Texas, to battle with the Texas Longhorns on Oct. 22.
Hicks led the Big 12 last sea-
— Edited by Erin Wisdom
PGA
Singh, Woods share lead at Invitational
AKRON, Ohio — Three days after the major championship season ended, Tiger Woods and Vijay Singh played like they still have plenty to prove Thursday by taking a share of the lead in the NEC Invitational
ble from the trees but never came close to making bogey on a Firestone course that offered no letup for those coming off the PGA Championship. He made a 15-foot birdie on his final hole for a 4-under 66, and later was joined by Singh and Henrik Stenson of Sweden.
Woods twice escaped trou-
Singh had a chance to take the outright lead until missing a 6-foot birdie putt on his 17th hole. He had to scramble from the rough to save par on the
484-yard ninth, his 18th of the day, for a share of the lead.
Davis Love III carried his good play from Baltusrol into the first round and was among those at 67, while PGA champion Phil Mickelson was all smiles on his way to a 69.
"I didn't hit it great today, but I left myself with some easier up-and-downs when I did miss, so it wasn't so bad" said Woods, who has never finished lower than fifth in seven
appearances at Firestone.
Woods and Singh were the only players to finish in the top 10 at all four majors this year, with Woods winning the Masters and British Open.
But there is still plenty at stake.
Singh has won the PGA Tour money title the last two years, and he trails Woods by about $185,000 with two months left in the season.
The Associated Press
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