Sports
RIG 12 CONFERENCE XII
Tomorrow Kansan reporter Kevin Flaherty gives his predictions for next year's Big 12 Conference football season.
The University Daily Kansan
1B
Thursday, May 6, 2004
BASKETBALL ANALYSIS
Self looking to fill future voids
By Ryan Greene rgreene@kansan.com Kansan sportswriter
When the Kansas men's basketball team was struggling in conference play during January and February, coach Bill Self began facing some criticism for his offensive system and some believed he wasn't coaching to his players' strengths. Despite all the talk, the team persevered toward a stellar finish to the season.
toward a sleek finish on the couch Judging by the free-flowing guy Self is, it's safe to say he was not feeling much pressure. And if he was, he probably didn't stress over it much.
However, beginning right now, the heat on the Jayhawks has been turned up. For as long as coach Self's tenure at Kansas will last, his recruiting class next year could very well determine the long-term success of his program Should Self get a top-notch class, the program will not skip a beat.
Following next season, the Jayhawks will lose arguably the most solid senior class in school history, consisting of Keith Langford, Aaron Miles, Wayne Simien and Mike Lee. Plus, there are
rumors that should J.R. Giddens show some solid improvement from his strong freshman campaign, he will bolt for NBA riches. That means that a new regime will need to shoulder the load. Coach Self already has some nice targets on his recruiting radar, and here are some of them.
are some of them: Tyler Hansbrough, 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, Power Forward, Poplar Bluff HS, Poplar Bluff, Mo.
HS, Poplar Bluff, MO Hansbrough is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2005, and Kansas is a front-runner in his recruitment. The highly-touted recruit will come to Lawrence this weekend for his final official visit, and then head to North Carolina next weekend for an unofficial visit. Hansbrough has stated that he wants to have his final decision made by July, and Kansas has one advantage that no one else can compete with - former legend and current member of the Jayhawks' staff, Danny Manning.
"Having coach Manning around for a long time could really have an impact
SEE RECRUITING ON PAGE 8B
Kansan file photo
Juniors Wayne Simien and Aaron Miles high fived after a key play. Miles and Simien are a part of a core of players that Kansas coach Bill Self will have to replace at the end of next season. As a result, this year's recruiting class is crucial.
New rules may limit recruit perks
By Joe Bant jbant@kansan.com Kansan staff writer
The NCAA Recruiting Task Force is compiling its preliminary recommendations to improve college-athlete recruiting.
these recruiting. The suggestions are meant to reduce the luxury and extravagance that many recruits have been afforded when making visits. Recommendations so far include proposals to prohibit schools from flying recruits in on private planes or with first-class tickets, prohibit schools from using limos to transport recruits, limit the amount spent on
SEE NCAA ON PAGE 8B
BASKETBALL
Basketball recruits could decide as soon as today
The Malik Hairston story should come to an end today.
Hairston, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard from Detroit, will make his decision today, his father told Rivals.com.
Hairston is deciding between a handful of schools, including Kansas, Ohio State and Michigan.
Another potential Kansas target, 6-foot-10 center C.J. Giles was released from his letter of
Hairston
intent by Miami today. His father, Chester, a former KU player, told Rivals that Kansas was his top choice, but that his son planned visits to Washington and Cincinnati.
-Kansan staff reports
SOFTBALL
Freshman player selected Big 12 Pitcher of the Week
Kansas freshman Kassie Humphreys was chosen as last week's Big 12 Pitcher of the Week.
Big 12 Humpreys pitched 12.1 Last week, Humphreys pitched 12.1
innings and recorded a 0.00 ERA. She also notched 12 strikeouts in those innings.
Humphreys has the lowest ERA on the team with 1.50 for the season. Overall, she has the sixth lowest ERA in the Big 12. Humphreys also has 177 strikeouts this
Humphreys
season, with 168 innings pitched.
"Kassie did an outstanding job for us on the mound," Kansas coach Tracy Bunge said after the Nebraska game.
Humphreys pitched a 3-0 shutout against Nebraska last week and also pitched in Saturday's 3-0 defeat of Texas.
Humphreys record now stands at 14-10.
14-10. Humphreys is the seventh pitcher to be selected by the Big 12 Conference as Pitcher of the Week. The award has been handed out 13 times this season.
Humphreys is the second Jayhawk to be recognized this season.
Sophomore designated player Serena Settlemier was selected as the Big 12 Player of the Week on March 23.
23. The Jayhawks have two games left in conference play, both at home this weekend. The Jayhawks, seventh in the Big 12, will face the Iowa State Cyclones, ninth in the Big 12.
So far this season, Iowa State has recorded just two victories in conference play.
Jonathan Kealing
Hazem Chahine, Lawrence freshman, tossed a frisbee in between class yesterday on the east side of Wescoe. Warm weather brought many people outside yesterday.
Basketball diversifies leadership
One thing no one seemed to point out when Norm Roberts was hired as the head men's basketball coach at St. John's was that he joined a group of nearly 25 percent of the 326 Division I head basketball coaches who are African American.
The same thing happened when Frank Haith, a former assistant basketball coach at the Texas became the head coach at the University of Miami.
There were no headlines referring to them being landmark hires. No color barrier was crossed. There was very little coverage given to the events at all. It was nothing special just two assistant coaches that finally got their shot.
Miami. That's the best thing about Roberts and Haith being hired as head coaches.
sports commentary
"Two does not make a trend," said Tim Jankovich, Kansas assistant men's basketball coach. "Lots of assistants and head coaches are hired
Kellis Robinett
kroinett@kansan.com
every year. Old guys, young guys, you name it. We're thrilled for Norm, and we're thrilled for every friend that gets the opportunity. But I don't think one job changes the way people look at the profession. Any coach in the college profession likes to see good people rewarded for their efforts."
College basketball has hired so many African-American head coaches over the last decade that these hires are finally becoming the norm.
According to a survey done by the NCAA Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee, the number of
African-American head coaches has risen from 17.4 percent in 1995 to 21.6 percent in 2002.
And college basketball should be commended for blazing the trail for so many black coaches.
"Roberts is an excellent coach and he will do very well at St. John's," Chancellor Robert Hemenway said. "He joins a number of African-American basketball coaches in Division I. There are fewer black coaches in Division I football, and this is something that must be changed."
Indeed, college football should take a lesson from college basketball.
a lesson from college. The way qualified African-American college football coaches are looked over is wrong. Out of the 117 Division 1 head coaches, five are black. That's less than 5 percent. Even more troubling is that nearly half of the athletes in college football are African American.
American African-American coaches are so rare in the college football world that
When St. John's and Miami hired Roberts and Haith, it barely created a murmur.
when Sylvester Croom was hired by Mississippi State University, his press conference was televised nationally because he was the first African-American head football coach in SEC history.
According to Hemenway, changes are being made to try to increase the number of African-American football coaches in the NCAA.
"The NCAA is holding coaches clinics during the summer to expand the pool of African-American coaches who would be eligible for Division I football jobs," he said.
I'm sure clinics will help, but if college football truly wants to change its ways administrators need to look no further than the success that African-American coaches have had in college basketball.
SEE BASKETBALL ON PAGE 28
TALK TO SPORTS: Contact Henry C, Jackson or Maggie Newcomer ar **SPORTS@KANSAN.COM**
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