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Once again, the Jayhawks are facing another winless team in the Big 12. Kansas has been a good sign for teams looking to end losing streaks of their own, as Baylor and Texas A&M both got their first conference wins against KU. Colorado comes into Saturday's game at 0-4 in conference play.
Toben Opurum.Since moving to defensive end, Opurum has 10 tackles, and the coaching staff likes the
PLAYER TO WATCH
les, and the best improvement they have see in the limited reps he's gotten so far. The defensive line has generated pressure the last two games, getting two sacks in each contest.
QUESTION MARKS Will Kansas finally get their first Big 12 win?
BY THE NUMBERS
Facing a fellow winless team in Colorado Saturday will be KU's last good chance at a win this year. After Colorado, The Jayhawks face three ranked teams to finish the season: At Nebraska, Oklahoma State at home, and Missouri in Kansas City.
Kansas is dead last in the conference in 12 team statistics so far this season, including total offense and defense, rush defense, pass efficiency, and turnover margin.
The combined number of Big 12 losses for Kansas and Colorado coming into Saturday's matchup.
Kansas (2-6)
OFFENSE
THE WAVE NOVEMBER 5,2010
Kansas is still last in the Big 12 in offense with only 10 points per game. Former third-string quarterback Quinn Mecham made his KU debut last weekend in Ames, throwing for 149 yards and a touchdown. Turner Gill said Kale Pick and Jordan Webb will be available this Saturday against Colorado. A decision on who will start hadn't been made as this issue went to press.
Mecham
EFENSE
The defense recorded two more sacks against Iowa State, bringing the season total to eight. Toben Opurum started at defensive end but didn't contribute too much, only getting two tackles on the day. The defense is giving up an average of 46 points per game, firmly in last in the conference.
Opurum
SPECIAL TEAMS
Beshears
COACHING
Kick returner D.J. Beshears returns from his one game suspension for Saturday's game against Colorado. Even after sitting out last Saturday, Beshears still leads the team in all-purpose yards with 765 on the season.
Colorado coach Dan Hawkins is in his fifth year in Boulder while posting a 19-38 record. He's been to an bowl since joining the Buffaloes in 2006, losing to Alabama in the 2007 Independence Bowl. Kansas coach Turner Gill is 2-6 in his first season with the Jayhawks, and he has yet to win a conference game.
Gill
Kory Carpenter
Both teams are looking to get any sort of momentum on Saturday, as both programs are 0-4 in conference play. Kansas is 2-6 on the year while the Buffalooes come to Lawrence at 3-5.
JAYHAWKS STARTING LINEUP
Offense
Pos. Name Number Year
QB Jordan Webb 2 Fr.
RB Angus Quigley 22 Sr.
WR Johnathan Wilson 81 Sr.
WR Bradley McDougald 24 So.
WR Daymond Patterson 15 Jr.
TE Tim Biere 86 Jr.
T Tanner Hawkinson 72 So.
G Sal Capra 59 Sr.
C Jeremiah Hatch 77 Jr.
G Trevor Marrongelli 69 So.
T Brad Thorson 76 Sr
Defense
Defense
Pos. Name Number Year
DE Quintin Woods 93 Sr.
DT Richard Johnson, Jr. 97 Jr.
DT Patrick Dorsey 92 Jr.
DE Jake Laptad 91 Sr.
OLB Drew Dudley 49 Sr.
MLB Justin Springer 45 Sr.
OLB Steven Johnson 52 Jr.
CB Isiah Barfield 19 Jr.
SS Olaitan Oguntodu 44 Sr.
FS Lubbock Smith 1 So.
CB Chris Harris 16 Sr.
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VOLL
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Kansas 24
Colorado offers chance for momentum
BY SARA KRUGER
skruger@kansan.c
After a loss against Nebraska, Kansas hopes to gain momentum back against Colorado on Saturday and finish up this season on a winning note. The Jayhawks will have extra motivation because Colorado is leaving the Big 12 after this year.
"It's the last time we'll get to play them in the Big 12 conference," sophomore middle blocker Tayler Tolefree said. "We just have six games left, so we need to just finish strong and get a win over them."
The last time the Jayhawks met Colorado, the Buffalooes came out and won in five games. Tolefree says the team is focused on beating Colorado and moving on to the
COLORADO
Outside hitter Karina Garlington said being a senior also added to the importance of the game.
Junior outside hitter Allison Mayfield added depth to the Kansas offense by playing both back and front row against Nebraska.
DAY: Saturday
DATE: Nov. 6
LOCATION: Lawrence
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
"We want them to remember the last time they get to play
they get to play Kansas at Kansas," she said. "And, you know, we've got a little grudge match since we lost to them at Colorado, so I hope that motivates everyone to play the best that we can and just get some momentum under us."
"She breaks the game down and allows us to get a back row attack when we normally couldn't," Garlington said.
"They're smaller, so they are smart with putting the ball in play." Tolefree said, "We kind of rally with them, the plays go on longer because they're not such physical blockers and sometimes our block isn't always there."
Garlington said playing two positions was difficult to do and Mayfield has stepped up to the task.
Kansas recently faced No. 5 Nebraska, who is also leaving the conference. Colorado is a much smaller opponent than Nebraska.
"We just have six games left, so we need to just finish strong and get a win over them."
TAYLER TOLEFREE
Sophomore middle blocker
She said the Jayhawks needed to figure out how to not let easy balls score.
T he Jayhawks' hitting percentage against Nebraska was a low .200 compared with their season high of .432 against Texas Tech. Mayfield and season.
her teammates just didn't seem to get the numbers they are capable of reaching.
"I thought she took some good swings. Six errors is more than we probably want her to have, but I thought she did a good job primary passing for us," coach Ray Bechard said. "We ask her to do a lot of things."
lot of things.
In the first set against Nebraska, Mayfield had nine attacks and three kills with two errors. She accounted for three of Kansas' 17 points in the first set and finished the match with 30 attacks, 10 kills and six errors — all team highs. In total, she led the Jayhawks with 11 points, including one service ace.
SEE VOLLEY ON PAGE 7A
lunior outside hitter Allison Mayfield bumps the ball in the first set Wendesday. The Jayhawks will play Colorado next Saturday.
A&M game. They, the gov't is just as with Pick, we saw sixth-year senior running back Angus Quigley lose his starting job as soon as someone else performed well at the position in a game. Let me preface this by saying that I think James Sims is a talented back for a freshman, but again, there is a reason that Angus Quigley won the job in the pre-season. I don't know exactly what it is — I wasn't there — but if there was, indeed, a reason, stick to your guns and go with Quigley. Three weeks later, Quigley reascended to the top of the running back chart.
Rightfully so, too. Quinn Mecham is now in the discussion to be the lajayhawks' quarterback as well. And there was that fun experiment with D.J. Beshears at quartback late in the Texas A&M game. Hey, the guy is fast.
anything radical like niring On. I'm a firm believer that a coach needs at least three years to be fully evaluated. There's a reason the Pittsburgh Steelers won more Super Bowls than any other NFL franchise, and a huge part of that is the stability of having just three coaches since 1969.
Kale Pick was not impressive in a little more than six quarters as the starter. No one will argue that. But there's a reason he was made the starter (I'm going to go out on a limb and say it had to do with speed). Either have faith in the guy or don't start him at all. But ripping the rug out from under him only destroys his confidence and has the next guy, in this case Jordan Webb, looking over his shoulder for someone else who might be sneaking up on his job.
What I'm looking for from Gill, though, is some sign that he knows the personnel he has playing for him. Have a little faith in your players.
I'm not asking much from Gill, just that he stops yanking players like an overeager fantasy football manager and trusts his gut.
Bizarrely, I'm actually giving the man a vote of confidence. Trust your decisions, coach. It can't get any worse.
Edited by David Cawthon
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