THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2006
WWW.KANSAN.COM
PAGE 10A
DOWN THE HALL
Defensive line has big shoes to fill
TIM HALL
thall@kansan.com
It's hard to imagine mentioning football in the springtime when the Kansas baseball team is in the middle of its season.
But the annual spring scrimage is at 7 tonight, so KU fans can finally get a look at their Fort Worth Bowl Champions.
Then-senior quarterback Jason Swanson was the MVP of the Fort Worth Bowl and played a vital part in turning the season around. But the team Kansas coach Mark Mangino will field on Sept. 3 will be a totally different team than the Fort Worth Bowl team. The defense lost a lot of talented, leaving a lot of big shoes to fill.
Take a look at the defensive side of the ball and recite to yourself the players that have either graduated or moved on: Charles Gordon, Nick Reid, Charlton Kee, Jermial Ashley, Kevin Kane, Banks Floodman, Tim Allen and Brandon Perkins. The Associated Press named Reid and Keith All-Big 12 First-Team players last season. Reid was the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year last season. Perkins set the KU record with five sacks in a single game against Louisiana Tech.
The Jawhays had a successful season last year, finishing with a record of 7-5 and a bowl victory. Kansas drilled the University of Houston 42-13, and proved that its defense was one of the best in the nation.
The defense also lost half of its secondary in Theo Baines and Rodney Fowler.
It doesn't even end there.
Those core outstanding players were the glue that kept KU bowls hopes alive last season. Without this defense, Kansas would have only won three games last season.
The total defense of 308 yards per game allowed was good for 19th in the nation and first in the Big 12 North.
So Kansas loses its quarterback and the third-best run defense in America and things are supposed to improve? Granted, Kansas will not have to play Big 12 South powers Texas and Oklahoma next season. In non-conference games next season, Kansas scheduled a road game against Toledo and a nonpushover home game against South Florida, which is a member of the Big East Conference. South Florida hammered Louisville, a team that won nine of its 11 games, 45-15 at home last season.
The Jayhawks finished the season with a run defense that ranked third in the nation. The 88.1 rushing yards per game allowed was only topped by Ohio State (74.5) and Tennessee (82.5).
I'm very interested to see the new defense at the scrimmage. I have no doubt that sophomore linebacker Mike Rivera will have an instant effect on the lineup next season and will run around the field like a madman.
But who will help sophomore cornerback Aqib Talib and senior safety Jerome Kemp in the secondary next season? Who will anchor the other linebacker positions with Rivera?
Hall is a Woodbridge, Va., senior in journalism.
After tonight's scrimmage, we should know a little more about the KU defense. Whoever ends up starting though, last season's players set the bar extremely high.
First snap tonight
Fans to get glimpse of team at scrimmage
BY DREW DAVISON
ddavison@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
The annual spring scrimmage will give the Kansas football team an opportunity to see who will replace key players from last season.
p. m. in Memorial Stadium and is free to the public.
son Swanson, running back Clark Green and its top two receivers, Mark Simmons and Charles Gordon.
The game will be played at 7
is free to the past. On offense, the Jayhawks appear prepared for next season, with freshman Kerry Meier likely to start at quarterback and senior Jon Cornish at running back. The offense will have to overcome the losses of quarterback Ja-
Last season, the offense packaged plays to utilize the strengths of both Cornish and Green. They had to split time as a result.
more a complete player so we don't have to do some packaging stuff." Mangino said.
"We're hoping that Jon is
Mangino said that Cornish had worked on pass protection and catching the ball this spring, which he needed to improve on after last season.
In tonight's game, Mangino said the No. 1 offense would
play a combination of the No. 1 and No.2 defenses.
The defense will have to replace the top four tacklers from a year ago, as Nick Reid, Kevin Kane, Banks Floodman and Charlton Keith are graduating.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 4A
SOCCER
Freshman goalkeeper Julie Hanley catches one of Canada's shots during the second half of Thursday's game in Topeka. The Jayhawks lost the game against the Canadian National Team by one goal.
'Hawks lose to acclaimed Canadians Penalty kick seals game
BY MARK DENT
mdent@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORTWRITER
After Julie Hanley slid, jumped, and dove to block Canadian shots all game, the Canadian Women's National Team finally found the only way to put the ball past the Kansas goalkeeper: a penalty kick.
keeper
With 15 minutes remaining in
___
1
the second half of Thursday's exhibition, Canada forward Christine Sinclair scored the game's only goal with a penalty kick, allowing Canada to win 1-0 against Kansas.
Hanley
Sinclair's goal was set up by one of the Jayhawks's only opportunity to score in the second half. Junior forward Holly Gault had the ball with only one defender to beat, but got tangled up and fell to the ground. No penalty was called, and Canadian goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc kicked the ball downfield past the Kansas midfielders.
Kansas tried to rally in the final 12 minutes to tie the match, but a slew of offsides calls took away potentially open looks on the offensive end for the Jayhawks.
Sinclair received the ball and would have had a wide open shot if not for a penalty by the Jayhawk defense. On the ensuing penalty kick, Sinclair snuck the ball into the bottom right corner of the net past the freshman Hanley.
The 1-0 loss was the first of
knew we could play them competitively. Otherwise we wouldn't be playing against them."
Mark Francis Kansas coach
the spring season for the Jayhawks, who are 1-1-2 for the season.
Even with the loss, the Jayhawks can find positives in playing a close game against the Canadians, who had already beat Louisville and Purdue 9-0 and 6-1, respectively.
"I knew we could play them competitively," Kansas coach Mark Francis said. "Otherwise we wouldn't be playing against them."
The main reason Kansas was able to play competitively with Canada for most of the game was defense.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Throughout the spring season, the Jayhawk defense has allowed more than one goal only once, and their opponents have averaged just 1.25 goals per game.
Canada had possession of the ball for almost the entire second half but failed on their shot attempts because of defensive plays made by Hanley, freshman defender Kelsey Archuleta, and junior defender Nikki Alvarez.
"Defensively, we did a good job," Francis said. "Spring is all about improving and playing the best competition."
Edited by James Foley
Seniors remember their final season
BY MICHAEL PHILLIPS mphillips@kansan.com KANSAST WORK WRITER
Two things were celebrated at the women's basketball banquet Thursday night; the accomplishments of this year's team and the birthday of coach Bonnie Henrickson.
The team received a standing ovation and Henrickson was serenaded by the crowd gathered in the ballroom of the Kansas Union.
Since the women's basketball seniors traditionally do not address the crowd after their Senior Night, it was their opportunity to give a speech. Guard Kaylee Brown was the first to speak. She thanked her parents, who live in Oklahoma, for driving up to Lawrence for almost every game this season.
"Also thanks to my teammates," Brown said, "for making me a stronger person."
SEE SENIORS ON PAGE 4A
David Noffsinger/KANSAN .
Senior guards Kaylee Brown, left, Erica Hallman, center, and forward Crystal Kemp, joke around Thursday evening in the Kansas Union ballroom during the women's basketball award night. The event honored seniors as well as other players on this year's women's basketball team