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GAME DAY 11
Gill's rules could scare off recruits
Before jumping on this Kansas team for its 55-7 loss to Baylor two weeks ago, remember that it's not always the players who are the problem. Instead, the issue here is not necessarily about Turner Gill's Jayhawks taking a backhand slap from Texas' stepchild of a university like they were Rocky Balboa's personal punching bag. Instead it's become a possible imposed image problem that Gill will now have to deal with every time he and his coaching staff venture out on the recruiting trail.
Gill came to Kansas with the intention of not only turning this lackluster football program into a national powerhouse, but also turning young men from rough neighborhoods into better human beings. I mean, who could blame the former Heisman candidate for wanting to turn his athletes into more than just pieces of meat, but actually attempt to give them a future outside of football and this university?
Unfortunately, that's not how most 18 year-olds think when they are choosing their college of choice. Gill, who has now not only placed bans on cell-phone use but has also restricted the visitation rights of females after the 10 o'clock hour, rules that not only are embarrassing for the players and University, but make this Kansas program even less attractive for potential recruits and more embarrassing than the failed Gridiron Club.
In all fairness, there is a case to be made for these
rules being enforced. The problem is they become hard to justify after a beating by a team that is usually seen as the Big 12's southern version of Iowa State.
The only way to justify these new "house" rules would be an attempt for Kansas to put a more polished and focused team out on the field. After all, player focus has been a major concern for this team in their first four games. At Baylor, even with the new rules these Jayhawks looked more lost and less inspired than ever allowing Baylor's Robert Griffin to pass for over 380 yards as well rush for 64 more.
Maybe Gill should take some of his own advice and abide by the rules he has implemented for his players. Gill was not only masterfully out-coached by Art Briles, but also looked as if he was experiencing a metaphorical hangover from the New Mexico State
game that might have elevated expectations to an unlikely high.
Friday night marks the beginning of basketball season and, let's face it, once Late Night in the Phog rolls around most students as well as alumni will shift all their attention from the limping football program to the high-flying championship-winning and less embarrassing (as long as Tyshawn Taylor plays by his new Twitter rules, but that's another column) basket-ball team.
The only way for Gill and this team to stay in the spotlight is by fixing its current image problem. That not only starts by being competitive on the field, but by also making smart decisions on the sidelines Thursday night against a Kansas State team that just got tossed to the side by Nebraska like they were yesterday's old corn cobs.
The jury remains out and Thursday a win could go a long ways and perhaps send a shock wave of hope through this fan base that otherwise will start looking forward to another possible Big 12 championship in basketball, not football. While a win Thursday will heal some of the exposed wounds against Baylor, the only way for Kansas to fix its image problem is through recruiting and finding players that will cope with the the rules of first year coach Gill.
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PAGE 3A
THE WAVE OCTOBER 13,2010
A student reported the attack behind The Wheel Wednesday
BY GARTH SEARS gsears@kansan.com
A female student reported to police that she was raped early Wednesday morning in
a University park ing lot behind The Wagon Wheel, a popular student bar at 14th and Ohio streets.
The student said she was raped in University
Thursday afternoon.
Capt. Schuyler Bailey of the Public Safety Office said the rape reportedly happened between cars in the lot "directly behind" The Wheel.
IF YOU HAVE INFORMATION, CALL:
KU Public Safety Office:
(785) 864-5900
Crime Stoppers hotline:
(785) 864-8888
parking lot 100 between 2:30 and 3:10 a.m. Wednesday by an unknown man, according to a University crime alert posted
Bailey asked that anyone who saw what happened call the Public Safety Office at 864-5900. Any tips can be called in to the Crime Stoppers hotline anonymously at 864-8888.
According to the University website, there is another section of lot 100. Bailey said the
SAFETY TIPS
- Be aware of your surroundings
- Walk or jog in groups.
- Stay on lighted pathways and avoid taking shortcuts behind buildings and through parking lots
- If you are the victim of a crime, contact the police as soon as possible.
- soon as possible.
- Report any crime in progress or any suspicious activity to the KU Public Safety Office.
section involved was the larger section of lot 100, right off of Ohio Street, not the section on the west side of Stephenson and Pearson Scholarship Halls, by Sprague Apartments.
A University crime alert encouraged students to be aware of their surroundings.
walk in groups and stay on lighted pathways.
— Edited by Anna Nordling
INDEX
Classifieds...7A
Crossword...4A
Cryptoquips...4A
Opinion...5A
Sports...1B
Sudoku...4A
WEATHER
TODAY 75 48
Scattered T-Storms
All contents, unless stated otherwise, © 2010 The University Daily Kansan
BASKETBALL|18
Self, players have fun at Late Night in front of recruits
Marcus Morris played well in the scrimmage,but festivities directed at recruits were the greater purpose of the evening.
A member of the Kansas City Falcon Skydiving Team glides into Kivisto Field with a KU flag before the game. Kansas fell to in-state rival Kansas State in the Sunflower Showdown 59-7 Thursday night at Memorial Stadium.
SENATE|6A
SenEx approves task force
0 0
The University Senate begins discussion on a new financial aid program for KU faculty and staff and his or her dependents, spouses and partners.
OPINION|5A
Facebook is problematic
Mandy Matney tells why Facebook and other social networking sites cause frustration, stress and emotional havoc on college students' minds.