THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN SPORTS
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5,2010
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PAGE 10A
COMMENTARY
Jayhawks must use bye week to refocus
NEW SHERIFF IN TOWN
BY MAX VOSBURGH The biggest question that remains after Kansas' 55-7 loss to
The biggest question that remains after Kansas' 55-7 loss to Baylor is how this team will respond to such adversity.
We may already know the answer.
You could make a case that the Jayhawks' historically lopsided loss to Baylor was just as embarrassing as the loss to Division 1-AA North Dakota State. Kansas responded the next week by beating No. 15 Georgia Tech at home. Kansas came out looking inspired, ready to prove to its fans they were better than what they showed in their first game.
- Edited by Sean Tokarz
The Jayhawks will have the same opportunity to redeem themselves in two weeks when they play in-state rival Kansas State.
The game, which was moved from Saturday, Oct. 16 to Thursday, Oct. 14, will be televised nationally on Fox Sports Net.
It has been my personal observation that when the Jayhawks begin a game full of passion and energy, they win. In contrast, they haven't appeared to have that same spark in games that they've lost.
If the Jayhawks can respond against Kansas State the same way they did against North Dakota State, not all hope will be lost.
The bye week comes at a perfect time for the Jayhawks. They have plenty of time to refresh themselves mentally and prepare for their biggest game so far.
"We will regroup and I believe we will get that together," senior safety Olatan Oguntodu said.
For now however, the Jayhawks will go into their bye week watching tape to determine if certain players checked out of the Baylor game early.
Kansas State plays at Nebraska this week in a match-up that may be the early favorites to win the Big 12 North. It won't be an easy game for the Wildcats and they won't be nearly as rested as the Jayhawks before the Sunflower Showdown.
The Jayhawks have a big week ahead of them. They need to use the next 10 days before that match-up to motivate themselves from the Baylor game. If they come out asleep against Kansas State, they might not be able to save face this season.
"I don't think our guys totally quit," coach Turner Gill said. "But we will look at that some more on tape. Obviously we were a step too slow on a lot of things both offensively and defensively."
Rvan Waggoner/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Football coach Turner Gill addresses the media last month at the Anderson Family Football Complex. Several new team rules such as cell phone and cursing bans have been discussed recently by several players.
BY MATT GALLOWAY
BY MATT GALLOWAY
mgalloway@kansan.com
twitter.com/themattgalloway
When Turner Gill held his first press conference as the new Kansas football coach, he emphasized that he was here to help shape young men first and win football games second.
Now Gill is turning heads with some of his unorthodox ways.
Gill implemented numerous new rules in the Kansas players' manual after taking over this spring. Among the rules are bans on cursing and cell phone use the day before games. However, it was the ban on player interaction with members of the opposite sex after
10 p.m. Gill defended Monday.
"We're just teaching them discipline," Gill said during the Big 12 coaches' teleconference. "I'm not going to go into all the details of what we have on our team policies and all those things, but everything that we do is all about disciplining our guys and preparing them for life with football and preparing for them for life without football. It's just part of our makeup"
The rule was implemented to ensure players maintain self-discipline and avoid some of the temptations that come with college life.
"We've explained everything to our players, and were teaching them about discipline and about
life and discipline also with foot ball." Gill said.
Almost all of the players asked to adhere to the new rule are holdovers recruited by former coach Mark Mangino. While the previous regime had its share of rules, the current Kansas roster is being asked to observe policies they were unaware would be in place when they were recruited. But these policies have not harmed the team on the field, Gill said.
"There hasn't been any negative reaction to anything." Gill said. "We've just been inconsistent in playing the game of football, just like any other teams."
Gill said the policy, directed at improving treatment of women.
should not scare away future recruits from the program but did not rule out the possibility.
"I guess it could, but we can explain," Gill said. "It's not that big of a deal. It's really just a situation of trying to teach guys how to do things in the proper way and be respectful to women and be respectful to everything that we do in our society. It's teaching people all about things about life."
Kansas coaches collect player cell phones in Ziploc bags the day before a game, as shown in the weekly Kansas football documentary "The Gridiron." The policy surprised players at first, but it is a concession many are willing to make to take the field.
"Some guys, of course, like to talk to their parents and family members before the games," said sophomore wide receiver Bradley McDougald said, "but it's just a small price you have to pay."
Senior punter Alonso Rojas observed similar policies his freshman year at Bowling Green. Not everyone likes the policy, he said, but keeping in line with the coach's wishes is important to everyone.
"There are always going to be guys who don't like it more than others," Rojas said, "but we're a team and our coach expects us to do something, so we're going to do it."
— Edited by Michael Bednar
SOCCER
Defense aids in victory and helps lessen defeat
The Jayhawks' defense continued its solid play over the weekend, but split its matches with one win and one loss.
The Aggies totaled 27 shots, but another strong performance from Kansas' sophomore goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau kept them in the game. She recorded nine saves, including a few impressive diving plays.
BY JACKSON DELAY idelay@kansan.com
Not even the combination of Liebetrau at goal and the strong defense was able to stop the Jayhawks from falling to the Aggies, 1-0.
On Friday, Kansas held the Texas A&M offense, which had been averaging 2.64 goals per game, to just one.
On Sunday, the defenses' play paid off in Kansas beat Texas 1-0 for its first victory over the Longhorns since 2005.
Senior defender Lauren Jackson said the defenses' ability to communicate was a key factor in the win.
"We are always on the same page and we play good together," she said.
"I think we played good solid all around defense. Not just the defenders, but midfielders playing defense and forwards playing
This also marked the Jayhawks' fourth shut out of the year.
The concept of team defense was displayed well by sophomore forward Whitney Berry in the second half.
Jackson also noted that the shut out was a team effort.
defense," she said.
At one point she sprinted from her forward spot back to Kansas'
side of the field to track down a Texas player and get the ball back
Francis said he has been able to rely on the defense, and will continue to look to them for help in improving the teams 1-3 conference record.
"The defenders are playing well, but they have been pretty consistent all year," he said. "Those guys are making it difficult for other teams to score, which gives you a chance to win the game."
Edited by Emily McCoy
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
Sophomore goalkeeper Kat Liebetrau dives for the ball Sunday against Texas. Liebetrau had four saves in the 1-0 victory.
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