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4 FOOTBALL
Words from the Big 12 Writers from around the conference weigh in on their teams
Oklahoma Sooners
'Sloppiness' nearly cost OU the game
By Clark Foy The Daily Oklahoma
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Sooners are glad they don't have to see an offense like Air Force's on a regular basis. The Falcons entered the game leading the nation with 423 rushing yards per game. OU allowed 351 yards total. The Sooner defense only allowed three points in the first half nut 21 in the second.
Oklahoma wide receiver Ryan Broyles, front, is tackled by Air Force cornerback Jon Davis, right, in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Norman, Okla.
"I don't care about the yards, I just don't like the sloppiness" defensive coordinator Brent Venables said. "Yards don't matter, winning does."
Venables said the team's tackling worsened as they allowed Air Force to fight back. Redshirt freshman linebacker Tom Wort said the defense should have executed better in the second half.
Venables said earlier in the week that Air Force's triple-option attack is unique.
"We were slipping off tackles that we should have made," Wort said.
Junior linebacker Travis Lewis said facing the Falcons' offense was challenging, and he doesn't want to play a team that runs anything like it again. Coaches and players said all week that they felt uncomfortable preparing for the Air Force offense. One of
the hardest parts, Venables said, was knowing the strategy and preparation would not translate to any of the Sooners' other games.
"You know, we did enough to get the win," Wort said.
Psychologists try to help Missouri win
By John Montesantos The Maneater
Although Pinkel praised the services the doctors provide for his team, he said there is no "magic" to the system. There is much more to playing good football than the mental side of things.
The most recent addition to Tigers' arsenal is an advantage that cannot be seen. Coach Gary Pinkel is a firm proponent of a sound body in his players. That's why he has two sports psychologists on his staff that train the Tigers throughout the year.
"Our team has taken it very seriously," Moe said. "That's the only way it can help you is if you really take it seriously and use it."
"What triggered it is the term 'focus,' Pinkel said. "My concern is that we don't focus well enough."
Pinkel and the psychologists strive to condition the players to focus, whether it is during the game or while preparing the week before.
"Ninety-five percent of football is still being physically strong enough." Pinkel said. "But there's that other little edge that we can get to
Sophomore wide receiver TJ. Moe knows the benefits of the program firsthand and is happy to see his teammates take advantage.
help our players."
Moe pursues that extra edge with the same passion he uses to improve his play in practice. The budding wideout takes advantage of the psychology meetings that have helped him since his freshman year.
"I think it's been a tremendous help," Moe said. "It's just focus. A lot of times, especially for young guys, it's hard for us to go from one thing to another and re-focus every time."
No matter how mentally sound they are, nothing can compare to live action and game experience for the Tiger youngsters.
Injuries and suspensions on the Missouri defense have given a chance for some underclassmen to prove themselves early in the season. Senior linebacker Andrew Gachkar knows how important those opportunities are for the depth chart.
"It's definitely a big thing," Gachkar said. "It's key in getting depth, and that's something you need when you go into conference play. They all got good time, so that's definitely positive."
The Tigers are now focused on San Diego State as they prepare for Saturday's game.
Kansas State Wildcats
O-line leads Kansas State in right direction
By Ashley Dunkak Kansas State Collegian
Head coach Bill Snyder distributed accolades at Tuesday's press conference, but he did temper them with caution. Amid his positive comments about the running backs, offensive line and even this week's opponent, University of Central Florida, Snyder wants the team to stay level-headed.
With Saturday's home game, the Wildcats have the opportunity to start a season 4-0 for the first time since 2006. Last year, K-State won four of five games in the middle of the season but finished by losing three of four. The K-State offense faces a test in the Central Florida defense, which is nationally ranked in several categories. Snyder said with the exception of last week's interception, senior quarterback Carson Coffman has been fairly consistent.
"That was just a glitch that was so costly," Snyder said. "If that were an interception at the other end of the field, you still wouldn't like it, but it wouldn't have had the ramifications that this one did. But I would say that he's been consistent throughout."
THE WAVE SEPTEMBER 24,2010
The one getting the ball to Coffman is senior center Wade Weibert. Snyder said he has become proficient at the position - not an easy one, especially having to come right up from hiking the ball to block a 300-pound lineman.
"I think he's provided and offered quality leadership within not just our offensive line but our offense in general." Snyder said. "He just continues to work extremely hard to get himself better."
In addition to making communication contributions and last-second changes to blocking schemes, Weibert also operates as a leader of the team.
As far as the offensive line in general, Snyder said it is not without glitches, but that is the case everywhere. He said the time together has made the linemen much better.
"A lot of pass protection is being able to work together," Snyder said. "It's not always just the one-on-one environments. Being able to make the right calls, get into the right protection, be able to help each other out, and I think the more you work together, the better you become at that."
When asked about how important it is for the team to go 4-0, Snyder paused, with kind of a funny look on his face, until finally people started laughing.
"It's like saying, 'Would you rather be dead or alive?' Snyder said. "You'd rather win than lose. It's better than the alternative. The important thing is whether or not we're getting better and what direction that we're going."
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Iowa State wide receiver Jake Williams dives into the end zone under pressure from Kansas State cornerback Tvawn Hartman.
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SWIMMING & DIVING
Adam Buhler/KANSAN
Sophomore Monica Johannessen moved from Norway to swim at the University. Last season she finished first against Nebraska in the 100 meter freestyle with a time of 49.93 seconds.
Norwegian returns for second year
kcarpenter@kansan.com
BY KORY CARPENTER
Monica Johannessen had to adapt to college life a little differently than her teammates. When the sophomore swimmer decided to make the University of Kansas her new home, her first trip to Lawrence was a long journey. The Haugesund, Norway native left her family and friends behind for a chance to study abroad and continue her swimming career.
"I just talked to the coaches and they made me really confident.
Johannessen committed to the Jayhawks without so much as a recruiting visit to Lawrence. She says the coaches, along with the beautiful campus, made her decision easier.
During her freshman campaign Johannessen placed in numerous events while earning a spot on the senior Norwegian National team. That gave her opportunities to travel home to see family, including her twin sister who also swims.
and I just went for it," she said.
Her favorite event is the 100 meter freestyle, where she boasts a career best time of 49.93 seconds and a first-place finish against Nebraska last season. After failing to qualify for the NCAA championships as a freshman, Johannessen said she hopes her sophomore campaign is different. She had a qualifying time last year, but the time was set in Norway, not in America.
"The time obviously didn't
Being away from home presents challenges to Johannessen, who has been thrown out of her comfort zone while being in the United States. She said her qualifying time from back home was attributed to familiarity with her long time teammates and twin sister.
transfer over to KU, but I feel like I can make that time in Lawrence this year," she said. "My biggest goal this season is to qualify for the NCAA championships."
"I had confidence back home," Johannessen said. "I was able to swim with my sister as well, which really helped me out. It was also my first year of college so I was still getting used to everything."
Day: Friday
Date: Sept. 24
Location: Lawrence
Time: 4 p.m.
Another year in Lawrence should help Johannessen gain
After graduating from the University, Johannessen plans on returning home to Norway to continue her career with the National Team.
confidence, who last season was a First Team Academic AllAmerican and was also named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll both semesters while studying psychology.
- Edited by David Cawthon
COMMENTARY
With only 10 schools, the league will go to a double round robin schedule — eighteen conference games, with each team playing all the others twice.
Big 12 realignment leaves mixed feelings
Also, Turner Gill won't draw the same lucky slate that helped Mark Mangino to an Orange Bowl. If he goes BCS bowling, it'll be with wins over the big guns of the South — Texas and Oklahoma are on the schedule every year from here out.
So no, I'm not happy they're leaving. But, man, I am geeked for basketball next year. I almost wish I could be around one more year to cover it for The Kansan.
The revenue that both schools bring in — especially now that Bo Pelini has the Cornhuskers competing for BCS berths again — will also be missed by whoever is named athletics director, starting June 30 next year, per Tuesday's announcement.
Texas twice. Baylor twice.
Maybe Bill Self can get his record in Stillwater to .500 if he gets a crack at his alma mater every year.
College basketball fans have loved the Big East over the last few years — even though late finishes have been cutting into the beginning of Kansas games on ESPN. Every week in the Big East it seems like there's at least one
Nebraska fans are always listed among the most hospitable in the country and, for my money, Boulder is the best town in the Big 12. (If you haven't been, picture Lawrence with a mountainous backdrop.)
I'm not going to say I'm happy to see Nebraska and Colorado leave the Big 12. That'd be crazy.
There will obviously be bottom feeders — I'm skeptical that new coach Fred Hoiberg can turn around Iowa State and Jeff Capel won't keep getting top-tier talent to Oklahoma if he keeps losing.
BY TIM DWYER
tdwyer@laxp.co.uk
— but there will be seven, eight or nine teams every year that are in serious contention for NCAA Tournament bids.
It looks like the Big 12 (they really need to get a new conference name, by the way), will be in that upper echelon come the 2011-2012 season. This conference has always been in the discussion of which is the best in the country for basketball. Drop the bottom two teams in the league, and it just may not be a discussion anymore
top-10 matchup and no games off.
If they play each other twice, thats 14 games that are eminently losable for each one of those teams. There won't be another undefeated team in the Big 12 because there will be just too much competition.
Last year, for example, according to the RPI, there were eight Big 12 teams that ranked above the worst at-large team.
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And that will make the games all the sweeter.
- Edited by Abby Davenport
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