Sports THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANS
Appreciation for the fans
Jayhawk fans get fun, goodies at Fan Appreciation Day FOOTBALL| 3B
Kale Pick proves his worth
WWW.KANSAN.COM
MONDAY,AUGUST 23,2010
Fall team impresses spectators at Saturday scrimmage. FOOTBALL | 2B
REBUILDING THE TEAM
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Ryan Waggoner/KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Members of the Kansas football team huddle up during their first practice of the season earlier this month. Under first-year coach Turner Gill, the Jayhawks are looking to fill the shoes of graduated seniors Todd Reesing and Kerry Meier and NFLbound junior Dezmon Briscoe.
Underclassmen step up for KU
Gill remains hopeful despite bumpy start
BY MATT GALLOWAY mgalloway@kansan.com
Rebuilding is a dirty word for many of the upperclassmen on the Kansas football team.
Not necessarily the meaning of the word, but rather the negative connotations that come with it — the idea that you must endure losing to someday win again.
Sixth year senior running back Angus Quigley does not buy that common sports mindset.
"I feel like this can be a real positive season for us," Quigley said. "People look at this as a rebuilding year, but that isn't how we look at it. We're not marking any 'Ls' on the schedule."
New coach Turner Gill inherited a team in shambles, fresh off the heels of a season-ending, seven-game losing streak and the departure of embattled coach Mark Mangino.
At least one layawk thinks the team may have gotten the bumps
and bruises out of its system before coach Gill's arrival.
The departure of quarterback Todd Reesing and receivers Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier, three of the most vital offensive players in the program's history, leaves big gaps at arguably the most important offensive positions. Quigley knows the offensive unit
"It was tough, we couldn't even buy a win," said senior defensive end Jake Laptad. "But I feel like it is going to help us in the long run.
We know we have to work harder this off-season."
"We've got a lot of young guys that are going to fill some voids for us," Quigley said. "That's how football works; we've got guys that left, so guys have to step up."
However long the adjustment period to coach Gill's system takes, the learning curve should be assisted by the absence of two Big 12 juggernauts from the schedule: Texas and Oklahoma. And with the conference's realignment, this will be the last season for the foreseeable
will have a challenge stacking up to last season, but he has trust in his younger teammates.
future that the Jayhawks will not have to play either the Longhorns or the Sooners.
Sophomore Kale Pick beat out freshman Jordan Webb for quarterback, but they are both examples of underclassmen eager to send their seniors out on a winning note.
"It's really important to everybody," Webb said. "This senior class has worked so hard. We've got a bunch of seniors who are ready to go out there and give it one last shot."
Edited by Abby Davenport
VOLLEYBALL
Intrasquad scrimmage shows off competitive team
Veteran Mayfield impressed by the team's potential
BY IAN CUMMINGS icummings@kansan.com
The volleyball team took its game out in front of a crowd for the first time this year in three closely contested sets of an intrasquid scrimmage between teams Crimson and Blue. The scrimmage at the Horesji Family Athletics Center on Saturday night was also the first appearance for nine freshmen and one sophomore transfer.
Junior outside hitter Allison Mayfield, who was one of two Jayhawks to play in all 102 sets last season, did not disappoint. She led the team with 15 kills, including eight in the first set. She also put up three service aces in an effort that ultimately wasn't enough to save the Blue队 from a 25-21 loss. At the same time, outside hitters freshman Amy Wehrs and senior Karina Garlington - one
Crimson got the better of the exchange, but with scores of 21-25, 25-21 and 27-25,the message was that the team has competitive players to go around.
of four returning starters and a Preseason All-Big 12 Team selection - posted double digit kills, with 12 each.
"We have a lot of potential but a lot of work to do to get better," she said. "I think we all got the nerves out."
The Jayhawks start the 2010 regular season in Omaha, Neb., on Friday at 4:30 p.m., taking on Lipscomb in the Bluejay Invitational, hosted by Creighton. The next day, they'll play San Francisco and Creighton.
Mayfield said the scrimmage went well.
She said developing the team's offensive potential will be a main theme in practice.
"The team is more competitive than it has ever been in the past," senior outside hitter Jenna Kaiser said. "They're always ready to help out and give advice."
One player whose advice was hard not to hear was freshman defensive specialist Brianne Riley, who could be heard throughout all three sets calling out to all members of her team.
Mayfield denied the suggestion that the team might be intimidated as its first regular season games approach.
"I'm a very loud player," Riley said. "I like to communicate and control the game."
One thing that she thought the team as a whole did well with was "first touch, serve and receive."
For the scriffmage, coach Ray Bechard divided the squad to be evenly matched.
"If you do that, you can win most games," Riley said.
"We put as many players in game-like situations as we could tonight." Bechard said. "Obviously when you have 19 it's difficult to get everybody equal time. We wanted to see three setters set. That was important to us."
"I think it's just really important to the group in front of a crowd with the whistles blowing and get the nerves out of the way. We had eight new players and two newcomers from last year that redshirted. So, that's 10 new people to experience that. So, with all of that going on I thought the organization was pretty good. I thought our offense was a little bit ahead of our defense. I thought we had some good moments, so I'm excited."
Edited by Clark Goble
See more photos from the scrimmage at kansan. com/photos/galleries
Freshman setter Kara Wehrs sets up a spike for her teammate during the volleyball intrasquad scrimage Saturday night at the Horesi Center. Wehrs ended the scrimmage with 33 assists and six kills
COMMENTARY
Team has structure with Pick as leader
BY COREY THIBODEAUX
ctibogeqaux.kansan.com
After an entire summer and four media accesses with coaches and players. I learned absolutely nothing about the new-look Jayhawk football team.
No position was established. Coach Turner Gill was conservative during interviews, disclosing injuries but not much else. And the players hadn't played a game yet, so what is there to express at this point except uncertainty?
That was all until Thursday. The news came out of nowhere, but it was a sigh of relief for those trying to find a news peg out of all this.
This is what we learned: Kale Pick is the new quarterback. Toben Opurum, last year's leading rusher, moved to linebacker. Also, the team established its five captains last Tuesday.
It would have been better for the Jayhawks to make these decisions earlier in the season. A team needs to know who its leaders are to have structure. But with a new coaching staff, it's understandable why these positions are just now being established. None are more important than Pick being named the starter.
The quarterback should be the unquestioned leader on every football team. He is the field general, the man who dictates the offense through the coach and commands respect from his teammates.
This year, everyone was looking at two guys who could have filled that role. One was going to win and one was going to lose. They couldn't both be the team leader; it's not how the quarterback position works.
Now, Pick is the man under center while Jordan Webb, who was his equal all throughout summer, becomes a figure on the sideline until his number is called.
We haven't seen Webb's reaction yet, but this was only a matter of time for Pick.
"I didn't want to come to KU and not have a chance to start, obviously." Pick said after he was announced the starter. "That was my mentality coming out of high school."
Gill said this wasn't a decision for the sake of making one. Pick showed skills in camp that separated him from Webb and, barring an injury, will start Sept. 4.
This quarterback situation is going to make for an interesting season.
To the players and coaches, Pick and Webb were indistinguishable as far as skill-set and leadership goes. They were too close to make an immediate decision, which means Pick is not that far ahead of Webb.
Kansas had that man last year in Todd Reesing. That was his team.
If Pick gets pulled at any point during the season, he may not see the field next game. Whether it makes the team better or not, blame can't be put on the coaches. The only way to see what kind of players the team has is to play them.
But today, the layhawks have the structure they need at quarterback. No more guessing, no more splitting first-team reps, no more trying to prove oneself. Pick will assume the role, and the team has the trust that he is mature enough to lead them.
Edited by Anna Nordling