wednesday, december 10,2003
sports
the university daily kansan
7A
GREENE: Ervin shines through despite limited time on court
841-PLAY
You may think that one or two early season, non-conference losses don't mean a thing, but when your conference schedule includes powerhouses like Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas State, every victory counts.
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They count even more when your team has NCAA Tournament potential and a remaining non-conference schedule that is favorable.
Ervin is a star, and that's just what the Jayhawks were missing a year ago.
In fact, she has the potential to be one of the brightest stars in the program's history, but she's sheltered and relegated to an undeserving season on the pine most of the time.
"To be honest, I haven't really even thought about it," Ervin said. "It might take a month, it might take a year. I know the coaches are still kind of iffy about the starting five."
She's an unselfish player, and that's a great quality to have, but it's unfair to the rest of the team and the program to keep her under wraps.
Washington considers Ervin her "sixth player," or first option off the bench, which is an upgrade from where she was two weeks ago.
Ervin puts out the impression that playing time is no big deal, which may in fact be the case for her personally.
The best player on every team in America starts.
Research doesn't even have to be done to prove this, because it's common knowledge.
So what makes Lauren Ervin different? If Marian Washington has some secret to explain it, she might as well let us in on it.
Because there's a barrier between being careful and being overprotective.
Greene is a Vernon Hills, Ill., senior in journalism
TOOMEY: Shifting from sidelines to lineback leader
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The only problem that has gotten Toomey in trouble physically this season is the reckless abandon he displays on defense. As Toomey himself puts it, his "switch turns on" when the game starts.
By throwing his body all over the place, Toomey has sustained napping injuries all season.
Another, which is more of a war wound than anything else, is the gash on the bridge of his nose that never seems to heal and gets opened up every Saturday.
One has been a constant problem with his right shoulder that has forced him to miss large chunks of games.
With a month to prepare for the Tangerine Bowl, Toomey will get his first chance to play at full strength in nearly two months.
"He certainly is hoping he'll feel a heck of a lot better than he did the last four or five weeks of the season."
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Between putting on weight during the season for the first time in his life and going through his inaugural Division-IA schedule, Toomey has been through the wringer in 2003.
Mark Mangino Coach
Having the sophomore linebacker at 100 percent will be a bonus for the Jayhawks as they get set to face North Carolina State, which has one of the nation's most prolific offenses.
"He certainly is hoping he'll
feel a heck of a lot better than he did the last four or five weeks of the season," coach Mark Mangino said. "He plays hard all of the time. The kids see the tempo he plays with and they want to emulate that."
Kansas Football Notebook
■ Another Day, More Awards — Freshman three-way performer Charles Gordon and freshman safety Jonathan Lamb were named by the Sporting News to its annual All-Freshman teams.
Gordon, who saw action at wide receiver, punt returner and defensive back, was named to the first team.
Lamb, whose 83 tackles ranked among the nation's best by a freshman, was honored on the second team.
- Edited by Ehren Meditz
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MATCHUPS: Secondary vulnerable, but still strong
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Lamb is the Jayhawks' feel-good story. The true freshman walked on to the program this season and not only became a starter, but earned a scholarship early in the season. His 83 tackles are one of the top totals among the nation's freshmen, and he also had two interceptions.
Accomplishments — In terms of honors, Lamb was the most heralded of this group in 2003. His stellar freshman season earned him a spot on the Sporting News All-Freshman second team. Latecomer defensive back Charles Gordon made the publication's All-Freshman first team.
A Nice Addition — Before the Nebraska game, with cornerbacks Ronnie Amadi and Remuise Johnson injured, and the secondary as a whole struggling, some changes were made. Freshman wide receiver Charles Gordon and freshman tailback John Randle have become multiple threats, playing on offense, defense and special teams. With Johnson and Amadi working their ways back, coach Mark Mangino constantly has fresh legs in the defensive backfield along with the emergence of safety Rodney Fowler.
Improvements — As improved as the corners and safeties have been for Kansas, they still have their vulnerabilities. Midway through the season, Mangino cited poor tackling as the biggest problem for his defense. While improvements have come late in the season, shifty receivers and tailbacks still tend to give these guys some trouble.
— Compiled by Ryan Greene
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His 20 tackles against Georgia Tech in 2002 were a team-high for the season, and one of the top totals in Wolfpack history.
Golden is seen by the NC State coaching staff as an unselfish contributor, and that was honored in 2002.
Golden took home the Wolfpack's Al Michaels Award for putting the team and his teammates before himself.
Change Of Plans — Maddox and Graham, who are essentially the safeties for the Wolfpack, are the only two remaining starters in the secondary from the preseason depth chart.
The Wolfpack have had to rely on more inexperienced corners to cover the ACC's top receivers.
NC State allows the second-most passing yards per game in Division IA, which favors a pass-happy Jayhawk offense.
- Don't Get On Its Bad Side — Even though the holes have been exposed in this secondary over and over. it is still a tough group of guys.
Maddox plays the roverback position, which is basically a hidden linebacker, and he can lay the wood like his high school teammate, the Wolfpack's all-conference linebacker Pat Thomas. Maddox is tough, too.
in 2002, he broke his nose following a collision with tailback T.A. McLendon in a preseason camp, but was back after missing just one practice.
Compiled by Ryan Greene
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