Monday, April 23, 2001
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Quarterbacks struggle for starting spot
By Jeff Denton
sports@kansan.com
Kansas sportwriter
Linebacker Leo Eeiene attempts to tackle wide receiver J.T. Thompson. The Jayhawks' spring scrimmage was Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Photo by J.E. Wilson/KANSAN
Even though Terry Allen neglected to name a starting quarterback after Saturday's spring game, Mario Kinsey was sullen. The 6-foot-2, 194-pound quarterback from Waco, Texas, thought that sophomore Zach Dyer had surged to the top of the depth chart after his showing Saturday.
The race between the two athletes has been the focal point of spring practice since it began March 28.
"I was relaxed out there, but I just had a bad day," said Kisney, who completed half of his 12 passes for 106 yards. "I didn't perform like I was supposed to."
His chief competition, though, was pleased with his own play. Dyer, 6-3 and 210 pounds, was accurate on four of his first six throws. His stability, along with the nifty moves of sophomore running back Reggie Duncan, helped generate an efficient 11-play opening drive of the 75-play scrimmage.
On a first down gallop off right tackle. Duncan's helmet was knocked loose by a mob of Jayhawk defenders. He pushed forward for two of the nine yards without his headgear.
Dyer, who was 6-of-11 on the night for 76 yards, hooked up with senior wide receiver Harrison Hill on three occasions for 32 yards. Hill, who had been blanked in the team's previous two scrimmages, brought in four catches for 69 yards, both game-highs.
Dyer felt comfortable operating the offense. He was in a groove but remained aware of the quarterback situation.
"I know what to look for in the plays and in the reads that I call," Dyer said. "But neither one of us is going out there knowing the job is ours. We're not taking plays off. The competition is good for the team and good for us too."
Another positive sign for the Jayhawks was the starting defense. Middle linebacker Marcus Rogers led the charge with seven tackles. Senior strongside linebacker Algie Atkinson stormed into the Kansas backfield for two sacks, and senior cornerback Quincy Roe picked off a Dyer slant pass for the game's lone turnover.
The interception immediately followed a sack by 6-4, 265-pound defensive end Travis Watkins, a redshirt freshman who has virtually cemented a starting spot on the Kansas defensive line.
The defense's ability to cover so much ground was astounding, Kinsey said.
"They're so fast." Kinsey said. "Like they say, speed kills, and our defense has lots of speed."
Defensive coordinator Tom Hayes said he expected the defensive tenacity to carry into next season.
"Our guys have really bought into what we're really trying to get done," Hayes said. "The starters played physical, and they played fast. The spring was 15 competitive days, but the word for the summer is improvement. But we did make a lot of progress."
The same went for the quarter backs. Allen said.
The spring practice saga will continue into this summer. Dyer or Kinsey? No one wants an answer to question more than Allen.
"Both of them have to get a lot better for us to be the offensive team
we are capable of being," Allen said. "But there's definite hope at the quarterback position."
Football notes
Former Kansas fullback Moran Norris, 6-1 and 248, was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft yesterday by the New Orleans
Saints. Norris was the 115th pick overall and the first running back chosen from the Big 12.
Norris entered his senior season as one of the country's most touted pro prospects, but he was hampered with injuries most of the year, souring his draft status.
However, in last month's NFL Combine, Norris amazed scouts by bench pressing 225 pounds 37 times and running the 40-yard-dash in less than 4.6 seconds.
Norris was the first Jayhawk drafted since 1998.
— Edited by Courtney Craigmile
Former Jayhawks hold off student challengers
by Chris Wrischen
sports@kansan.com
Kansan sportswriter
By Chris Wristen
Fifteen students survived a tryout period last week and earned the opportunity to clash with the Kansas seniors and alumni. Led by Brett Olson, Chanute sophomore, the students kept things interesting for a while before losing 99-79.
Yesterday's Barnstorming Tour game in Allen Fieldhouse was supposed to feature the men's basketball stars, but the student opposition stole some of the spotlight.
In front of a crowd of about 400, former Jayhawk Nick Bradford opened the game with a three-pointer, and senior forward Kenny Gregory hit three straight treys. But Olson countered with two three-pointers and a jumper that kept the students within 14-8.
Armond Enclarde, Colorado Springs junior, then hit a jumper that cut the gap to four points after three minutes.
The seniors and alumni responded with a 17-2 run, capped by dunks by Bradford and senior center Eric Chenowith, that appeared to be an early knockout punch.
Not quite.
J.R. Roland, Grandview, Mo.
senior, hit a layup, and Ottawa
junior Michael Habtemichael sank
a jumper. Kristin Maphies, Overland Park freshman, scored and Habitemichael drained a threepointer as part of a 19-10 run by the student stars. Manhattan freshman Andy Knopp kept things rolling when he drove through the lane and dunked over Bradford.
"I had a breakaway and I didn't see anybody in my way so I just went for it," Knopp said. "I was hoping I wouldn't get hung up, but these guys are really good. That's what I found out today. These guys are a lot better than I thought."
The seniors were held scoreless for four minutes, mostly because of their own showboating mishaps and clowning around with referees, but maintained a 44-31 half-time lead.
"They were real good," said alumni player Terry Nooner, referring to the students. "They were a lot better than I thought they were going to be. Their big guys were real good."
Markus Reiberg, an exchange student from Dortmund, Germany, scored 20 seconds into the second half. Olson followed with a dunk and Nathan Roberts, Overland Park sophomore, sank a three-pointer that cut the seniors' lead to six points with 18 minutes left.
But Nooner said the Jayhawks
"I'll never get the chance to play with athletes like that again."
Stephanie Goettsch
Avoca, Iowa, sophomore
never flinched.
"We were never really worried," Nooner said. "When they cut into the lead we just started going inside and getting a lot of dunks."
The seniors scored inside with dunks by Gregory and Bradford and layups by alumnus Jerod Haase. They scored outside with four tres by Nooner and four more from Chenowith as the Jayhawks went on a 20-5 run.
"We were all just out there having a good time and playing with the crowd a little bit," said Goettsch, who scored six points for the student squad. "I'll never get the chance to play with athletes like that again. I was really, really impressed with how we had fun playing, and they had fun with us, too."
Although the score was not close, everyone involved had fun, said Stephanie Goettsch, Avoca, Iowa, sophomore.
— Edited by Mike Dalgety
Andy Knop, Manhattan freshman, slams a dunk against Kansas alumnus Nick Bradford yesterday at Allen Fieldhouse. The game was part of a Greek fund-raiser for Habitat for Humanity. Photo by Laurie Sisk/KANSAN
Wind delays don't hurt rowing finals
Neither unpleasant weather nor a delayed homecoming deterred the Kansas women's rowing team from crowding the medal stand this weekend at the Midwest Rowing Championships.
Saturday, high winds and waves at Lake Wingra — near Madison, Wis. — forced races to be delayed until Sunday morning.
The third varsity eight boat, which raced in the second varsity eight division, notched a fifth-place finish.
The extended stay did little to hinder the Jayhawks. Four of the team's five boats—the first and second varsity eights and the first and second novice eights—headed home with medals.
Racing in the finals against No. 15 Notre Dame and No. 17 Wisconsin, among others, the first varsity eight boat arguably had its best race of the season. The Jayhawks captured the bronze with a time of 6.19.0, coming in right behind the Fighting Irish (6.14.0) and the Badgers (6.15.0).
"Our first boat did a good job hanging tight with Notre Dame and Wisconsin," said Kansas coach Rob Catloth. "They are really starting to gain some more confidence in themselves."
The second varsity eight boat returned to its winning ways after losing both its races last week in Ohio. The Jayhawks edged out the Wisconsin A and B boats and claimed the gold medal with a 6:59.4.
Not to be outdone were the Javhawk novice boats.
Entering the weekend a perfect 6-0,
the first novice eight boat kept its
record unblemished, posting a 6:59.1
time on its way to earning a gold
medal.
The second novice eight boatjoined in the winning ways, racing a 7:45.4 and earning a silver medal by finishing second behind Wisconsin.
The postponing of the competition, however, wasn't good for all Jayhawk rowers. Because of the delayed schedule, the Jayhawks' varsity four and novice four boats were unable to race yesterday.
Although the hindrances were disappointing, Catloth said he was pleased with his team's efforts.
"Winds and waves are just something you have to deal with in this sport," he said. "I think we'deal with it well, though. This is probably the best that we've ever done up here, so I'm happy with how things went."
Jav Mullinix
FINAL RESULTS
First Varsity Eight
1. Notre Dame 6:14.0
2. Wisconsin 6:15.0
3. Kansas 6:19.0
4. Wisconsin LTA- 6:24.3
5. Minnesota 6:25.9
6. Washington 6:54.7
7. Wisconsin LTB- 6:55.6
Second Varsity Eight
1. Kansas A-6:59.4
2. Wisconsin A-7:04.3
3. Wisconsin B-7:05.2
4. Minnesota -7:13.7
5. Baska B-7:37.8
First Noise Eight
1. Kansas - 6:59.1
2. Minnesota - 7:05.9
3. Wisconsin - 7:11.2
4. Wisconsin LTA - 8:13.2
5. Wisconsin Club - 8:18.9
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