8
Wednesday, March 9, 1977
University Dally Kansan
'Tough' reputation follows Jones to new job at KU
BY COURTNEY THOMPSON
Associate Sports Editor
Larry Jones, new defensive coordinator for the University of Kansas football team, has been the dead issue involving a bunch of unimportant, ridiculous little things. But his questionable reputation apparently centrally as it follows him from job to job.
Jones resigned, under pressure, his duties as head coach at Florida State University in 1978 after an 0-1 season. At the time he was unable to commit himself to the health and scholarship threats during mandatory, pre-s spring conditioning drills, which are illegal. Jones and the FSU football program were investigated by the NCAA and given a probation based on several violations.
JONES THEN went to the University of Tennessee as a defensive coordinator, along with his reputation as a coach who believed in tough methods.
He came to KU about six weeks ago to replace Lance Van Zandt, who went to Nebraska, after a staff reorganization at the University of Kansas. John Majmares returned as head coach.
smore Moore, KU's head coach, said Jones' past record wasn't a factor in his being hired here. Moore said that he would establish coaching policies for KU and that he saw no prospect of making Kansas's coaching style tougher.
"I WAS a player where toughness originated and I've been exposed to different coaching philosophies," Moore said. "I'm pleased with KU's methods and combined reevaluates them by." Forsee drastic changes-players enjoy our methods."
Of Jones, Moore said, "He is among the most respected coaches in the country and comes from respected programs. His background won't discussed and won't be a factor in our plans. Past experiences have nothing to do with now."
Del Shankel, executive vice-chancellor, said he knew nothing of Jones' background and hadn't been told about it by Moore or Chancellor Archie Dykes. Shankel said the athletic staff within the university of Kansas Athletic Corporation (KUAC) were relatively independent of the faculty in hiring personnel required to hire new coaching staff members, but that he and other administrators weren't consulted.
Shankel said there was reason for concern about Jones' background.
"I THINK any assistant coach must reflect the intentions of the head coach because he establishes the policies of the institution," Shankel said. "If he (Moore) is unusual, training methods, I suppose they could be implemented here."
Dykes couldn't be reached for comment. But Jim Scaly, administrative assistant to the chancellor, relayed a message from Dykes which said that KUAC hirings weren't subject to his approval, therefore he had no knowledge of Jones' background. The KUAC board is the only group that must approve staff appointments, he said.
CLYDE WALKER, athletic director, said he knew of what had been written and done concerning Jones past coaching position. However, his past should have nothing to do with the success of Jones, said because jones was a fine gentleman, coach and a victim of circumstance.
Jones' coaching philosophy at FSU was the 'subject of an investigative report in the research department.'
stated that his pre-sprinkle drills, "a rigorous schedule of agility drills, weight lifting and wrestling," caused dissatisfaction among 20 women in the United States, who taped off or were put out by the 115-man team.
The paper's description of the drills included: "The agility drills were conducted in what came to be known as 'The Room', a former var式 dressing room with all lockers and other furniture removed. A chicken-wire fence hung about 20 feet back from the wall had to perform agility drills and wrestling matches under this false ceiling."
EIGHTEN OF the players who quit the FSU team or were dropped off, talked to the players.
Their complaints centered on four major categories:
categories
—unexpected rigorousness of the drills
scholarships which were canceled
scholarships which were canceled with
between 1942 and 1950
- mandatory and therefore illegal prescribing drills
-injuries which forced them to miss press
them which resulted in their being told
they were not injured.
--untreated injuries sustained during drills also were reported.
Jones categorically denied these charges and said in an interview with the Kansan
"If I'd done all they say I wouldn't be here now, still in coaching. I think I've paid the price."
that the number of players who left the
match for whatever reason was nowhere
at her 28.
"There were only three or four who quit
and went out with their others quit before
they even got started."
JONES SAID that those who never got started were in trouble at home, academically or "downtown" (police) and weren't able to face their parents with their
"I didn't want to blast these kids—I tried to protect them, so I let people say what they wanted and didn't tell what really went on."
Of the scholarship accusations, he said that no coach can take an athlete's scholarship and that those who gave up theirs did so voluntarily. The Times story says that Jones ordered players to volunteer to sign statements on the scholarships and that no hearings were held to explain the reasons for his actions.
CONCERNING MANDATORY pre-sprining drills. Jones said that no football was taught but he stressed team members should participate. He said participation in off-season drills gave players a definite head start.
NCAA regulations state that any prespring drill of this sort must be conducted as a physical education class and must be open to all students. You may not participate in football players only.
The FSU players interviewed by the Times denied that the drills were voluntary in spirit or letter. However, this practice didn't originate with Jones. His predecessor, Bill Peterson, began them 13 years before Jones arrived and included a fire and rescue training methods, according to players who had both coaches.
training methods such as the chickweenier
running off of players with
manually ringed knees.
NCAA REGULATIONS also prohibit
However, Buddy Martin, sports editor for the Times when the series about Jones was published in 1980, reported that reprintman of FSU nominally involved two technical violations, there was reason to assume other violations existed. By imposition of these rules, Buddy admitted a questionable situation existed.
"Jones and the FSU staff tried to deny the players' charges. But there were so many players who be alleged had academic or other problems—and it seemed strange that the school wouldn't release the names of those who quit the team.
"WOULD THE NCAA have bothered looking into it if there had not been an ignominious situation? To be placed on probation must have been initiated by, in the NCAA's opinion, a fairly serious situation worth investigating."
But because the NCAA is a small organization lacking sufficient manpower to police all schools with possible violations, it has to rely on withdrawals that prompted NCAA attention.
Warren Brown, NCAA assistant executive director, referred questions about Jones.
THE RELEASE said the case "does not cover any previous public reports of alleged misconduct," and reprimand and probation were based, it said, on findings of out-of-season football practices of a mandatory nature and the improper cancellations of two athletic events.
Jones said the probation was based solely on two technical violations concerning paperwork involved in dismissal of two students, and a fact that FSU lacked an athletic director.
At KU, there is pre-spring conditioning, a class called HPER 108 (Basic skill instruction in physical education for men), supposedly open to anyone in the University.
IT IS A weight-lifting and running class; most participants are football players. In fact, a secretary for the department of health, physical education and recreation, said that only football players could enrol in the class and that if anyone else wanted to enroll, he would be reassigned to another class.
Moore said the purpose of the con-
clauses is to protect them and keep them in good physical condition.
"No football drills are taught and there's no requirement that a player attend. Most that are conscientious about athletics are anxious about injury because it improves their playing condition.
JOHN MORGAN, graduate assistant and
player, teaches HPER 108
and said of the team:
"Oh yeah, it's mandatory. All the football players and wash-ones have to be here."
But when told that such mandatory prespring drills were illegal according to NCAA regulations, Morgan appended his statement,
"Illegal? Well, yeah, a lot of things are that way. So then it's not mandatory."
When asked if that meant that a player who didn't attend class would be in the hospital?
FRANKLIN KING, KU defense tackle, said that the class wasn't mandatory but, while saying "no," King nodded his head "yes."
"It's mandatory for us but they tell the university it isn't," he said. "It's just our program isn't uncommon anywhere in the country. Even Hutu Juco, has an offseason program like this, you need it to stay competitive."
"is it really illegal? I'd do it anyway, there's so much competition you've got to "JONES SAID he thought KU's program was tough enough and was a good program. that the PSU program was called tough, but that he had seen much tougher programs.
Mark Vicenteed, quarterback, said about the question of legality.
He said the controversy about his concussion brought a bunch of little of things melting much.
Jones attributed the warped proportions of the incident to sports writers who were after him personally and who wanted to create a sensation.
"When you make accusations it doesn't matter what the final result is. That goes on the back page, the whole thing was ridiculous and stupid."
The Times story said that statements were obtained from 17 of the players, attesting the accuracy of their quotes. Jones said, however, that his lawyers asked to see such statements and the paper could produce only two or three.
MARTIN SAID that he couldn't recall anyone asking to see the signed statements and that he knew there were at least 15, and possibly a total of 23. Fred Gridar, author of the story, said he knew of at least 12. He also didn't know no one asking for proof of the statements.
Martin said there was no grounds for Jones' theory of "sensationalizing" sports writers. Girard was an admirer of Jones, he said, and had reservations about doing the story because he had no reason to want him out of FSU.
Marun and Girard said Jones was offered sample opportunity to respond to the charges, but never cleared himself. Girard also was hired as a part of the Times series.
Jones reiterated that he thought the issue had been belabored and overplayed.
"THIS HAD to be the most traumatic experience in Joness life," said Garrard. "It was a horrible experience."
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"I'd do all they say I'm not here be now, still in coaching. I think I've paid the price."
"Why should it keep coming up?" It is a dead issue that hurt people—a hatchet job and it shows how sports writers can destroy a program.
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