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SPORTS
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, November 3, 1993
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Kansas officials say post-game riot unlikely
Wisconsin incident increases awareness of workers, students
By Gerry Fey
By Gerry Fey
Kansan sportswriter
There are three faithful seconds on the clock as senior place kicker Dan Eichloff sets up for a 27-yard field goal that could defeat the Nebraska Cornhuskers. The crowd is on its feet as Eichloff approaches the ball.
The kick is away.
the ice is breaking.
As it splits the goal post uprights, thousands of Kansas fans storm the field to tear down the goal posts after a 27-24 uuset victory.
This is a possibility Saturday, but it will not be as big a problem in Lawrence as it was in Madison, Wis., said police Maj. Ralph Oliver of the KU police.
"From the limited knowledge I have of the incident, no people were getting injured at the goal posts," Oliver said. "The people were getting hurt at the fence between the field and the stands. We don't have a fence here."
Indeed that was the problem at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. After Wisconsin defeated Michigan 13-10 Saturday, thousands of fans swarmed the field from the student sections. The people in the front row were crushed against fences at the foot of the bleachers, leaving at least 69 people injured, seven critically.
"If we beat Nebraskakathi Saturday, we could have fans trying to take down the goal posts," Oliver said. "We always have that to deal with. We anticomit it."
Darren Cook is director of facilities at Kansas and is game manager for football games. The job involves being in contact with Lawrence police officers, KU police officers and the Douglas County Sheriff's department.
Cook said what happened at Wisconsin was something he must always consider.
"I think it always raises your awareness," Cook said. "A facilities manager compares himself to other schools. We need to watch out so we do not have that happen here."
"I don't think that it could happen here, Slabaugh said. "There have been times when fans have taken down the goal posts. In my nine years here, it's only happened once or twice."
Cook deals with issues ranging from parking to preparations at Memorial Stadium before the game. He said that police officers were stationed in the stands to discourage any movement toward the field but that the safety of those officers was a major concern.
Oliver said the police officers' policy was not to defend goal posts from being toppled. The policy was changed about a year ago.
"We certainly don't want there to be any confrontation between police and students," Cook said. "We also like to let the students know that tearing down a goal post is dangerous. They are heavy, and if one of those hits your head it is very dangerous."
"We are more concerned with people being injured by tearing down goal posts than protecting the goal posts," he said. "Before this policy, the only people getting injured were the officers."
The possibility of a Wisconsin tragedy happening in Lawrence is minimal, Slabaugh said.
The ticket takers for the game, hired by Manpower Temporary Services, are also responsible for trying to contain the crowd, said Nancy Slabaugh, Lawrence branch manager of Manpower.
"After the game, the ticket takers surround the field and keep people off the turf." Slabaugh said. "We definitely do try to restrain them, but there comes a time when it just does not work. We are not going to do anything to hurt students or our employees."
Joe Selig is assistant athletic director at Nebraska and is the facilities, events and ticket manager. Nebraska attracts considerably more football fans than Kansas, increasing the danger in these instances.
We have UNL security in the stands, and
they are responsible for their area," Selig said. "It's been our position that you can't hold back a crowd of that size."
One such incident in Lawrence occurred after Kansas upset Oklahoma 27-10 Oct. 24 last year. Jason Dresslar, Phillipsburg sophomore, was one of the many students who stormed the field after the game. He said security guards had been in place but had not made a huge effort to stop the crowd.
"There were 30 seconds left, and we were winning." Dresslar said. "Everyone just flooded down to the field. There was some security but not enough to stop the crowd."
Dresslar said he had changed his mind about rushing the field after a game after the Wisconsin tragedy.
"Before this, I had no problems with it," he said. "Now, I definitely think some precautionary measures should be taken. If it is going to injure people, it shouldn't be done."
John Gamble/KANSAN
Kansas swim team takes lofty goals into opening meet
Kansas swim coach Gary Kempf talks to his team during practice. The women's team competes against Colorado State on Friday at Kansas and on Saturday with the men's team against Missouri at Columbia, Mo.
Kansan sportswriter
By Kent Hohlfeld
The Kansas swimming and diving team heads into this season with both talent and high expectations.
This year's team is better equipped to live up to those expectations than many previous Jayhawk teams, said Kansas coach Gary Kempf. This team is one of the most talented he has had at Kansas, he said.
The women's team will face Colorado State on Friday in Robinson Natatorium and then join the men's team for a dual meet against conference rival Missouri on Saturday in Columbia, Mo.
Kempf said the men's team looked particularly strong in the sprint and freestyle events.
"We really have good balance and talent throughout the lineup," Kempf said.
Two areas of the team that have been rebuilt over the last four years are the men's and women's diving squads. Diving coach Don Fearon took over the program in 1898, when it had only two returning divers from the previous season.
During the last four years, Fearon has increased the number of divers from two to eight. Five men and three women make up this year's team. The traveling team takes three men and three women divers. An injury to a female diver would leave the women's team without a full traveling squad.
He said the women's team also would have a balanced lineup this season. The strongest events for the women's team would be the breaststroke, backstroke and individual medley, Kempf said.
"The recruiting had fallen off when I got here," Fearon said.
The team faced that situation last year
Junior diver Erika Rasmusson said that numbers were no guarantee of getting to travel with the team.
when Michelle Rojohn missed the Big Eight Championships while she underwent reconstructive knee surgery.
"They always take our work ethic into account, Rasmusson said.
He said that although depth may be a problem for the women's team, the men's side would have five divers competing for the three spots.
This lack of depth on the women's side is a major concern to Fearon.
Fearon said senior Tim Davidson and sophomore Kris Hoffman probably would anchor the squad.
"I wish we had a few more on the women's side in case of an injury," Fearon said.
"The first two spots are fairly set," junior
Martin will be competing with freshman Brian Humphrey and sophomore Pat Burke for that final travel spot.
diver Chris Martin said. "There is one left to fight for."
That spot is crucial because the men's team has no fall home diving meets.
"At home all our divers can compete, but when you travel it's usually three," Fearon said.
Fearon said he thought this team had the ability to meet higher goals than in previous seasons.
"I'd like to see us get three guys and three girls in the top six in the Big Eight," Fearon said.
He said he also hoped to see his first female diver qualify for the national championships.
"I've never had a woman qualify, and I like to see it happen this year," Fearson said.
Linebacker's success aids Cornhuskers
By Matt Doyle
Kansan sportswriter
If there is a better defensive football player in the country than Nebraska senior linebacker Trev Alberts, then Kansas coach Glen Mason has not seen him.
And that includes Florida State junior linebacker Derrick Brooks, whom Mason saw a lot of in the Seminoles 42-0 victory against Kansas in the Kickoff Classic. Brooks is considered the leading contender for the Butuk Award, which goes to the top linebacker in college football.
Trey Alberts
"I think he has a bigger impact on the game than Brooks," Mason said of Alberts. "I see people try to run away from him, and I see people try to run at him. He's a tremendous football player, as good as I've seen."
Mason will get to see Alberts in person Saturday when No. 6 Nebraska visits Kansas for a 1 p.m. contest at Memorial Stadium.
Alberts said he appreciated Mason's comments about being better than Brooks. But he said that he did not deserve any comparisons with Brooks.
"I'm not at that level with Brooks yet," Alberts said. "The goal of any player is to be recognized as a good football player, but I don't allow myself to feel like I've arrived as a great player. I still make my fair share of mistakes."
But judging from his statistics, Alberts has not made many mistakes this season. He leads the Huskers in sacks this season with 14 and tackles with 73.
He holds the Nebraska career record in sacks with 28.5 and needs two more to set a new single-season record.
"This defense is more tailored for me," he said. "We're able to attack more in this formation and make big plays."
Alberts' success this season has come in a season in which Nebraska changed defensive schemes. The Huskers switched from a 5-2 defensive alignment to a 4-3 alignment, and the change has benefited Alberts.
Nebraska coach Tom Osborne said the change in defenses had improved the Huskers pass rush against opposing quarterbacks. The Huskers have recorded 38 quarterback sacks this season, 10 short of the school record of 48.
"We have really good rush people," Osborne said. "Last season Trev would drop into pass coverage half the time, but now he just rushes the quarterback."
The Huskers lead the Big Eight Conference in total defense by giving up an average of 309 yards a game. Defense has been the key in Nebraska's 8-0 record and run at the national championship.
"Nebraska has been known more for its offense, but to win national championships you need good play from the defense," Alberts said. "History states that national championship teams have great defenses."
Alberts said that Kansas' offense would present a challenge for a Husker team with national championship aspirations.
"Kansas' running attack will be the best we've faced all season, and they have an outstanding offensive line," he said. "Our guys will have to keep focused this week because this is not the same Kansas team that played Florida State."
Athletic directors give wide receiver postgraduate award
Senior wide receiver Greg Ballard was named a recipient of a $5,000 postgraduate scholarship from the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.
NACDA awarded four of these scholarships to one member of each of the teams that participated in the 1998 Kickoff Classic and Disneyland Pigskin Classic, the two NACDA-sponsored preseason football games. Kansas was defeated by Florida State 42-0 in the Kickoff Classic.
SPORTS BRIEFS
Ballard has a 3.22 grade point average majoring in political science and premedicine. He plans on attending medical school next fall at the University of Kansas.
Each recipient of these scholarships must be in the final year of eligibility and have a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL
'Black Jack' captures AL's Cy Young
NEW YORK — Jack McDowell of the Chicago White Sox won his first American League Cy Young Award yesterday, a year after finishing second in the voting.
McDowell, also known as "Black Jack," was 22-10 and led the AL in victories. He easily outdistanced Randy Johnson of the Seattle Mariners in voting by the Baseball Writers Association of America. McDowell received 21 first-place votes, six second-place votes and one third-place vote for 124 points. Players are given five points for each first-place vote, three points for a second and one point for a third-place vote. Johnson had six firsts, 14 seconds and a third for 75 points.
Kevin Appier of the Kansas City Royals was third with one first, four seconds and 13 thirds for 30 points, followed by Jimmy Key of the New York Yankees with 14 points and Toronto reliever Duane Ward with five points. Two Blue Jays followed, with Pat Hentgen getting three points and Juan Guzman getting one.
McDowell, who won 20 games and finished behind
Oakland's Dennis Eckersley in last year's voting, won this time despite a 3.37 ERA, third-highest ever for a Cy Young winner.
LaMarr Hoyt of the White Sox had a 3.68 ERA in 1983 and Rick Sutcliffe had a 3.64 ERA in 1984 with Cleveland and the Chicago Cubs.
McDowell, a 27-year-old right-hander, slumped late, going 2-3 with a 3.51 ERA after Aug. 31. He was also 0-2 with a 10.00 ERA against Toronto in Chicago's six-game playoff loss.
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL Tampa Bay releases DeBerg
McDowell led the AL this year with four shutouts and was second in innings pitched with 256 % innings.
TAMPA, Fla. — Steve DeBerg, the NFL's oldest player and Tampa Bay's starting quarterback when the season began, was waived yesterday after appearing in only three games.
DeBerg, 39, lost the starting job to Craig Erickson after
the Buccaneers' season-opening defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. He played briefly in two other games and had completed 23 of 39 passes for 186 yards, with one touchdown and three interceptions.
In 17 seasons, he has thrown for 32,351 yards, 187 touchdowns and 196 interceptions while playing for Tampa Bay, Kansas City, Denver and San Francisco.
"Steve has been a close friend since our days with the 49ers 15 years ago, so this was a difficult decision," Tampa Bay coach Sam Wheeled. said
Casey Weldon will assume the full-time backup role
"We think the time is now to add a quarterback to the roster who can prepare to compete for a roster spot next year," Wyche said.
Mark Vlassic, who was cut by Tampa Bay during training camp, is expected to re-sign with the team today.
DeBerg said he planned to stay in shape in case another team needed experienced help.
Compiled by Kansan staff reports and the Associated Press.
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