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SPORTS / FRIDAY, JANUARY 15, 2010 / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / KANSAN.COM
TRACK AND FIELD
Track team prepares for Missouri
BY SAMANTHA ANDERSON
sanderson@kansan.com
After receiving the Big 12 Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week award, senior pole vaulter Jordan Scott hopes to use that positive momentum in Columbia in the Kansas vs. Missouri Dual today.
KANSAS VS.
MISSOURI
Scott was given the award for his success at the Bill Easton Classic, where he out-jumped all other pole-vaulters by at least one foot. This helps give the vaulting team a little extra edge going into the rest of the season.
Mike Gunnoe/KANSAN
"Everyone kind of looks at the basketball and football side, but for that whole border war thing it comes down to every sport and every event." junior distance runner Amanda Miller said.
1:30 p.m. today in Columbia, Mo.
Senior middle distance runner Lauren Bonds runs the 3,000 meter and finished first with a time of 9:50.67. Bonds holds the KU record for the 1 mile and 1,500 meters.
Scott will do everything he can to help Kansas knock off Missouri.
"When somebody does good you know the other guys feel a responsibility to do a little bit better," vertical jumps coach Tom Hays said.
"To beat them would bring us back the bragging rights and they've had them for a year or so," Scott said.
The rivalry is very important for both teams and revenge could play a factor; Missouri defeated Kansas in Lawrence last winter.
Last season was the first season that the dual was held since 1976. Missouri won that year as well. This season, however, the team is more experienced and has a new crop of very promising freshman
to add some new talent to the rivalry.
"I think we are a lot better this year," Scott said. "We should have a good chance at having a better balanced meet."
The men's team is currently ranked 25th in the country, according to the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association national ranking.
"For people to know that we are ranked 25th in the country, especially for the younger athletes, they're going to put more pride in their team knowing that we're already ranked," Scott said.
Freshman Mason Finley has done his part so far in helping the men's team earn this honor, meeting an NCAA provisional qualifying mark in his first meet of the season.
On the women's side the distance team will be trying to figure out where everyone fits in the variety of events.
Senior Lauren Bonds and Amanda Miller will lead the middle distance team.
There is another new athlete to watch in the mile race. Sophomore transfer Cori Christensen from Samford University won the mile
in the Bill Easton Classic with a time of 5:15.98, beating the nearest competitor by 12 seconds.
Neville will compete in the sprint and hurdle events.
Sophomore Sasha Cunningham and freshmen Kathryn Lupton, Denesha Morris, and Rebecca
- Edited by Cory Bunting
He played Thursday at the Sony Open like he had never been away from the game.
Love played bogey-free in more wind than he was expecting at Waiialae, making birdie on his last hole for a 5-under 65
The relative calm on Oahu during practice rounds gave way to swaying of palm trees at sunrise along the shores of Waikiki, providing tough conditions for the morning.
that put him into a four-way tie for the lead among early starters with defending champion Zach Johnson, Ryan Palmer and PGA Tour rookie Troy Merritt.
"It's a nice way to start the year," Love said.
Associated Press
Crennel joins Kansas City staff
NFL
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Romeo Crennel is eagerly jumping back into the NFL with renewed energy and diminished pain.
He'll be the defensive coordinator in Kansas City, taking over a unit that's been miserable under its last three coordinators. But he may not be here for long if another team comes calling with an offer to be head coach.
"I think that's why many of us coaches are in this business, to get to the highest level possible," Crennel said Thursday. "And I think be the head coach is the
highest level.
And if that opportunity came along again, I would definitely be interested in that. But at the present time, the opportunity is to be the defensive coordinator
Crennel will replace Clancy Pendergast, who could become a position coach.
In 2009, they finished 30th in total defense and 31st in rushing defense. But everyone was encouraged by a lopsided victory at Denver in the regular-season finale.
Crennel's challenge is a big one. With personnel needs on both sides of the ball, the Chiefs were 4-12 last year. They have won only 10 games in three seasons. Defensively, they've been awful for several years under coordinators Greg Robinson, Gunther Cunningham and Pendergast.
"I think this is a great opportunity to try to grow and develop a team."
for the Chiefs. That's what I'm putting all the energy into."
"I was able to take a breath last year," said Crennel. "Todd was willing to wait however long I needed. I thought it would be a disservice to him and this program for him to have to wait until basically June. I told him I wasn't available and this year, after sitting out for a year, I'm available. That breath has filled my lungs. Enthusiasm is up. Energy is up. My hip, there's no pain in it."
ROMEO CRENNEL
Chiefs' defensive coordinator
But Crennel, who had been fired as head coach at Cleveland in 2008, decided to spend 2009 recuperating from hip replacement surgery. Doctors told him he would not be able to resume coaching until several months after his surgery last February.
The Chiefs made the hiring official on Thursday and Todd Haley confirmed that one of the first things he did after becoming head coach last year was to offer Crennel the job.
"I was impressed with the way they played the last game," Crennel said. "I think there's a good young nucleus. We have to improve and add some players and we're doing that. But
Early tie atop Sony Open leaderboard
HONOLULU — Davis Love III went two months without competing, the last month without even feeling grass under his feet
PGA
I think this is a great opportunity to try to grow and develop a team."
Crennel and Haley did not address the media face-to-face. They were upstairs in the Chiefs' administration building, talking via speakerphone to reporters who were downstairs in the media room.
Crennel did not deny that one thing attracting him to the Chiefs was the people he'll be working with. Charlie Weis, hired last week as offensive coordinator, was offensive coordinator in New England the same time that Crennel was in charge of the Patriots' defense. In addition, Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli was personnel director for the Patriots.
Crennel also worked with Haley when both were members of the New York Jets staff in the late 1990s.
Associated Press