Lawrence Journal-World 09-07-11

Page 9

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: LSU jumps to No. 2 in new AP poll. 2B

SPORTS

VICTORY BURNOUT Jeff Gordon won the Sprint Cup AdvoCare 500 on Tuesday in Hampton, Ga., then celebrated in style. Story on page 2B.

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LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD ! LJWorld.com/sports !"Wednesday, September 7, 2011

KANSAS FOOTBALL Tom Keegan tkeegan@ljworld.com

Shepherd made right call Luckily, Kansas University basketball coach Bill Self didn’t accompany receivers coach David Beaty on his recruiting trip to a Horn High basketball game in Mesquite, Texas, last winter to watch JaCorey Shepherd. With Daymond Patterson injured and Christian Matthews suspended, the roster is short on receivers as it is for Saturday’s Northern Illinois game. Asked to describe the dunk Beaty saw that night, Shepherd smiled at the memory of taking off just inside the free-throw line and throwing one down, but isn’t sure that was his best dunk. “There was one where I dunked on a 6-4 guy,” said Shepherd, listed at 6-foot-4, 170 pounds. Did he make a poster out of it? “No,” he said. “I wanted to, but the camera guy that game was looking away when it happened. I looked all over for somebody who had a picture of it. I couldn’t find anyone.” Shepherd played AAU and high school basketball until giving it up to concentrate on football. He said his AAU coach told him that going into his junior year Baylor basketball coaches inquired about him. He picked the right sport. In Saturday’s season-opening 42-24 victory against McNeese State, KU quarterback Jordan Webb threw just 10 passes. Shepherd caught three of them for 107 yards and two touchdowns. His father, Jonathan, made the eight-and-a-half hour drive from the Dallas area for the game. “If it had been in Alaska, I would have driven there to see his first college game,” Jonathan Shepherd said. “It was a pleasant surprise for me. I was just thrilled that he had a chance to play as a true freshman. I thought maybe he would get in for a series or two. Then for him to play as much as he did and do what he did, I didn’t expect that.” His son said the highlight of his night was his first touchdown, a 56-yard reception on a pass intended for Kale Pick, who was open deeper. “I didn’t realize it until I got to the sideline,” Shepherd said. “Kale was the first person who told me. He said, ‘Man, that was my ball.’ I honestly didn’t know he was behind me.” His father, who instantly realized the pass wasn’t intended for JaCorey, traced the origin of the play. “I remember when he was a sophomore he didn’t attack the ball, and neither did the other receiver,” Jonathan said. “It fell between the two guys, and they were just staring at each other. Ever since then, he’s had the mentality that if a ball is in his vicinity, he owns it.” Jonathan Shepherd predicted this talented freshman class that also includes true freshman standouts Tony Pierson and Darrian Miller, will be duplicated. “JaCorey told me that every single thing has been exactly like what the coaches said it was going to be,” Jonathan said. “I don’t know if it’s like that everywhere. These coaches are honest, and I think that’s why they’re going to get it done recruiting. And it’s not a meat grinder. There’s a whole world out there that has nothing to do with football, and the coaches make sure they develop that, too. It’s not just all football.” Athletically, it’s all football for Shepherd now. His dunking days are over, but he can still showcase his long arms and leaping ability stealing passes.

Strength in numbers

Nick Krug/Journal-World Photos

CLOCKWISE, STARTING AT TOP LEFT, FRESHMAN DARRIAN MILLER (3), sophomore James Sims (29) and freshman Brandon Bourbon each saw action running the football Saturday against McNeese State. The Jayhawks ran wild for 301 yards with a running-back-by-committee, something that doesn’t figure to change soon.

Jayhawks favor running-back-by-committee approach By Matt Tait mtait@ljworld.com

The big question surrounding Kansas University’s offense heading into last week’s season opener against McNeese State was whether the Jayhawks would have enough carries to pass around to keep their deep and talented stable of running backs happy. In bulldozing McNeese State for 301 yards and three rushing touchdowns, the Jayhawks answered that question with a resounding yes.

INSIDE ! Matt Tait’s KU football

notebook, including what some of the Jayhawks had to say about KU’s upcoming opponent, Northern Illinois. Page 3B

In all, KU ran 55 times — in 65 plays — and spread the wealth among sophomore James Sims and freshmen Brandon Bourbon, Darrian Miller and Tony Pierson.

Of course, running the ball 85 percent of the time isn’t likely to work every weekend. And that’s what makes the demeanor of this group of backs ultra-important as it heads into the Week 2 matchup with Northern Illinois. “We have a lot of team players,” said sophomore QB Jordan Webb. “We have a lot of unselfish guys, especially at running back, where it’s normal to want to be the guy. I’ve just been really happy with the way they’ve handled it.” The team-first mentality has made it easy for KU coach

Turner Gill to worry less about managing egos and more about who the right guy for the right situation might be. If Gill needs a playmaker who can get to the edge, Miller or Pierson is likely to get the call. If he needs tough yards inside, those carries could go to Bourbon, Miller or Sims. The bottom line is this: The Jayhawks have a back for all occasions. While that’s nothing new for running-backs coach Reggie Mitchell, who has coached more than a few big-time talents in the Please see FOOTBALL, page 3B

Kansas alumni basketball game sold out By Gary Bedore gbedore@ljworld.com

Kansas University’s Legend of the Phog alumni exhibition basketball game, featuring many of the Jayhawks’ current NBA players, is sold out. Tickets for the Sept. 24 game went on sale Aug. 24 to Williams Education Fund members and KU students. More than 10,000 tickets sold between then and Sept. 5. The general public purchased the re-

maining tickets by 11 a.m. Tuesday. Confirmed attendees as of Tuesday: Cole Aldrich (Oklahoma City), Mario Chalmers (Miami), Nick Collison (OKC), Xavier Henry (Memphis), Darnell Jackson (Sacramento), Marcus Morris (Houston), Markieff Morris (Phoenix), Paul Pierce (Boston), Brandon Rush (Indiana) and Julian Wright (Toronto). Former KU players Greg Ostertag, Scot Pollard and Darnell

Valentine have said they will attend. Former KU coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens will be the honorary coaches. Tipoff for the game is 4 p.m. There’s been no word yet if the game will be televised or available on the Internet. KU will donate a portion of the proceeds in memory of former KU assistant coach Neil Dougherty, who died this past summer. KU officials are working with the Dougherty family on specifics, including one of

his favorite local charities — the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence. !

Recruiting: KU will hold an in-home recruiting visit with Tony Parker, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound senior center from Miller Grove High in Lithonia, Ga., on Sept. 14, Rivals.com reported Tuesday. Parker, the No. 33-rated player in the Class of 2012, is considering KU, Duke, UCLA, Memphis, Ohio State, Georgetown and others.

GAME INFO What: Legends of the Phog When: Sept 24 Time: 4 p.m. Where: Allen Fieldhouse

LHS soccer falls to defending state champ BV West By Corey Thibodeaux Journal-World Sports Writer

Kevin Anderson/Journal-World Photo

LAWRENCE HIGH’S ROBERT LYAN (10) TRIES to make a play on the ball against Blue Valley West. The Lions fell to BV West, 1-0 in overtime, on Tuesday at LHS.

Lawrence High’s boys soccer team did everything right against defending state champion Blue Valley West. The Lions controlled the game on defense and offense, and they passed well. The ball just didn’t go into the net in a 1-0 overtime loss on Tuesday night at LHS. “We should have won,” LHS senior goalie Tanner Click said. Lawrence lost after yielding the only goal to Blue Valley West less than two minutes

into overtime. Click did all he could to attempt a block, but the ball flew over his outstretched arms and into the net. He hit the ground and stayed there for a few moments thinking about how close victory was. The Lions (0-2) missed six makeable shots, and the Jaguars didn’t get close to scoring until late in the second half. For LHS, senior Chandler Thomann and junior Gavin Fischer were the closest to scoring, with Thomann’s point-blank shot sailing over the goalpost and Fischer’s kick missing just to the right. Regulation ended, 0-0, and

the Lions still looked like the team in control. Then there was the BV West shot that no one could defend. “It was just a really good shot, to be honest,” Click said. The same thing happened last week against Manhattan. Lawrence took and missed plenty of shots, but the opposition converted its few shots into goals. LHS coach Mike Murphy was upset about Tuesday’s result, but he couldn’t complain about the performance. The Lions played well against a championship Please see SOCCER, page 5B


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