HENDERSON ALVAREZ THROWS NO-NO; RAYS, RANGERS FORCE EXTRAS. 4B
SPORTS
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
LJWorld.com/sports
Monday, September 30, 2013
CHIEFS 31, GIANTS 7
Tom Keegan tkeegan@ljworld.com
Kansas primed to upset Raiders
B
Giant killers
Perhaps waiting to learn more information on the chances of red-shirt sophomore quarterback Michael Brewer having a healthyenough back to make his season debut for Texas Tech, oddsmakers had not set a line on this coming Saturday morning’s game in Memorial Stadium as of Sunday night. Once the line is released, it will show Texas Tech as the favorite against a Kansas University football team that has lost its last 21 Big 12 contests. Before getting into why I think the streak ends and the upset takes place, let’s look at why it makes sense to position Texas Tech as the favorite. First, when Kansas has the ball, Tech has a distinct advantage up front. The offensive line ranks among KU’s biggest weaknesses; Tech’s defensive line ranks among its greatest strengths. Kerry Hyder, the 6-foot2, 280-pound senior from Austin, Texas, has a habit of exploding into opposing backfields and making things happen. He throws running backs and quarterbacks for losses, bats passes and generally makes his disruptive presence felt as well as just about any player in the Big 12. Forgive him if he starts salivating when watching film of KU’s inexperienced blockers. Ditto for talented senior linebacker Will Smith. Shifting to when the Red Raiders (4-0) have the ball, the worrisome issue for KU becomes how to stop three Charlie Riedel, Ed Zurga/AP Photos pass-catching threats the ABOVE, KANSAS CITY QUARTERBACK ALEX SMITH (11) THROWS from the pocket during the first half likes of which the Jayhawks of the Chiefs’ 31-7 rout of the Giants. IN TOP PHOTO, DEXTER MCCLUSTER FLEXES after the Chiefs have not seen this season in improved to 4-0. games or practice. Senior Eric Ward caught 12 passes for 180 yards vs. KU in Lubbock in 2012 and caught two touchdown passes in Lawrence two years ago. KANSAS CITY, MO. (AP) — Even in a league known for about all offseason was being Ward hasn’t even been Eric Berry credits Kansas quick turnarounds and breath- 1-0,” said Smith. “Just get the Tech’s most productive City’s 4-0 start to the “family taking free-falls, this seems first one.” wideout this season. Red feeling” that held everyone to- preposterous. Did he ever dream of being Raiders junior Bradley gether during the hapless 2-14 Alex Smith, who lost his 4-0? Marquez spent his sumseason of 2012. job last year in San Francis“No, to answer your quesmer hitting and catching fly Maybe so. But after the co, threw three touchdown tion.” balls for the Kingsport Mets Chiefs (4-0) pounded the win- passes, and Dexter McCluster The Giants, proud Super of the rookie Appalachian less New York Giants 31-7 on returned a punt 89 yards for Bowl champions of 2007 and League. Sunday, it’s obvious that im- another score as the Chiefs 2011 season, are 0-4 for the Marquez has a TD recepporting a cool, savvy quarter- joined the 1980 Detroit Lions first time since 1987, a mass of tion in each of Tech’s four back from San Francisco and as the only teams in modern injury and disarray. games and averages 15.8 bringing in a smart, no-non- league history to win two or “It is disappointing,” said yards a catch. And Texas sense coach from Philadelphia fewer games one season, then quarterback Eli Manning, who Tech doesn’t even have to also had a lot to do with a rags- rocket to a 4-0 start the next. burn a scholarship on him Please see CHIEFS, page 3B to-riches transformation. “To be honest, all we talked because the Mets pay his college tuition. A third-down monster, junior tight end Jace Amaro, 6-5, 260, leads the Red Raiders with 29 catches and 367 receiving yards. How can KU stop a target that big? A rib injury sidelined Amaro By Matt Tait for six games, including playbook more or tightening mtait@ljworld.com up the discipline needed to against Kansas, last season. Nearly a foot shorter, 5-6, play Div. I football. 160-pound Jakeem Grant has The message was clear For junior-to-be Michael big-play threat written all and simple to deliver, but Reynolds, the message was over him. how it would be received even simpler So with so much to worry was unknown. and came in about on both sides of the This offseason, as Kansas the form of line of scrimmage and the University football coach a two-word Red Raiders carrying a No. Charlie Weis began prepara- nudge: Grow 20 national ranking into the tions for his second season up. game, why pick an upset? in Lawrence, he met with all “Yeah,” Two factors: Emotion of his returning players and said Reynis on KU’s side, and shaky talked about what each one olds, asked if quarterback play threatcould do, both individually Weis put it Reynolds Nick Krug/Journal-World Photo and as a teammate, to help that bluntly. ens to undermine a Tech KANSAS UNIVERSITY BUCK MICHAEL team that has its fan base aid KU’s rebuilding project. “Yeah, he REYNOLDS PRESSURES Rice quarterback so stoked, talk of a 7-0 start For many, the advice fo- did. But it’s really what I Taylor McHargue (16) during their game cused on turning it up in the needed to hear.” Please see KEEGAN, page 3B Sept. 14 in Houston. weight room, getting into the Since then, the 6-foot-1,
Chiefs cruise to 4-0 record
Greene: Kansas players ‘get along great’ By Gary Bedore gbedore@ljworld.com
One of the best things about playing basketball at Kansas University, Brannen Greene says, is the camaraderie of a close-knit team. “We all get along great,” said Greene, a 6-foot-7 freshman shooting guard from Juliette, Ga. “There aren’t any grudges on the team. Nobody dislikes anybody. There are all positive vibes everywhere.” T h o s e Greene good vibrations were evident at last week’s Media Day ... when freshman center Joel Embiid praised senior power forward Tarik Black for sharing his expertise; when freshman point guard Frank Mason singled out junior Naadir Tharpe for showing him the ropes; when freshman sharpshooters Greene and Conner Frankamp kidded about their one-on-one three-point shooting competitions held before and after practice. “We have them all the time,” Greene said. “I beat him sometimes. He beats me sometimes. It all depends. He’s definitely the best shooter I’ve gone against. Hopefully he’ll say the same about me.” Noted Frankamp: “It’s good fun. It helps me a lot having somebody to shoot with. He’s a great shooter. I think shooting behind the arc, we’re similar. He’s taller and longer. He’s good as well off the dribble. I think we’re both great shooters all around.” Greene averaged 27 points, 9.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists a game last year for Tift County High School (265). Frankamp, 6-foot from Wichita North, went for 31.1 points and 3.8 assists per contest for North (20-3). “I think I’m a versatile scorer, but primarily a shooter,” Greene said. “I shot a pretty good percentage in high school. I think I was 52 percent from the three-point line,” Frankamp noted. “I was pretty accurate in high school. I have to bring it to this level as well.” KU coach Bill Self especially enjoys watching Frankamp and Greene the days they are on fire from long range. “He’s big. He’s 6-7 with great range and vision and good ball skills,” Self said of Please see HOOPS, page 3B
KU’s Reynolds grows up 240-pound defensive end from Wichita has looked like a completely different player. Changes in his personal life — Reynolds is a father now — helped bring perspective. But highly publicized upgrades to the KU roster helped bring the sense of urgency that was missing from the gifted pass rusher who too often lacked the focus and accountability, a shortcoming that kept coaches from leaving him on the field for long. “Mentally, I’ve matured a lot,” said Reynolds, who Please see REYNOLDS, page 3B