Monthly Archives: September 2010

Beshears named Big 12 special teams player of week

Sept. 27, 20101:39 p.m.

Kansas sophomore D.J. Beshears was named the Big 12 special teams player of the week after he returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown in KU’s 42-16 victory over New Mexico State on Saturday.

Beshears, a native of Denton, Texas, also rushed for two touchdowns.


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Basketball player Jeff Withey out 4-6 weeks with broken foot

Sept. 24, 20103:09 p.m.

Kansas sophomore Jeff Withey broke a bone in his right foot during individual workouts this week and will miss four to six weeks, Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement today.

Withey, a 7-foot center, should be able to return before KU begins its season with an exhibition against Washburn on Nov. 2. Practices start Oct. 15 with Late Night in the Phog.

“Jeff broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot during individual workouts earlier this week,” Self said in a statement. “He had surgery and doctors expect a full recovery in four to six weeks. We do not want to bring Jeff back too quickly.”

Withey, a transfer from Arizona, appeared in 15 games last season and averaged 1.3 points and blocked six shots.


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Gill says KU needs to be more cohesive in play-calling

Sept. 21, 20104:51 p.m.

Kansas coach Turner Gill said Tuesday that everyone involved in the offense is at fault for the Jayhawks’ inability to get plays called in a timely manner, coaches included.

Against Southern Miss, KU had to call timeouts several times to save itself from delay-of-game penalties and in general was not able to keep the same up-tempo style it employed against Georgia Tech.

“From a coaches’ standpoint, what we can control, one thing we gotta do is make sure we get the play in fast enough,” Gill said. “I think that’s part of it. Number two, the people (on the sideline) that are giving the signals and the quarterback being able to receive it so there’s not any misunderstanding and missignaling. That’s going to happen occasionally. It’s not gonna be perfect, we all understand that. But I think we can be lot better than what we are from that standpoint. The third, fourth, or fifth ball-game, you hope to have yourself a little bit more consistent in being able to get things done.”

Gill cited having a young quarterback in redshirt freshman Jordan Webb and playing in their first road game as reasons for KU’s troubles.

“From this point on right now, I expect us to be more consistent in getting it done,” Gill said. “We’ve played enough football games that we need to be more cleaned up on that point.”


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Quigley questionable for Friday’s game

Sept. 14, 20102:26 p.m.

A week ago, Kansas running back Angus Quigley being questionable for a game with a leg injury would have been a big deal. That being the case this week, after freshman James Sims burst onto the scene with 17 carries for 101 yards and a touchdown against Georgia Tech, Quigley’s potential absence from the lineup will not generate much worry in Lawrence.

In fact, Sims has already vaulted Quigley on the KU depth chart as first-team running back.

KU coach Turner Gill said that, if Quigley doesn’t play, redshirt freshman Deshaun Sands would move to the No. 2 spot. Sands did not play last week against the Yellow Jackets.

Gill said that freshman Brandon Bourbon would travel to Southern Mississippi but that he did not know if the Jayhawks would need Bourbon to play. Bourbon still has the potential to redshirt.

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Springer receives Big 12 weekly award

Sept. 13, 201011:51 a.m.

There were times on Saturday when it appeared that Kansas middle linebacker Justin Springer could have been responsible for the fullback dive, quarterback keeper and pitch to the slotback on the same play and still stifled the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Springer, a senior from Los Fresnos, Texas, ended up with 15 tackles and was rewarded Monday with the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week award. Springer has 22 tackles, just short of the 25 he compiled last season as he recovered from a torn ACL suffered his sophomore season.


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KU’s quarterback . . . conundrum?

Sept. 9, 201012:06 p.m.

Traditionally, what has happened with the Kansas quarterback position during the last three weeks would be called a controversy. One guy (Kale Pick) was named the starter, then struggled in his first outing and was relieved by the other guy (Jordan Webb), and Webb will now start over Pick in game two. Yes, it’s a controversy.

But it isn’t. It is not a controversy because it is not consequential. In other words, has the matter of who is starting at quarterback in a football game ever meant less than it could for the Jayhawks against Georgia Tech on Saturday after losing 6-3 to North Dakota State?

If KU is as bad as it showed against the Bison – and North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl sure believes that to be the case, according to his comments this week – then does it matter who plays quarterback for the Jayhawks?

No matter who the quarterback is, he’ll have to play behind an offensive line that was unprepared to block the Bison. He’ll have to hand off to running backs that carried 20 times for 46 yards as a group.

Maybe Jordan Webb will provide a spark to get the offense into the end zone against the Yellow Jackets. And if that’s the case, then maybe this decision by KU coach Turner Gill is worthy of being called controversial. Until then, I’ll call it Kansas’ quarterback conundrum.



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Lew Perkins retires effective immediately

Sept. 7, 20101:53 p.m.

University of Kansas athletic director Lew Perkins has retired effective immediately, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little and Perkins announced today in a statement.

Perkins had announced in June that he planned to retire in 2011.

“I’ve enjoyed my seven years here at KU,” Perkins said in the statement. “What I’ve cherished more than anything is the opportunity to work with our coaches, student-athletes, staff, alumni, Williams Fund members and K-Club members.”

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Maybe Kale Pick hasn’t set himself apart

Sept. 1, 20105:00 p.m.

Kansas coaches have been saying that there’s a chance backup quarterback Jordan Webb could play on Saturday against North Dakota State. Before Wednesday’s practice, KU coach Turner Gill was asked if Webb could play in any scenario other than mop-up duty.

The response, given Gill’s decision to name Kale Pick the starter two weeks ago, was surprising.

“We haven’t decided at this point in time,” Gill said. “We’ll decide at the end of the week. It’ll be a situation where it wouldn’t be at the end of the game. We’re talking about the possibility of putting him in the game where maybe it’s the first half or whatever. We’re still discussing that.”

With no more media availability until after Saturday’s game, we’ll just have to stay tuned. But Webb playing in the first half can’t be a very good sign for Pick’s security as the No. 1 quarterback.


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