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Friday • September 5, 1997
Running back hoists
KSU on shoulders
By Jeff Webb
Staff writer
KU adds new coach
Kansas State University running
back Mike Lawrence carried the
ball for 982 yards last year. His legs
better be ready for 1997, because
the 5-foot, 9-inch, 200 pound
senior will have to carry die
entire KSU offense this year.
The Wildcats finished 9-3
last season and third in the Big
12 North behind The
University of Nebraska and
Colorado University. For the fourth
year in a row they were invited to a
bowl game, traveling to the Cotton
Bowl where they lost to Brigham
Young University 19-14.
Head Coach Bill Snyder is faced
with the monstrous task of replacing
first-team all-Big 12 wide receiver
Kevin Lockett and second-team all-
Big 12 quarterback Brian Kavanagh.
The offensive line remains
intact for the most part, with only
two spots having to be filled. The
good news for Wildcat faithfuls is
the return of the backfield tandem
of Lawrence and junior Marlon
Charles.
Luckily, the Wildcats will not
have to depend on their offense
to outscore anyone. Despite
returning only four starters to
the defense, KSU expects their
defense to be up to the challenge.
Linebacker Mark Simoneau
anchors a defense that was ranked
16th in the nation last season. The
loss of Big 12 interception leader
Chris Canty to the New England
Patriots means freshman Adrian
Beard or Blinn Community College
transfer Keith Black will be victim
ized often.
Photo courtesy of Kansas State Sports information
Sophomore linebacker Mark Simoneau
Kansas State will be strong at
linebacker where junior Travis
Ochs and sophomore Big 12
Freshman of the Year Simoneau
will be returning.
By Margaux Harris
Staff writer
The Kansas University Jayhawks
ended their 1996 season 4-7, but
their expectations this year are
much higher with the addition of
new Head Coach Terry Allen.
Allen inherits a relatively young
Kansas team with only 15 starters
returning but has lofty goals of
bringing Kansas atop of the Big
12. Allen is also not accus
tomed to losing. He ended an
eight-year career at Northern
Iowa, with a record of 75-26.
Allen seems excited to
begin a new career at Kansas. “I’m
here to be a players’ coach,” Allen
said. “We’ll do what it takes to be
successful." KU will have a com
petitive 1997 season. Six Jayhawk
opponents had winning records
last season.
The Jayhawk offense will have
to rebuild this year with the loss of
eight starters including running
back June Henley and wide receiv
er Isaac Byrd. Henley led the
Jayhawk offense in 1996 averaging
177.3 rushing yards a game. His
shoes will be filled by senior Eric
Vann who averaged 14.2 rushing
yards per game last season.
Quarterbacks Mat Johner and
Zac Wegner will contend for the
starting job this year. Johner aver
aged 123.2 yards a game in the
eight games he started last sea
son, while Wegner redshirted
his freshman year and did not
play last season. The Kansas
offense finished last season
ranked 10th in the Big 12, but
should show remarkable improve
ment this year.
Defensively, KU is loaded with
talent, depth and experience with
22 letterman and eight starters
returning. Nose tackle Brett
McGraw led the lineman in total
tackles in 1995 and 1996. The KU
secondary also will be a major fac
tor this season.
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Cyclones try to blow its way into Big 12 without Davis
By Nicole Hooven
Staff writer
This fall, the Iowa State Cyclones will be
returning to Ames, minus one of their
favorite sons, 1996 Heisman Trophy run
ner-up Troy Davis. Have no fear, however.
There is a new Davis in Jack Trice Stadium.
Troy’s little brother, Darren, will be taking
over his second year at tailback. As a true
freshman, Darren ranked second in the Big
12 and 27th nationally, averaging 24.1 yards
on 21 kickoff returns and had an average of
6.8 yards on 30 carries. He will try his luck
this season at the tailback, punt return, and
kickoff return positions.
There is a great deal of talent helping
Davis add substance to the backfield,
most of whom are underclassmen.
Youngsters James O’Neal and Damian
Brown are both a relatively new addi
tion to the offense, with equally out
standing high school credidentials. Adding
to the potent mix are junior Joe Parmentier,
who caught three touchdown passes last
season, and his backup Jerome Heavens.
Also adding to the offense’s strength are
the receivers. The Cyclones have a quality
receiving team with the three-year starter
Ed Williams, Daman Green and Tyrone
Watley, who caught 27 passes for 419
yards last fall.
Although the receivers, tailbacks
and fullbacks look to be relatively sta
ble, the offensive line seems to be a
negative on the team. The offensive line,
which will be led by senior co-captain left
guard Matt Rahfaldt, is in the midst of a
rebuilding year, although it consists of sev
eral upperclassmen. -
The defensive line shows similar prob
lems as the offensive line. It needs a great
deal of development, and could prove very
ineffective when matched against oppo
nents with strong offenses. The Cyclones
had a great deal of trouble last fall holding
on to leads late in the game.
The team’s secondary, on the other
hand, has a relatively even number of fresh
men, juniors, and seniors. Here the spot
light will be on +-left cornerback Dawan
Anderson, who made his mark in 1996.
Tigers try to claw out of the dweller
By Travis V. Dabney
Staff writer
The Missouri Tigers begin their
fourth year under Head Coach
Larry Smith this season with two
things on their mind: a winning
record and a bowl game. The Tigers
saw considerable improvement at
the end of last season and hope to
build on it in their 1997 campaign
to end a 14 year losing streak.
“There is a confidence fac
tor that was gained last sea
son; now we will challenge
the players to take it to the
next level,” Smith said.
On offense the Tigers return eight
starters including upstart quarter
back Corby Jones and running back
Brock Olivo. Jones has seen consid
erable improvement over his two
seasons at quarterback gamering a
111.4 efficiency rating last season.
“Corby had an outstanding
spring” Smith said. “He really
showed excellent maturity and
overall understanding of the passing
game.”
Olivo returns after a superb
season in which he was the 12th
leading rusher in the Big 12 that
featured the likes of Troy Davis of
Iowa State and Byron Hanspard of
Texas Tech.
“I can honestly say that Brock
Olivo is the only player that I’ve
ever coached that has never had a
bad day” Smith said.
The offensive line should prove
to be the strength of the team as
they pave the way for the ninth
leading rushing team in the
NCAA last season.
“We have a good strong
unit there from tackle to tack
le,” Smith said.
The Tigers return seven starters
from last year’s defense, yet things
are not quite as settled as they are
for the offense. The Tigers will
have to make up for the loss of
their top two defensive players in
linebacker Darryl Chatman and
defensive back DeMontie Cross.
“We will probably have line
backer by committee this fall,”
Smith said. “We are not very big up
front and we will have to rely on
our speed.”
The Tigers will return a quartet
of defensive backs this season who
Photo courtesty of Missouri sports information
Senior running back Brock Olivo
have all seen playing time and are
hoping to see big things from cor
nerback Shad Criss.
“I think that our secondary will be
strong this year, maybe even stronger
than last season,” Smith said.
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