Randall heftier, stronger for soph season

By Jeff Burkhead     Nov 14, 1987

Goining weight used to be a problem for Kansas basketball player Mark Randall. Now it’s losing weight.

Randall added 35 pounds to his 6-8 1/2 frame over the summer, at one point tipping the scales at 235.

“I had always eaten a ton and never gained weight,” said the sophomore forward. “I think it just caught up with me.”

By the time he reported for teh start of basketball he had shed five pounds. But KU coach Larry Brown still wasn’t pleased with Randall’s new bulk.

“Coach wants me down about 10 more pounds or so,” he said. “It’s something I have to work to control. I’ll just have to watch what I eat. I can’t eat in-between snacks and late at night.”

Randall has discovered one method for keeping his weight down.

“Now that the season is going, I won’t have time to eat four times a day,” he said.

Brown will surely see to that.

Randall weight under 200 when he came to KU from Englewood, Colo., where he was a prep All-American and that state’s player of the year as a senior.

“I couldn’t wait to hit 200 pounds,” he said. “That was a big day.”

Randall put on 10 pounds last season when he saw action in 21 games and started four (Texas Tech, The Citadel, Pittsburgh and Colorado). He averaged 10.5 minutes of playing time.

Randall’s first-year statistics were 4.5 poinds a game and 2.7 rebounds. He was in double figures in scoring six times with a high of 16 points against Oklahoma State. He shot 52.9 percent from the field. His rebounding high of 10 came against Southern University.

Randall said a highlight of his rookie campaign was when he made a turnaround baseline jumper and two free throws in the final two minutes against Oklahoma.

Last season was one of adjustment for Randall.

“Players are a lot bigger and stronger,” he said. “Everybody is as strong or as quick as you. You have to build yourself up to their level.”

Quickness was not one of Randall’s strong suits to begin with. But he’s worked to improve his foot speed. He even learned Tae-Kwon-Do, along with some of his KU teammates.

“It helped my flexibility. Now I can touch my toes,” he joked.

Randall has noticed a benefit from the extra heft.

“I feel a lot stronger now that I have the weight,” he said.

Randall did more than pack food away during the off-season. He spent part of the summer in China along with teammate Archie Marshall. They were members of a select Big Eight squad that competed in the Beijing National Tournament.

“It was a great experience,” said Randall, who made his first trip outside of the United States.

The select Big Eight team was coached by Kansas State’s Lon Kruger.

“He’s a great guy and a great coach,” Randall said. “HE relates well to players.”

Randall roomed with Colorado’s Scott Wilke. The two met previously when Randall made a recruiting trip to CU. They also played against each other in a summer baksetball league in Denver.

Randall served as a backup for Wilke, who was the team’s tallest player at 6-9. Randall scored 12 points in one game and twice had eight rebounds in a game.

Randall is looking forward to the conference portion of the KU schedule when he can go up against the players he met last summer.

“That will make it more fun,” he said.

PREV POST

Diligent Piper won't give up lineup spot

NEXT POST

26384Randall heftier, stronger for soph season