Full house expected for summer KU football drills

By Ryan Wood     Jun 2, 2005

Another summer is here, and with it comes another flawless roll call for voluntary summer workouts for the Kansas University football team.

“Every single scholarship player has informed (strength) coach (Chris) Dawson and our coaching staff that they plan on being here,” KU coach Mark Mangino said of the workouts, which will start Monday. “We’ve also got several walk-ons who will be here for the whole summer.”

It’s music to Mangino’s ears, as KU looks to build its way back into bowl contention one squat rep, wind sprint and agility drill at a time. The 2005 season will kick off Sept. 3 against Florida Atlantic.

Kansas coaches can’t require anyone to stick around during the summer months, but the players have taken it upon themselves to do so anyway, attracted by the spacious Anderson Family Strength Center and the mentoring of Dawson to help be in top shape by the start of two-a-days in August.

Also, Mangino said every incoming scholarship freshman would be in Lawrence for at least part of the summer, though some will go home briefly to participate in high school all-star games.

Others will be taking classes at KU to get a head start on their degrees through a new summer bridge program, which allows incoming freshmen to take six hours of classes the summer before starting full-time schooling in the fall.

“I think it’s excellent,” Mangino said of the participation.

The summer workouts are the second of two intense training sessions the Jayhawks grind through between seasons, but the focus for the upcoming workouts differs from the offseason workouts KU players went through from January through March.

In the winter, players focused on improving strength, speed and change of direction. Only about 30 percent of that training was conditioning-related.

Mangino said the summer workouts would be more devoted to the cardiovascular side of training – about 50 percent of the workouts.

“When you get to this summer program,” Mangino said, “you want to get your kids in peak condition for two-a-days.”

Football to use instant replay

By J-W Staff And Wire Reports     May 26, 2005

? The Big 12 Conference on Wednesday moved one rubber-stamp vote away from approving instant replay in football games.

Athletic directors and coaches met at the conference’s annual meetings and decided to use the same system the Big Ten adopted last year.

With the final details resolved, athletic directors are expected to approve instant replay today.

“I don’t see any problems with it,” Kansas University athletic director Lew Perkins said. “It’s a good system.”

Under the system, all reviews and reversals would come from the booth. Calls only could be overturned if there was “indisputable video evidence,” and reviewable plays are limited to those involving scoring, fumbles and possession on receptions.

The Big 12 will add an on-field monitor so the referee would be able to see the play and discuss it with the official in the booth, even though the referee won’t have the final say on the call.

“It’s better for the guy on the field to be part of the communication process,” Big 12 commissioner Kevin Weiberg said.

Replay will be used in all Big 12 home games. In nonconference games, visiting teams must also agree. When available, TV feeds would be used to provide replays.

In other developments Wednesday …

¢ With a 12th game approved, the conference would like to ensure that all schools schedule at least one nonconference game against a marquee opponent. Athletic directors also are looking into formulas that would call for expanding the conference schedule from eight to nine or 10 games. There was no support for eliminating the divisions.

¢ The football title game will kick off in the early afternoon. ABC wants to put the inaugural ACC title game, set for the same day, in primetime.

¢ The basketball coaches discussed having the conference tournament run Wednesday-Saturday instead of it ending Sunday. The coaches discussed switching the time of the conference championship title game. The game has been ending after 4 p.m., with the CBS Selection Show starting at 5 p.m.

¢ The coaches voted to move the three-point line from 19-9 to the international distance of 20-6 in exhibition games.

As for other topics KU coach Bill Self said, “There was a lot of discussion of APR (Academic Progress Rate) and television. The meetings are a time to discuss things we can do better as a conference, a chance to get questions answered. It opens up communication between athletic directors and coaches.”

¢ Giddens gets new splint: KU junior J.R. Giddens, who had surgery last week to repair a slashed artery in his right calf, was re-evaluated Wednesday. A new splint was placed on his right leg. The second splint was slated to be put on the leg once the swelling from his stab wound went down.

After returning home to Oklahoma City, Giddens will be back June 6 for the first session of summer school. Giddens is ticketed to be on crutches three to six weeks and be off the court 6-10 weeks.

¢ NBA workouts: Former KU player Wayne Simien worked out for Golden State on Tuesday and the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday and is headed to Toronto on Friday. … Aaron Miles worked out for Portland’s TrailBlazers on Wednesday. … Keith Langford is headed to Sacramento on Monday and New Orleans on Tuesday.

Spring game approaches

By Kevin Romary     Apr 12, 2005

The annual spring game will be Saturday at Memorial Stadium, and with John Randle off the team, expect to see a lot of Clark Green.

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