Stories for September 2018

After breakthrough performance, KU's Steven Sims lauds Carter Stanley's energy

University of Kansas receiver Steven Sims Jr. put together on Saturday what easily qualified as the most prolific game of his senior season. But it wasn’t his individual success that had Sims talkative following the Jayhawks’ loss to Oklahoma State. By Benton Smith

Azubuike still making progress toward improved free throw shooting

The official Late Night box score featured just two free throw attempts. And only one of them was actually shot. But boy were those two free throw tallies pretty notable. By Matt Tait

Tom Keegan: Carter Stanley should remain the team's starting QB

David Beaty wasn’t the first football coach to say he needed to look at the film before evaluating a player’s performance. And if the fourth-year leader of Kansas’ program lets the minutia of the Oklahoma State game film outweigh the big picture that unfolded on the field, he won’t be the first to do that either. But if Beaty does nitpick until he sees enough to justify basing his decisions on which quarterback to start on how each one matches up against the next opponent, he would be making a mistake.

Notebook: Carter Stanley earns start, plays every snap in loss to OSU

After four weeks of starting Peyton Bender at quarterback and rotating the senior in and out of the lineup to varying degrees each game, Kansas football coach David Beaty took an entirely different approach against Oklahoma State on Saturday. Not only did Carter Stanley replace Bender at QB, but the redshirt junior took every snap during KU’s 48-28 homecoming loss to the Cowboys, in front of 18,364 fans.

Carter Stanley's performance not enough in 48-28 loss to OSU

New starting quarterback Carter Stanley only did so much for the Kansas football team’s chances Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, where 18,364 fans saw Oklahoma State dismember the Jayhawks’ defense. When the Cowboys weren’t gashing the Jayhawks with Justice Hill runs they directed Taylor Cornelius to take deep shots down the field. The senior quarterback obliged, giving OSU a complementary attack KU couldn’t solve in a 48-28 home loss

Quick recap: Oklahoma State cruises past Kansas football

It was an all too familiar result for the University of Kansas football team. Oklahoma State scored first and never looked back during a 48-28 victory over Kansas at David Booth Memorial Stadium Saturday. The Jayhawks (2-3, 0-2 Big 12) struggled to move the ball offensively at times, and were overmatched on the defensive end to suffer their second loss in as many weeks during conference play.

'Younger' Jayhawks make unofficial debut at Late Night

Let the record show that the first basket of the Late Night scrimmage on a team loaded with McDonald’s All-Americans and high-profile players came from a freshman guard, who, until April, was not even ranked in the Top 150 by Rivals.com. Oh, and sophomore K.J. Lawson, who led all 15 Jayhawks who played with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting, was not even one of the first 10 players on the floor. By Matt Tait

Tom Keegan: Lagerald Vick's unexpected return should benefit guard and KU

The evening’s biggest shocker came when the final buzzer sounded on the Late Night scrimmage and one of the quietest players in recent Kansas basketball history took the court with microphone in hand. And then Lagerald Vick thanked the crowd for coming. Public speaking is outside of Vick’s comfort zone, but there really won’t be any comfort zone for him in his final season. He’ll have to be comfortable with whatever the coach asks of him. By Tom Keegan

Notebook: KU women's team, 2 Chainz, Bill Self entertain at Late Night

The Kansas women’s basketball team kicked off Friday’s Late Night extravaganza at Allen Fieldhouse, both in the entertainment and basketball departments. By Matt Tait

Gameday Breakdown: KU football vs. Oklahoma State

It’s easier said than done with defense’s keying in on KU’s star freshman running back, but one of the major goals for offensive coordinator Doug Meacham each week has to be examining the opponent’s defense and finding as many spots as possible for Pooka Williams running lanes. By Benton Smith

KU football legend John Hadl retires from Williams Education Fund position

After 30 years working for the Williams Education Fund in the University of Kansas athletics department, former KU football star John Hadl is retiring, the department announced Friday.

Late Night 2018: 'If you can't do it up big, then it's not really worth doing at all'

For a coaching staff that features four assistants who have spent time at more than a dozen different Division I basketball programs, veteran KU assistant Norm Roberts’ memories of his first experience with KU’s Late Night in the Phog sure stand out. By Matt Tait

Kansas volleyball outlasts Oklahoma in 5 sets

Behind a record-setting night for freshman middle blocker Rachel Langs, the University of Kansas volleyball team defeated Oklahoma in five sets (22-25, 25-16, 18-25, 25-20, 15-10) in a league clash Wednesday at McCasland Field House.

New to position, Hasan Defense resolved to improve as safety

Hasan Defense doesn’t mind telling you his first career start at safety didn’t live up to his standards. Sure, the University of Kansas junior made eight total tackles, the third-most on the team, during a loss at Baylor. But ask the man whose previous 11 starts at the FBS level came at cornerback to assess his impact as a safety this past weekend and “all right” is as close to glowing as he will venture. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Freshman David McCormack leads with 'brute force'

Nothing about how the sculpted McCormack looks or talks suggests he’s a teenager. He carries himself with a maturity more typically displayed by college graduates. He seems so buttoned-up that it’s hard to imagine that he’s just a couple of years removed from tipping the scales at more than 300 pounds.

KU junior Mitch Lightfoot, teammates discuss the flex seen around the world

The secret behind the Mitch Lightfoot locker room photo that surfaced following Tuesday’s final day of Kansas basketball boot camp has been revealed. By Matt Tait

David Beaty: 'No excuse' for some of KU football's timeout issues

According to Kansas football coach David Beaty “there was a lot to learn” from his team’s Big 12-opening loss at Baylor this past weekend. Some of those lessons materialized as the Jayhawks handled timeouts. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Carter Stanley KU's QB best suited to facing Big 12 competition

Carter Stanley’s name plate was on an empty table in the front of the Gridiron Room, where select Kansas football players do media interviews every Tuesday afternoon. The empty table reserved for Peyton Bender was tucked in the left corner of the room.

Jayhawks learning from Pooka Williams' Big 12 debut

Kansas football coaches and players knew headed into Big 12 play that opposing defenses would base their schemes around stopping freshman running back Pooka Williams. Now the Jayhawks have experienced what that looks and feels like. By Benton Smith

KU AD Jeff Long announces another new hire

Nearing the end of his second month on the job, University of Kansas athletic director Jeff Long on Tuesday announced his second major hire. And it came from a familiar place.

Khmelnitckaia crowned singles champion at Big 5 Challenge

University of Kansas senior Nina Khmelnitckaia won her finals match Sunday, making her one of six singles champions crowned at the Big 5 Challenge. For the weekend, Khmelnitckaia compiled an undefeated record of 3-0.

Tom Keegan: Gary Woodland's confidence riding high

Gary Woodland finished the PGA Tour season ranked 29th on the money list with $3,108,907, 26th in the final FedEx Cup standings and is 40th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

KU defense trying to adjust to Big 12 QB play

Members of the Kansas football defense figured Baylor quarterback Charlie Brewer would test their mettle in their Big 12 opener. They left Waco, Texas, following a 26-7 defeat, understanding not only that Brewer outplayed them, but also that they have a long way to go in terms of defending talented QBs. By Benton Smith

KU's end-of-boot-camp training with The Program has been postponed

Kansas basketball officials announced late Monday afternoon that the Jayhawks’ upcoming session with The Program, slated for Wednesday and Thursday in Lawrence, had been postponed. By Matt Tait

QB Miles Kendrick 'day-to-day' with shoulder injury

After suffering a shoulder injury during the Kansas football team’s 26-7 road loss at Baylor this past Saturday, sophomore quarterback Miles Kendrick’s status for the Jayhawks’ upcoming matchup with Oklahoma State remains undetermined. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Army's near upset of Oklahoma a nice blueprint

Look for eight more Big 12 defenses to play Kansas the way Baylor did Saturday in scoring a 26-7 victory vs. the Jayhawks: Put eight men in the box, gang tackle Pooka Williams, and trust that KU’s receivers won’t get open deep.

QB Miles Kendrick injured during KU loss at Baylor

Waco, Texas — Backup quarterback Miles Kendrick left the game with an unspecified injury midway through the third quarter and did not return.

Kansas offense reverts to past in 26-7 loss to Baylor in Big 12 opener

Waco, Texas — The Baylor football team’s defense figured out how to take Pooka Williams out of the game for all but one big run and poof, just like magic, the Kansas offense vanished.

Bears welcome Jayhawks to Big 12 play with 26-7 defeat

The harsh reality of Big 12 football hit visiting Kansas hard Saturday afternoon inside Baylor’s McLane Stadium. After winning their final two nonconference games by an average margin of more than 30 points, the Jayhawks couldn’t score on the Bears until six-plus minutes into the third quarter and stumbled to a 26-7 loss. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: KU football bettter prepared for Baylor this time

There are tangible reasons to believe KU has a better shot of competing in the Baylor game this time. Yet, the intangible factors appear even stronger.

Gameday Breakdown: KU football at Baylor

Sure, Baylor remains in the early stages of a massive rebuild, finished ninth in the Big 12 in 2017 and was picked in the preseason poll to again land next to last (also known as one spot better than KU). Nevertheless, the Bears (2-1) are easily the best team Kansas has faced this season. By Benton Smith

Former FSHS standouts continue to lead KU defense

The names broadcasted over the public address system for tackles in Kansas' 55-14 win over Rutgers had a familiar ring with Lawrence residents.

Pooka Williams rated 3rd-best true freshman in FBS

Pooka Williams’ skills aren’t only dropping jaws around Lawrence. According to Pro Football Focus, the Jayhawks’ young offensive star is the third-best true freshman in all of FBS through three weeks. By Benton Smith

Can KU football lay another streak to rest?

Jayhawks haven't won a Big 12 road game since 2008

Especially for the players who have suffered through the program’s struggles the longest, burying KU’s 46-game road losing streak in Mount Pleasant, Mich., and delivering consecutive victories for the first time since 2011 felt meaningful. Now there is another streak for the Jayhawks to vanquish. And redshirt senior linebacker Joe Dineen didn’t need to hear the entirety of a question earlier this week to identify it. By Benton Smith

Defensive takeaways fueling KU football's confidence

“Guys are playing more confident and more relaxed and listening to (defensive coordinator Clint Bowen), and obviously applying it,” Daniel Wise said. “And you see what happens when you do that.” The most eye-popping upshot, through three nonconference games at least, has been the defense’s ability to turn opponent mistakes into punishing takeaways. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Pooka Williams as flexbone QB?

So you have to wonder, if KU implemented a flexbone offense, a la Army and Navy, would that improve both the running game and the passing game?

KU volleyball defeats Drake to wrap up nonconference play

Darrin McBroom, coach of the Drake Bulldogs, kept pacing himself late in the fourth set. Kansas had just snapped a three-point run at set point, claiming a fourth-set win and the match to deal the Bulldogs their second straight loss.

Tom Keegan: Azur Kamara grateful for journey from African soccer player to Kansas football player

Before taking up football, Azur Kamara’s dream was to return to Ivory Coast to become a soccer player for the national team. He said when he walked onto the field for his first high school football practice, he didn't have the first clue how to watch the sport, much less play it.

'Little sprain' won't keep KU defensive tackle Daniel Wise out of lineup

When Daniel Wise hurt an ankle badly enough to limp off the field this past Saturday during the Kansas football team’s home game against Rutgers, the redshirt senior defensive tackle was adamant about checking back in. By Benton Smith

Peyton Bender will remain KU's starting QB at Baylor

Miles Kendrick remains part of game plan

Although he watched the entire second half of the Kansas football team’s home win over Rutgers from the sideline with coaches and reserves, senior quarterback Peyton Bender will keep his spot as the Jayhawks’ starting QB on Saturday at Baylor. However, David Beaty also said Bender might man the spot for “one” play or “50” plays. By Benton Smith

Beaty: Pooka Williams' eligibility issue 'behind me until somebody tells me different'

If the undisclosed eligibility issue that kept Kansas running back Pooka Williams from playing in the football team’s season opener remains unresolved — head coach David Beaty won’t address its status — the matter, Beaty insists, is not one currently causing him grief. By Benton Smith

KU junior Patricia Montero to miss yet another volleyball season after injury

The injury-plagued career of Kansas volleyball player Patricia Montero has taken another hit.

Tom Keegan: Growing KU football fan club includes KU basketball

Mike Lee, third-year starter for the Kansas football team, and basketball player Marcus Garrett both are skilled at intercepting passes and that’s not all they have in common. They both also happen to be big fans of Mike Lee.

Early to bed, early to rise: Boot camp off and running for Kansas basketball

Monday was a feet-shuffling, legs-turning, lungs-working-overtime kind of morning for the members of the Kansas basketball program, who kicked off another year of Bill Self boot camp at 6 a.m., at the Jayhawks’ practice gym. By Matt Tait

In 1 fewer game than competition, KU RB Pooka Williams leads Big 12 in rushing yards

As the Kansas football team prepares to open Big 12 play this Saturday at Baylor, it does so with the conference’s leading rusher residing in Lawrence, and spending most of his waking hours inside Anderson Family Football Complex. In just two games — KU kept him out for its season-opening loss to Nicholls State for what was later described as an eligibility issue — freshman sensation Pooka Williams’ 288 rushing yards put him atop the Big 12. By Benton Smith

Christian Braun commitment evokes memories of a former Jayhawk great

Christian Braun’s opportunity to make a name for himself as a Kansas basketball player may still be a ways out. But, according to KUsports.com recruiting insider Matt Scott, the latest KU commitment is well on his way to following in the footsteps of a former KU star who later wrote a book about the way he played. By Matt Tait

Tom Keegan: Run game brings out best in KU's improving offensive line

In the opening week of the season the Kansas offensive line looked exactly like what it was, a collection of strangers thrown together at the last minute. Multiple bad snaps and general lack of cohesiveness made it look as if the unit had gone backward, if anything, from last season’s rough times. Two weeks later, things looked a whole lot different.

Brad Davis wins Ross Randall Shootout

Eudora — It’s been a good year for members of the 1999 Kansas men’s golf team that won the Big 12 title.

Does KU football have a QB controversy?

Starting role unclear after Miles Kendrick plays more in Week 3

Head coach David Beaty planned all along to use Miles Kendrick in every game this season. Just three weeks in, though, the dual threat sophomore reserve played more than senior starter Peyton Bender in the Jayhawks’ 55-14 thumping of Rutgers. By Benton Smith

Jayhawks bracing for another Bill Self boot camp

It’s boot camp time for the Kansas basketball program, the two-week conditioning grind that serves as a way to test and shape the minds of the Jayhawks as much as their bodies. By Matt Tait

Notebook: KU limits QB Peyton Bender to 1st-half reps

Beaty won't say who will start at QB next week

The third start of his senior season began in similar fashion to the previous two weeks for Kansas quarterback Peyton Bender, with him watching from the sideline on occasion while backup Miles Kendrick took over for the offense. However, unlike the past two games, Bender didn’t play at all after halftime Saturday in KU’s 55-14 drubbing of Rutgers. By Benton Smith

Pilfer party: KU's 6 takeaways power blowout win over Rutgers

KU’s takeaway-happy defense left the field with possession of the ball three times in the first quarter alone. Then, during the timeout leading up to the second quarter, former KU star quarterback Todd Reesing capped his Ring of Honor ceremony by leaping and delivering one of his signature fiery fist pumps. The stage, Mike Lee felt, was set for his big moment. And he pounced with an interception that he doggedly returned 31 yards for a touchdown, further inciting the Jayhawks to drub visiting Rutgers, 55-14. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Pooka Williams a fast learner and runner

If you feel like you learn something new every day about Anthony Williams Jr., better known as Pooka, don’t consider yourself out of the loop. Even fourth-year Kansas football coach David Beaty forever picks up fresh material about the sensational running back.

Jayhawks pummel Rutgers, 55-14

For the first time since 2011, members of the Kansas football team can say they’ve won back-to-back games. The Jayhawks followed their road losing streak-killing victory at Central Michigan by closing nonconference play with a 55-14 home drubbing of Rutgers on Saturday. By Benton Smith

'Do you think I can play or not?': Once disregarded, QB Todd Reesing joining KU Ring of Honor

Back when he was a high schooler at Lake Travis, in Austin, Texas, Todd Reesing had a difficult time convincing college football coaches he could play quarterback for them. Fortunately for the University of Kansas football program, Mark Mangino thought he could. By Benton Smith

Gameday Breakdown: KU football vs. Rutgers

Considering a program that spent nine years always losing in games outside of Lawrence actually won on the road in Week 2, Kansas should stick with what worked in its victory at Central Michigan. The Jayhawks’ rushing attack — and freshman back Pooka Williams in particular — made snapping a 46-game road losing skid possible. By Benton Smith

KU's athletic director wants to build up football program, 'dig out of hole,' before tackling stadium

Just six weeks after coming on staff as athletic director at the University of Kansas, Jeff Long is saying that building up the football program should take precedence over a multimillion-dollar remodel of the David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Tom Keegan: Pooka Williams, through the eyes of a Louisiana high school football fan

If you’re still on the fence about whether to head out to David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for an 11 a.m. kickoff Saturday vs. Rutgers, don’t take my word for it. Heed the words of someone who has witnessed a ton of Pooka highlights live.

KU's Kerr Johnson Jr. a WR 'you better pay attention to'

Around the Kansas football team’s facilities it’s easy for Kerr Johnson Jr. to go unnoticed. The senior receiver’s head coach, David Beaty, jokes he sometimes needs to hold a mirror under Johnson’s nose to ensure the calm and quiet California native is in fact alive. No such concerns exist when the 5-foot-11, 193-pound Johnson is running routes for the Jayhawks. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: A comparison of KU's 98 games under Mangino to the 98 since

It took the 98th game of the post-Mark Mangino era for something to happen to make an awakening from a prolonged slump for the Kansas football program feel even possible.

One Year Later: KU basketball coach Bill Self reflects on Hall of Fame induction after watching 2018 class go in

It’s been a year since Kansas basketball coach Bill Self stood on a brightly lit stage in Springfield, Mass., and saw his informal title instantly transform from elite college coach and national champion to Hall of Famer. But in the 12 months since that special night, when Self celebrated with nearly 150 family, friends and former players, not much has changed for the Bill Self the basketball coach. By Matt Tait

Tom Keegan: Mike Lee early key to Kansas recruiting in Louisiana

No matter how great a new product looks on paper, it’s going to be tough to sell unless the salesman has that first satisfied customer to stand as proof of concept. For the Kansas football program's Louisiana recruiting plan, junior safety Mike Lee represents proof of concept.

KU football offense not perfect, but much cleaner through 2 games

Sure, the season is only two weeks old. But as of this moment, Kansas football, the same program that finished 2017 ranked an ugly 127th out of 129 FBS teams in turnover margin, is sitting pretty in the same category. By Benton Smith

Notebook: Game ball from KU's win at CMU makes the rounds

Inside the visiting locker room at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich., this past Saturday, after he became the first Kansas football coach to win a road game since Mark Mangino’s final season, in 2009, David Beaty received the game ball as the Jayhawks celebrated. He didn’t hang onto it long, though. By Benton Smith

David Beaty maintains vague stance regarding Pooka Williams' availability past this week

Yes, Kansas freshman running back Pooka Williams will play in the Jayhawks’ home football game Saturday against Rutgers. But will Williams also play the following week at Baylor, and for the remainder of the schedule? By Benton Smith

KU football's ball-hawking defense key to successful road trip

The Kansas football team scored more points against an FBS opponent in Saturday’s road losing streak-killing 31-7 win at Central Michigan than it had since defeating Iowa State at home, 34-14, in 2014. Nonetheless it was KU’s defense that made sure no doubt crept into the Jayhawks’ minds in the second half, as six takeaways allowed the visitors to cruise. By Benton Smith

Gary Woodland qualifies for Tour Championship

Continuing his strong late-season play, former University of Kansas golfer Gary Woodland became one of the 30 players to advance to the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Sept. 20-23.

Pooka Williams expected to play for KU this week vs. Rutgers

RB named Big 12 Newcomer of Week

Some mystery still surrounds what kept the Kansas football team from playing Pooka Williams in its season opener. But head coach David Beaty said Monday morning the freshman running back who raced to 125 rushing yards and two touchdowns in his debut will be back in action this Saturday for the Jayhawks’ home game versus Rutgers. By Benton Smith

Redshirt seniors Daniel Wise, Joe Dineen revel in their first KU road win

So many times KU defensive standouts Daniel Wise and Joe Dineen set their minds on carving out ways to bounce back from losses, and far more often than not those endeavors ultimately didn’t produce the victories they kept chasing. However, Wise shared following the Jayhawks’ 31-7 win at Central Michigan, that it seemed to him right after KU’s Week 1 loss to Nicholls State that their latest rebound attempt would prove different. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Pooka Williams worth price of admission

Mount Pleasant, Mich. — Debuting Kansas freshman running back Anthony “Pooka” Williams killed more than a nine-year road losing streak late Saturday afternoon, so far from his hometown of Marrero, La.

Notebook: RB Pooka Williams cleared for debut ‘late, late’ Friday night

Exactly what kept Pooka Williams out of the Kansas football lineup a week earlier remained unclear following the freshman running back’s debut Saturday, which sparked a 31-7 road win at Central Michigan. Following KU’s victory at Kelly/Shorts Stadium seven days later, head coach David Beaty did not offer many specifics when asked how it was determined Williams could suit up and participate in the game at CMU.

Tom Keegan: KU football's nightmarish road losing streak ends at 46

In sports, long streaks of futility tend to end on a fluke play. Many a hitter has broken his batting slump with a swinging bunt single. A tipped ball that leads to an interception returned for a touchdown or a blocked punt is how football teams are supposed to score their first wins in a long time. That’s not how it went down for the University of Kansas football team Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on the campus of Central Michigan University. By Tom Keegan

'Unreal': Freshman RB Pooka Williams ignites rare KU football road win

One man and one result might not prove capable of changing a program’s fortunes. But for one sunny Saturday afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium the Kansas football team, losers of a major college football record 46 consecutive road losses, finally left an opponent’s stadium victorious. And it seemed one new Jayhawk in particular deserved as much credit as any. By Benton Smith

Kansas ends road losing streak with win over Central Michigan

The streak is over. After an overtime loss in the season opener, the University of Kansas football team ended its infamous losing skid on the road with 31-7 victory at Central Michigan Saturday. The Jayhawks (1-1) had dropped the previous 46 straight road games, which was the longest such streak in college football.

Notebook: KU wideout Steven Sims Jr. 'tough' on himself after TD drop

The play happened early in the second quarter of his team’s season opener, with more than 43 minutes left in regulation. All the same, Kansas senior receiver Steven Sims Jr. had a hard time forgiving himself for dropping what looked like a sure touchdown in the end zone. By Benton Smith

Gameday Breakdown: KU football at Central Michigan

In the Jayhawks’ season-opening loss, running backs Khalil Herbert and Dom Williams actually finished with solid numbers in terms of average yards per carry. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: Kwamie Lassiter II returns punts, name for KU football

on Kirby, who covers Kansas football for Rivals, said hello to Kansas punt returner Kwamie Lassiter II and told him he remembered watching his father play for KU as a defensive back.

New York Yankees scout Darryl Monroe back in town as featured speaker

Former Lawrence High football and baseball standout Darryl Monroe has a long history of competing for the winning side.

Tom Keegan: Les Miles has 30-year connection to Kansas

The early scouting report that I received on first-year Kansas athletic director Jeff Long included high marks for hiring football coaches in stealth fashion, so don’t necessarily take his decision not to fire David Beaty after the coach’s egregious mismanagement of the overtime loss to Nicholls State as inaction on the AD’s part. By Tom Keegan

Unheralded Kansas WR Stephon Robinson Jr. wants to build on debut showing

Not one other Power Five program actively recruited Stephon Robinson Jr. Yet there the sophomore junior college transfer was Saturday in his Kansas football debut, tying for the team lead in receptions and blocking a punt on special teams. By Benton Smith

KU defensive lineman Isi Holani's DUI charge dismissed

Kansas football coach David Beaty suggested earlier this week that a resolution was coming on defensive tackle Isi Holani’s summer DUI charge. On Tuesday Holani’s case was dropped because he didn’t meet the legal standard for the violation. By Benton Smith

KU's 2018-19 schedule complete with release of Big 12 men's basketball dates

With dates for marquee games against Michigan State, Villanova and Kentucky already known, the Kansas basketball program officially learned what its road to a 15th consecutive Big 12 title would look like on Wednesday, when the Big 12 Conference released the Big 12 portion of the 2018-19 schedule. By Matt Tait

Tom Keegan: KU AD Jeff Long responds to questions on reeling football program

A pair of curious substitutions that took starting quarterback Peyton Bender out of the game, ill-timed timeouts, repeated troubles with the snap from center, a drop in the end zone by the team’s best receiver, Steven Sims, and several other tough moments during Saturday’s season-opening loss to Nicholls State cranked up the heat on fourth-year Kansas coach David Beaty’s seat.

David Beaty owns up to 'Hawk Talk' gaffe

According to Kansas football coach David Beaty, he mistakenly described some of the circumstances surrounding his team’s final offensive play of an overtime home loss to Nicholls State, while appearing on his weekly radio show, Hawk Talk, Monday night. By Benton Smtih

Jayhawks might play reserve O-linemen more after lackluster opener

After a preseason full of coaches and players talking up the potential of KU’s revamped offensive line, the idea was to put a much more polished product on the field to kick off Year 4 of the David Beaty era at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Asked at his Tuesday press conference to assess the play of the new starting five up front, Beaty admitted it looked like Fontana, left tackle Hakeem Adeniji, left guard Andru Tovi, right guard Dwayne Wallace and right tackle Kevin Feder were playing their first game together, which of course was the case.By Benton Smith

'My dream came true': Bowen in 1st season as KU volleyball assistant

As the Creighton volleyball team rushed the court at Horejsi Family Athletics center in 2016, it finally sank in that Maggie Anderson had served in her final match.

Notebook: No update yet on RB Pooka Williams' availability

University of Kansas football coach David Beaty didn’t provide many particulars when the team on Saturday kept ballyhooed freshman running back Pooka Williams out of the lineup for the season opener due to a “non-disciplinary matter.” Two days later, Beaty didn’t have much new information to make public, either, during his weekly Hawk Talk radio show, other than to say the coaching staff hopes there “might be” an update this week on Williams’ status. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: David Beaty followed wrong recruiting blueprint

As the sun was setting on his tenure as University of Kansas head football coach, David Beaty was talking about the next morning’s sunrise. Somehow, that seemed fitting.

Notebook: KU letting 'due process' conclude following Isi Holani's summer arrest

When Kansas defensive tackle Isi Holani got arrested in late July on suspicion of DUI, the football team issued a statement saying that details of the situation were being collected and an update would be provided once the process was completed. On Saturday night, in the Jayhawks’ season-opening loss to Nicholls State, the 6-foot-3, 325-pound redshirt senior didn’t start, but Holani subbed in to play on the defense’s first series. By Benton Smith

KU soccer tops Butler in ranked match

After circumnavigating the field for 61 minutes, University of Kansas sophomore midfielder Ceri Holland went airborne. Butler’s Paige Monaghan drew a yellow card after tallying the team's sixth foul of the match.

Tom Keegan: KU's curious QB shuffle not the recipe for building swagger

Try to slide into Peyton Bender’s shoulder pads and wonder what the past couple of weeks must have done to his chances of developing the swagger any team’s starting quarterback needs.

Jayhawks intent on recovering from disappointing season debut

A 12th consecutive defeat, this one in overtime of the opener to an admittedly successful FCS opponent, on the surface looks like the type of blow that could crash a team’s season. Football players at the University of Kansas who lived through Saturday’s 26-23 home loss to Nicholls State are here to tell you that won’t be the case. By Benton Smith

Tom Keegan: KU football lets season opener slip away

It happens all the time in sports. It starts to occur to the underdog from the smaller conference that it’s about to score a significant victory. The moment becomes too big. The jitters set in. The underdog makes one too many mistakes and the bigger school escapes with a victory.

Notebook: Pooka Williams unavailable in Week 1

The long-awaited debut of freshman running back Pooka Williams didn’t go as planned Saturday night at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Familiar result: Kansas football suffers overtime loss to Nicholls State

In a game marred by bad snaps, sacks and no real running threat, the Kansas football team somehow found itself with a chance to open the season with a victory, in overtime at that. But head coach David Beaty’s fourth season opener ended the same as his first, in 2015, with a home defeat at the hands of an FCS opponent.

Quick recap: KU football falls to Nicholls State in overtime

The University of Kansas football team lost its 12th-straight game Saturday at Memorial Stadium in the season opener. Following a field goal by Gabriel Rui on the first possession of overtime, Nicholls State scored the necessary touchdown to finish off a 26-23 victory. Junior quarterback Chase Fourcade delivered the game-winning score on a 4-yard rushing touchdown.

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