Kansas
Kansas basketball’s 2022 national title, players’ pro options
![Kansas basketball’s 2022 national title, players’ pro options Kansas basketball’s 2022 national title, players’ pro options](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/10/NTCJ/91b211f6-3a60-4fe2-b4f1-5a27e65c8362-20220410_KUBBallParade.EN-11.jpg?crop=6806,3829,x0,y348&width=660&height=372&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
LAWRENCE — Throughout a celebratory, nationwide championship version of Hawk Discuss on Thursday, Kansas males’s basketball coach Invoice Self’s reflection on the Jayhawks’ newest title led to a comparability to the one they received in 2008.
Self stated that after they received that championship, a bit greater than a decade in the past, he felt as in the event that they celebrated an excessive amount of. By the point August got here round that 12 months, he didn’t suppose they’d capitalized on their instant success like they need to have. This 12 months, Self stated, they’ve tried to do a greater job of that.
Self additionally stated that this 12 months’s celebration, and the euphoria that comes with profitable a title, has exceeded that of 2008. He mused that it is perhaps as a result of again in 2008 he felt as in the event that they at all times knew that would occur. This previous season, after the common season loss in opposition to Kentucky, he didn’t suppose a championship like that was in retailer.
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However, clearly, that title ended up coming the Jayhawks’ manner after their victory in New Orleans in opposition to North Carolina in April. Whereas it’s all been somewhat sudden for Self, he did suppose his group began to construct momentum in the Large 12 Convention event — which Kansas received. Then the Jayhawks obtained what Self thought-about a positive draw within the NCAA Match, and took care of enterprise.
“It’s been a enjoyable journey, and I do know our guys have loved it and the blokes have benefited individually off of it as nicely — which is at all times a purpose, that you really want everyone to profit and, if you happen to win sufficient, the pie is large enough for everyone,” Self stated. “And everyone’s benefited in their very own private manner, in numerous methods. And so, it’s been nice.”
Self reiterated that there’s loads of work left to do, in an effort to capitalize off of the success they’ve been capable of take pleasure in. Earlier than he obtained again to that work, although, he additionally mentioned numerous completely different subjects associated to Kansas’ nationwide championship group.
The place this Kansas basketball group ranks among the many greatest
![Apr 2, 2022; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas Jayhawks guard Ochai Agbaji (30) shoots the ball against Villanova Wildcats forward Eric Dixon (43) during the second half in the 2022 NCAA men's basketball tournament Final Four semifinals at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/03/NTCJ/2fedf7aa-3246-4f2f-915b-b5c61de518fc-USATSI_18009507.jpg?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Self stated this most up-to-date Jayhawks group ought to be remembered as probably the greatest groups in program historical past as a result of, whereas it could not have been as gifted as some previously, this one delivered on a nationwide title. There have been numerous high-profile squads, each earlier than Self took over and after, however not many have loved the highs the 2021-22 unit did. Self famous that the 2008 group might need had extra expertise, however the 2022 group benefited from intangibles at a distinct degree.
“It’s greater than chemistry. It’s not having to cope with something that didn’t have something to do with profitable or dropping basketball video games,” Self stated. “It’s by no means having a state of affairs the place you felt like that one man didn’t have each ft in. It’s by no means having to fret about if youngsters would compete, and once I’m speaking about compete, be as into it from a method standpoint, a scouting report standpoint, a getting remedy standpoint, a getting relaxation standpoint. There was by no means a doubt that any of these guys weren’t going to do what they need to be doing to offer us the perfect probability to win.”
Self indicated that jealousy was by no means one thing he needed to fear about this previous season. He stated there wasn’t one time, for the primary time, that he talked with a participant or the group about how an agent was making an attempt to advise them on what they wanted to do to play higher or what they wanted to do to impress through the NCAA Match. Self praised the group’s alignment.
Invoice Self appreciates how folks have handled his father’s reminiscence
![Kansas coach Bill Self speaks during a news conference about the NCAA tournament's Final Four on April 3, 2022, in New Orleans.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/04/NTFO/91642697-45e0-4856-a703-ca76018733ff-AP22093618214554.jpg?width=660&height=440&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
This previous season, the Lawrence and better Kansas Jayhawks neighborhood rallied round Self and his household after the dying of his father. As that occurred, a quote that Self stated his father used to say to him turned hooked up to the group. That quote was, “Don’t fear in regards to the mules, simply load the wagon.”
Self allowed that, through the season, he didn’t discover that a lot that was being carried out and stated round all of it. Whereas he’d find out about issues from his household, see some T-shirts and spot the “Simply load the wagon” banner inside Allen Fieldhouse, he defined that he was simply so locked into the duties at hand. However Self added as nicely that he is aware of it will have meant so much to his dad.
Self stated that what made his dad nice, from a coach’s perspective, was the power to by no means panic in massive moments. Self’s dad could have targeted incessantly on the little issues, like a missed curfew, however the former perpetually holds true. And Self thinks he coaches that manner together with his gamers.
Invoice Self updates what sure athletes are contemplating professionally
![Kansas players Remy Martin and Jalon Wilson pose from their ride at the Jayhawks' NCAA championship parade in April in downtown Lawrence.](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2022/04/10/NTCJ/91b211f6-3a60-4fe2-b4f1-5a27e65c8362-20220410_KUBBallParade.EN-11.jpg?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Self additionally touched on what a few of his athletes, particularly Remy Martin, David McCormack, Ochai Agbaji, Christian Braun, Jalen Wilson, Mitch Lightfoot and Jalen Coleman-Lands, are doubtlessly on the subject of their skilled careers.
With Martin, whom Self described as offering Kansas the spark to take this season to a particular place, there’s the goal to play professionally someplace. Whereas Self stated that Martin nonetheless isn’t fairly at 100% health-wise, that’s the path Martin is pursuing. Self outlined how he thought a superb choice for Martin could possibly be enjoying within the Philippines, due to the connection Martin has there and the potential that Martin could possibly be the highest-paid participant within the league there.
With McCormack, whose performances within the Ultimate 4 Self praised, Self stated he may find yourself going abroad to play. However, Self additionally stated that McCormack has a legit probability to be a two-way participant within the NBA. Both selection would enable McCormack to make a top quality residing.
Self stated Agbaji has performed himself into probably being a lottery choose within the upcoming NBA Draft, and that Braun may now be a first-round choice, too. The group continues to be ready for a ultimate choice from Wilson, who has the choice to return to varsity and whom Self thinks has helped himself tremendously together with his performances through the draft course of to date. Self isn’t fairly certain what’s subsequent for Coleman-Lands at this level, and didn’t rule out the G League for Lightfoot whereas additionally alluding to abroad choices.
“We should always want them to do what’s greatest for his or her life,” Self stated. “And I feel they’ll all make good choices.”
Jordan Guskey covers College of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
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Kansas
Kansas State players of the game vs UT-Martin
![Kansas State players of the game vs UT-Martin Kansas State players of the game vs UT-Martin](https://on3static.com/uploads/dev/assets/cms/2024/08/31201911/Tobi-UTM-1-1.jpeg)
Kansas State offensive MVP: DJ Giddens
It was another nice and easy day at the office for Kansas State running back DJ Giddens.
The Junction City running back went over 100 yards for the fifth consecutive game. His five game streak of going over the century mark is tied for fourth in K-State school history. Giddens finished the game with 124 rushing yards and added six receiving yards.
Dylan Edwards provided a nice spark for the Wildcat offense in his first game after transferring from Colorado. Edwards scored multiple times in the contest Saturday night with one on the ground and a receiving touchdown.
In the first home start for Avery Johnson, there were some ups and downs.
However, Johnson still finished with two touchdowns through the air and added some nice runs as well. Jayce Brown was a major bright spot receiving as well with 71 receiving yards. The true sophomore led Kansas State in receiving and had the most receptions with five.
Defensive MVP: Tobi Osunsanmi
For defense there was a few different options for MVP. I really wrestled back and forth between two.
Ultimately, I decided on Tobi Osunsanmi. The Wichita native was a man possessed in his snaps. He showed his elite burst and was able to get to the quarterback at a very high clip. Osunsanmi finished the game with 1.5 sacks (2.5 if he completes one instead of letting the quarterback escape).
He also added another quarterback hit to go along with the sacks.
Desmond Purnell was also flying around the field Saturday evening. He led K-State in tackles with seven and was tied for first in tackles for a loss with 1.5.
K-State special teams MVP: Ty Bowman
Anytime you can create a touchdown on special teams, it is an easy choice for special teams MVP. Ty Bowman blocked his second career punt in the season opener versus UT-Martin. The beneficiary of Bowman blocking the punt was Colby McCalister who returned the ball one yard for a touchdown.
Chris Tennant was also perfect on all of his kicks. Tennant knocked in a 45 and 43-yard field goal and was perfect on all of his extra points.
Kansas
Tulane Football’s Path to Victory Must Exploit Inexperienced Kansas State
![Tulane Football’s Path to Victory Must Exploit Inexperienced Kansas State Tulane Football’s Path to Victory Must Exploit Inexperienced Kansas State](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4096,h_2304,x_0,y_268/c_fill,w_1440,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/voltaxMediaLibrary/mmsport/tulane_green_wave_on_si/01j6mvw0vcfqn9xhqdjr.jpg)
The stage is set for Tulane football’s highly anticipated Week 2 matchup against the Kansas State Wildcats as they seek to become contenders on a national stage.
Intriguingly, the Green Wave and the Wildcats have some parallels on offense. Kansas State kicks off the season Saturday against FCS opponent UT-Martin, much like Tulane opened against Southeastern Louisiana.
Sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson will make his first regular season start, much like redshirt freshman Darian Mensah led Tulane to their 52-0 victory Thursday night. Johnson did appear in eight games as a true freshman and started for the team in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, beating North Carolina State.
However, he did so behind an offensive line that looks nothing like the one that will take the field next Saturday at Yulman Stadium. The Wildcats must replace four of five starters, including third-round draft pick Cooper Beebe. Just as Tulane had to find Vincent Murphy to take over for Sincere Haynesworth.
Though the group of returners isn’t exactly inexperienced, they don’t have any time playing together in concert. The lone starter remaining is right guard Hadley Panzer, who likely is starting this season at left guard. Presumed starting left tackle Easton Kilty is making his first FBS start.
It helps that Kansas State’s offensive line coach, Conor Riley, was promoted to coordinator. He has pieces to work with that have credible game snaps. The challenge is whether they can come together as a unit.
While Avery Johnson has more experience than Darian Mensah, Mensah benefits from a much more stable offensive line. Tulane returned both starting guards and right tackle and brought in key transfers to fill the remaining holes. In their season debut, they gave Mensah time in the pocket, but the run blocking left much to be desired.
Tulane brought in transfers on the defensive line to bolster their pass rush. They got to the quarterback twice with two sacks last Thursday, but the Bandit role was a point of concern. Their three-man front is spaced to spread out their top playmakers, Adin Huntington at defensive end and Patrick Jenkins at tackle.
With Huntington to the field and Jenkins to the boundary, it forces defenses to either focus attention on one side of the line or just shut down the best two players. That awards a lot of one-on-one opportunities for the rusher at Bandit. The players who rotated in the first game didn’t make much of a case.
Terrell Allen didn’t make any standout plays, nor did Matthew Fobbs-White, though the latter showed some disruptive abilities off the line of scrimmage. Frankly, Shi’Keem Laister was the most productive in a packaged role. Laister had a hurry and forced Southeastern to throw quickly, leading to incompletions on the drive.
Tulane doesn’t need the Bandit to be the hero, but they need a player to step up and credibly command attention to open up lanes for Huntington, who only recorded one hurry in his debut for the team.
Importantly, the team likely didn’t show their cards on the ways they might get to the quarterback. It might come from the second level. Linebacker Sam Howard had more pressure snaps than Fobbs-White and Allen, and he recorded a hurry and beat his blocker on another.
Could Tulane rely on blitzing and utilizing defensive backs and linebackers as rushers? Not all season. But creativity and confusion might just be enough to rattle the Wildcats as both teams race to figure out what the other is made of with merely one game of film.
The secondary came together as Tulane’s season opener went on, and should be a point of strength, but the best coverage is a pass rush. Especially with an opponent that has similar turnover and areas to exploit. For the Green Wave to pull off a victory on Sept. 7, the key lies in the lane to the quarterback.
Kansas
Lawmakers plan brazen power grab, pushing aside Kansas voters and Gov. Laura Kelly • Kansas Reflector
![Lawmakers plan brazen power grab, pushing aside Kansas voters and Gov. Laura Kelly • Kansas Reflector Lawmakers plan brazen power grab, pushing aside Kansas voters and Gov. Laura Kelly • Kansas Reflector](https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/P6170288.jpg)
Let’s be clear about what Kansas Republican legislative leaders are doing with their planned overhaul of budgeting: They are launching a personal and political power grab against Gov. Laura Kelly.
They have never accepted or respected her mandate. Despite Kelly winning a second term and having two years left to go, they have continually attempted to usurp the executive branch’s authority. They have tried a constitutional amendment and prohibiting her ability to negotiate Medicaid contracts. Now they’re going after her yearly state budget proposal.
Usually, the Legislature begins its yearly budget process with a proposal from the governor. Her office submits it when lawmakers arrive for the annual session, in January. Now an interim committee wants to start the process earlier, as soon as October of the previous year.
In this new process, the governor’s budget would be a suggestion, not a starting point.
And never mind that it’s a direct attack on Kelly. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, assured the audience that these changes had nothing to do with the governor.
“This process has nothing to do with the governor,” he said at the meeting earlier this month, according to Kansas Reflector reporter Tim Carpenter. “If you’re going to focus on the governor, probably not the wisest thing to do, because this process has happened over time with many, many different governors.”
He was contradicted by Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, who let the proverbial cat out of the figurative bag.
“You’ll have a Republican governor, for example, or somebody you trust, and you trust the administration to build the budgets, and then you kind of rubber stamp stuff,” Masterson said. “And, then, you switch, and you have (the) opposition party and then there’s all that same power.”
Oh. So it’s like that, then.
All of this might seem like so much partisan mud wrestling, except for the fact that the leaders have also decided to do an end run around Kansas voters.
Did you notice that the proposed new process could start as early as October? While details at the hearing were scarce, leaders appeared to suggest that they would start working on budget without knowing whether they would be elected. What happens if all the folks on the budget committee are voted out of office? Who takes the lead then?
Once again, we see Kansas legislative leaders trying to concentrate power. They don’t want the governor to even have the first say in the budgeting process, and they apparently don’t trust the rest of their colleagues. You know, all the people who drive to Topeka in January to actually make laws.
Sen. Carolyn McGinn, a Sedgwick Republican, raised concerns that these changes would also limit the ability of constituents to speak about budget priorities.
McGinn might have decided to retire, but she has a point. Leaders apparently don’t even trust their constituents when it comes to spending.
In there interest of fairness, I should note that the reform committee considered several worthwhile proposals. Rep. Troy Waymaster, R-Bunker Hill, discussed ending lawmakers’ de facto three-day work week. Yes, they usually take Mondays and Fridays off, at times slowing progress to a crawl. The panel also targeted budget earmarks for favored programs that don’t go through a regular committee process.
In the interest of perspective, however, I’m not falling over myself with gratitude. It’s obvious that legislators should work throughout the week, and it’s obvious they shouldn’t be larding up the budget with unvetted spending.
It’s like going through life without running over someone with your car. I mean, I’m glad that you didn’t, but surely you don’t deserve a plaque.
Lawmakers might still be able to make worthwhile changes to the budgeting process. They could start with increasing transparency, which Carpenter noted wasn’t discussed by members of either party. But until they stop jostling for partisan advantage and making themselves look foolish, don’t expect much.
Clay Wirestone is Kansas Reflector opinion editor. Through its opinion section, Kansas Reflector works to amplify the voices of people who are affected by public policies or excluded from public debate. Find information, including how to submit your own commentary, here.
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