KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs general manager John Dorsey expects Pro Bowl pass rusher Justin Houston to play this season, even though surgery to repair his torn ACL could take up to 12 months of recovery time.

Dorsey made the prediction during a news conference Friday to discuss the NFL draft.

Houston hurt his left knee during a game against Buffalo midway through last season, and at the time it was thought to be a hyperextension. He returned to play sparingly in the playoffs, and an arthroscopic procedure after the season revealed his ligament was not functioning properly.

Houston had surgery to repair the ACL in February, and Dorsey said that he’s “ahead of schedule” in his recovery. But he declined to say when Houston will be able to play next season.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – John Currie, who since arriving in 2009 has led K-State Athletics through one of the most successful periods in department history, has agreed to a two-year contract extension through the 2022 academic year, the Kansas State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors announced today.

 

The agreement extends Currie’s contract two years through June 30, 2022, with his annual salary remaining unchanged at $775,000. Under the new agreement, Currie will receive a $100,000 retention incentive on June 30, 2017. He is also eligible for additional retention incentives of $275,000 in 2021 and $325,000 in 2022 should he remain in his position through June 30 of those respective years.

 

“Under John Currie’s leadership, K-State has realized our aspirational goal of building a Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program,” said Kirk Schulz, outgoing university president. “From my work as an NCAA and Big 12 board member, I can attest to the high regard our peers have for John’s leadership. Our athletic programs reflect the high level of quality that a top public university deserves.”

 

“I fully endorse the board and President Schulz’s recommendation and appreciate John making this commitment to K-State during a time of leadership transition,” said Interim President Gen. Richard Myers. “It has been impressive to see the growth of our athletics department under his leadership, and I look forward to working with John and his staff as we continue to strengthen what is already a strong relationship between intercollegiate athletics and the university community.”

 

Since Currie’s introduction as director of athletics in May 2009, the Wildcats’ athletics program has experienced a seven-year period of athletic, academic and fundraising excellence that ranks among the best in school history.

 

Under Currie’s leadership, K-State has evolved into one of the NCAA’s most financially solvent programs while initiating $210 million in comprehensive facility improvements – all privately funded with zero state tax or university tuition dollars – including the new Vanier Football Complex, West Stadium Center at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Ice Family Basketball Center, Intercollegiate Rowing Center and Mike Goss Tennis Stadium.

 

“Our family is grateful to belong to the K-State family and call Manhattan home,” Currie said. “While much progress has been made across the department over the past seven years toward our vision of a Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program, I believe that even better days are ahead for K-State Athletics. Mary Lawrence and I look forward to continuing to serve the Wildcat faithful and help usher in a new era for Kansas State University under the leadership of General Myers.”

 

Athletically, Currie’s tenure has been marked by across the board success including six straight bowl appearances in football, Big 12 Conference championships in football, men’s basketball and baseball, 45 individual Big 12 and eight NCAA titles in track and field, five men’s basketball NCAA Tournament appearances, three in women’s basketball and four each in volleyball and baseball. The 2012-13 campaign was also one for the ages as K-State became just the fourth BCS school since 1998 to win league titles in football, men’s basketball and baseball the same year.

 

Academically, all Wildcat programs boast multi-year APR marks of at least .944, with the football, men’s golf and women’s cross country teams sporting Big 12-leading scores. Approximately one-half of all 450-plus Wildcat student-athletes achieved a 3.0 GPA or higher this past academic year, while 40 student-athletes have earned Academic All-American honors since 2009.

 

With the tag line of “Welcome to K-State” symbolizing the goal of providing The Best Fan Experience in the Big 12, K-State’s marketing and fundraising efforts have been completely overhauled in Currie’s tenure. K-State supporters have pushed attendance to new heights, while $200 million in total gifts have now been raised for K-State Athletics since Currie’s arrival.

K-State Athletics has also proven to be a great partner to the university, having eliminated approximately $3 million in annual state and direct university funding of intercollegiate athletics under Currie’s leadership to become the only institution in Kansas and one of only approximately two dozen nationwide to operate without these subsidies.

 

New ticket initiatives have led to 36 sellout crowds at Bill Snyder Family Stadium since 2009, including a current streak of 27 straight. The Cats have also set new season total and average attendance records in baseball, sold a record number of season tickets for volleyball and baseball and rank among the Top 35 nationally in attendance in men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball and baseball.

 

The 2013 Bobby Dodd AD award winner and a 2012 UnderArmour AD of the Year, Currie has served on the NCAA Division I Administrative Cabinet and was the chair of the Big 12 ADs in 2013-14 while also being one of only two intercollegiate ADs named to SportsBusiness Journal’s 2011 prestigious Forty Under 40 list of national sports leaders.
                                                                – k-statesports.com –

 

————
KENNY LANNOU
Associate A.D. for Communications | K-State Athletics

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – Kansas quarterbacks Montell Cozart and Deondre Ford were granted hardship waivers Wednesday after sustaining injuries last season, giving both redshirt juniors two years of eligibility remaining.

Cozart started three of the first four games before sustaining a season-ending shoulder injury in a game against Iowa State. He was 66 of 105 for 752 yards with two touchdowns while running for another touchdown.

Ford appeared in two games before a season-ending thumb injury.

The quarterback job appears to be wide open heading into next season. Ryan Willis started when Cozart and Ford went down, but he’s been dealing with a wrist injury. Young prospects Carter Stanley and Keaton Perry have also shown promise, though both were inconsistent during spring practices.

Kansas opens its season Sept. 3 against Rhode Island.

On playing the spring game ( this Saturday ) as an actual game as opposed to having a unique scoring system…

“I think it is just a matter of trying to keep it real, as much as anything. We consider the spring game as a 15th practice. It has always been a matter of just being able to replicate as much as we possibly can, a gameday experience. Keeping score the way you would on a Saturday afternoon is probably just a part of it.”

 

On the players’ execution improving this week…

“I think we are still inconsistent, but the answer to the question is yes, I have seen it improve. Probably when we practiced last, yesterday, I think it was undoubtedly a marked improvement throughout the course of spring. I mentioned earlier, I think that our first practice I was impressed with an awful lot of positive things that took place. I thought that yesterday’s work was above and beyond that. I think, in particularly with the offense, most people say, ‘Well, the offense always has to catch up to the defense.’ I do not know if I totally believe in that, but I have seen it from time to time. I think that began to make itself present yesterday afternoon. I thought we ran the ball, blocked better, blocked more aggressively. I thought that was a major issue yesterday. We threw and caught the ball well. Not that we did not play well on defense, but we do have some inconsistences there as well and some problems. In some areas, not many, it is more than just inconsistences – it is consistency of what we would not like. I do not know what tag to put on it, but it is just areas that have to make substantial improvement. Overall, I have seen our team grow and get better.”

 

On guys that have stuck out in the live scrimmages…

“It is just not a scrimmage; I put it all in the same context. We get every bit as much out of a regular practice without a scrimmage as we do with a scrimmage. Each segment has its own significance to our development. (Byron) Pringle is learning the system and rather rapidly. As he does, you see the skill level enhance itself. He sticks out in my mind. Defensively, I think Jordan Willis has had a really excellent spring, day in and day out. If you talk about inconsistencies, I would not talk about Jordan that way at all. He has been very consistent about what he has done in a good way.

 

“There is inconsistency there with the quarterbacks, but I think it is moving in a positive direction. You talk about three guys that are on the ground floor of competing for a starting spot. Every day it seems like one will rise up above the others and things are starting to register in your mind, and then the next day someone else does the same thing, which still makes it tremendously competitive. What it really signifies to me is that when somebody does well, the other notice that. That indicates to me the competitive nature and spirit of the others when somebody rises up. They compete, and I appreciate that as well. Scott Frantz has stepped up, and Reid Najvar. They are two offensive linemen that have caught my eye – and I am sure Coach (Charlie) Dickey’s as well – that are making really making headway so far this spring.”

 

On any offensive linemen emerging other than the ones mentioned earlier…

“There are several that are kind of in the same boat, but not really rising above the two that I mentioned. Will Ash is on the verge. Terrale Johnson is kind of on the verge, but not totally there yet.”

 

On Jordan Willis evolving as a leader…

“He is one of those by-example-type guys. I have tried to get him to enhance his verbal leadership, and at times he has done that. Then he gets so invested in what he is doing that he goes back to his normal routine. Playing as well as he is, I will accept that. Our players respect him because of how he competes, how hard he works, how he plays, and consequently there is some built-in leadership that goes in with that. Other guys want to follow suit.”

 

On Duke Shelley’s progression…

“He plays with more confidence right now. He is a very competitive young guy. He still has a ways to go. He is still a freshman, so to speak, but he has a strong desire to improve his capabilities and compete. I have seen him compete every day, but like I said, he is still going.”

Linebacker Will Davis

On what is important to show in the spring game…

“You just want to show off your playmaking ability. You want to show off a little bit and show all the hard work you put in through the course of the offseason and the strides that we made since last season. So we want to show off a bit, show what we can do and give a little preview for the fall.”

 

On where the defense has grown the most…

“I think, from a maturity standpoint, we have had some young guys who have had to step in. I think this spring really helps you mature quickly because if you do not, then you will lose your spot. It forces those young guys to mature very quickly and that benefits us as a defense.”

 

Linebacker Charmeachealle Moore

On the improvement of the defense this spring…

“We are very improved. We are playing faster. We have a lot of guys coming back, so they have the game player mentality. They know how the game is instead of just practicing, which has a lot to do with it.”

 

On if he likes the format of the spring game…

“I like it. It gets the guys who have not played in a routine of what a game day is like. We do it just like a game day. We go through everything, so we can help people get in the mentality of playing on game day.”

 

Quarterback Alex Delton

On his relationship with fellow quarterback Jesse Ertz…

“Jesse (Ertz), specifically, is just a good friend. We were both injured in the training room all last fall, so we got to spend a lot of time together. It’s not the time you want to spend together, but he has been a guy that has helped me ever since I got here. He has helped me become the best that I can be, and if there is anything he needs, I will help him also. Our friendship definitely took the next step last fall when we both got hurt. That is something unfortunate, but we can build off of it and we can carry it out on the field.”

 

On the wide receivers…

“We have a lot more speed at the receiver position. We have some younger guys that stepped up this spring. Their speed and agility has really helped them elevate themselves and make it notable for us. Those guys have really stepped up, and I am excited to work with them this summer and fall.”

 

Offensive Lineman Terrale Johnson

On the offensive line being rebuilt during the offseason…

“Coach (Charlie) Dickey is doing a great job. Everyone is out there competing. He is moving us all around; nothing is set in stone. His thing was there is no depth chart right now, so everyone is out there working hard. For him, it is who is going to compete for the starting spots. It is really just getting people on board.”

 

On quarterback Jesse Ertz…

“Jesse is a tough kid with his injuries and the things he has gone through. He is out there and performing well. He is running around happy and excited. You can just tell how much he loves the game. You would not know that anything is wrong when he is playing.”

 

Running Back Justin Silmon

On playing in front of fans on Saturday…

“It is very exciting. Each day at practice has been pretty exciting, but having people out there watching, you just want to show them how much you have improved.”

 

On the running back competition…

“The competition is great for every position in every sport. I think it has been pushing me and the other running backs. I do not expect the competition to stop any time soon.”

 

Tight End Dayton Valentine

On the tight ends…

“The tight ends are a young group. As a group, we just are trying to be solid and come a long ways. I know for me it helps that we are really competing this spring because we have a good group of defensive ends. Going against those guys, we are just trying to build depth and get more experience.”

 

On trying to be versatile…

“I am just trying to be as versatile as I can, doing some fullback and some H-back stuff. I’m lining up at tight end and trying to use all of my strengths to the best of my abilities.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer and had a career-high five RBIs, Yordano Ventura twice escaped bases-loaded jams and the Kansas City Royals held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-6 on Tuesday night.

The Tigers cut a six-run deficit in half when Jarrod Saltalamacchia homered for the third straight game in the seventh inning. Then they loaded the bases with one out against Joakim Soria in the eighth, but Kelvin Herrera retired Miguel Cabrera and J.D. Martinez around a hit batter to limit the damage.

Wade Davis breezed through the ninth inning for his sixth save.

Perez hit a two-out, two-run double in the third before his two-out shot in the fifth gave Kansas City an 8-2 lead.

Ventura (1-0) allowed two runs on six hits in five innings.

Cabrera had a pair of RBIs for Detroit, but he also struck out in his other four at-bats. Shane Greene (1-1) was tagged for seven runs in 4 1-3 innings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs’ appeal of anti-tampering violations was denied by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Monday, a decision that drew a strong rebuke from influential owner and team chairman Clark Hunt.

Kansas City will forfeit its third-round pick in next week’s draft and its sixth-round pick next year, though its $250,000 fine was reduced to $200,000 and coach Andy Reid’s fine was reduced from $75,000 to $60,000.

The Chiefs were found to have had direct communication with then-free agent wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, who had been drafted by Reid in Philadelphia, during the league’s negotiating period. That communication is considered a violation of the NFL’s tampering rules.

While the Chiefs have never denied the tampering charges, they maintained that the penalties handed down last month were inconsistent with those levied in similar cases.

“We appreciate the opportunity to make our appeal on this matter, and we acknowledge the minor reduction in fines,” Hunt said in a statement Monday. “However, we continue to believe that the facts of this case combined with the league’s inconsistent enforcement of its tampering policies do not warrant the most severe penalty for player-related tampering in league history.”

In 2008, the San Francisco 49ers were found guilty of tampering with Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs by contacting his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, during the season without the Bears’ permission. The 49ers were stripped of their fifth-round pick and had to swap third-round choices with Chicago as penalties.

Three years later, the Chiefs accused Detroit of tampering when ex-coach Gunther Cunningham — then the Lions’ defensive coordinator — said he would be interested in signing players Kansas City released. The Lions lost their sixth-round pick and had to swap fifth-round picks with the Chiefs.

Last year, the New York Jets were fined $100,000 for tampering after owner Woody Johnson said he’d “love to have Darrelle (Revis) back” when the cornerback was still a member of the New England Patriots.

NFL vice president Troy Vincent said the penalties levied against Kansas City were intended “to balance the seriousness of the violation of an important and longstanding competitive rule with the appropriate recognition of the club’s history (of no prior offenses) and the cooperation shown by both the club and individual employees.”

The Chiefs have no further options under the league’s appeal process.

Maclin declined to discuss the case in detail Monday when he reported to the Chiefs’ practice facility for the start of their offseason program, though he did say he was “shocked in a way” by the penalties.

“It’s been a weird situation,” said Maclin, who appeared to validate his $55 million, five-year contract by catching a career-high 87 passes for 1,088 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

“You have to take responsibility for what we do,” Maclin said. “Stats aren’t going to justify what happened with the whole situation. …. As far as me and my situation, I did what I could to help the team.”