<strong><span class="subhead">KU linebackers on notice</span></strong></p><p>With three senior starters returning, the Kansas linebacker corps was supposed to be one of the Jayhawks&#8217; surefire strengths in 2008.</p><p>But KU coach Mark Mangino has not been pleased with the group&#8217;s effort, which became apparent when Mangino started junior Arist Wright over Mike Rivera against Sam Houston State. Mangino said Tuesday that Rivera has not yet taken back that role but refused to elaborate.</p><p>&#8220;I don&#8217;t critique players publicly &#8212; never have, never will,&#8221; Mangino said. &#8220;Mike understands what the challenges are, and I expect him to respond in a positive manner.&#8221;</p><p>It&#8217;s not just Rivera, though, that has struggled. Joe Mortensen and James Holt also haven&#8217;t played to their potential.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re the most experienced people on the field,&#8221; Holt said. &#8220;We&#8217;ve been together for three years. We&#8217;re the seniors. A lot of people are expecting things out of us.&#8221;</p><p>&#8226;Junior Angus Quigley is listed as the starting running back, but Mangino said the Jayhawks will continue to rotate backs.</p><p>&#8220;You will see plenty of Jake Sharp and Jocques Crawford,&#8221; Mangino said. &#8220;And, who knows, based on how well we&#8217;re running the ball or how well the backs are seeing things, you may see more of them than Angus. We&#8217;re going to go as the game progresses.&#8221;</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Madness in Manhattan</span></strong></p><p>The Kansas State men&#8217;s and women&#8217;s basketball teams will tip off the season with the Wildcats&#8217; third annual Madness in Manhattan on Oct. 17.</p><p>Doors at Bramlage Coliseum open at 7 p.m., and later, both teams will be introduced and play a co-ed scrimmage. The women&#8217;s team will be available for autographs after the event at 9:30 p.m.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Patton hearing set</span></strong></p><p>Former Kansas State running back Leon Patton&#8217;s preliminary hearing on his charge of felony child abuse is scheduled for Nov. 17.</p><p>Patton, 20, was arrested Sept. 18 for allegedly shaking a 2-month-old boy. He was dismissed from the football team Sept. 19.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">UMKC hall announced</span></strong></p><p>Former UMKC athletic director and men&#8217;s basketball coach Lee Hunt highlights the inaugural 10-person class of the Kangaroos Hall of Fame.</p><p>The other inductees are longtime UMKC supporter Stan Durwood, who helped the school&#8217;s athletic program transition to Division I, basketball players Bill Frerking, Ronnie Schmitz, Katie Houlehan and Stephanie Worthy, golfer Robert Russell, soccer player Larry Scheller, volleyball player Catalina Suarez-Moss and high jumper Matt Voelker.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">A first for Park soccer</span></strong></p><p>Two Park University soccer players were chosen NAIA national players of the week, marking the first time in school history that two Pirates have earned national weekly recognition on the same day.</p><p>Goalkeeper Megan Newland was the women&#8217;s player of the week after shutting out North Dakota in a 1-0 win Friday and holding South Dakota scoreless for more than 88 minutes in a 3-1 win Sunday. Tazou Ali Tagba was the men&#8217;s offensive player of the week after scoring three goals, including two game-winners, against Graceland and Grand View.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Mandarich admits steroids use</span></strong></p><p>Former NFL draft bust Tony Mandarich says he used steroids at Michigan State and faked a drug test before the 1988 Rose Bowl.</p><p>He also said during an interview on &#8220;Inside the NFL&#8221; that will air today on Showtime that he did not use steroids in the NFL but was addicted to alcohol and painkillers.</p><p>Mandarich, whose autobiography will be released in March, said he provided a fake urine sample to evade detection before the &#8217;88 Rose Bowl in which Michigan State beat Southern California 20-17. Mandarich said he couldn&#8217;t confirm a report that other players did the same.</p><p>Mandarich, an offensive lineman, was the No. 2 overall pick in 1989 by the Packers. He lasted just three years with Green Bay amid rumors of steroid use.</p><p><strong><span class="subhead">Two Mountaineers plead guilty</span></strong></p><p>West Virginia basketball players Joe Mazzulla and Cam Thoroughman have pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a July scuffle with police at a Pittsburgh Pirates game.</p><p>The two were charged with disorderly conduct and public drunkenness Monday in Pittsburgh Municipal Court. Other charges were dropped. Each player was ordered to pay $222 in fines and court costs.