The Rock Chalkboard

Jason Bean's mindset, preparation have him ready to lead KU's offense vs. Oklahoma
Bean was KU’s starter for the first nine games of the 2021 season. He led an offense that didn’t have a full offseason to install Andy Kotelnicki’s scheme and was one of the youngest units in the entire Power 5. Bean did his best considering the circumstances. KU had an overall record of 1-8 with the North Texas transfer as the signal caller and the quarterback completed 56.4 percent of his passes with six touchdowns and six interceptions. On the ground, he carried the ball 91 times for 399 yards and two scores.

With Jason Bean KU's likely starter vs. OU, meet the quarterback who's expected to back him up
With Jalon Daniels doubtful for KU’s road game against Oklahoma this week, Jason Bean will step in to lead the Jayhawks against the Sooners. But with the senior quarterback about to start his first game since November of last year, it means KU will need someone else available as Bean’s backup. That player is expected to be true freshman Ethan Vasko.

WATCH: KU football coordinators recap TCU loss, look ahead to Oklahoma
Kansas football (5-1, 2-1 Big 12) will look to bounce back from its first loss of the season on Saturday with a game against Oklahoma (3-3, 0-3 Big 12). KU dropped its first game of the season — a 38-31 loss to TCU — over the weekend. Oklahoma, on the other hand, was blown out for the second straight week. Oklahoma lost to arch-rival Texas 49-0. The loss comes after Oklahoma lost to TCU 55-24.

Jalen Wilson named to Preseason All Big 12 team
Basketball season is right around the corner and on Wednesday, the Big 12 announced its annual preseason All Big 12 team. Redshirt junior Jalen Wilson is KU's only representative on the six-man Preseason All Big 12 team and is one of three unanimous selections (Flagler and Miles). Wilson made the team with Baylor's Adam Flagler, TCU's Mike Miles, Texas' Timmy Allen and Marcus Carr and Oklahoma State's Avery Anderson III. Kevin McCullar is an honorable mention selection. The preseason poll will be released on Wednesday.

Lance Leipold breaks down KU football's recent uptick in penalties
After committing the least amount of penalties in the Big 12 last season, KU football is being flagged much more frequently as the 2022 season progresses. The Jayhawks committed 12 penalties through their first four games with many coaches and players preaching discipline, but the issue has yet to improve at the mid-way point of the season.

Eraser Dust

‘Clear and present danger’: Jan. 6 committee to describe lingering Trump threat - POLITICO
The panel intends to focus on evidence that Trump has “consistently and increasingly” been using rhetoric “that we knew caused violence on Jan. 6,” Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) told reporters recently. Cheney cited recent comments by U.S. District Court Judge Amy Berman Jackson in which she upbraided elected Republicans for continuing to indulge “one man, who knows full well that he lost, instead of the Constitution he was trying to subvert.”

Alex Jones told to pay $965m damages to Sandy Hook victims' families - BBC News
Jones, who founded the conspiracy-laden Infowars website and talk show, argued for years that the massacre was a "staged" government plot to take guns from Americans and that "no-one died".

The 12 greatest concept albums of all time
What distinguishes them from normal operas is that they are not scripted for acting. Other genres also played with the idea of a concept album gifting the world some extraordinary narratives as well as meaningful music. Beginning in the 1940s, the form constantly evolved and became more and more popular with time. So, with that in mind, let’s rediscover the top twelve concept albums of all time.

Liam Gallagher's daughter Molly and sons Lennon and Gene enjoy a night at Boss bash | Daily Mail Online
It was a family affair for Liam Gallagher's daughter Molly, and sons Gene and Lennon as they enjoyed a night out at a BOSS party in London's Oxford Street on Tuesday.

Beijing: Rare protest against China's Xi Jinping days before Communist Party congress | CNN
A rare protest against Chinese leader Xi Jinping and his policies was swiftly ended in Beijing Thursday, just days before he is set to secure a third term in power at a key meeting of the ruling Communist Party.

Bigfork Community Players stage Neil Simon’s classic comedy | Daily Inter Lake
The Bigfork Community Players open their fall play, “The Odd Couple” by Neil Simon on Oct. 14 in Bigfork. The hit Broadway comedy explores the complexities of the couple relationship from a unique, call it odd, perspective.

Who Will Represent? - Flathead Beacon
Although a review of Montana’s voter turnout favors Republicans, particularly in midterm contests, the state hasn’t shied away from electing Democrats to statewide and federal office. Still, despite the work of an independent redistricting commission engineering Montana’s new congressional district to be as competitive as possible, national polls have cast it as “leaning Republican” and continue to peg Zinke as the odds-on-favorite.

Opinion: Mark Zuckerberg's massive bet on virtual reality is about to meet actual reality, and it won't be pretty - MarketWatch
In a keynote address at Meta’s META, -0.81% annual developer conference Tuesday, Zuckerberg unveiled the latest VR headset at a whopping price tag of $1,499, due to ship later this month. The device is lighter than its consumer models, and Meta has forged alliances with rival Microsoft Corp. MSFT, +0.15% and Accenture to target the device to office workers with remote colleagues and for training, with integration with Microsoft Teams, Office 365 and more.

Success! NASA's DART Redirects Asteroid in 'Watershed Moment for Humanity' - CNET
The spacecraft changed the orbit and location of the space rock Dimorphos in a test of planetary protection.

Kanye West and Candace Owens in Constant Communication, She's Influencing Him
Turns out Kanye West and Candace Owens didn't just decide to wear their "White Lives Matter" shirts on a whim -- the two have been planning it for weeks -- with some of Kanye's former friends telling us she's acting as his chief advisor in his day-to-day life.

Health Panel Recommends Screening All Kids 8 and Up for Anxiety - The New York Times
To address the mental health crisis facing American youth, experts also said adolescents should be screened for depression.