SB Nation - Angus Quigley

The Border War: Beyond the Box Score Preview

Bill C. — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:00:14 -0000

You expected some other way to start out this post?

Every Border War win feels a little bit more triumphant than other wins, but this year packs a bit of extra meaning. Missouri has a chance to end both Todd Reesing's career and Mark Mangino's tenure in Lawrence with a single victory; meanwhile, Reesing and Mangino have a chance to extend their lives with an upset win in what is potentially their last game together.

I'll say this out front: I try to tune extracurricular detail out of these previews. I said last week that I don't necessarily believe in a positive Senior Day effect, and just the same, I doubt there is any net gain or loss to things like Kansas fighting for Mark Mangino's life in Lawrence. Extra emotion can go either way in the end, but let's just say this: I expect both Missouri and Kansas to bring their respective A-games to Arrowhead; and really, it shouldn't be any other way.

Offense

Kansas: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Offensive Preview

While the 2009 KU offense really could improve a bit more in 2009, it's a red flag to me that all of their improvement in 2008 came on Passing Downs. They were actually worse on Standard Downs but overachieved in passing situations (which, if you watched last year's MU-KU game, shouldn't surprise you). As I've mentioned before, disproportionate achievement on Passing Downs doesn't seem totally sustainable from year to year, and while a lot of that Passing Downs success was due to both Todd Reesing and the chemistry that Reesing has with Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, they still may have been a little too successful, unsustainably so.

Lord knows that with their schedule, they better be at least as good in those situations because...well, they're going to face a lot of those situations.

Once again, KU is a strong Passing Downs team, but they have only been a good overall offense instead of a great overall offense. And with their defense struggling for much of the season, good hasn't really cut it.

Kansas Offense vs Missouri Defense
Category	KU Offense	MU Defense
Close S&P+ (Rk)	115.0 (30)	104.1 (48)
Close Success Rate+ (Rk)	112.4 (23)	100.0 (62)
Close PPP+ (Rk)	121.3 (37)	110.1 (46)

Rushing S&P+	109.2 (41)	111.2 (39)
Passing S&P+	116.9 (30)	98.2 (62)

Standard Downs S&P+	118.4 (24)	112.7 (31)
Passing Downs S&P+	131.4 (17)	95.0 (75)

Red Zone S&P+	127.8 (17)	110.5 (44)

Q1 S&P+	106.1 (65)	90.2 (85)
Q2 S&P+	121.4 (24)	121.6 (29)
Q3 S&P+	144.4 (4)	106.9 (47)
Q4 S&P+	128.3 (11)	115.3 (28)

1st Down S&P+	125.8 (12)	108.0 (44)
2nd Down S&P+	122.7 (29)	99.4 (62)
3rd Down S&P+	117.6 (34)	113.7 (38)

Line Yards+	104.6 (53)	103.7 (46)
Close Sack Rate+	91.9 (69)	90.8 (73)
Standard Downs / Passing Downs Sack Rate+	107.3 (59) / 85.5 (81)	102.5 (57) / 116.4 (39)

As you'll see, both offenses have significant advantages in this one, so the game could come down to which individual playmakers step up the most. Danario Alexander and Sean Weatherspoon, or Dezmon Briscoe, Kerry Meier and Darrell Stuckey? Blaine Gabbert or Todd Reesing?

When KU Has the Ball...
KU Rushing	Advantage: Push
KU Passing	Advantage: KU
Best Time for KU:	Q1, Q3
Best Time for Missouri:	Q2

Mizzou Advantages:

Passing Downs Sack Rate+

And for KU...

Close SR+, PPP+, S&P+
Passing S&P+
Standard, Passing Downs S&P+
Red Zone S&P+
Q1, Q3, Q4 S&P+
1st, 2nd Down S&P+

No matter what happens in this game, Missouri will once again end up with a more successful regular season than Kansas. This has been the norm with Gary Pinkel against Mark Mangino. That said, it's pretty easy to see that KU has a number of matchup advantages to work with, and if Todd Reesing is dialed in and playing well, this game is a complete tossup shootout.

Mizzou's path to success, however, comes on Passing Downs. They must successfully blitz on those downs; if they do, KU's other advantages can be negated pretty quickly.

Quarterback

While he completed 66% of his passes at 7.8 yards per pass against OU and Mizzou, Reesing proved his all-or-nothing tendencies by completing just 54% at 5.4 yards per pass against Texas and Texas Tech (with a 3-3 TD-INT ratio) at home. In the end, most would love to have a "gamer" like Reesing leading your team, but his confidence in his abilities to make plays ends up being, at times, his biggest flaw. He posted a QB rating right at 149 each of the last two years, but he also took 56 sacks in that time, and his interceptions rose to 13 in 2008, not a bad figure per say, but not as in control as the seven he threw in 2007. That's why Kansas only finished 25th in Passing S&P+ and not higher--we remember the great plays, but we forget the sacks he's taken and the occasional atrocious throws he's made.

Todd Reesing: 276-for-441 passing (62.6%), 3,118 yards (7.1 per pass), 18 TD, 9 INT

As a whole, Reesing has certainly put up solid numbers this year; however, after QB ratings in the 148-150 range both of his first two years as a starter, his has fallen to just 131.4 this year, and he has been every bit as all-or-nothing as in years past. Against Iowa State, he went 37-for-49 for 442 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 INT; he followed that up with another 401 yards against Colorado. Then, against Oklahoma and Texas Tech, he went a combined 42-for-77 (54.5%) for 405 yards (5.3 yards per pass), 1 TD, 3 INTs, and a sub-100 QB rating. We should all expect to see his best performance tomorrow, but anything less than his best might not get the job done.

Running Back

Jake Sharp is the least-scary good running back in the country. He was the main cog in a rushing attack that was 7th in the country in Success Rate+, he's scored 19 touchdowns, caught 44 passes, and put up a combined 1,143 yards from scrimmage the last two seasons, yet his lack of explosiveness got him ranked 198th among 269 eligible running backs in POE, the rushing performance measure I created for Football Outsiders. He's good for a couple of huge games a year, usually against bad defenses (he destroyed Kansas State for 181 yards and 4 TDs last year and went for 118 and 3 TDs against an OU defense adapting to the loss of Ryan Reynolds), but in all he's a steady but so-so runner. You could do worse than starting Jake Sharp, but you could certainly do better.

Toben Opurum: 133 carries, 554 yards (4.2 per carry), 9 TD, 13 receptions, 105 yards (8.1 per catch), 1 TD
Jake Sharp: 95 carries, 400 yards (4.2 per carry), 4 TD; 26 receptions, 188 yards (7.2 per catch), 3 TD
Rell Lewis: 10 carries, 60 yards

Toben Opurum is out with an injury, but I cannot really say I can tell any difference whatsoever between Opurum and Jake Sharp. Their numbers suggest that they are virtually the same running back. Opurum is a bit bigger, and Sharp is a bit faster, but in all, KU's running game probably will not get going that much on Saturday (knock on wood). Mizzou's rush defense has improved considerably throughout this season, and if they can stop Sharp and get to Reesing on passing downs, they should win. It's if they don't get to Reesing where the problems may start...

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

KU executed a risky but perfect gameplan against Mizzou in 2008. They continued to dink and dunk, stretching the field horizontally with Meier and Briscoe, relying on the KU defense to fend Mizzou's offense off for as long as possible. If Mizzou sustains some drives in the first half, then the Mizzou defense doesn't completely wear out in the fourth quarter, but alas, that's what happened. When all was said and done, Briscoe and Meier combined for 23 catches, 221 yards, and 3 TDs (two of which came in Q4), and an exhausted Mizzou secondary saw its communication fall apart down the stretch. Again, dink-and-dunk is always risky because it takes a lot of plays to sustain a drive and opens up more opportunities for mistakes. But if you can pull it off, it works brilliantly, and it worked against Mizzou in 2008.

WR Kerry Meier: 92 receptions, 931 yards (10.1 per catch), 6 TD
WR Dezmon Briscoe: 70 receptions, 1,095 yards (15.6 per catch), 7 TD
WR Jonathan Wilson: 35 receptions, 449 yards (12.8 per catch)
WR Bradley McDougald: 31 receptions, 285 yards (9.2 per catch)

TE Tim Biere: 12 receptions, 134 yards (11.2 per catch)

KU's Border War strategy last year was very effective; what's scary is, Mizzou has become even more vulnerable to that sort of strategy in 2009. If Mizzou is unable to corral the short pass, Reesing could very easily go over 400 yards. If Mizzou fans are having nightmares tonight, it is probably because of Meier and Briscoe.

Offensive Line

Todd Reesing is one of the best when it comes to improvising and creating on the fly, but that doesn't mean you want him doing it every play. For KU to win the North (which means either taking a game against Texas, Oklahoma, or Texas Tech, or running the table in the North), converted tight end Tanner Hawkinson will likely need to quickly become the real deal at left tackle, and Jeff Spikes (or whoever wins the RT job) will need to become pretty stable, pretty quickly. The ends in this conference are more athletic and experienced than in recent years, and...again, this team needs Reesing healthy and upright.

KU's offensive line has been distinctly average in 2009, improving slightly as the year has progressed. Mizzou's line, meanwhile, has also improved as the year has progressed, particularly in terms of line yards and passing down sack rates. If Mizzou can win this matchup by quite a bit, it could negate the passing advantage KU appears to have.

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Defense

Kansas: 2009 Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

While the offense actually got better, the defense got measurably worse despite nine returning starters (sound familiar, Mizzou fans?). They lost a second-team All-American in James McClinton at defensive tackle--the only loss other than Aqib Talib--and it seems to have made a difference.

Kansas was a bit worse defending the pass, a lot worse at defending the run, and in particular they gave up a ton more big plays (PPP+). This year, they return their entire secondary and three of four starters on the defensive line (losing only end Russell Brorsen)...but lose all three starting linebackers. So the passing numbers improve and the rushing numbers regress, maybe?

I was half-right above. The rushing numbers have certainly regressed ... but then, so have the passing numbers. After some adjustments resulted in better defensive play in the middle of the season, KU's defense just has not been able to maintain a spark. They looked good at times against both Kansas State and Nebraska in recent weeks, but their breakdowns have been killers, as evidenced by the fact that they rank a ridiculous 93rd in PPP+. Mizzou's big-play ability, matched with KU's inability to stop the big play, represent Mizzou's single biggest advantage.

KU Defense vs Missouri Offense
Category	KU Defense	MU Offense
Close S&P+ (Rk)	92.3 (82)	117.2 (27)
Close Success Rate+	96.2 (76)	108.4 (37)
Close PPP+	87.4 (93)	133.1 (21)

Rushing S&P+	84.0 (107)	107.6 (47)
Passing S&P+	99.9 (57)	125.9 (17)

Standard Downs S&P+	93.4 (85)	114.6 (28)
Passing Downs S&P+	106.3 (50)	109.5 (53)

Red Zone S&P+	92.3 (87)	85.9 (104)

Q1 S&P+	106.0 (53)	118.1 (42)
Q2 S&P+	107.9 (54)	115.1 (44)
Q3 S&P+	86.2 (98)	122.8 (22)
Q4 S&P+	92.6 (79)	105.8 (55)

1st Down S&P+	94.2 (77)	120.2 (22)
2nd Down S&P+	97.0 (69)	108.5 (53)
3rd Down S&P+	102.1 (60)	110.1 (57)

Line Yards+	94.1 (84)	97.7 (77)
Close Sack Rate+	135.7 (16)	150.0 (28)
Standard Downs / Passing Downs Sack Rate+	141.6 (19) / 112.2 (48)	251.2 (10) / 113.6 (51)

When they are not forcing turnovers, this unit is simply not getting the job done.

When Missouri Has the Ball...
Missouri Rushing	Advantage: Mizzou
Missouri Passing	Advantage: Mizzou
Best Time for KU:	First Half
Best Time for Missouri:	Second Half

MU's advantages:

Close SR+, PPP+, S&P+
Rushing, Passing S&P+
Standard Downs S&P+
Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 S&P+
1st, 2nd, 3rd Down S&P+
Standard Downs Sack Rate+

KU's advantages:

Red Zone S&P+

As with Mizzou's defense, KU's defense has few advantages, but can use what they have to great benefit. If KU is able to hold Mizzou to three points instead of seven by shutting things down in the red zone, then they will find it a lot easier to outscore Mizzou.

Defensive Line

So if KU felt the absence of James McClinton more than any other in 2008, then it's up to either Jamal Greene (21 tackles, 7 TFL/sacks) to become a much more consistent force or Jeff City's own Richard Johnson (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL/sacks) to overtake him if KU's run defense is to improve. If not them, then who? Man-beast Darius Parish moved to OL. Somehow, someway, there needs to be a better push up the middle.

And on the outside too. Solid-not-spectacular end Jake Laptad (8.5 TFL/sacks) offers hope for a pass rush, but he'll need help. The lack of a pass rush was bad enough last year that LB James Holt moved to end toward the end of the year, and KU fans seem to have hope that 4-star JUCO transfer Quintin Woods will thrive pretty quickly. The other options (Jeff Wheeler, Maxwell Onyegbule, or some younger guy) don't seem ready or capable, so all eyes are on Woods. If Woods doesn't catch on, KU fans start getting worried.

DE Jake Laptad: 37.0 tackles, 12.0 TFL/sacks, 2 FF, 1 FR, 6 QBH
DE Max Onyegbule: 23.5 tackles, 10.0 TFL/sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR, 2 PBU, 5 QBH
DT Caleb Blakesley: 12.5 tackles, 3.0 TFL/sacks, 1 QBH
DT Richard Johnson: 12.0 tackles, 3.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FR, 2 QBH
DE Jeff Wheeler: 11.0 tackles, 6.5 TFL/sacks, 3 FF, 8 QBH

As with many highly-touted JUCO transfers (hello, Jocques Crawford ... and Andy Maples, for that matter), Quintin Woods came to Lawrence with much ado and produced almost nothing. He has a whopping four tackles for the season. Which means my prediction more or less came true -- Woods didn't catch on, and the KU defensive line was a liability, at least against the run. Rushing the passer, they've been pretty solid. Laptad (6.5 sacks), Wheeler (5.5) and Onyegbule (5.0) have all had their moments, and KU has been at its most successful getting pressure on the passer while not committing LBs to the blitz. They've been a sieve against the run, though.

Linebackers

While the RB situation isn't in wonderful shape right now, it's still no surprise that Angus Quigley was moved from RB to LB. There's clearly a major void in terms of proven playmakers, so really at this point Kansas just needs as many warm bodies as possible to throw out there and see what they've got. Never say never, but it's hard to see this unit gelling into a solid unit quickly. Whether they call it this or not, you do have to figure that with an experienced secondary, KU will be playing a lot of 4-2-5 or nickel coverage.

LB Drew Dudley: 64.0 tackles, 8.0 TFL/sacks, 4 QBH
LB Huldon Tharp: 44.5 tackles, 0.5 TFL/sacks, 2 PBU, 2 QBH
LB Arist Wright: 34.5 tackles, 4.0 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 3 PBU, 2 QBH
LB Justin Springer: 18.5 tackles, 4.5 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 1 PBU, 2 QBH

True freshman Huldon Tharp has gotten some good press recently for racking up a large number of tackles in recent weeks; but that's all they are: tackles. He is not much of a disruptive force -- much more Luke Lambert than future Sean Weatherspoon. Drew Dudley, on the other hand, has been a pleasant surprise. With Angus Quigley failing to figure out the LB position in just one offseason (that is the norm, not the exception), Dudley, a junior, has stepped up and made a decent number of plays behind the line of scrimmage.

The LB corps has been solid in pass coverage, but their run support and blitzing have, as a whole, left something to be desired.

Secondary

As devoid of experience that the KU linebacker corps is, the secondary is the polar opposite. Five players with solid starting experience return, led by Mizzou killer Darrell Stuckey, who almost single-handedly fended off the Tiger offense for the entire first half last November at Arrowhead. ... Mark Mangino has some interesting ingredients, and he's not afraid to shuffle things around. Justin Thornton's been around forever (seems like just yesterday that he was getting decapitated by Tony Temple at Faurot Field), and while he's a proven commodity, he's also in Mangino's doghouse. If he doesn't end up starting (I assume he will, but...well, Mangino's got an angry side), then it looks like Anthony Davis will be the man opposite Daymond Patterson at CB. Both are sophomores. Meanwhile, junior safety Chris Harris was a star freshman in 2007 before losing his starting spot last year. He still managed the second-most successful tackles in the secondary in 2008, however, and I'm going to figure he'll still play a role opposite Phil Strozier and Stuckey.

CB Chris Harris: 67.0 tackles, 6.5 TFL/sacks, 1 FF, 1 FR, 7 PBU
S Darrell Stuckey: 66.5 tackles, 3.5 TFL/sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 2 PBU, 1 QBH
S Justin Thornton: 58.0 tackles, 3.5 TFL/sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR, 6 PBU
S Lubbock Smith: 32.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 PBU
CB Daymond Patterson: 27.5 tackles, 0.5 TFL/sacks, 1 INT, 5 PBU
CB D.J. Beshears: 16.0 tackles, 1 PBU
CB Anthony Davis: 14.0 tackles, 1.0 TFL/sacks, 1 PBU
S Ryan Murphy: 11.0 tackles, 2.0 TFL/sacks, 2 INT, 1 FR, 2 PBU, 2 QBH
S Phil Strozier: 11.0 tackles, 1 PBU, 1 QBH

It's been a strange year for the KU secondary. Relatively speaking, it has still somewhat been a strength of this defense, but 2009 has seen all sorts of personnel shuffling and slump busting. Career doghouse resident Chris Harris has turned out to be the star of the secondary (again), while Justin Thornton has, at times, taken Harris' place in the doghouse. Darrell Stuckey has certainly been good, but he hasn't quite lived up to my own expectations for him. Meanwhile, Lubbock Smith emerged as a potential leader in the secondary but has been hindered recently by injury. He is a game-time decision.

In all, this is a crafty, experienced secondary, and I'm sure that, if given the opportunity, they will take advantage of any mistakes by Blaine Gabbert or any drops by Mizzou receivers. That said, they still aren't quite as scary as I thought they would be, and I'm a lot more confident in Mizzou's potential ability to win a shootout than I was a couple of months ago.

Special Teams

KU was decent in the kicking and punt return games, but kick returns produced eight yards fewer in 2008, and that really can make a pretty big difference. It might help explain how KU's Offensive S&P+ actually improved in 2008, yet KU scored 10 fewer points per game. Dez Briscoe was outstanding in limited opportunities, but it seems KU is making a concerted effort not to wear him out (Jeremy Maclin managed to do it all, ahem...just sayin'...), and early indications (according to Rock Chalk Talk) are that sophomore Isiah Barfield might take over the duties, at least to start.
If KU gets anything from the kick return game, this is a decent special teams unit, not as good as Nebraska's (NU really does seem to have the best special teams unit in the North at this point), but solid. Alonso Rojas leaves something to be desired punting, but this is an offensive conference--kicks matter a hair more than punts, right?

Punt Returns Rank: 83rd (Daymond Patterson: 20 returns, 8.2 avg)
Net Punting Rank: 73rd (Alonso Rojas: 48 punts, 41.4 avg)
Kickoff Returns Rank: 51st (Bradley McDougald: 20 returns, 19.2 avg; Dez Briscoe: 16 returns, 23.9 avg, 1 TD)
Opponents' Kickoff Returns Rank: 90th (Jacob Branstetter: 60 kickoffs, 8 touchbacks)

Field Goals: 80th (Jacob Branstetter: 12-for-18, long: 57)
PATs: 78th (Jacob Branstetter: 38-for-40)

In all, special teams are a giant "meh" unit. They are average to below average in both place-kicking and punting, and their return units are, Dez Briscoe aside, average as well. In all, Mizzou should be able to flip the field rather well with Jake Harry, and Mizzou's average return units might find at least some moderate success. But Briscoe is the key. To avoid overuse, Briscoe has not been the key return man this year, but he showed what he could do if given the opportunity with his effortless TD return last weekend in Austin. I get the sneaking suspicion that Briscoe will be the main return man tomorrow, and ... well, that scares the living daylights out of me. IF Mizzou doesn't give up serious field position and/or a touchdown in the kicking game tomorrow, they win the special teams battle. But with the way Mizzou has been covering on kickoffs, that's a huge if.

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Three Keys to the Game

Passing Downs

KU's offense will likely be relatively efficient on Saturday, meaning Mizzou must make stops on passing downs when given the opportunity. They have a pass-rush advantage in those situations, but if they don't make the sack or force a poor throw from Reesing, their propensity for breakdowns makes them extremely vulnerable. If they're giving up the dink-and-dunk stuff and allowing big plays on Passing Downs, they probably cannot win.

Danario Alexander vs Dez Briscoe

Alexander has been the best receiver in the country over the last month, and if he performs to that level again, Mizzou could score at will. Primarily because of Domino, Mizzou's offense has a significant advantage over KU's defense in terms of The Big Play, and if KU successfully takes that away (lord knows they've got the talent and experience to do so), they take away the biggest weapon in the Mizzou arsenal. Meanwhile, the other scariest guy on the field is Briscoe. While Meier gives Mizzou fans nightmares after last year's heroics, Briscoe is still the more dangerous guy. The winner of the Alexander/Briscoe battle will go a long way in determining the winner of the game.

MU's Running Game

Most of the previews, this one included, has focused on these two teams' respective passing games, but if Mizzou's slowly improving run game can eat away chunks of yards and Mizzou is able to both overpower KU and beat them with the big play, then they can both run up points and dominate the flow of the game. Potentially the most underrated facet of the last two games at Arrowhead was MU's running game. In 2007, Tony Temple racked up 98 yards in 22 carries. In 2008, Derrick Washington ended up with a respectable 54 yards in 11 carries but averaged under four yards per carry for the first three quarters, when Mizzou's offense was struggling and the defense was unable to get off the field. If Mizzou is running well from the start, their passing game will open up like a Venus Flytrap.

Prediction

Gotta say, I do NOT like how well KU is capable of running the short passing game considering how vulnerable Mizzou has been to just that over the last few weeks. That is just not a matchup I like for Mizzou. However, Mizzou's own big-play ability might neutralize that a bit, and besides ... it's not like I let my own feelings get in the way of these predictions anyhow, right? The numbers say Mizzou by 4.7, so we'll go with Mizzou 31, Kansas 26. Nothing between a 17-point win for Mizzou and a 17-point win for Kansas would surprise me, but being that the last two games have both gone down to the wire, we can probably expect more of the same here.

Hawk Talk: Kansas Senior Day

Denverjhawk — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:00:24 -0000

News and Notes from the Week that was and the game to come...

The Good Guys...

Current losing streak hurts the Jayhawks.
Spread offenses falling out of favor in the Big12?
Opurums touches dwindle as Sharp returns.
KU Seniors final season not what they'd hoped.
Daymond Patterson fighting for playing time.
Nebraska front four a tough challenge for Kansas.

Denver's Take...

Short and sweet. Kansas is going to have to dig down deep and find something within themselves that hasn't been their for four weeks. Nebraska couldn't be a tougher challenge for this offense on the ropes but on Senior day I'm cautiously optimistic that the fire and passion returns. It has too or this season on a the brink goes down the tubes.

Some powerful words came out of some Kansas players this week and the first real sign that their still is some fire in the belly. Now it's time to translate it to the field. If any extra motivation was needed, look to Suh's quote about kicking a dog while he's down. In case you were wondering Kansas is the dog he's referring to.

I'll be in the seats for this one, an OGT will be up about a half hour before the game so enjoy and let's get a win, hell let's see if we can hang 77 on these guys...mmmm...that might be a stretch. Let's just find a way to win.

More Notes and Things to Look for After the Jump...

SENIOR DAY -- Saturday's game will be the final home appearance for the following seniors: LS Kayl Anderson, DT Caleb Blakesley, WR Kerry Meier, DE Maxwell Onyegbule, WR Raimond Pendleton, OL Jose Rodriguez, LB Angus Quigley, QB Todd Reesing, LB Jake Schermer, RB Jake Sharp, DE Dustin Spears, S Darrell Stuckey, S Justin Thornton, DE Jeff Wheeler, LB Arist Wright.

SENIOR NOTES -- Here are a few notes on this year's senior class:

In the last four seasons, the group is a combined 31-16 with three regular season games remaining.
Has posted a 21-5 record at home.
Has been to bowl games in consecutive seasons for the first time in school history.
Has posted KU's best two Big 12 North finishes tying for first in 2007 and placing third in 2008.
Has five players who have started at least 20 games (S Darrell Stuckey 39, QB Todd Reesing 35, WR Kerry Meier 35, DT Caleb Blakesley 29, S Justin Thornton 27).

KU-NU SERIES -- Nebraska leads the all-time series by an 89-23-3 count, including a 46-8-1 advantage in games played in Lawrence. Kansas has won the last two meetings in Lawrence, posting a 75-39 victory in 2007 and a 40-15 win in 2005. The 2005 victory snapped a 36-game losing streak to the Huskers, which began in 1969. Since that streak, the teams have split the last four games with the home team winning each time, including a 39-32 overtime victory by the Huskers in 2006 and last year's 45-35 NU win in Lincoln.

KU-NU IS NATION'S LONGEST UNINTERRUPTED SERIES -- The Kansas-Nebraska series will be played for the 104th consecutive year. That marks the nation's longest uninterrupted series. Minnesota and Wisconsin will be meeting for the 103rd time this year. KU and NU first met in 1892 and actually played 12 straight years until not playing each other in 1904 or 1905. Since resuming the series in 1906 the
teams have met every season.

SERIES IS THIRD-MOST PLAYED AS WELL -- The 115 prior meetings between the Jayhawks and Huskers rank as the third-most played rivalry in FBS history behind 118 games between Minnesota and Wisconsin and 117 games between Kansas and Missouri.

KU-NU LAST YEAR -- Nebraska outscored Kansas 31-21 in the second half en route to a 45-35 victory on a cold (35 degrees with 21 mile per hour winds) in Lincoln in 2008. The teams were tied at 14 at halftime behind Todd Reesing touchdown passes to Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe. KU led 21-17 with 4:32 left in the third quarter before NU's Roy Helu, Jr., scored twice. KU fought back with a Jake Sharp touchdown with 9:55 left in the game to come within 31-28 before the Huskers iced the game with two straight touchdowns. Reesing became the Kansas all-time passing yardage leader on his scoring toss to Meier. He finished the day 15 of 30 for 304 yards and three touchdowns, while Briscoe caught six passes for 176 yards and Sharp rushed 22 times for 90 yards. Darrell Stuckey recorded a team-high 15 tackles. NU produced 495 yards of offense to 422 by Kansas as the Huskers controlled the ball for 34:46.

KU-NU LAST TIME IN LAWRENCE -- Todd Reesing threw a school-record six touchdown passes and had 354 yards through the air, while Brandon McAnderson ran for 119 yards and a school-record tying four touchdowns as then No. 8 Kansas defeated Nebraska 76-39 in Lawrence on Nov. 3, 2007. After a three and out on its first possession, the Jayhawks scored on 10 of their next 11 possessions (exception was a one play kneel down to end the first half). KU's 76 points were the third-most in team history, as well as the most allowed by Nebraska in its history. The Jayhawks ran 90 plays en route to 572 yards of total offense. Reesing set school records for touchdown passes in a game (six) and in a single-season (23). Four of his TD passes came in the first half to four different receivers. KU forced four straight Nebraska turnovers in the second half, while forcing five on the day.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST NEBRASKA:

WR Kerry Meier (2,082) needs 80 receiving yards to pass Mark Simmons (2,161) for third on the KU career receiving yardage list.
Meier (16) needs one touchdown catch to tie Willie Vaughn and Bruce Adams (17 each) for second on the KU career list. Dezmon Briscoe is first at 28.
Meier has caught at least two passes in 30 consecutive games.
Meier (197) and Briscoe (196) are just shy of 200 receptions for the their career. Jordy Nelson of Kansas State is 10th on the Big 12 career list with 206.
Briscoe has caught at least four passes in 12 straight games and at least two in 27 in a row.

Kansas Football Notable Quotables 11.10.09

Denverjhawk — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 21:54:02 -0000

Another interesting week in terms of the weekly presser. Coach Mangino covers the usual in upcoming opponent Nebraska and preparation for the Huskers, but a few new areas do get touched on.

The running game, why Sharp and not Opurum and where the problems lie. Looking for a leader on the offensive line. Also keeping the team positive and trying to motivate differently. To answer the motivation question, we aren't trying a different approach and to be honest I think I wish the answer was a little different.

From a player standpoint we've got Angus Quigley, Darrell Stuckey, Jake Sharp and Chris Harris.

Players of the Kansas State Game

Offense: Dezmon Briscoe

Defense: Chris Harris

Special Teams: Darrell Stuckey

Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week: Brian Blackwell

Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week: Deshaun Sands

Head Coach Mark Mangino

On this week's game vs. Nebraska and Senior Day:

"This week we have Nebraska, here. It is our seniors' last game at Memorial Stadium. It has been a senior class that has meant a great deal to the football program, to the athletic department and to the university. There are a lot of quality young men in that group who will be successful in life, not only in football. They will be great ambassadors to the university. They have faced challenges and met many of them head on, and been successful. They are a group of kids who understand the highs of college football and the lows. They have dealt with both in a mature fashion. They have handled whatever has come to them, good or bad. They have kindly faced it. I am proud of them. They are a good group of kids."

On Nebraska's defensive unit:

"Nebraska is a very good football team. Defensively, they are outstanding. They are ranked in a couple categories nationally in defense. They are No. 2 in scoring defense. They have a very talented defensive unit. It starts with their defensive line. They are big, strong and athletic. If they get into a rhythm, they can really halt the run game, so you really cannot allow that to happen, but it does quite a bit, obviously, with guys like [Ndamukong] Suh and [Jared] Crick inside and [Barry] Turner outside. They are really a formidable bunch. They are good at the second level as well. Their safeties are very good players. [Larry] Asante is a very good cover man and very good tackler."

On Nebraska's offense:

"On offense, a lot like us, they have been up and down, but they have quality players. Their running back Roy Helu is an outstanding running back and outstanding player. Their offensive line is starting to gel and come together. Their quarterback situation has been a little bit up in the air. I think one is just a really young guy, and the other is a veteran guy. I think Zac [Lee] is kind of a guy who can manage the game for them, which is probably what they are looking for right now. It will be a great challenge, but we will be ready for it. We are preparing for it and we are looking forward to our seniors playing their last game here at Memorial Stadium."

On Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh:

"He is as fundamentally sound a football player as there is in the conference. He jumps the ball, his hands are up, he is working to the football and he is controlling the guy in front of him. He is strong. He is quick. He is hard to get off his feet because he has a real low center of gravity. He seems to be a very smart player. You cannot fool him. People have tried to fool him with various blocking schemes and he is not fooled. He is well-coached and really understands the dynamics of the game."

On improving KU's run game:

"We certainly are aware of the fact that it is not as sharp as it ought to be. I think there are a lot of factors. I think the offensive line needs to have a leader emerge; kind of a guy who's ‘the glue.' Because they are young, they are all leaning on each other. I think fundamentally we need to be better at some of our run-game schemes. Jake Sharp seems to feel a little better every week. Our run game is sort of set up for Jake being healthy and 100% with the kind of mobility he had in early September. Toben [Opurum] is coming along. He is learning as the season progresses. Things get more and more complex and a freshman like him just has to learn. It is a new experience every week against the new opponent we prepare for. He is doing well. He is coming along and I am not going to try and push him hard because he is just a freshman. I think he is going to be really good for us, but I want him to know what he is doing before having him in there. Our wide receivers have to block on the perimeter runs too. I thought last week they did a better job of that. We played more physical at that position than we had all year."

On staying positive:

"You have to understand coaches and players and the world that they live in. Everyday is a challenge. Everyday you want to get better and when you lose you want to learn from those experiences. We're not going to get down from losing games. We're going to find a way to get better, that's the way we do it here. We keep looking for solutions. Nobody is feeling bad for themselves, there is nobody pouting. If you go down the hallway to the coaches' suites, people are working. Players are coming in and asking questions and getting DVDs to watch and things like that. It's business as usual. Our players are strong emotionally. The reason they are is because we spend a lot of time in the offseason and training camp building emotional strength. Some coaches try to develop their players just for how to deal with diversity. Some work on how to get mentally ready to play. What we've done in the time that we've been here is that we work on building emotional strength. That means preparing kids for everything. We've had kids in the past here in some instances who weren't very good at handling success. We've had some kids on occasion or two who don't handle diversity well. But when you prepare them for both, and talk about the highs of winning and the lows of losing and the pitfalls that come with losing and all the new things that come with winning. We prepare our kids for those types of things so that they are emotionally prepared to deal with both adversity and success. Both can be difficult. We have faced both during our tenure here."

On motivating the players differently:

"No, I don't (think they need to be motivated differently). I'm not naïve; I've been down this road before. It's not unchartered waters for me. Through the years when we've had a tough spell, we've stayed the steady course. We didn't panic, we don't blame players, we don't blame anybody, and it's our own fault that we didn't win. We keep our same routine, we keep encouraging the players and we keep coaching them. I think that's the best way. When you take drastic measures during a tough time, the kids wonder if the coach is panicking or if they don't have confidence that they can pull out of it (losing streak). We've always stayed the steady course because deep down inside, we believe we can pull out of it.

On the four senior captains: Reesing, Stuckey, Sharp, Meier:

"You can't miss on those guys. They can handle anything. They are very intelligent. They are well-spoken. They are well-respected. They are problem solvers. They are not guys who go by the seat of their pants. They are intelligent guys that everything is well thought out that they do. They have great energy and enthusiasm; and anybody who wanted to hire them; I don't care where it is: corporate world, the world of education, politics, or government. They would be an asset, they are just quality kids.

Senior Linebacker Angus Quigley

On switching positions (from running back to linebacker) his senior year:

"It seems that it's been pretty up and down. Changing my positions senior year was pretty tough, but I figure that I could help the team by doing that. I'm getting more playing time now and trying to learn some things that are a little tougher than I expected. I'm not frustrated or anything, I want to enjoy this season. We've had some low points, obviously, but we're still trying to get things rolling the right way."

On the toughest thing about playing linebacker:

"It's been so long since I've played defense. To come back with things moving so fast, I had to switch my mind from this whole offensive mindset. Everything was just moving so fast and it came so quick."

On the four-game losing streak:

"It's tough. It's really tough when you come into the season with goals and you've set a lot of goals and worked you butt off all offseason. These past few weeks that we've lost, we've had some of the best practices since I've been here. People are working hard start to finish. We just haven't been able to figure out why it's not transitioning onto the field. It's tough because nobody wants to go out their senior year on a losing streak."

Senior Running Back Jake Sharp

On his favorite memory in Memorial Stadium:

"I couldn't pinpoint one. I've had a lot of great ones and I've definitely enjoyed the ride."

On what impresses him most about Nebraska's defense:

"They're coached real well. They're very fundamentally sound. They don't do a lot of crazy things to try and confuse you. They're going to line up and play with you and that's pretty impressive with how disciplined they are."

On how he feels right now:

"I feel good. I feel that I'm definitely at the level where I need to be at at this point in the year to do the things I want to do on the field."

Senior Safety Darrell Stuckey

On the recruitment process:

"At the time I was questioning whether I was a Division-I player or not and if I was good enough to play football at college. I went to a five-day camp and only stayed one day, and Mangino approached me and said, ‘I'm happy you came, but I hear you're not staying with us for too long.' He asked me if I was going to a leadership camp and I told him it was an FCA leadership camp. He said, "You chose that over this (football)?' I kind of laughed and said I had already committed to it before I decided to come here for the testing day. He told me it was fine and that you can't get enough leadership. I tested pretty well, but I ended up getting injured before the day was over so I couldn't actually compete in the competition. I left there with a heavy heart and nervous about what had gone on and kind of distraught not knowing if I had done enough to play college football or if I'd messed up my own opportunity. I was at the FCA camp all week, from Monday through Friday. That Friday Mangino called me and offered me a scholarship and it was mind-boggling because I had prayed about it and was scared about it while I was there because I thought I'd messed up my opportunity by getting injured. I had prayed and I was like, ‘God, if this is my only opportunity, then let it be. But, if you offered me this scholarship then I'll accept it because I know that it comes from you and I believe solely in you. And I will preach your word and be a witness for you.' When he (Mangino) called me and offered me the scholarship, it was one of those things where I had asked for this and I wanted to play here because I'm from a single-parent home. My mother made a way to be at all my home games. I couldn't imagine being further away from her than just Lawrence, Kan. I wanted to be in the Big 12 and I wanted to play against the South because I wanted to play against the best of the Big 12 - as they said at the time. I wanted to make my own footprints and make my own history and be my own man."

On the highs and lows the senior class has experienced:

"I stay positive about it now because we've had so much success as a senior class and to hang our heads and think this senior class has been a failure - no it hasn't. I feel like we have been the core of this team for the past four years. We have all individually been our own quiet leaders in the beginning. We have grown and groomed ourselves to be strong, stable and very persevering young men - not only on the football field, but off the football field too. I think that we have influenced KU football, the players that play here and the coaches that play here for the ages."

On how he and his sister (Denae Stuckey, who plays basketball at Iowa State) dreamed about college as children:

"The funny thing is that we never talked about college at all. We never talked about college, we never talked about playing professionally - we just talked about being the best. We both love sports so much. Wherever I went, she had to go. She was like my best friend. We're only 11 months apart, so people always were teasing us and saying we were twins and this and that. I think the funniest thing about it is that she was just as positive as I was about life. We always just took it one day at a time. We didn't know too much about any college game this or that. As we got older, and went to high school and colleges started calling us, we didn't know how to handle it and we didn't know what to do. It's kind of because of the environment we grew up in. No one really talked about college. We knew we wanted to go there, but we just didn't know how we were going to get there. We both were in ROTC in high school. I was a four-year member of ROTC airforce at our high school and I graduated with the second-highest rank in my class. She did the same thing and my brother before me did the same exact thing. It was one of those things where I knew for a fact that if I couldn't go to college for a sport, I was going to enlist and pay for college elsewhere. We had so many plans and just wanted to be successful in life and sports were a way of getting where we wanted to go. We loved it so much we just continued playing."

Junior Cornerback Chris Harris

On the toughness Coach Mangino instills in the team:

"It's always a mental aspect of just knowing that once football is over, we're going to face adversity in the real world. He (Mangino) always explains that it can always get a lot harder than it is now. He prepares us in life for after football. We know that this isn't anything that we can't overcome because we're going to face something way harder than this after football."

"It helps out a lot to know that this really isn't anything. It's kind of encouraging to know that we can come back together and start affecting this team and start affecting each other. Sometimes in football, you go through slumps. I went through it personally. We can all overcome it. Everyone just has to have faith in each other."

On what the seniors have meant to him:

"The seniors we have this year are great. Our record doesn't show how good of leaders they are and what they've done for this program. It's crazy that it's their time to go and it's time for new seniors next year. It's been a thrill playing with them. They're great leaders and it's fun playing with them."

re-Balancing the O

Denverjhawk — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:35:17 -0000

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Balance in the offense. Pretty common belief in football that balance in the offense leads to success in the offense. If all you do is run it becomes easier for teams to focus all their efforts at stopping it. At that point you can still be successful but you better have a mammoth offensive line and every player has to put a hat on a hat and play football.

What proves slightly more difficult is if all you are capable of is passing. Again at that point you better field an offensive line that creates a pocket, wins their matchups and more often than not allows very very few sacks. Still you likely need balance within your passing game itself. Does it do you any good to go five wide if only two are legitimate targets?

Right now the Kansas Jayhawks have no balance. There are other reasons for the current struggles and perhaps 2007 inflated expectations a bit to high but that season certainly points to some glaring reasons why 2009 and perhaps even to a lesser extent 2008 weren't as successful.

2007

First off let's take a look at the 2007 statistical breakdown for the Jayhawks offensively.

Passing Statistics
NAME	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YDS/A	TD	INT	RAT
Todd Reesing	275	445	3486	61.8	7.83	33	7	148.9

Rushing Statistics
NAME	CAR	YDS	YPC	LONG	TD
Brandon McAnderson	190	1125	5.9	40	16
Jake Sharp	111	556	5.0	25	5
Todd Reesing	92	197	2.1	53	3

Receiving Statistics
NAME	REC	YDS	YPR	LONG	TD
Marcus Henry	54	1014	18.8	82 (TD)	10
Dexton Fields	63	834	13.2	37	6
Dezmon Briscoe	42	496	11.8	34	7
Derek Fine	46	394	8.6	32	4
Kerry Meier	26	274	10.5	39	2
Brandon McAnderson	21	213	10.1	39	0
Aqib Talib	8	182	22.8	58 (TD)	4
Jake Sharp	19	134	7.1	31	1

Clearly we all know this was a good year offensively against a weaker schedule, but still it's not hard to see we were a much more balanced team.

Todd's numbers are what they are, amazingly he still looks to be on pace in 2009 for a better statistical year but that doesn't take into account the fumbles, the sacks and other wasted offensive plays that seem to be plaguing him this year.

A quick look at the running game vs. passing though and you'll see Kansas rushed for over 2400 yards in 2007 while passing for around 3700 as a team. 40% run, 60% pass, probably about par for the spread. Certainly some balance in that area and when you look inside each of those areas separately you see an equal amount of balance.

McAnderson 190 carries, Sharp 111 carries. Hell even Todd ran it 92 times although I wouldn't say that's the ideal scenario this year. Still why can't we see this type of split with Sharp and Opurum? Take away the Sharps injury and who knows if Toben sees the field much past UTEP.

In the passing game the spread amongst receivers is great. Marcus Henry with 54 catches, Dexton Fields with 63, Derek Fine with 46, Dezmon Briscoe at 42, Kerry Meier with 26 and running backs combined with a total of 40 balls thrown their way. No single player was the recipent of more than 22% of the teams receptions. Who does a defense focus on? It's pretty clear this year but in 2007 the ball was being distributed around no one man more emphasized than the next and it made the offense very difficult to defend. Isn't the point of the spread to get more athletes on the field than the other team and get them into space? So what good does it do if only two of those athletes see the ball? Just a question.

2008

Now let's jump to 2008 a year which was truthfully very close to being a disaster. A great game against Missouri and a monster comeback in Ames essentially made things feel a whole lot better than maybe they really were. Nonetheless it was a success but things were clearly trending away from the balance we saw in 2007.

Passing Statistics
NAME	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YDS/A	TD	INT	RAT
Todd Reesing	329	495	3888	66.5	7.86	32	13	148.5

Rushing Statistics
NAME	CAR	YDS	YPC	LONG	TD
Jake Sharp	186	860	4.6	47 (TD)	12
Angus Quigley	59	309	5.2	20	3
Jocques Crawford	62	232	3.7	20	4
Todd Reesing	126	224	1.8	18	4

Receiving Statistics
NAME	REC	YDS	YPR	LONG	TD
Dezmon Briscoe	92	1407	15.3	69 (TD)	15
Kerry Meier	97	1045	10.8	68 (TD)	8
Johnathan Wilson	43	573	13.3	56	3
Jake Sharp	25	283	11.3	67 (TD)	1
Dexton Fields	20	214	10.7	50	3
Daymond Patterson	14	154	11.0	44	2
Angus Quigley	17	82	4.8	14 (TD)	1

2008 final numbers were 1650 on the ground and just shy of 4000 through the air. Moves the Jayhawks to 30% of their yards on the ground and 70% through the air. If you remember the ground game really came on much stronger in conference play so I'll accept this as a failure in the non-conference combined with the fact that confidence was through the roof in the passing game. It worked too for the most part, even in the losses the offense was working.

Sharp was effective with over 180 carries on the year. The running game certainly wasn't to 2007 standards but we lost an All American left tackle and a senior right tackle so a dip was somewhat expected.

The passing game is where you begin to see a bit of a troubling trend. For all the talk of Reesing, Dez and Meier being great it shouldn't be hard for a defensive coordinator going forward to see where they need to pool their resources. There are two guys on this list that catch better than 60% of the balls thrown. Granted they were somewhat new on the scene and both are very good, but is everyone else a decoy? The spread the ball around distribution from 2007 is long gone.

All in all 2008 was productive and the offense never stalled out like it has this season but when you look at the numbers it would seem the Jayhawk playcalling was at the very least trending in the direction that has led to the complete unbalance we are seeing today.

2009

Passing Statistics
NAME	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YDS/A	TD	INT	RAT
Todd Reesing	232	361	2626	64.3	7.27	17	8	136.5

Rushing Statistics
NAME	CAR	YDS	YPC	LONG	TD
Toben Opurum	116	498	4.3	26 (TD)	9
Jake Sharp	83	368	4.4	30	3
Kale Pick	13	162	12.5	55	0
Todd Reesing	78	92	1.2	22	4

Receiving Statistics
NAME	REC	YDS	YPR	LONG	TD
Dezmon Briscoe	61	917	15.0	56	6
Kerry Meier	73	758	10.4	71	6
Johnathan Wilson	30	361	12.0	33	0
Bradley McDougald	28	263	9.4	42	0
Jake Sharp	23	178	7.7	56	3
Toben Opurum	12	110	9.2	30	1
Tim Biere	8	108	13.5	19	0

Here's a quick look at 2009 YTD. Currently Kansas sits at about 30% of their yards coming from the ground game and again about 70% in the air. On paper it wouldn't seem we've regressed in this area much from 2008 but only 313 of the rushing yards in 2009 have come after conference play began. Yep, 313 yards rushing in 5 games. How many would you guess in the first five conference games for 2008? 843 is the magic number, a 163 yard/game average. Our offense turned it on in 2008 when conference play began. So in this current skid it'd be safe to bet that maybe 10% of our offensive yardage is coming on the ground. Not tough to defend when you tell your front four to tee off and drop the other seven into coverage.

It becomes even less difficult when you realize that once again, two players on the Jayhawks are accounting for nearly 60% of their offensive receptions. Now I'll concede the fact that Johnathan Wilson has dropped a good number of passes this year but do we not have anyone else on the team that can catch a ball? Let's give them a shot. Against Kansas State Tetravian Ingram finally came in for Johnathan Wilson who has struggled of late. Missed the first pass thrown his way and yanked back to the sideline. The reactions to the two's behaviors seems a bit unproportional.

Also why doesn't Tim Biere see the ball more? He seems every bit as capable of making a catch as Derek Fine. Not too mention he runs like a truck down the field. Has he been tackled yet? or just eventually bounced out of bounds. The running backs are seeing about the same number of balls as they have in the past but the effectiveness is down. Too many middle screens and shovel passes perhaps? Why not check down to these guys on our normal every down passing plays when no one appears open?

To wrap up I just want to make it clear that what this group has done for the University of Kansas football program is immeasurable. It's made Saturday's matter again in the fall. Nobody sets out to lose and certainly these guys put in a tremendous amount of hours and effort all year. They deserve and will get my continued support. Somewhere though whether it rest with the man at the top, the offensive coordinator and certainly a little bit with the signal caller, this offense isn't remotely close to where it's been. In 2007 this team did it with players nobody wanted out of high school. Literally no one wanted Marcus Henry, Brandon McAnderson was far from the top of anyones list at running back and as I recall the Head Coach on the other sideline this past weekend didn't recruit Jake Sharp.

Kansas should be better, it's time to adapt what we're doing and fix the problems. Changes were swift on the defensive side of the ball, but are coming far too slowly for the offense. I'm headed back to Lawrence this week to see Senior day for this crew and I'm thrilled to say I'll send off Stuckey, Meier, Reesing, Sharp and likely Briscoe. I just hope that the teams struggles this year can be corrected enough to get them a bowl game and then going forward our program finds a way to adapt what we've done well in the past to continue moving forward as a program.

Kansas Positional Preview: Linebackers

Denverjhawk — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:00:13 -0000

Arist Wright might be one piece to the puzzle at linebacker in 2009.

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2004 was the last year we really had to even think about the linebacker situation in Lawrence. A lot has changed in the time being. In '04 linebackers were recruited to be big physical guys that could stuff the running lanes and maybe pick up your run of the mill tight end or running back out of the backfield in coverage.

Nick Reid, Kevin Kane, Banks Floodman, Gabe Toomey, Mike Rivera and Jo e Mortensen were your classic workhorses. They weren't the fastest, most athletic but they were bruisers who would stick their nose in a hole, shed a block here or there and blow up running plays wherever they could.

Fast forward to 2009 and we're looking at five receiver sets, tight ends who play like oversized receivers, running backs catching screens, runs out of the shotgun and players being spread this way and that all over the field.

Much has been made of the loss of the three Jayhawk linebackers from last year and while Rivera, Mortensen and Holt did great work in their time at Kansas, it was clear near the end that maybe the type of linebackers they were, was not necessarily the same as the type of linebacker that would excel in today's Big 12.

Now does that mean we'll be better off, maybe not? What it does mean though is that we're starting to see a little bit of a change in the type of guys we're recruiting for this role. In '09 the makeup of the position is such that the Jayhawks will have a few guys in the mix from the old style, while also trying to fit several players of the new mold into the system. They'll be growing pains no doubt, but it was bound to happen and the candidates are plenty for the linebacker position in 2009.

Full Positional Breakdown After the Jump...

Kicking off the preview there is likely one player who has set himself in a position to be a starter and that is the lone player that has any form of substantial experience in Arist Wright. Late in the '08 season Wright began seeing increased action with the move of James Holt to a more pass rushing focus. At 6' 226 pounds Wright is a smaller more compact backer that once earned mention by ESPN.com as a workout warrior in college football. In the course of his three years to date he has amassed 77 total tackles on the year while filling in as primarily a backup player to the three that graduated a season ago. Wright showed a fairly solid ability to play against today's spread offenses last season and as a senior this year he'll likely be looked to as a leader for a unit that is experiencing tremendous change.

Another senior on the linebacking corps this year is a player who is jumping from one side of the ball to another. Angus Quigley has bounced around a whole lot in his time at Kansas but seems to be making one last move to the defensive side of the ball. At 6'2" 229 pounds the former running back has good size and great athleticism for the linebacker spot; it's just a matter of how quickly he can pick it up. Many will remember James Holt performing pass rushing duties last year rather effectively and the thinking is that Quigley might have that same advantage off the edge. While there are no doubt questions swirling around Quigley's potential at the position one thing to keep in mind is that if he does have a light go off, there is still one more year of eligibility that he has been granted and can use should he choose. At times Mangino's compliments of Quigley's switch have been few and far between but sometimes I wonder if that's his way of keeping Angus hungry amidst a position change that has a tremendous amount of urgency.

Next up on the preview is junior Justin Springer. A year ago he was the heir apparent to take the middle for Joe Mortensen in the Kansas linebacking rotation. An injury, a long recovery and a change of philosophy mean that one year later that isn't so certain. Springer is in the mold of old if you will, he's a big guy standing 6'4" 242 pounds and reportedly lives in the weight room. Over the course of his two seasons playing primarily special teams Spring has recorded 38 tackles after coming in and exciting some folks as a true freshman. Personally, I'm still a believer in the guy and again despite Mangino's comments to the contrary I think he'll be in the mix. I've spoken to him on several occasions during his recovery from rehab; he has every expectation to be competing for the starting job and has been putting in every ounce of effort to make that happen. It's impossible to say how this pans out with Springer but I can't imagine this is a guy that fades away into the background without a fight.

A newcomer to the position that also figures to factor in is junior college transfer Vernon Brooks. Brooks is now officially on the roster and from what I've gathered from players in camp, once he gets his legs under him, he'll factor into the conversation without a doubt. Brooks is a shade under 6' and a solidly built backer that was known to blow up a few screens in his JUCO days. After it looked like he wasn't going to qualify and had decided on the division II route he received late word that he was good to go for a division one transfer. Kansas landed him but he was also heavily sought after by Oklahoma and Auburn along with a few other SEC schools. I'm excited for this one as Kansas has had great success with JUCO linebackers in the past, again though recent history has not been so kind.

There are still other upperclassmen involved in the conversation and the good thing about the position is despite a major turnover there are a good number of options that are juniors or seniors. Ultimately that's where you want your program at. People may not know the names on paper but they've been at the grind for a few years now and may be far more prepared to step up than anyone imagined.

Starting things off there is Jake Shermer. Shermer is a 6'2 225 pound senior out of Nixa, Missouri. Is he a world beater? No he isn't, but Shermer did have a solid spring and has earned mention by the coaches as an upperclassman that is making a play at a position that is wide open. Shermer has seen action in 30 games over his career and recorded 38 tackles with a career best 6 against Missouri in 2006.

The next name on the experienced and competing list is junior Drew Dudley. Dudley like Quigley has bounced around a bit primarily from backer to fullback. At 6'2" 232 Dudley who was once ranked the 19th best middle linebacker in the nation as a high school player is back in a familiar role on defense. In his 2 seasons of action he has played in every single game and again this could very well be a situation where a player sat behind some very solid upperclassman but is more than capable of stepping in when his time comes. Dudley has earned specific mention for his fall camp performances and he is a very real option when it comes to the inside linebacker spot.

There are also a couple of wild cards in the mix this year starting with sophomore Steven Johnson. Johnson came out of nowhere joining the Kansas team as a walk on following a year in prep school and some time out of the game. Johnson was an all state linebacker in the state of Pennsylvania which has no shortage of history when it comes to turning out good ones. Johnson stands 6'2" 229 and by the end of last fall was running second team behind Joe Mort. Honestly Johnson should probably be a little further up this list, but despite the concern at the position if there is one thing the staff has its options.

The other wild card is true freshman Huldon Tharp. Tharp joins Kansas after sitting out his senior season at Mulvane high in Mulvane Kansas. After tearing his ACL prior to his senior season Tharp committed to the Jayhawks over Miami and Standford although it's been said had he been healthy we might not have him in the Jayhawk uniform because others would have come calling. Well apparently the freshman took his rehab very seriously and if Mangino's comments are any indication he could very well be starting at linebacker from day one. At 6' 215 he appears a bit small but by the same token he's perfect if you are running the base 4-3 but wanting better coverage out of your OLB's. Tharp has been said to be very quick and athletic and if you envision him and Chris Harris rotating in and out as either a nickel back that can tackle or a linebacker that can cover you've got a pretty good combination there. Obviously that's all a theory at this point but regardless it sounds like Tharp is making some waves and should be another guy that factors in to the conversation early.

That makes seven and we're not even close to finished here so I'll give a very quick rundown of the remaining guys on the roster.

Upperclassman Dakota Lewis enters his third season. Standing 6'1" 213 Lewis played a backup role in 2008 and has recorded a total of 25 tackles on his career.

Chea Peterman is a 6'2" 220 pound sophomore who joined Kansas as a walk on in '06. He's seen limited action to date but was the Arkansas defensive player of the year as a senior.

Josh Richardson is a 6'4" 220 pound redshirt freshman out of the same high school as Bradley McDougald. Josh's brother is an NFL defensive end who reportedly went to college a project and came out a player. Richardson was one the staff was fairly high on when they recruited him and maybe the hope is down the line he'll have a similar story.

Another true freshman on the squad is Jacoby Thomas out of Texarkana Texas where he played defensive end. At 6'2" 212 he moves to outside linebacker and could be a viable option down the line for the Jayhawks.

Walk ons added to the most recent roster at the position include; Ryan Nelson and Jordan Fee.

Julian Jones who signed with the Jayhawks in February and joined the team this summer has left the team.

As you can see while there is some turnover at the position there is no shortage of bodies to attempt to address it. It's easy to say how is Kansas ever going to replace Joe Mortenson, Mike Rivera and James Holt, but at the same time that's what people were saying when they got their first starts.

Poll

Who's the one linebacker you are most confident in going into 2009?

Arist Wright

52 votes

Justin Springer

23 votes

Angus Quigley

2 votes

Vernon Brooks

16 votes

Huldon Tharp

8 votes

Jake Shermer

4 votes

Drew Dudley

3 votes

108 votes | Poll has closed

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

rockchalk — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 06:56:47 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

4 months ago: Kansas coach Mark Mangino gestures during Big 12 Media Day in Irving, Texas, Tuesday, July 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

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In conjunction with CBS Sports, the folks at The Ralphie Report are organizing the official SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Conference Preview. What follows is Rock Chalk Talk's "outsider's" look at the 2009 Kansas Jayhawks, much like you'd find in many preseason magazines across the country.

Overview: After two years on the periphery of the Big 12 Championship Game, this would appear to be the year for the Jayhawks to finally capture a Big 12 North title and become the obligatory punching bag for the South Champion. A tough schedule, though, may prevent them from winning the North yet again.

Offense: As is the trend in the Big 12, the strength of the Jayhawks is the offense. It starts with Todd Reesing, the QB that fits this team and its current standing in college football perfectly -- overlooked because of warts, but still given some respect. Of course, the job is easier when you have (arguably) the Big 12's best receiver in Dez Briscoe and some of the best hands in all of college football in Kerry Meier to throw the ball to. Add in a solid third option in Jonathan Wilson, a solid-if-unspectacular runningback in Jake Sharp and a young, improving offensive line, led by returning starters C Jeremiah Hatch and RT Jeff Spikes, and you have one of the better offenses in the country. It should have no trouble scoring points, no matter the point -- it's just how consistently it can score more of them.

Defense: The defense is led by FS Darrell Stuckey, a legitimate All-American candidate at FS, with some supporting stars in CB Daymond Patterson, DE Jake Laptad and LB Arist Wright. Kansas will use the 4-2-5 as its base defense, particularly against pass-heavy teams that are so prevalent across the Big 12, with Chris Harris playing the rover position. With one less linebacker, the onus will fall on the defensive line to stop the run -- particularly the interior guys, like Richard Johnson Jr., Darius Parish and Jamal Greene. They have the tools, but none have lived up to their potential quite yet. Former RB Angus Quigley has looked good at LB so far in fall practice, and may end up starting beside Wright, although Justin Springer remains the favorite as long as he heals as planned.

Special Teams: Save kickoff returner, the Jayhawks are returning every meaningful specialist in special teams. Punter Alonso Rojas is back for his second year, after closing out the regular season with a monstrous effort against Missouri. Kicker Jacob Brandstetter will also be returning for his second season, and word is that he's added some yards on to his kickoffs. And punt returner Daymond Patterson is back and ready to rock, as is long snapper Kayl Anderson. As for the kickoff returner void, there are numerous names vying for the job, including All-American candidates Briscoe and Stuckey.

Who We'll Miss The Most: On offense, the interior offensive line. They weren't stellar by any stretch of the imagination, but they were solid enough, and it's better to have an expected solid than a batch of incoming unknowns. On defense, without a doubt, LB James Holt. He was, for parts of last season, the sole pass rush on the Jayhawks, and he was downright stellar at it. His linebacker mates, Mike Rivera and Joe Mortensen, will be missed as hell, but not as much as Holt -- after Stuckey, he was the defense's second best player in 2008.

Exciting, New Faces You Should Know: On offense, there's a couple. RB Toben Opurum is probably the favorite to back up Jake Sharp and receive a dose of carries a game, and he's the real deal -- he was recruited by Notre Dame, people. He played in a spread system in high school, so he should have a quicker learning curve than most. There's also Erick McGriff, the son of the Crime Dog Fred McGriff, at the wide receiver position that has a chance to see the field early on. After the top three (Briscoe, Meier, Wilson), it's anyone's for the taking, and Erick has looked fabulous thus far. Oh, and don't forget about Bradly McDougald -- he could see snaps at WR or kick returner, or even both.

On defense, watch out for JUCO transfers Quintin Woods on the defensive line and Calvin Rubles in the secondary. Woods will, hopefully, provide a competent pass rush opposite Laptad, while Rubles should see some playing time in a secondary that will be heavily depended on.

Best Case Scenario: We aren't going undefeated, so give up the pipedream. However, like I mentioned in the overview, the Big 12 North is a perfect goal -- a big enough accomplishment that it'd be a success, but not too big that it seems unreachable. So, in the Best Case, Kansas goes into the Big 12 Championship Game with, oh, a 10-2 record. It's possible. We're almost assuredly losing in Austin (although weirder things have happened), and that just means winning three of the following: @ Texas Tech, vs. Oklahoma, vs. Nebraska, vs. Missouri (Arrowhead). Not unreasonable. We lose in the Big 12 Championships Game, but still end up in the Cotton Bowl and win it against SEC Team X.

Worst Case Scenario: The defense sucks, Todd Reesing gets hurt and Mark Mangino gains even more weight. We slip up not once, but twice in the non-con, then continue against a brutally tough Big 12 slate. 5-7 and bowlless. Don't even bring it up.

My Prediction: As common sense would dictate, I'll go somewhere in between "best" and "worst". I'll go on record with a 9-3 mark -- undefeated in the non-conference slate, then slipping up thrice in the Big 12 (@ Texas, vs. Oklahoma and @ Texas Tech, in case you were interested). It's just enough to beat out Nebraska via tiebreaker to make it to the Big 12 Championship Game, wherever it's being played, only to lose by a large margin. But for all of our troubles we get sent to the Holiday Bowl, where we beat Pac 10 Team X.

Kansas: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

Bill C. — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 17:00:11 -0000

Yesterday we looked at an offense that actually improved from 2007 to 2008. How about the defense? Was the biggest difference between 2007 and 2008 simply the schedule? Was the 2007 schedule really that easy (or the 2008 schedule that hard)?

Defense

Overall Stats

S&P+: 111.9 (#30)
Success Rate+: 113.9 (#19)
PPP+: 109.7 (#45)

Standard Downs S&P+: 107.2 (#41)
Passing Downs S&P+: 113.5 (#35)

Redzone S&P+: 106.4 (#46)

Q1 S&P+: 108.9 (#40)
Q2 S&P+: 126.2 (#15)
Q3 S&P+: 100.0 (#54)
Q4 S&P+: 10.42 (#49)

1st Down S&P+: 108.0 (#43)
2nd Down S&P+: 109.7 (#38)
3rd Down S&P+: 112.3 (#40)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 111.1 (#38)
Rushing SR+: 118.7 (#18)
Rushing PPP+: 102.0 (#61)

Standard Downs: 107.5 (#42)
Passing Downs: 95.7 (#68)

Redzone: 110.0 (#39)

Line Yards+: 109.2 (#31)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 113.3 (#27)
Passing SR+: 110.8 (#21)
Passing PPP+: 116.0 (#26)

Standard Downs: 109.4 (#30)
Passing Downs: 119.5 (#24)

Redzone: 107.5 (#41)

Sack Rate+: 88.7 (#77)

So let's play the same game we played yesterday--the 2007 vs 2008 game.

S&P+: #12 in 2007, #30 in 2008
Success Rate+: #13 in 2007, #19 in 2008
PPP+: #14 in 2007, #45 in 2008
Rushing S&P+: #8 in 2007, #38 in 2008
Passing S&P+: #20 in 2007, #27 in 2008
Standard Downs S&P+: #12 in 2007, #41 in 2008
Passing Downs S&P+: #6 in 2007, #35 in 2008
Line Yards+: #12 in 2007, #31 in 2008

Ahh, so it wasn't just the schedule that made a four-game difference in the loss column. While the offense actually got better, the defense got measurably worse despite nine returning starters (sound familiar, Mizzou fans?). They lost a second-team All-American in James McClinton at defensive tackle--the only loss other than Aqib Talib--and it seems to have made a difference.

Kansas was a bit worse defending the pass, a lot worse at defending the run, and in particular they gave up a ton more big plays (PPP+). This year, they return their entire secondary and three of four starters on the defensive line (losing only end Russell Brorsen)...but lose all three starting linebackers. So the passing numbers improve and the rushing numbers regress, maybe?

Meanwhile, with so much returning experience in 2008 and a seemingly rock solid secondary, I can't really explain the significant regression in PPP+. KU allowed a ton more big plays, particularly in the running game, so we'll pin the blame mostly on the D-line and a linebacker corps that didn't achieve nearly as much as it should have with three solid players in Joe Mortensen, Mike Rivera, and James Holt. We'll also point out that Defensive Coordinator Bill Young left for Miami after 2007, and that might have made a bigger difference than anything else.

Defensive Line

2008 Unit Ranking: #49 in the nation (#5 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
DT Caleb Blakesley (6'5, 292, Sr.)
DE Jake Laptad (6'4, 258, Jr.)
DT Jamal Greene (6'4, 303, Jr.)
DE Jeff Wheeler (6'7, 260, Sr.)
DT Richard Johnson (6'2, 280, So.)
DE Quintin Woods (6'5, 230, Jr.)
DE Maxwell Onyegbule (6'5, 257, Sr.)
DT Darius Parish (6'4, 341, So.)

So if KU felt the absence of James McClinton more than any other in 2008, then it's up to either Jamal Greene (21 tackles, 7 TFL/sacks) to become a much more consistent force or Jeff City's own Richard Johnson (14 tackles, 2.5 TFL/sacks) to overtake him if KU's run defense is to improve. If not them, then who? Man-beast Darius Parish moved to OL. Somehow, someway, there needs to be a better push up the middle.

And on the outside too. Solid-not-spectacular end Jake Laptad (8.5 TFL/sacks) offers hope for a pass rush, but he'll need help. The lack of a pass rush was bad enough last year that LB James Holt moved to end toward the end of the year, and KU fans seem to have hope that 4-star JUCO transfer Quintin Woods will thrive pretty quickly. The other options (Jeff Wheeler, Maxwell Onyegbule, or some younger guy) don't seem ready or capable, so all eyes are on Woods. If Woods doesn't catch on, KU fans start getting worried.

Linebackers

2008 Unit Ranking: #57 in the nation (#9 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Arist Wright (6'0, 226, Sr.)
Dakota Lewis (6'1, 209, Jr.)
Jake Schermer (6'2, 222, Sr.)
Angus Quigley (6'2, 226, Sr.)
Justin Springer (6'4, 242, Jr.)
Drew Dudley (6'2, 232, Jr.)
Steven Johnson (6'2, 225, So.)

When we say that KU lost all three starting linebackers from 2008, that's a smidge of an exaggeration. When Holt was moved around to generate a pass rush, Arist Wright stepped in. Still, though, Wright was only 10th on the team in tackles and managed only ten "successful" tackles (i.e. tackles that prevented a successful play) all year, two against the pass and eight against the run. The other three LBs with any experience at all combined for just 5.5 successful tackles (two against the pass, 3.5 against the run).

While the RB situation isn't in wonderful shape right now, it's still no surprise that Angus Quigley was moved from RB to LB. There's clearly a major void in terms of proven playmakers, so really at this point Kansas just needs as many warm bodies as possible to throw out there and see what they've got. Never say never, but it's hard to see this unit gelling into a solid unit quickly. Whether they call it this or not, you do have to figure that with an experienced secondary, KU will be playing a lot of 4-2-5 or nickel coverage.

Of course, Missouri doesn't play them for quite a while, so the team we're talking about now will change significantly, for better or worse, between now and then. Probably shouldn't spend a ton of time figuring everything out, eh?

Secondary

2008 Unit Ranking: #23 in the nation (#5 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
S Darrell Stuckey (6'1, 205, Sr.)
CB Justin Thornton (6'1, 213, Sr.)
S Phillip Strozier (6'0, 200, Jr.)
CB Daymond Patterson (5'9, 175, So.)
S Chris Harris (6'0, 185, Jr.)
CB Anthony Davis (6'0, 192, So.)
CB Corrigan Powell (5'10, 171, So.)
S Olaitan Oguntodu (6'0, 220, Jr.)

As devoid of experience that the KU linebacker corps is, the secondary is the polar opposite. Five players with solid starting experience return, led by Mizzou killer Darrell Stuckey, who almost single-handedly fended off the Tiger offense for the entire first half last November at Arrowhead. He is an all-conference favorite heading into the season, and with good reason. In 2008, he put together 4.5 TFL, 5 INT, 7 passes broken-up, 2 FF, 1 FR. Plus, he managed a very healthy 23.5 successful tackles against the run, one of the highest run-support totals in the country (13th overall). He's a stud.

Beyond that, Mark Mangino has some interesting ingredients, and he's not afraid to shuffle things around. Justin Thornton's been around forever (seems like just yesterday that he was getting decapitated by Tony Temple at Faurot Field), and while he's a proven commodity, he's also in Mangino's doghouse. If he doesn't end up starting (I assume he will, but...well, Mangino's got an angry side), then it looks like Anthony Davis will be the man opposite Daymond Patterson at CB. Both are sophomores. Meanwhile, junior safety Chris Harris was a star freshman in 2007 before losing his starting spot last year. He still managed the second-most successful tackles in the secondary in 2008, however, and I'm going to figure he'll still play a role opposite Phil Strozier and Stuckey.

Special Teams

2008 Unit Ranking: #81 Net Punting, #26 Punt Returns, #118 Kickoff Returns

Projected Starters
K Jacob Branstetter (5'10, 182, Jr.) - 51-for-52 PAT, 9-for-12 FG (Long: 34)
P Alonso Rojas (6'3, 220, Jr.) - 58 Punts, 33.9 Net
KR Dezmon Briscoe (6'3, 200, Jr.) - 8 returns, 27.4 Avg
PR Daymond Patterson (5'9, 175, So.) - 22 Returns, 11.0 Avg, 1 TD

Rarely is there a more stark regression than what Kansas suffered in the kick return game last year. KU ranked 7th in the country in kick returns in 2007, then fell 111 spots to 118th in 2008. What made it strange was that, it was the same main return man (Marcus Herford) both years. KU was decent in the kicking and punt return games, but kick returns produced eight yards fewer in 2008, and that really can make a pretty big difference. It might help explain how KU's Offensive S&P+ actually improved in 2008, yet KU scored 10 fewer points per game. Dez Briscoe was outstanding in limited opportunities, but it seems KU is making a concerted effort not to wear him out (Jeremy Maclin managed to do it all, ahem...just sayin'...), and early indications (according to Rock Chalk Talk) are that sophomore Isiah Barfield might take over the duties, at least to start.

If KU gets anything from the kick return game, this is a decent special teams unit, not as good as Nebraska's (NU really does seem to have the best special teams unit in the North at this point), but solid. Alonso Rojas leaves something to be desired punting, but this is an offensive conference--kicks matter a hair more than punts, right?

Summary

After seeing a pretty solid across-the-board drop in 2008, it's hard to see where KU's baseline is with a potentially great secondary and serious question marks among the front seven. The linebacker corps returns almost no quality experience, and while experience isn't a problem on the defensive line, playmaking is. KU needs to be able to limit the big run plays and generate a pass rush if they're going to fully utilize the strong secondary, and it's not a given that they can do that. Everybody in the North has question marks, so while KU's no different in that regard...KU's no different in that regard. With a South schedule that screams 0-3, they really do need to be better than everybody else in the North if they want to win the division this year, and with the holes at offensive line and in the defensive front seven, it's hard to claim they are at this moment. I've been talking up KU all offseason (not in a "Hey, gosh, you're alright, KU!" kind of way, but in a "We better start accepting that they're probably going to win the North" kind of way), but the more I read and talk about them, the less sure of them I am.

---

Projections on Friday.

Kansas: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Offensive Preview

Bill C. — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:00:09 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

"I'd say the burrito was about this big." (Sorry, have to win back some goodwill after posting an unharmed Jayhawk logo yesterday.)

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Confused? Catch up with the BTBS Primer.

We now take a look at a team that, talent-wise, seems to be most well-established for making a North title run in 2009. At least, a team well-established at skill positions and in the secondary, with some pretty good-sized question marks in some units.

2008

Record: 8-5 (4-4 in the Big 12)
S&P+: 230.0 (20th in the country, 6th in the Big 12)
Scoring Margin: 434-375 (+59)
Conference Scoring Margin: 251-293 (-42)
Wins (S&P+ Ranking in parentheses): #10 Missouri (dammit), #63 Minnesota, #82 Colorado, #79 Kansas State, #86 Louisiana Tech, #93 Florida International, #104 Iowa State, 1-AA Sam Houston State
Losses: #3 Oklahoma, #5 Texas, #15 Texas Tech, #21 Nebraska, #23 South Florida

Two atrocious quarters of offense from Missouri prevented me from being able to cleanly say that KU was 0-6 versus Top 60 teams and 7-0 versus everybody else, but alas...the 40-37 win over Mizzou at Arrowhead was KU's single crowning win in 2008. And yet...they managed to rank 20th in the country anyway. It all depends on how you frame it, I guess. You could also say that they were 1-5 versus the Top 25 and 7-0 versus everybody else, which makes #20 sound about right. Regardless of how you frame 2008, in 2009 KU returns all of their skill position talent and some key cogs in the secondary, but faces major holes on the O-line and at linebacker.

Coaching

Head Coach: Mark Mangino
Record at Kansas: 45-41 (conference: 22-34)
Career Pythagorean Record: -1.15 wins (-0.1/year)

Mark Mangino enters his eighth season in Lawrence having brought Kansas pretty steady, if a little two-steps-forward-one-back, success. He has yet to finish ahead of Gary Pinkel in the Big 12 North standings, yet he is consistently ranked ahead of GP when Big 12 coaches are ranked. At some point, actually, you'd think KU fans would become rather offended by this, as it pretty much suggests that KU was such a bad job that he's done an amazing job just to win some games while never finishing ahead of PInkel.

Mangino's moving average of wins shows just how methodically he has brought success to Lawrence:

2002-04: 4.0
2003-05: 5.7
2004-06: 5.7
2005-07: 8.3
2006-08: 8.7

And while we're at it, let's look at "Adjusted Win %." If you remember this from previous use, this is where we adjust a team's record for quality of opponent, equally weighting the record against teams based on win %.

Mark Mangino's Adj. Win %
	vs .000-.250	vs .251-.500	vs .501-.750	vs .751-1.000	Adj. Win %
Year 1-4	7-1 (0.875)	6-10 (0.375)	6-12 (0.333)	0-5 (0.000)	19-28 (0.396)
Year 5-7	9-0 (1.000)	8-2 (0.800)	8-6 (0.571)	1-4 (0.200)	26-12 (0.643)
Total	16-1 (0.941)	14-12 (0.538)	14-18 (0.438)	1-9 (0.100)	45-40 (0.504)

Just as a means of comparison, here's Gary Pinkel's Adjusted Win %, broken out the same way:

Gary Pinkel's Adj. Win %
	vs .000-.250	vs .251-.500	vs .501-.750	vs .751-1.000	Adj. Win %
Year 1-4	6-0 (1.000)	12-8 (0.600)	3-10 (0.231)	1-7 (0.125)	22-25 (0.468)
Year 5-8	7-0 (1.000)	15-2 (0.882)	14-8 (0.636)	1-6 (0.143)	37-16 (0.665)
Total	13-0 (1.000)	27-10 (0.730)	17-18 (0.486)	2-13 (0.133)	59-41 (0.583)

So Gary Pinkel has performed slightly better across the board, but clearly both have done wonderful jobs turning iffy programs into winners. And as with Gary PInkel, Mangino will lose quite a few impact players after his eighth season, so he'll be starting Year #9 with a somewhat fresh slate just the same.

Looking at Pythagorean wins suggests that KU should have actually done a bit better overall, but the improvement has been easily measurable, and Mangino clearly is a pretty good coach. He's just not better than Pinkel.

Offense

Overall Stats

S&P+: 118.1 (#19)
Success Rate+: 115.8 (#16)
PPP+: 121.5 (#28)

Standard Downs S&P+: 110.0 (#33)
Passing Downs S&P+: 128.0 (#16)

Redzone S&P+: 125.1 (#12)

Q1 S&P+: 126.7 (#18)
Q2 S&P+: 108.6 (#44)
Q3 S&P+: 105.2 (#53)
Q4 S&P+: 126.6 (#10)

1st Down S&P+: 114.5 (#26)
2nd Down S&P+: 110.9 (#42)
3rd Down S&P+: 124.0 (#21)

Rushing Stats

Rushing S&P+: 118.8 (#21)
Rushing SR+: 120.9 (#7)
Rushing PPP+: 116.4 (#42)

Standard Downs: 106.3 (#48)
Passing Downs: 130.3 (#24)

Redzone: 120.0 (#30)

Line Yards+: 115.0 (#19)

Passing Stats

Passing S&P+: 115.2 (#25)
Passing SR+: 111.6 (#24)
Passing PPP+: 119.7 (#27)

Standard Downs: 113.0 (#24)
Passing Downs: 122.5 (#24)

Redzone: 131.3 (#13)

Sack Rate+: 103.3 (#61)

Kansas stepped backwards by four games from their 12-1 season in 2007 to 8-5 in 2008. A lot of that dropoff was schedule-based (as mentioned above, they didn't actually lose to a team ranked below 23rd in S&P+), but was it measurable in the numbers too? Not really.

2007 vs 2008

S&P+: 39th in 2007, 19th in 2008
Success Rate+: 40th in 2007, 16th in 2008
PPP+: 41st in 2007, 28th in 2008
Rushing S&P+: 35th in 2007, 21st in 2008
Passing S&P+: 41st in 2007, 25th in 2008
Standard Downs S&P+: 30th in 2007, 33rd in 2008 (regression!)
Passing Downs S&P+: 54th in 2007, 16th in 2008 (a-ha!)

That they actually improved offensively in 2008 despite the regression in record says two things: 1) they could be pretty damn good in 2009, and 2) not to beat a dead horse, but...their schedule was so freaking weak in 2007!!

While the 2009 KU offense really could improve a bit more in 2009, it's a red flag to me that all of their improvement in 2008 came on Passing Downs. They were actually worse on Standard Downs but overachieved in passing situations (which, if you watched last year's MU-KU game, shouldn't surprise you). As I've mentioned before, disproportionate achievement on Passing Downs doesn't seem totally sustainable from year to year, and while a lot of that Passing Downs success was due to both Todd Reesing and the chemistry that Reesing has with Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe, they still may have been a little too successful, unsustainably so.

Lord knows that with their schedule, they better be at least as good in those situations because...well, they're going to face a lot of those situations.

Quarterback

Forever and ever.

2008 Unit Ranking: #27 in the nation (#7 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Todd Reesing (5'11, 200, Sr.)
Kale Pick (6'2, 200, RSFr.)
Chase Knighton (6'1, 195, So.)

If this team is relying on Passing Downs success to win their first North title, then they're going as far as Todd Reesing can take them. He was at his improvisational best against Oklahoma and Missouri, scrambling and seemingly inventing routes on the fly on his way to a combined 717 passing yards and 6 TDs (and, to be fair, 4 INTs). The Brett Favre comparison gets overused these days, and while Reesing doesn't quite see the Favre-esque extremes that someone like Matt Grothe does (he's only thrown more than 2 picks in a game twice), it's definitely in him, much moreso than with Chase Daniel, who was also given that "gunslinger" label (even though Chase was, in the end, about as robotic as a QB can be).

While he completed 66% of his passes at 7.8 yards per pass against OU and Mizzou, Reesing proved his all-or-nothing tendencies by completing just 54% at 5.4 yards per pass against Texas and Texas Tech (with a 3-3 TD-INT ratio) at home. In the end, most would love to have a "gamer" like Reesing leading your team, but his confidence in his abilities to make plays ends up being, at times, his biggest flaw. He posted a QB rating right at 149 each of the last two years, but he also took 56 sacks in that time, and his interceptions rose to 13 in 2008, not a bad figure per say, but not as in control as the seven he threw in 2007. That's why Kansas only finished 25th in Passing S&P+ and not higher--we remember the great plays, but we forget the sacks he's taken and the occasional atrocious throws he's made.

Which, in the end, is about as Favre-esque as you can get.

Running Backs

2008 Unit Ranking: #69 in the nation (#8 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
Jake Sharp (5'10, 195, Sr.)
Reil Lewis (5'10, 201, So.)
Deshaun Sands? (5'9, 182, Fr.)
Toben Opurum? (6'2, 239, Fr.)

Jake Sharp is the least-scary good running back in the country. He was the main cog in a rushing attack that was 7th in the country in Success Rate+, he's scored 19 touchdowns, caught 44 passes, and put up a combined 1,143 yards from scrimmage the last two seasons, yet his lack of explosiveness got him ranked 198th among 269 eligible running backs in POE, the rushing performance measure I created for Football Outsiders. He's good for a couple of huge games a year, usually against bad defenses (he destroyed Kansas State for 181 yards and 4 TDs last year and went for 118 and 3 TDs against an OU defense adapting to the loss of Ryan Reynolds), but in all he's a steady but so-so runner. You could do worse than starting Jake Sharp, but you could certainly do better.

For better or worse, Sharp is the horse of this unit. Their two other POE-eligible running backs, Angus Quigley (165th) and Jocques Crawford (153rd), are either no longer playing running back (Quigley moved to LB) or no longer on the team (Crawford left Lawrence after, uhh, some drama). What remain are Reil Lewis and a couple of brank, spanking new options in Deshaun Sands and big Toben Opurum. Expect either or both of the freshmen to play this year, though you never want to rely too much on freshmen. Barring injury, Sharp will still carry a majority of the load.

One more thing: if Sands, ~~brother~~ son of the one and only Tony Sands, sees the field at Arrowhead this November, somebody should take precautionary measures and break his freaking kneecaps. Nothing personal, ahem.

Wide Receivers / Tight Ends

2008 Unit Ranking: #23 in the nation (#4 in the Big 12)

Projected WR Depth Chart
Dezmon Briscoe (6'3, 200, Jr.)
Kerry Meier (6'3, 220, Sr.)
Johnathan Wilson (6'3, 189, Jr.)
Raimond Pendleton (5'11, 192, Sr.)
Tertavian Ingram (6'0, 200, Jr.)
Isiah Barfield (6'0, 184, So.)
Reece Petty (6'2, 195, Jr.)
Willie O'Quinn (6'0, 190, So.)

Projected TE Depth Chart
Tim Biere (6'4, 246, So.)
Bradley Dedeaux (6'3, 252, Jr.)
Nick Plato (6'6, 242, RSFr.)

I'll be the first to admit that I need to figure out a better method of ranking WR/TE units. Both Kansas and Missouri ranked in the 20s in this category, but...well, until I figure out a better way, this is what we've got. KU definitely has the scariest 1-2 punch in the North. Briscoe and Meier combined for 189 catches, 2,452 yards, and 23 TDs in 2008, simply insane numbers. Johnathan Wilson (43 for 573, 3 TDs) is a solid third option, but...well, talking about anybody but Briscoe and Meier as the headliners is like saying Wilt Chamberlain and I have combined to sleep with over 10,000 women...it's very impressive, but it completely takes away from the real accomplishment.

KU executed a risky but perfect gameplan against Mizzou in 2008. They continued to dink and dunk, stretching the field horizontally with Meier and Briscoe, relying on the KU defense to fend Mizzou's offense off for as long as possible. If Mizzou sustains some drives in the first half, then the Mizzou defense doesn't completely wear out in the fourth quarter, but alas, that's what happened. When all was said and done, Briscoe and Meier combined for 23 catches, 221 yards, and 3 TDs (two of which came in Q4), and an exhausted Mizzou secondary saw its communication fall apart down the stretch. Again, dink-and-dunk is always risky because it takes a lot of plays to sustain a drive and opens up more opportunities for mistakes. But if you can pull it off, it works brilliantly, and it worked against Mizzou in 2008.

I am working on the assumption that 2009 will be Briscoe's last season in Lawrence--he's got good NFL size and speed, plus grades appear to be an issue, which sometimes pulls people toward the pros a little sooner than otherwise--meaning the KU receiving corps will take on a completely different look in 2010. But we'll talk about that in 2010. For now, this is the best WR unit in the North, and any production they get from the tight end position (which, last year, was almost nonexistant--Tim Biere and Bradley Dedeaux combined for all of 8 catches and 74 yards) is just icing.

Offensive Line

2008 Unit Ranking: #32 in the nation (#6 in the Big 12)

Projected Depth Chart
C Jeremiah Hatch (6'3, 311, So.)
T Jeff Spikes (6'6, 314, So.)
G Sal Capra (6'3, 292, Jr.)
G Carl Wilson (6'4, 292, Jr.)
T Tanner Hawkinson (6'6, 260, RSFr.)
G John Williams (6'4, 338, RSFr.)
G Trevor Marrongelli (6'4, 285, RSFr.)
C Brad Thorson (6'3, 290, Jr.)
T Ian Wolfe (6'5, 295, Jr.)
T Darius Parish (6'4, 341, So.)

Consider the offensive line Major Kansas Question Mark #1 (the second will come when we talk about the defense). They have the fewest returning career starts in the conference (lower than even OU), and of the ten names I was able to dig up for a depth chart (question for KU fans: is senior Jose Rodriguez still with the team? He's not on the 2009 KU roster, but I saw him mentioned at RCT), there are no seniors and only four juniors. This bodes well for 2010, when a solid, experienced line is trying to set the table for an almost 100% new set of skill position players, but for now it's a giant red flag for this offense. Todd Reesing is one of the best when it comes to improvising and creating on the fly, but that doesn't mean you want him doing it every play. For KU to win the North (which means either taking a game against Texas, Oklahoma, or Texas Tech, or running the table in the North), converted tight end Tanner Hawkinson will likely need to quickly become the real deal at left tackle, and Jeff Spikes (or whoever wins the RT job) will need to become pretty stable, pretty quickly. The ends in this conference are more athletic and experienced than in recent years, and...again, this team needs Reesing healthy and upright.

Summary

Todd Reesing's interesting offseason workout plan was introduced to the country recently...and well, I just needed a place to reference that, so here you go. Now to the real summary:

It cannot be emphasized enough just how much this team relies on Reesing for success. They have an efficient but average running game and the greenest offensive line in the conference. Reesing has two explosive and heady options in Briscoe and Meier, but the Jayhawks will need things to click better than they did last year to navigate through the most brutal schedule in the North and win their first North title (no, 2007 does not count). The more Reesing has to rely on his great improvisational skills, the more likely KU is to fail, not because Reesing's talent will fall off or anything, but because you're simply setting yourself up for failure with the more Passing Downs you encounter.

The running game must click at least as well as it did last year, when a seemingly raw O-line produced very respectable line yardage totals, and KU must avoid relying on Passing Downs success because they will likely fall off in that regard in 2009. Missouri did from 2007 to 2008, and I think with the more data I get, the more common I will find these occurrences to be. I still think that, talent- and experience-wise, KU is the most proven overall team in the North, but they will need to be better than they were in 2008, and with that offensive line and their '08 over-reliance on Passing Downs success, it's far from a given that they actually will be better.

Kansas Football Media Day Quotes

Denverjhawk — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 23:03:33 -0000

Today was preseason media day for the Kansas Jayhawks and following a practice in which he media was allowed to attend, Coach Mangino and the players were available for questions. Here are some highlights with some interesting items for sure.

Head Coach Mark Mangino

Opening Remarks:

"Good afternoon. Welcome to media day and we are glad to have you. We have our players prepared out on the field and we will bring up the players that have been requested. If there is a player that has not been requested you can grab him on the field and talk to them.

We are excited here. We have had an opportunity to practice here since Friday and I am pleased with a lot of things that are taking place on the practice field. Mainly I like the enthusiasm of this group and I think they have a lot of spirit to them. I think this is a group that has some leadership, some strong leadership and I like the way they are approaching the game, how they are learning and approaching things at meetings, learning out on the field, paying attention at all the walk-throughs. The retention has been good in terms of veteran players returning back here in August.

Every area we are going to need a lot of work in, but there are a few areas that we are going to need to get established here pretty quickly. The offensive line is young, but boy is it starting to come together. I really like how they are getting off the ball, but there are just fundamental things that we need to work out. Certainly you have heard me say in the past that the five guys on the offensive line must be working in concert together. They have to gel together and that is what we are doing right now. We feel good about the defensive line and the depth that we have there. The linebacking position still needs a lot of work and attention. We are working on that and I think we have a chance to be decent at that position. There are some young guys that are stepping up and making themselves accountable and putting heat on the veterans. The secondary is shoring up and I like it. We are taking a look at some back-up positions and then rounding out the group. The receivers are a talented group and I really like the idea that some of our young freshmen are coming in here and really looking sharp and looking good. It is a mature group of freshmen and I think one, maybe two, of those kids are going to get themselves into the rotation this fall.

In terms of the running back situation, Jake Sharp obviously looks good and picked up right from where he left off last year. I like that Rell Lewis is healthier and doing a lot better. Two newcomers, Daniel Porter and Toben Opurum, are really good, talented young guys. We have a chance to be really good and really deep at the running back position. I think that overall some positions are going to have some depth. The defensive line will have some depth, the secondary with have depth, running back will have depth and obviously the quarterback will have depth, but hopefully we won't need it but we will be deep at that position as well.

Overall I am pleased after only a handful of practices, we have a long way to go, and we are not nearly the football team that we want to be. We have a lot, a lot of work to do. This group seems willing to do it and I feel good about them."

Complete Mangino Transcript and Player Quotes after the Jump. Get ready it's a long one but after 7 months without football you might be ready for it...

On the team being prepared to handle expectations:

"I think they are. Expectations are what other people think of you and I think that inside this program we have always had high expectations. We have always wanted to compete for championships, go to bowl games and do those things. I don't think that changes internally, maybe the perception outside is different. How much that has an impact on us I don't know. I think the internal issues are more important."

On not being ranked in the Top 25:

"Number one, one of the reasons that I don't have a vote is because I don't want to make predictions about our team, I never have and really won't start now. You have to take care of your business and where you are picked before the season really doesn't matter to me. I don't know where we were picked two years ago and we had a pretty good year and I am not sure it matters."

On the offensive line:

"I know this that we are going to have more than five quality offensive linemen. How is actually plays out, I think we have some time yet."

On freshman defensive lineman Duane Zlatnik:

"One of the guys that has made a large improvement over last year has been Duane Zlatnik. He is a guy that was just a freshman last year that was feeling his way through. We are hoping that he will be in the rotation and really helps us tremendously. He has made a lot of improvement and as a I said last year he was just a true freshman and you don't put too much pressure on those type of guys because a lot of them need that year to mature and I think that he has done that."

On senior safety Darrell Stuckey building off his Missouri performance:

"It was a great game, but Darrell will be the first one to tell you that game is history and what we did last year, good or bad, is behind us. All that matters is what we take care of today and how we prepare for the 2009 season. It was a great effort by him last year, but I am sure that he would like to add more his scrapbook than just the Missouri game."

On the challenges that Tanner Hawkinson faces getting ready to play left tackle:

"First of all he has done everything that we have asked him to do. He has been diligent in the weight room, getting with our sports nutritionist Randy Bird, our trainer Murphy Grant, and has been under the watchful eye of Chris Dawson. He has worked hard and gained a lot of weight. He has done it the right way. He is still lean. He works hard and it is important to him. His role is very important to this team; to be the left tackle and protect the backside of the quarterback. I like his approach to it and he is getting better everyday. He really is."

On Coach Mangino's history of converting players to the offensive line:

"When I came here Adrian Jones was a tight end, and a mediocre one at that. It took us about six months to convince him that he could make a lot of money playing on the offensive line. He didn't believe it at first. He believes it now because if he was a tight end coming out of this program he would be a good insurance salesman. He wouldn't be playing in the NFL. At K-State, we brought Todd Weiner in from Florida and he was a 215-pound tight end. He left as a 305-pound tackle and just retired from a lengthy career in the NFL. There have been others. Frank Romero was a defensive end at Oklahoma, just like Adrian Jones it took him a long time accept it. Then when he found out he was an average defensive end and a great offensive tackle, he helped lead his team to a National Championship. So we have had some success in that area and hopefully we will keep it going."

On other players converting positions during camp:

"Angus (Quiqley) is coming along. His growth at that position has not been nearly as fast as I would have liked for it to be. I think he can help us there. He has the athleticism and speed. It is a crash course for him and he really needs to understand the urgency there. When he comes to terms with that I think he will be ok. We just moved Darius Parish in training camp. Darius had offensive line written all over him from day one, but we didn't have much depth on the defensive line last year so out of necessity we had to use him there. I think he has found a home and I think he will end up being a good football player for us on the offensive line."

On Vernon Brooks:

"He left camp today because he had a family emergency and I can't give you a time when he will be back. He has some family issues that he is tending to and I just can't tell you what impact or any at all that he would have. The more a new transfer is out of camp, it is very difficult to get into the groove."

On junior wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe:

"He has responded well and he knows what is expected of him here-of any player-and when you don't meet those expectations or standards there are consequences. He feels good and realizes that it is behind him now. He has had a good attitude and he has been having a really good camp. He learned a valuable lesson like everyone does in life every once in a while."

On junior wide receiver Johnathan Wilson:

"Johnathon (Wilson) has been a steady hand for us now. He is a guy that has kind of been back in the shadows, but he has made some big plays for us. He continually gets better. He is another guy who feels is important to him. He continually works to get better and he works hard. He cares about his performance and getting better. He is going to be an important guy. He will be a guy that has to make plays for us in order for us to be a good offensive team and I think he will."

On Big 12 defenses potentially catching up to the offenses:

"Oh I don't know, I guess we will just have to find out once the season starts. There will be a time when things evolve and people are going to say when are people going to go back to running the ball to try to move the ball on the ground against defenses because they are stopping the pass. The game just evolves, but we are doing all the things that we can to improve ourselves and there are some areas that need to be improved. I feel pretty good about where we are at with our schemes, but we just have to get out and fundamentally execute those schemes on defense."

On junior defensive lineman Quintin Woods:

"He is long and lean and he is quick. He really gets off the ball fast and because he has a lot of range he is able to get off blocks pretty good. He is not just a pass rush guy. He is not limited to just that and I think he can be a great run stopper too. He understands the game and understands how to use his hands. He can get off blocks and he pursues the football very, very well. He needs to get a little stronger and he understands that. A lot of kids coming from junior college programs don't have the intense weight programs that we do and they don't have a training table so to speak, or at least a good place for the kids to eat on campus. They also don't have a guy like Randy Bird to help you along. He will benefit from that."

On the chance that the defensive line will generate more pressure:

"Our goal this year in terms of the defensive line is to be a better pass rushing defensive line. The more pressure that we can put on with just four guys gives us more options of what we can do in coverage that we would really like to do. That isn't going to mean that we aren't going to blitz because blitzing is a part of our system and is a part of who we are. We believe that we are going to be better pass rushers than perhaps we were a year ago."

On if you can pick up how great a team will be off of training camp:

"Not really, two years ago I wouldn't have stood up here on media day and said that we were going to win 12 games. I thought we had a chance to have a nice team in 2000 at Oklahoma, but I couldn't have told you we were going to go 13-0 and win the National Championship. I felt the same thing at Kansas State because I knew we were getting better, but didn't know how good we were going to be. We knew that if everybody pulled together and we got all the right players in the right spots, and play to our players strengths that we could be pretty good. In some of those situations, the seasons went through the roof. I sit here at this training camp and I feel that we have a pretty good football team, but I know there are a couple of areas that we certainly need to improve in dramatically here in the next few weeks in order to have a good football team."

Senior quarterback Todd Reesing

On how things are going:

"Thing are going well. We have had four practices now and I am very pleased with how things are going. I talked to the team the other day and I told them that since I have been here that these have been the best four practices to start camp since my freshman year. It is very positive. Guys are flying around and the enthusiasm out there is the most exciting. Guys are out there having fun and competing and playing hard. There are a lot of things that we need to fix before we are ready to play a game, but things are going well."

On why he thinks camp has started so well:

"One of the big things is the seniors that we have right now understand what is going on. We are aware of the things that we want to accomplishment this year and we understand that it takes hard work. I think that the leadership we are getting from the seniors and other guys is really pushing the younger guys to practice hard, stay focused and have fun out there. When guys are having fun it is easier to work hard. When guys are dragging around the field and aren't positive it is harder to work hard."

On trying to prove people wrong:

"I think the biggest thing for us is the fact that people still doubt us. We have to continually prove ourselves in the conference and on the national scene. Until we continue to beat good teams, and go to bowl games and win bowl games then people will continually to consider us a fluke or this or that. So we want to prove people wrong and everyone on this team has a chip on their shoulder and that is why they are willing to work."

Senior Safety Darrel Stuckey

On head coach Mark Mangino suggesting he could make a good politician following football:

"I think that's an honor. He looks at me as a person that deals with people well-a very approachable person. It means a lot coming from a coach that has appointed me a team captain. It shows he trusts my leadership and vocal skills."

On if he is the type that looks to prove people wrong:

"It is a fair assessment. Coming here I was probably one of the only people out of my league in Kansas City, Kan., that went to a DI school to play football. When I came here no one had really been recruiting me. Kansas was the first one to get their hands on me. I've never looked back."

Senior Defensive Tackle Caleb Blakesley

On his goals for this season:

"The main thing we want to do is win the Big 12 North at the very least. When I came into the program in 2005 things were headed in the right direction, but they weren't there yet. Leaving the program on a strong foundation would be a good thing."

On Kansas' success in recent seasons:

"It's definitely special. It kind of hits close to home. Everyone back home is happy about it. Winning games against Missouri and Kansas State, winning those rivalry games, it makes it all that much more special."

On the team's progression in practice:

"Things are coming around. There's a lot of learning to do. There are a lot of young guys that are in the learning process, but they are doing a good job. They are taking steps towards learning everything and getting where they need to be."

Senior Linebacker Angus Quigley

On making the change from running back to linebacker:

"I'm just trying to help the team out anyway that I can. It's hard work. It's a rough transition, but I think it's going well. I'm doing my best to pick up things as fast as I can. The season is approaching and I'm just trying to be the best linebacker that I can be for the team. You can't do that on the bench. I'm trying to highlight my attributes and get on the field and help this team win."

On how the team is looking as a whole:

"We're all pretty much where we've been. Everybody is working hard at every position. Nobody is taking any shortcuts. You have to get it done. It's not time for short cuts. This isn't spring. The season is right around the corner."

Sophomore Kicker Jacob Branstetter

On being here for the start of practice and knowing he will be able to play:

"It's exciting. Last year I had to miss the first game and that was a little disappointing. I got back on track after that. It's a good time to be here with the team and bond with the guys and sharpen my skills."

On the mood in practice:

"The mood is really focused, but we love being around each other. We have a good time. We're all best friends and we like hanging out."

On how the team has been practicing:

"The team as a whole has really stepped up. Maybe it's the expectations or the expectations we've put on ourselves or those from the media, but the whole team has stepped up. Not one individual, but we've stepped up as a unit."

Sophomore Running Back Rell Lewis

On the first week of practice:

"It's going pretty good. We're starting off on the right foot. Everybody is working hard and getting better."

On who has surprised so far in practice:

"Honestly the whole team as a whole has surprised me. We look a lot better compared to last year. We look like we're ready to be out there and get some victories."

On goals for the team in the last few weeks of practice:

"Goals for the last couple weeks of practice are to continue to keep getting better and come together as a team."

On Big 12 North Title:

"That's our ultimate goal for right now to win the North. I'm not sure if we have in the past. But that's what we're trying to accomplish this year."

On Coach Mangino believing that the backfield is one of the deepest groups:

"Most of us are young, besides Jake. But I feel like we can contribute a lot to this team. We have a lot of talent back there."

Senior Corner Justin Thornton

On replacing players on defense:

"This is Division-I, there are always going to be players that can step in and play. Even last year when we had a great group of starters there were still guys right behind them that could step in and get the job done."

On the linebacking corps:

"Arist Wright, Justin Springer, Drew Dudley-you name them. Any linebacker is ready to step in and play. Even the freshmen linebackers are looking good for us."

On being listed at corner on the depth chart this season:

"We have a lot of experience coming back. We're just ready to go out there and make plays. Right now they have me at corner, but I'm not sure what the coaches have in store for me."

Junior Wide Receiver Dezmon Briscoe

On how he felt when he first got suspended:

"I wasn't really mad or angry. More of a disappointment to myself. The stupid stuff that I did, it's just something that is out of my character. Like I said before it's a learning experience. I feel like coach letting me back on the team means that he trusts me to not do that stuff again.

On having a greater appreciation now that he is back:

"Yeah, throughout that break that I wasn't with the team it made me feel like I wasn't a student-athlete. I felt like I was just a student. Just the privilege of being a student athlete is something most people would love to do. So I mean I really appreciate it a lot more."

On what this team can accomplish:

"We can accomplish a lot of things as long as we execute and show a sense of urgency and go out and play four quarters."

On winning the North:

"There's a lot of stuff going around that says us and Nebraska on top of the North, but at Kansas we don't really go into all that. We usually just take it one game at a time."

On beating Texas and OU:

"Well Texas and Oklahoma have been the powerhouses of the Big 12 the last couple years. It would be some premiere wins if we do beat them, but we're not looking that far ahead. We're really just focused on Northern Colorado right now.

Senior QB/WR Kerry Meier

On being one of the top teams in the North:

"You know, expectations are high at Kansas this year. Every year we set goals to try and accomplish, but this year it is a little something extra. I think personally, going into my senior year, I am excited to go out and try and grab those goals with the crew that we've got on hand and the coaching staff that's going to help get us there."

On competing with the top teams in the South:

"We've worked extra hard to get where we are right now. And I don't think we're where we quite want to be, but after the season, hopefully we can say we're up there with Oklahoma and Texas. If we can go out and go down to Texas and compete with them, and OU comes to our place and we can play with them as well as anybody else in the Big 12, we're going to be right where we want to be."

On two-a-days as a full-time receiver:

"It's a little different. Every once in a while I'll come sit in the meeting rooms with the qbs, just to check in and say hello and to give a couple reminders here and there. But it's been a little different, not only being a receiver, but also going into my last camp as a Jayhawk. It's been a different camp, but we've still got the same attitude that we need to come out and work each day."

On how the program has changed since he's been here:

"It's changed quite a bit. From the days I got back here in 2005, the buzz around the community and the people, there was not much excitement. But the Orange Bowl adds a little bit more, after last year with the Insight Bowl adds a little more. And here we are in 2009, it's the talk of the town. I know basketball is going to have a heck of a year this year. But right now it's the fall and I'm excited to be a Jayhawk on this football team."

On being third string QB:

"Coach wants to solidify a solid three, that's what he wants to do right now. Maybe through the later part of these two-a-days, maybe coach will be confident with what Kale (Pick) does and group him into that number two and have him ready to go. It doesn't really bother me at all. I think a lot of people question it. They wonder, ‘this guy caught 97 balls, why is he still playing quarterback?' But at quarterback, you never know what is going to happen. You've always got to have a two and a three ready. If something happened to Todd, I'm going to be right there ready to go."

Senior Running Back Jake Sharp

On being a senior:

"If you have people counting on you, you're going to do absolutely everything you can not to let them down. I try to show myself as an unselfish guy. Having teammates that look up to you when times get tough, I have to pick the guys up and show them that it's not that hard.

On what motivates him:

There's a lot of motivation for guys out there, especially in the game of football. But I'm motivated by doubters. I'm motivated by people counting on me. I'm motivated by all sorts of things."

On Tanner Hawkinson at left tackle:

"Tanner works real hard. He's working hard day in and day out. He's listening to the coaches and packed on a lot of weight, and he's a great guy. He's great to work with. I think the things that he's doing will really help us out.

2009 Husker Football Opponent Preview: Kansas

Husker Mike — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 11:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

Kansas coach Mark Mangino asks for a sandwich during Big 12 Media Day in Irving, Texas, Tuesday, July 28, 2009. (AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)

Browse more photos »

From 2004 through 2007, Kansas head coach Mark Mangino had the upper hand on Bill Callahan. In Lincoln, Nebraska hung on to win 14-8 in 2004 and 39-32 in overtime in 2006. In Lawrence, it was another matter entirely as the Jayhawks blasted Nebraska 40-15 in 2005 and that infamous 76-39 rout in 2007. Last season in Lincoln, Nebraska fared better against the Jayhawks in winning 45-35, a score that to me was much closer than the game was. Nebraska went minus-two in turnovers, and turned in a Jekyll/Hyde performance on defense. The Blackshirts forced 7 punts, but also gave up six plays of more than 20 yards.

Much of the credit for those big plays goes to the Jayhawk offense, and the core offensive skill players all look to return in 2009. It all starts with senior quarterback Todd Reesing, who's already set 30 school records. In any other conference, Reesing would probably be a star, but the Heisman candidates in the South division cast a huge shadow. Last season, he completed 66% of his passes for 32 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. There's no argument from anybody that he's the best quarterback in the North division going into 2009.

Eight of Kansas' top nine receivers return in 2009 including second team all-Big XII and honorable mention all-American Dezmon Briscoe. Well, Briscoe hopes to return as he was suspended from spring practice to clear up some academic issues. Briscoe caught 92 passes for 1407 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore last season. Backup senior quarterback Kerry Meier moonlights at wide receiver as long as Reesing stays healthy; last season, Meier caught 97 passes for 1045 yards and 8 touchdowns. Junior Johnathan Wilson rounds out the receiver corps, adding 43 receptions last season.

Jake Sharp returns for his senior season at running back after back-to-back 800 yard seasons the last two seasons. Senior Jocques Crawford left the team last month, leaving bruising freshman Toben Opurum as a possible backup to create a thunder and lightning tandem for the Jayhawks. Other candidates include converted wide receiver Rell Lewis and Deshaun Sands, whose father Tony ranks second on Kansas all-time rushing charts.

Running room could be tough to come by, with only two returning starters on the offensive line in sophomores Jeff Spikes at right tackle and Jeremiah Hatch, who moves from left tackle to center this season. Two redshirt freshmen in right guard John Williams and left tackle Tanner Hawkinson are expected to be thrown into the fire as starters, and possibly a third at left guard with Trevor Marrongelli, who's battling with junior Sal Capra. Lots of questions and inexperience to open the season, though those questions could be answered by mid-November when the Huskers come to town. If this line develops, they could become the standard for the Big XII North --- in 2011.

On defense, seven starters from a defense that ranked in the middle of the Big XII last season. Up front, junior defensive end Jake Laptad and senior defensive tackle Caeb Blakesley return after earning honorable mention all-Big XII last season. Also returning is junior defesive tackle Jamal Green, who added 21 tackles, 7 for losses last season as a part-time starter.

The Jayhawks will need to replace all three linebackers, who all happened to be the top tacklers on last season's defense. Kansas is switching to a 4-2-5 alignment to offset their lack of depth at linebacker with their depth in the secondary. Among the candidates to start is former running back Angus Quigley, who made the switch during bowl practice last December.

The entire secondary returns for the Jayhawks, led by senior all-Big XII safety Darrell Stuckey, who is the team's leading returning tackler (98) and pass interceptor (5). Juniors Phllip Strozier and Chris Harris, the 2007 Big XII defensive newcomer of the year, should start at the other safety and nickel spots. Senior cornerback Justin Thornton and sophomore cornerback Daymond Patterson, who switched from wide receiver to starting corner midway through last aseason, also return.

While many preseason national magazines picked the Jayhawks to win the Big XII North this season, the media has hedged their bets because of the questions on the offensive line, linebacker, and the Jayhawks schedule. The Jayhawks must face the gauntlet of Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas Tech, which might potentially put them a game behind Nebraska and Missouri in the Big XII North race. That's a dangerous position with a rapidly improving Baylor squad in the South division. As such, the North division may come down to the winner of the round-robin between Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas. If that's the case, it may be to the Jayhawks advantage since Kansas hosts Nebraska and plays Missouri less than an hour away at Arrowhead in Kansas City.

Poll

What's your prediction for the Nebraska-Kansas game?

Nebraska is going to answer their questions sooner than Kansas, and will roll the Jayhawks decisively.

49 votes

Kansas' offensive firepower will keep them in the game, but the Huskers should pull this one out.

135 votes

It'll be closer than the last couple of games in Lawrence, but Kansas will win at home once again.

53 votes

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Jayhawks blow out Nebraska in Lawrence.

51 votes

288 votes | Poll has closed