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Kansas Lands Fifteen on the Academic All Big 12 List for Football

Denverjhawk — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:00:17 -0000

More photos » by Darren Abate - AP

Todd Reesing highlighted the list of 15 Kansas football players named Academic All-Big 12 by the league office Tuesday. The list includes nine players selected to the first team, including five repeat honorees as KU produced at least seven players named to the first team for the fourth straight year.

Student-athletes must post a 3.0 grade-point average, either cumulative or in the previous two semesters, and be regulars on the team to earn the league honors. First-team honorees must have at least a 3.2 grade-point average.

Reesing, a senior quarterback, was named to the first team for the third time, becoming the ninth Jayhawk in history to earn first-team academic all-conference honors three times.

Other KU first-team selections include two-time first-team honorees Jacob Branstetter, Drew Dudley, Justin Springer and Jeff Wheeler, who was a second-team selection in 2008 after earning first-team accolades in 2007.

Tim Biere, Trevor Marrongelli, Olaitan Oguntodu and Brad Thorson were named first team for the first time.

Second-team honorees include Greg Brown, Sal Capra, Kerry Meier, Daymond Patterson, Jake Schermer and Jake Sharp.

Sharp was recognized for the third time as he was a first-team honoree in 2007 and a two-time second-team selection. Meier was a second-team selection in 2007 and again this year. Schermer has been a second-team honoree in each of the last two years.

Reesing joined previous three-time honorees from Kansas including Ron Oelschlager, Ken Saathoff, Jim Moore, Greg Erb, Jake Letourneau, Kevin Kane, Russell Brorsen and John Larson.

Reesing and Dudley both earned Academic all-district honors earlier this season and are eligible for Academic All-America honors.

2009 Kansas Academic All-Big 12 Football Honorees

First Team

Tim Biere, TE, So., Pre-Business

Jacob Branstetter, PK, Jr., Management and Leadership

Drew Dudley, LB, Jr., Civil Engineering

Trevor Marrongelli, OL, Fr., Economics

Olaitan Oguntodu, S, Jr., Marketing

Todd Reesing, QB, Sr., Finance and Economics

Justin Springer, LB, Jr., Sport Management

Brad Thorson, OL, Jr., Economics, Masters

Jeff Wheeler, DE, Sr., Civil Engineering

Second Team

Greg Brown, DB, Fr., Pre-Business

Sal Capra, OL, Jr., Finance

Kerry Meier, WR, Sr., Sport Management

Daymond Patterson, CB, So., Pre-Sport Management

Jake Schermer, LB, Sr., Marketing

Jake Sharp, RB, Sr., Sport Management

The North in 2010

Bill C. — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:00:31 -0000

The 2009 Big 12 North race is, to say the least, intriguing heading into November, but the way my brain works, I can't help but keep an eye on the future as all of this plays out. And since it's in my head, I might as well type it out too, huh? As November 2009 begins, let's take a look at...2010.

What we're going to do is simple: we're going to take the most recent two-deeps listed on each team's website, remove the seniors, and see what's left. Obviously there will be plenty more analysis to come, but this will be a nice, preliminary peek. I can't help myself.

Missouri

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Blaine Gabbert (Jr) Jimmy Costello (So)	DE	Jacquies Smith (Jr) Marcus Malbrough (So)
RB	Derrick Washington (Sr) De'Vion Moore (So)	DT	Dominique Hamilton (Jr) Marvin Foster (RSFr)
WR	Jerrell Jackson (Jr) Brandon Gerau (Jr)	DT	Terrell Resonno (Jr) Bart Coslet (Sr)
WR	T.J. Moe (So) Rolandis Woodland (So)	DE	Aldon Smith (So) Brad Madison (So)
WR	Wes Kemp (Jr) Michael Egnew (Jr)	WLB	Zaviar Gooden (So) Donovan Bonner (So)
TE	Andrew Jones (Jr) Beau Brinkley (Jr)	MLB	Will Ebner (Jr) Luke Lambert (Sr)
LT	Elvis Fisher (Jr) Justin Britt (RSFr)	SLB	Andrew Gachkar (Sr) Tyler Crane (Jr)
LG	Austin Wuebbels (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	CB	Carl Gettis (Sr) Trey Hobson (Jr)
C	Tim Barnes (Sr) J.T. Beasley (Jr)	CB	Kevin Rutland (Sr) Robert Steeples (So)
RG	Jayson Palmgren (Jr) Travis Ruth (So)	FS	Jasper Simmons (Sr) Munir Prince (Sr)
RT	Dan Hoch (Jr) Jack Meiners (So)	SS	Jarrell Harrison (Sr) Kenji Jackson (Jr)

K	Grant Ressel (Jr)	P	Matt Grabner (Jr)
PR	Carl Gettis (Sr)	KR	Jasper Simmons (Sr)

I've got to say, this is the most complete team heading into 2010. Blaine Gabbert will be the most accomplished North QB heading into 2010 and Derrick Washington the second-most accomplished RB. The improved secondary will return just about everybody of importance, and a deep LB corps could be well-positioned to absorb the loss of Sean Weatherspoon with as little drop-off as possible.
Two major question marks: a) who replaces Danario Alexander, and b) who replaces Jaron Baston? Multiple candidates exist to replace Spoon, so that's actually less of a worry, but the WR situation is at least a bit worrisome. Wes Kemp has shown flashes, and if he continues to grow, he could be the deep threat this team needs, but what is it I always say? Until you actually prove it, it's a question mark. Beyond Kemp, guys like Jackson, T.J. Moe (remember him?), Rolandis Woodland, and one of the redshirting freshmen (L'Damian Washington, Jaleel Clark, Kerwin Stricker) will fill out the depth chart, and at least one of them will need to take a step forward.
Of course, you know who else could absorb the loss of Danario? Tight ends. Novel concept, I know.
I really like what I've seen out of Dominique Hamilton recently, but Terrell Resonno seems to have disappeared. Either he or one of the underclassmen (Marvin Foster, Jimmy Burge, George White) will need to raise their game. If somebody competent steps up at WR and DT, this team is loaded.

Colorado

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Tyler Hansen (Jr) Cody Hawkins (Sr)	DE	Marquez Herrod (Sr) Josh Hartigan (Jr)
RB	Rodney Stewart (Jr) Darrell Scott (Jr)	DT	Curtis Cunningham (Jr) Nate Bonsu (So)
FB	Ryan Deehan (Jr) ?	DT	Will Pericak (So) Conrad Obi (Jr)
WR	Scotty McKnight (Sr) Jason Espinoza (Jr)	DE	Forrest West (So) Nick Kasa (So)
WR	Markques Simas (Jr) Will Jefferson (So)	WLB	Jon Major (So) Tyler Ahles (Jr)
TE	Ryan Deehan? (Jr) ?	MLB	Michael Sipili (Sr) ?
LT	Nate Solder (Sr) Ryan Dannewitz (So)	SLB	B.J. Beatty (Sr) Doug Rippy (So)
LG	Ethan Adkins (Jr) Blake Behrens (Jr)	CB	Jimmy Smith (Sr) ?
C	Keenan Stevens (Sr) Mike Iltis (Jr)	CB	Jalil Brown (Sr) Arthur Jaffee (Jr)
RG	Matthew Bahr (Jr) Max Tuioti-Mariner? (So)	FS	Ray Polk (So) Anthony Perkins (Jr)
RT	Ryan Miller (Jr) Bryce Givens (So)	SS	Travis Sandersfeld (Jr) ?

K	Aric Goodman (Sr)	P	Aric Goodman (Sr)
PR	Jason Espinoza (Jr)	KR	Brian Lockridge (Jr)

I mentioned this past offseason that while Colorado was going to stink in 2009, they might actually be positioning themselves to actually fulfill the role of sleeper that has been foisted upon them for most of the last half-decade. Ironically, they might actually emerge as a sleeper just as everybody finally gives up on them.
Of course, there will still be some major question marks. You know I'm not at all impressed with Rodney "Another Short Gain By" Stewart, and while Scotty McKnight (how is he still an underclassman???) is a great possession guy, he'd be a helluva lot better as a #2 or #3 threat than a #1. Unless Markques Simas finally starts to live up to the potential everybody says he has, this team is still severely lacking at WR, and they're losing both of their top tight ends. (I'm going out of my way not to mention Darrell Scott here, as he...whatever. I have no expectations whatsoever for him at this point, and I'm going to let him surprise me.)
I really like Jimmy Smith at CB, but CU's going to be searching for some replacements in the secondary. Jalil Brown has potential, and Ray Polk is young, but depth could be an issue.
Same can be said for the LB corps. Luckily for CU, they should have a strong D-line to maybe deflect some of the concerns.
If CU really does live up to its annual sleeper reputation, it will be in the trenches, where a struggling O-line will at least have experience on its side, and the D-line could be strong. Then again, after watching CU's O-line attempt to handle MU's improving-but-not-amazing D-line, maybe returning a bunch of these guys might not be a good thing.

Iowa State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Austen Arnaud (Sr) Jerome Tiller (So)	DE	Patrick Neal (Jr) ?
RB	Alexander Robinson (Sr) Beau Blankenship (So)	DT	Bailey Johnson (Jr) Stephen Ruempolhamer (Jr)
WR	Jake Williams (Sr) ?	DT	Austin Alburtis (Sr) ?
WR	Sedrick Johnson (Jr) ?	DE	Roosevelt Maggitt (So) Cleyon Lang (So)
WR	Josh Lenz (So) Darius Darks (Jr)	SLB	Jacob Lattimer (Jr) ?
TE	Collin Franklin (Sr) ?	MLB	Matt Tau'fo'ou (Sr) A.J. Klein (So)
LT	Kelechi Osmele (Jr) Brayden Burris (So)	WLB	Jake Knott (So) ?
LG	Alex Alvarez (Sr) Mike Bangston (So)	CB	Leonard Johnson (Jr) Jeremy Reeves (So)
C	Sean Smith (Sr) ?	CB	Jacques Washington (So) ?
RG	Ben Lamaak (Sr) Trey Baysinger (Jr)	FS	Michael O'Connell (Sr) ?
RT	Scott Haughton (Jr) Zack Spears (Jr)	SS	David Sims (Sr) Zac Sandvig (Sr)

K	Grant Mahoney (Jr)	P	?
PR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)	KR	Leonard Johnson (Jr)

So Paul Rhoads' second year in Ames will potentially see a downright strong offense and a thin, depleted, inexperienced defense. I don't want to overstate the offensive potential (the WR situation is iffy, to say the least), but ISU might have the best O-line in the North blocking for what is at least decent skill position talent.
Arnaud vs Tiller. Could be interesting to watch this competition.
Really, if ISU returned just a couple more decent playmakers on defense, I could talk myself into them being a darkhorse contender. But while I do like what Rhoads has done with the talent on hand this year, I just can't figure they'll be that great next year. They will need another year or two of Rhoads developing his own recruits before I feel a lot more comfortable about the potential of their program.

Kansas

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Kale Pick (So) ?	DE	Jake Laptad (Sr) ?
RB	Toben Opurum (So) ?	DT	Jamal Greene (Sr) ?
WR	Dezmon Briscoe?? (Sr) ?	DT	John Williams (So) Richard Johnson (Jr)
WR	Johnathan Wilson (Sr) Tertavian Ingram (Sr)	DE	Quintin Woods (Sr) ?
WR	Bradley McDougald (So) Chris Omigie (So)	SLB	Justin Springer (Sr) ?
TE	Tim Biere (Jr) Ted McNulty (Jr)	MLB	Drew Dudley (Sr) ?
LT	Tanner Hawkinson (So) Ian Wolfe (Sr)	WLB	Huldon Tharp (So) ?
LG	Brad Thorson (Sr) Carl Wilson (Sr)	CB	D.J. Beshears (So) Daymond Patterson (Jr)
C	Jeremiah Hatch (Jr) Brad Thorson (Sr)	CB	Chris Harris (Sr) Calvin Rubles (Sr)
RG	Sal Capra (Sr) Trevor Marrongelli (So)	FS	Lubbock Smith (So) ?
RT	Jeff Spikes (Jr) Michael Martinovich (Jr)	SS	Phil Strozier (Sr) ?

K	Jacob Branstetter (Sr)	P	Alonso Rojas (Sr)
PR	Daymond Patterson (Jr)	KR	Bradley McDougald (So)

So KU's biggest question mark (offensive line) will return completely intact next year, while most of the known skill position talent disappears. I listed Dez Briscoe on the two-deep above, but I've got to be honest: I'm about 92% sure he's going pro this year. His stats are ridiculous, he's got decent NFL size, he's been suspended for academic reasons, and supposedly he was tied to those football-vs-basketball brawls earlier in the year. That's not a recipe for someone who's going to go out of his way to stick around campus for another season.
Without Briscoe, I have to figure this is going to be a run-heavy offense next year. Kale Pick's got a lot to prove, but with Toben Opurum and an experienced line, they might (might) be able to rely on the run. Then again, they'll still need some sort of passing attack, and...who will be the #1 receiver? Johnathan Wilson, I guess? Color me unafraid.
I'm not even going to try to figure out if KU's D is going to be any good. They've improved recently, but they lose Darrell Stuckey and two linemen, and the depth from LB corps vanishes. I assume this will be a decent unit, and really you can start to maybe see the identity KU might be going with--defense first, run-heavy, grind it out.

Kansas State

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Carson Coffman (Sr) ?	DE	Brandon Harold (Jr) ?
RB	Daniel Thomas (Sr) ?	DT	Prizell Brown (Sr) ?
FB	Braden Wilson (So) Lucas Hamm (Sr)	DT	Raphael Guidry (Jr) ?
WR	Lamark Brown (Sr) ?	DE	Antonio Felder (Sr) Joseph Kassanavoid (So)
WR	Collin Klein (So) Chris Harper (So)	LB	Kevin Rohleder (Sr) ?
TE	Travis Tannahill (So) ?	LB	Alex Hrebec (Jr) ?
LT	Zach Hanson (Jr) ?	LB	Troy Butler (Sr) Thomas Ferguson (So)
LG	Zach Kendall (Sr) Trevor Viers (Sr)	CB	Joshua Moore (Sr) Darious Thomas (So)
C	Wade Weibert (Sr) ?	CB	Stephen Harrison (Sr) David Garrett (Jr)
RG	Kenneth Mayfield (Sr) Colten Freeze (Jr)	FS	Emmanuel Lamur (Jr) ?
RT	Clyde Aufner (Jr) Ethan Douglas (So)	SS	Tysyn Hartman (Jr) Torrell Miller (So)

K	Josh Cherry (Sr)	P	Ryan Doerr (So)
PR	Tysyn Hartman (Jr)	KR	Daniel Thomas (Sr)

Like Kansas, this looks to be a pretty run-heavy, can't-pass-on-them team, with Daniel Thomas running behind a super-experienced line and a well-coached defense that is iffy in the front seven but stout in the secondary. In other words, this looks like a Bill Snyder team (sans the All-American linebackers). We've made a big deal out of the fact that they're losing about 35 seniors this year (and that's only a slight exaggeration), and that will absolutely murder their depth, but if they stay reasonably healthy, the Snyder identity might be able to take shape a bit more.
Now, I say they'll have a good secondary...I'm still unsure about how good the secondary is now, but returning all four current starters certainly suggests decent improvement for next year.
I believe I heard that Chris Harper is moving to WR instead of competing at QB, right?

Nebraska

Projected 2010 Depth Chart
QB	Cody Green (So) Zac Lee (Sr)	DE	Cameron Meredith (So) Josh Williams (So)
RB	Roy Helu, Jr. (Sr) Rex Burkhead (So)	DT	Baker Steinkuhler (So) Terrence Moore (Jr)
FB	Tyler Legate (So) Mike Hays (Jr)	DT	Jared Crick (Jr) ?
WR	Niles Paul (Sr) Antonio Bell (So)	DE	Pierre Allen (Sr) ?
WR	Curenski Gilleylen (Jr) Khiry Cooper (So)	Will	Blake Lawrence (Sr) Matthew May (Jr)
TE	Mike McNeill (Sr) Dreu Young (Sr)	Mike	Will Compton (So) Micah Kreikemeier (So)
LT	Mike Smith (Sr) ?	Buck	Sean Fisher (So) Eric Martin (So)
LG	Keith Williams (Sr) ?	CB	Prince Amukamara (Sr) Dejon Gomes (Sr)
C	Mike Caputo (Jr) ?	CB	Anthony West (Sr) Alfonzo Dennard (Jr)
RG	Ricky Henry (Sr) ?	FS	Eric Hagg (Sr) Austin Cassidy (Jr)
RT	Marcel Jones (Jr) D.J. Jones (Sr)	SS	P.J. Smith (So) Courtney Osborne (So)

K	Alex Henery (Sr)	P	Alex Henery (Sr)
PR	Niles Paul (Sr)	KR	Niles Paul (Sr)

How the hell is Pierre Allen still an underclassman? I was completely convinced that both he and Barry Turner were seniors, but I guess not.
Next question: how much of Nebraska's defensive identity is grounded in Ndamukong Suh? He and Turner depart, but will Allen and the stout Jared Crick be able to keep the great D-line play coming? And how much of Crick's success is due to offenses' fear of Suh?
The shine is quickly wearing off of Roy Helu, Jr., but he does return next year (lord knows he's not going pro), and with yet another experienced O-line, NU should be able to run the ball pretty well. That will obviously take some pressure off of Cody Green if Green is not, after all, ready to be NU's savior.
I really like what NU has returning at CB, but...safety? I think I like their second-string CBs more than their first string safeties. Will be interesting to see if there's some position shifting when all is said and done.

As a Missouri fan, I look at this information and quickly conclude that Missouri will be the 2010 favorite, and really I'd say I have pretty good basis in fact for that opinion. That said, Nebraska is intriguing, and even though K-State is not a stat-friendly team (I've already accepted that they're better than the stats say--I just can't figure out how much better), Bill Snyder really might get them back into the hunt despite the youth and lack of depth. Colorado could be interesting depending on who the head coach is (ahem), Kansas has recruited well and will see plenty of talented-but-young players hitting the field, and Iowa State might have the best offensive line in the division. I'd like to think Missouri might run away with this thing, and I'm sure it could happen (the trip to Lincoln aside), but with five of six North teams (all but Kansas) looking potentially better next year than this year, we might have another fun race on our hands.

Hawk Talk: Kansas vs Texas Tech Tailgate Edition

Denverjhawk — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:00:20 -0000

News and Notes leading up to this weekends matchup...

The Good Guys...

Jake Sharp battles injury in attempt to continue to contribute.
Everyone's a little puzzled when it comes to the Big12 North.
Jayhawks land a commitment this week in St. Louis area linebacker Ed Fink.
Kansas looks to refocus on the running game.
Reesing and the Kansas offense fighting to get out of a rut.
Opurum the Equalizer?
Tech no pushover.
Reesing retains his confidence.
Kansas v Tech preview.
Young secondary in for a serious test in Lubbock.
A look at Jayhawk strength coach Chris Dawson.

Denver's Take...

Well I'm done guessing scores and outcomes as this season has gotten pretty crazy and it's hard to draw much from a team's performance week to week because it appears to have no bearing on the current week.

All I know is Tech is a winnable game but the Jayhawks are going to have to do something different than they have in recent weeks. The Red Raiders will look to turn this in a shootout because quite honestly their defense has nearly as many concerns as the Jayhawks.

Kansas needs to avoid the early mistake and ensure themselves the chance to actually execute a gameplan for the first time in three weeks. Problem with both CU and OU is that the moment you go down early with a defense that you don't have a lot of confidence in the tendency is to scrap whatever you wanted to do and try to go with your strengths. Problem is those strengths haven't been as much of a slam dunk as we once thought.

Run the ball, keep the offense balanced and on defense avoid the big play. Sorry Labba I'm with Bowen on this one. Tech has a young quarterback and some inexperienced offensive lineman. Let's give these guys a little room to work underneath and try and pressure the QB into mistakes. This one for a variety of reason very likely could be the shootout you'd expect and the one who blinks first might just lose.

Rock Chalk Jayhawks, let's get this train back on the tracks.

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

KU-TT SERIES -- Texas Tech leads the all-time series 10-1, including a 4-1 advantage in games played at Lubbock. The Red Raiders have won three straight in the series, including last season's 63-21 victory at
Lawrence. KU's lone win the series was a 34-31 double-overtime victory at Lubbock in 2001. The teams played four times (1965, 66, 69 and 70) before the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996.

KU-TT LAST YEAR -- No. 6 Texas Tech's offensive firepower was too much for No. 19 Kansas as the visiting Red Raiders posted a 63-21 victory at Lawrence on Oct. 25. Texas Tech scored touchdowns on nine
of its first 11 possessions, while stopping KU's 13-game home field winning streak. The teams were tied at 14 after the first quarter. However, the Red Raiders scored 49 unanswered points before KU scored a touchdown with 3:52 remaining in the game. Texas Tech ran up 556 total yards, while KU managed just 315, its fewest in the previous 27 games. KU turned the ball over five times on the day, including on three straight possessions to start the third quarter.

KU-TT LAST TIME AT LUBBOCK -- Texas Tech built up a 20-0 halftime lead en route to a 30-17 victory on Oct. 1, 2005 in the last meeting at Lubbock. The Red Raiders had 380 yards of total offense, while KU managed just 271. Jon Cornish ran for 111 yards for the Jayhawks, while Brian Luke threw for 109 yards and Adam Barmann threw for 45 more. KU fumbled six times, but only lost one in the game.

KU'S ONLY WIN IN THE SERIES WAS A THRILLER -- As mentioned earlier, KU's only win in the series was a 34-31 double-overtime victory at Lubbock on Oct. 6, 2001. The teams traded rushing touchdowns in the first overtime before KU's Johnny Beck nailed a 37-yard field goal on the first possession of the second overtime. KU LB Marcus Rogers intercepted B.J. Symons in the second overtime to seal the victory for the Jayhawks. KU trailed 24-13 before Beck hit a 44-yard field goal with 4:11 left in the game. KU forced a Red Raider punt and then drove 63 yards for a touchdown pass from Mario Kinsey to Termain Fulton with :21 left. The two-point conversion (a Reggie Duncan rush) sent the game into overtime. Duncan rushed for 227 yards for KU, which put up 310 rushing yards and 404 total. Texas Tech had 358 yards.

KU-TT CONNECTIONS -- KU Head Coach Mark Mangino and TT Head Coach Mike Leach were on the offensive staff at Oklahoma in 1999... Kansas boasts 35 players on its roster from the state of Texas.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST TEXAS TECH

WR Kerry Meier (1,958) needs just 42 receiving yards to become the fourth Jayhawk in school history to record 2,000 career receiving yards.
Meier (16) needs one more touchdown catch to tie for second on the KU career touchdown receptions list.
Meier has caught at least four passes in 10 straight games, at least two in 28 straight and at least one in 29 consecutive games.
Reesing (9,782) needs 218 passing yards to become the fifth player in Big 12 history to record 10,000 career passing yards.
WR Dezmon Briscoe (2,634) needs 189 receiving yards to break into the Big 12 top 10 for career receiving yards (Jordy Nelson of Kansas State had 2,822).
Briscoe has caught at least four passes in 10 consecutive games and at least two in 25 straight games.
Since missing his last two field goal attempts at UTEP, PK Jacob Branstetter has made six consecutive field goals.
DB Ryan Murphy has been in on a turnover in two straight games and in three of the last four (two interceptions and a fumble recovery).

DID YOU KNOW? -- PK Jacob Branstetter's five longest field goals of his career have come in his last five attempts. Against Colorado he made a 37-yarder to establish a career long. That did not last long as later in that game he made 43 and 42-yarders. Last week against Oklahoma, he drilled a 39-yarder and then booted a 57-yarder. His previous long was a 34-yarder vs. Missouri in 2008.

DID YOU KNOW? -- LB Justin Springer made a career-high nine tackles against Oklahoma, while three freshmen - D.J. Beshears, Lubbock Smith and Huldon Tharp - were the next leading tacklers for KU with seven each.

YOUTHFUL DEFENSE -- In its last game against Oklahoma, the Jayhawk starting defense included four freshmen, one sophomore, three juniors and three seniors. The freshmen starters included DT John Williams (two season starts), LB Huldon Tharp (three starts), CB D.J. Beshears (one start) and FS Lubbock Smith (two starts).

DID YOU KNOW? -- The Kansas defense has just four players who have recorded 100 career tackles in SS Darrell Stuckey (256), FS Justin Thornton (202), CB Chris Harris (174) and LB Arist Wright (115).

DID YOU KNOW? -- Twenty different players have started on defense this season.

Kansas vs. Texas Tech Matchup Breakdown

Denverjhawk — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:00:28 -0000

Why Kansas?	Edge	Scenario	Edge	Why Tech?
I'm at a bit of a loss on this one. Kansas is one of the top ranked offenses in the country but the last few weeks have held some struggles for the unit. Kansas needs to avoid mistakes early so they aren't forced to abandon the run. From there take a little hint from A&M and commit to the run. In the passing game Briscoe and Meier are studs but it's time guys like McDougald, Biere and Wilson see more balls. Balance is the key to keeping teams off guard. It's almost as if the Jayhawks have become to predictable. One other thing, if the other team wants to throw an giant umbrella out there against this tough recieving corps, check down to the running backs. They've been open regularly.	Edge Still goes to the Jayhawks here but after the last two weeks it's by an ever slimming margin. Todd and the O have earned the benefit of the doubt due to past success, let's just get this thing back on track so doubt doesn't continue to trickle into the picture.	KU Offense vs. Texas Tech Defense		Texas Tech is a middle of the pack defense after some key losses from last season. However if they can force some mistakes and make Kansas one dimensional it becomes a different game. The blueprint is out there on how to stop this Jayhawk attack, it's just a matter of executing and capitalizing on any miscues.
The changes from a few weeks back look to be upgrades. John Williams is solid up front, Justin Springer and Huldon Tharp look to be the best linebacking combo Kansas has fielded this year. Finally, Lubbock Smith, Ryan Murphy and even DJ Beshears despite his struggles have looked very good at times. Throw into the mix a rejuvinated Darrell Stuckey and this defense has been respectable since Iowa State and had Kansas been firing on all cylinders was likely good enough to beat Oklahoma. The Kansas defense needs the offense to put the team ahead and let the Jayhawks tee off, mix things up and try and force more mistakes by the Raiders, beyond that...bend but don't break whenever possible.		KU Defense vs. Texas Tech Offense		Believe it. Once again Mike Leach has the top passing team in the nation. The only tricky thing is their running game has struggled and their most efficient quarterback in this years musical chairs is out. Take advantage of a youthful Kansas secondary and put them on their heels and Tech's wild ride, shootout style could make for some serious problems for the Jayahwks.
Allright, Kansas needs to keep McDougald as the kick return man, find a way to get Daymond Patterson better blocking and special teams might be moving in the right direction. I mean hell Jacob Branstetter bombed one in and Alonso Rojas is still our punter extraordinaire. All Kansas needs to do is play with a little more fire and be a little less timid on the special teams units and this might one day be a strength again.		Special Teams	I'll give Tech the edge because they have a solid return game and the last thing Kansas can afford to do is give Tech a short field.	Exploit the Kansas kick coverage and make Jacob Branstetter show why he's the best tackling kicker in the country. Other than that, Mike Leach doesn't believe in field goals does he? Still the Tech special teams unit can win field position with their return game and coverage.
Kansas coaching staff will come up with a gameplan of their own and I'm still confident in the group. If it's me though, I'm going to commit to the run, keep things simple on offense and find ways to spread things around more. On defense, channel whatever you did against Oklahoma in the first half and things will look allright. Mix it up, disguise coverages and blitzes and make it difficult on whoever lines up behind center for the Red Raiders.	I say push on this one but let's be completely honest that the Jayhawk staff as got to find a way to get things back on track. Like the offense they've earned a little bit of goodwill, but it's time to earn some money again.	Coaching		Tech's coaches need to find a way to get the run defense back under control. Find a way to plug and play yet another quarterback in the offense, and put Kansas behind early. Leach is a mad genius and he certainly didn't disappoint last year in Lawrence. Can he do the same?

It's tough to look at this one and say Kansas has a chance. At the same time, isn't it tough to look at this one and say they don't? Kansas and Tech have been all over the board this year in terms of how they've played and the state of the team. Kansas is coming off two weeks with losses to Colorado and OU where they hurt themselves to the point of putting themselves out of the game.

Things at Tech were looking up after throttling Kansas State and beating Nebraska behind an impressive defensive performance. Then lowly Texas A&M came to town and ran up and down the field to the tune of 50+.

So who wins this thing? In Lubbock with the offense the Raiders put on the field they'd look to have a decided edge. At the same time the Kansas defense is playing better now and at some point this offense has to get back on track, right?

With all the uncertainty I think it's safe to say this one comes down to coaching. Which coach has his team more prepared, refocused and ready to go. The great thing about football is there's always next week, well next week is here Kansas fans and the North is still there for the taking.

Linebackers Early Season Report Card

Denverjhawk — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:36:40 -0000

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Perhaps the biggest question mark headed into the season was the Kansas Jayhawk linebacker group. The candidates were numerous but unknown and how effectively they could replace last years group also caused some concern.

This group has also been probably the most difficult to grade out at this point as well. With different player combination's to go with up and down performances this area has probably given the most incomplete picture through three games of the season.

However, with lower than normal expectations for the group and a switch to a 4-2-5 defense the pressure was not nearly as great and perhaps the grading not nearly as harsh as it could be in other areas.

Arist Wright OLB - B+

Arist was likely the only player headed into the season that could have felt even remotely secure with a chance to start. Wright saw the field fairly regularly in 2008 and took that experience into the spring, separating himself from most of the others.

Against most spread teams the undersized Wright will be in a position of coverage against a running back. Through three games this season it's clear he's been keying on the backs, and when they remain in as a blocker he's expected to play football and make plays.

In that role Wright has been pretty good. When his key has become the ball carrier he's done a solid job of attacking the line of scrimmage with the primary exception being some of the UNoCo game early. He's also done a good job playing the free linebacker in a QB spy type role.

As he get's more comfortable during the year Wright has a chance to be very good for Kansas. His play against the run has been good, his pass covering skills have been decent and he has also managed to get in the face of the QB from time to time in the varying blitz packages.

B+ for Wright through three games. 14 tackles on the year, 1 for a loss and a pass breakup. The stats don't tell the whole story and I certainly hope his injury from last week was but a precaution as Wright is well positioned to be a factor for much of the season.

Drew Dudley MLB - A

Drew Dudley? I thought he was a fullback? Oh wait, wasn't he a Linebacker before that? Dudley was grouped in with the top linebackers in the state of Texas coming out of high school and he's finally getting a chance to show it.

18 tackles, 5 tackles for a loss and three sacks for a guy that as off April wasn't even expected on the defensive side of the ball. Dudley has attacked the line of scrimmage, made plays and pressured the quarterback when he's been asked to do so.

Not much more to say for Dudley as this guy deserves an A so far. Very solid play, shows great aggresiveness against the run and is a huge part of why the Jayhawks have pressured the quarterback early this year.

Huldon Tharp OLB - A-

Huldon is going to be a very good linebacker in the Big 12 and should be a welcome sign for Kansas fans worried about defense.

During the first two games Tharp was active but not necessarily up to speed. Basically when the guy was in, he was near the play but maybe a step behind. No problem, this is completely understandable for a true freshman at one of the most physically demanding positions on the field.

Game three though Tharp took advantage of the departure of Arist Wright to show the Kansas fans what Coach Mangino had been raving about. Tharp recorded 10 tackles against Duke and also put the quarterback on the ground twice. Not only was he active but Tharp was making the plays and looked great.

A- for Tharp, since he was a freshman I wasn't expecting to recieve a huge contribution but through three games he's proven that may be a bit premature. The bar has been raised for Tharp, I don't see him cracking the lineup as a starter but he'll be a valuable part of the rotation.

Justin Springer OLB/MLB - C+

The temptation was there to go with an incomplete on this one. Headed into last season the expectation was that Springer would likely fill the role of departing senior Joe Mortensen. Two injuries later that isn't the case.

Springer's knee injury is obviously well documented, but what's been discussed a little bit less is a pulled hamstring which nagged at him for much of the preseason. It's never fair to fault a player who's fighting through injuries but based on expectations alone I think Springer is probably performing a little lower than his full potential.

Springer is in the rotations, he's made a few nice plays but I'd tend to believe he might not be at 100%.

C+ for Justin although I really hesitate because it's hard to say how far "back" he really is. However, if you are out there as an athlete and a competitor excuses aren't an option. All in all this was a tough one, might be premature and a little harsh but I'm a big believer in Springer's potential as a player.

Steven Johnson MLB - B

Steven Johnson's story has been well documented and he's a player that has quietly caused a stir in terms of his potential. A sophomore that is much older due to a variety of circumstances Johnson is one of those players that at this point expectations are huge but the potential is high.

If Johnson were a stock, he'd be a buy. Low risk with a potential for a very high reward. Through three games Johnson has been solid in the backup role in the middle. Most of his minutes have come late in games but he's done an admirable job filling in and making plays where he can.

It's tough to get a great look at our defensive backups late in the game as the whole complection changes. When Kansas is up big they churn the clock while the opponents are pass happy and throwing it quick, early and often. That doesn't exactly lend itself to huge plays for linebackers. Still though Johnson is on the board with 8 tackles and a sack this season which is solid for his role at the moment.

B for Johnson as I think he's performed well with what he's had the opportunity to show. It's not enough to go bonkers with optimism but he's progressing and I could see him becoming an eventual program player at the linebacker spot in the future.

Vernon Brooks OLB - C

Brooks had some pretty high expectations coming in but a late arrival on campus and a family emergency during camp has slowed his progress down a bit. Certainly things have not been at the fault of Brooks in terms of how they've played out and he deserves a little more time.

However, based on what the expectation was through three games and what we've seen, Jayhawk fans are certainly left wondering about Kansas' latest JUCO acquisition.

Brooks at times has shown the ability to be a very aggressive attacking linebacker, but a few times he's over run plays, put himself in bad position and other minor mistakes that come with the adjustment to the next level. Combine that with what I'm sure has been a steep hill to climb in terms of conditioning and perhaps expectations just need to be tempered a little bit in terms of what we expect from our JUCO transfers. Especially in the instance here where Brooks was a very late arrival.

C for Brooks so far because the hype machine that rolled into town with him was running at full strength. After three games I'm ready to step back, adjust those and watch him with a different mindset. Vernon has the potential to make a big jump through the season and I'm looking forward to watching that progress with the full understanding that he has to become good before he can get to great.

Bill Miller LB Coach - A

Coaches weren't initially included in the early season report cards but Bill Miller deserves special mention. Kansas had a complete turnover in the linebacking ranks and slim if any experience with the players at camp.

Miller has found combinations that work, used players in ways where they can be successful and in because of that we've seen a generally more aggressive defensive scheme this season versus last.

Granted the competition level always has to be taken into account but right now when we blitz a linebacker, they are disrupting the play. Sometimes that's a sack, sometimes it's a tip and sometimes it's just putting the QB on the ground after the throw is made. Regardless Bill Miller has effectively worked with this group and made our defense more productive because of it.

Yes the defensive line and the secondary have more experience and higher expectations, but the linebackers do deserve credit early because it hasn't looked like as big a dropoff as some expected.

Overall the linebacking corps has been a pleasent surprise. It get's much more difficult in the weeks to come, but it's probably safe to feel a little bit of relief at this point as the group has been playing at a decent level through three.

The fact of the matter is that this was a major area of concern even within the program headed into the year. However, today Bill Miller and his linebackers have given everyone a little bit of a reason to exhale and remain optimistic...albeit cautiously optimistic.

Hawk Talk: UTEP Tailgate Edition

Denverjhawk — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:01:00 -0000

A look at news and notes from this week about the Jayhawks and their upcoming game....

The Good Guys...

Steven Foster may have found a home at defensive end.
The Springer Twins, Justin and Jeremy, will face off this week.
Jake Laptad a coaches dream.
Tanner Hawkinson successful through one game at protecting Todd Reesing's blind side.
The Jayhawks look for a better result in their first road game of the season in 2009 vs. 2008.
UDK piece on everybody's favorite head hunting kicker, Jacob Branstetter.
Bill Miller brings experience to a young defensive staff.
Change has been a good thing for Brad Thorson.
UTEP's passing game will look to test the Jayhawk secondary.
Chris Harris looks to have regained some of his 2007 confidence.
KC Star Game Preview

The Bad Guys...

UTEP looks to cut down on penalties after a tough first game with the zebra's.
QB Trevor Vittatoe looks to be a threat through the air and on the ground.
Miners focused for this years biggest home game.
El Paso Times piece on Reesing and the rise of the Jayhawks

Denver's Take...

Last week the Jayhawks put together a convincing win against an inferior opponent. A new found running game and a more balanced attack met the Jayhawks to start 2009 although much of that might be attributed to Northern Colorado's focus on limiting the pass. Regardless of how well things looked though, the Bears did expose some potential chinks in the armor.

On the other sideline, on all accounts UTEP played pretty poorly for at least half a game last week and ultimately it ended up costing them. The question is whether they can rally against a big time opponent and make things difficult in their own backyard.

My thought is this, Kansas defense will still be looking to find itself a bit but I just don't think that alone will be enough for UTEP to upset the Jayhawks. This one might get up and down but Kansas' offense has now shown they will be very difficult to stop. Throw Dezmon Briscoe back in the mix and it will take a pretty big UTEP defensive effort to stop the Jayhawks attack.

In terms of the Kansas defense, I don't look for things to settle here and I'm expecting a few changes on the depth chart in this one across the board. With that said, we'll get closer but the Jayhawks will still be vulnerable. In the end though Kansas stops UTEP more than the UTEP stops Kansas and the Jayhawks will win the turnover battle with some fairly savvy defenders running around and making plays.

My final thought is this, look for Kansas to go for the jugular early with a big play on the opening drive. From there Kansas keeps their foot on the gas and surprises many with a relatively easier win than expected.

Final Score: Kansas 42 UTEP 24

Supplemental Notes and more things to look for after the jump...

DID YOU KNOW? -- While Kansas has never played UTEP, the Jayhawks have played in the school's home stadium - the Sun Bowl. The Jayhawks met Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl on Christmas Day to cap the 1975 season. The Jayhawks lost 33-19 to the Panthers as Tony Dorsett rushed for 142 yards for Pittsburgh. Kansas was led by Laverne Smith, who rushed for 118 yards and Nolan Cromwell, who added 99 yards on the ground. Nearly 4,000 KU fans made the trip to El Paso for the game and were part of a then-Sun Bowl record crowd of 30,272.

DID YOU KNOW? -- Sure its only after one week, but Kansas is tied for the national lead in four NCAA offensive statistical categories including fewest tackles for loss allowed (1.00), fewest sacks allowed (0.00), fourth-down efficiency (100.0 percent) and red-zone efficiency (100.o percent). KU was two of two on fourth downs and scored on all six of its trips in the red zone against Northern Colorado last week.

This Week's Game
KU-UTEP SERIES -- Kansas and UTEP will be meeting for the first time in school history. In fact, each of KU's four non-conference games this year are first-time meetings.

KU VS. CONFERENCE USA -- Kansas owns a 16-9 record against current members of Conference USA all time. The last time the Jayhawks played a member of the league was its 42-13 victory against Houston
in the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl. The last regular season meeting against a Conference USA opponent was a 21-3 victory against Tulsa to open the 2004 campaign.

KU AND THE STATE OF TEXAS -- This will be the first of three trips to the state of Texas for the Jayhawks, who will also play at Texas Tech on Oct. 31 and at Texas on Nov. 21. KU's last trip to the state was
a 19-11 win at Texas A&M in 2007. KU is 2-5 in the state in the Mark Mangino era with a win against Houston in Fort Worth in 2005 and the win at Texas A&M in 2007.

TEXAS JAYHAWKS -- Kansas features 35 players on its roster from the state of Texas. That figure is the most of any state as KU has 23 players from its own state, 11 from Oklahoma and eight from Missouri for its biggest areas. KU starters from the lone star state include WR Dezmon Briscoe (Dallas), LB Drew Dudley (College Station), OC Jeremiah Hatch (Dallas), DE Maxwell Onyegbule (Arlington), CB Daymond Patterson (Mesquite), QB Todd Reesing (Austin), LB Justin Springer (Los Fresnos) and LB Arist Wright (Houston).

KU-UTEP CONNECTIONS -- KU LB Justin Springer's twin brother Jeremy is a LB at UTEP... In addition to the 35 players KU lists from the state of Texas, several KU coaches have ties to the state: KU LB coach Bill Miller played at Texas-Arlington and coached one year at his alma mater... KU WR coach David Beaty was a successful high school coach in the state at several schools before coaching wide receivers at Rice in 2006-07... KU RB and special teams coach Louie Matsakis was on staffs at Texas Tech and Texas State-San Marcos.

THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST UTEP

KU is looking to start a season 2-0 for the sixth consecutive season.
KU has won three straight games dating back to last season.
KU has recorded three sacks in each of its last three games dating back to last year.
QB Todd Reesing (8,392) needs 30 total yards for ninth on the Big 12 career total offense list.
Reesing has thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games.
RB Jake Sharp (1,933) needs 38 yards to move past Kerwin Bell (1,970) for 10th on the KU career rushing

list.

Sharp (20) needs one rushing touchdown to tie three others for sixth on the KU career rushing touchdown list and two to tie David Winbush (22) for fifth.
Sharp (54) needs three receptions to pass Robert Miller (56) for third on the KU career receptions by a running back list.
WR Kerry Meier (129) needs five receptions to pass Willie Vaughn (133) for third on the KU career receptions list.
Meier (10) needs one touchdown reception to tie for ninth on the KU career touchdown receptions list.
Meier has caught at least two passes in 22 consecutive games.
S Darrell Stuckey (7) needs one interception to tie Richard Bertuzzi (8) for 10th on the KU career interceptions list.
DE Jake Laptad (12) needs three sacks to move past Nick Reid (14) for ninth on the KU career sacks list.
WR Dezmon Briscoe has produced four straight 100-yard receiving games.
Briscoe (7) needs one 100-yard game to tie Willie Vaughn for first on the KU career 100-yard receiving games list.
Briscoe has caught at least two passes in 19 consecutive games.
Briscoe (1,903) needs 95 yards to pass Richard Estell (1,997) for third on the KU career receiving yards list.

DID YOU KNOW? -- The Kansas at UTEP game features two of the nation's top active passers in Jayhawk Todd Reesing and Miner Trevor Vittatoe. Vittatoe ranks fourth (264.3) and Reesing fifth (259.5) among active quarterbacks in career passing yards per game. Reesing's 70 career touchdown passes are sixth among active players behind Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Tim Hiller, Dan LeFevour and Nate Davis, but ahead of such seniors as Tim Tebow, Max Hall, Zac Robinson, Matt Grothe and Juice Williams.

FIRST-TIME STARTERS -- Seven Jayhawks made their first career starts in the season opener including LT Tanner Hawkinson, LG Brad Thorson and RG Sal Capra on offense and DE Maxwell Onyegbule, DT Patrick Dorsey, LB Drew Dudley and CB Anthony Davis on defense.

FRESHMEN SEE PLAYING TIME -- Against Northern Colorado 11 freshmen saw action including three true freshmen in WR Bradley McDougald, LB Huldon Tharp and RB Toben Opurum. Redshirt freshmen who played for the first time included QB Kale Pick, S Lubbock Smith, CB Greg Brown, OL Trevor Marrongelli, OL John Williams, OL Tanner Hawkinson, DE D.J. Marshall and DT Duane Zlatnik.

OFFENSIVE NOTES -- KU rushed for 334 yards vs. Northern Colorado, the first 300-yard rushing game for the Jayhawks since 2001... KU produced 553 yards of total offense vs. UNC, its most in its last 15
games... KU did not commit a turnover against UNC (had two games last year without a turnover - Louisiana Tech and Colorado)... KU scored touchdowns on all six of its trips into the red zone... Three Jayhawks scored two touchdowns each against UNC including QB Todd Reesing, RB Jake Sharp and RB Toben Opurum... KU had two 80-plus yard scoring drives against UNC... KU had two 10-plus play drives against the Bears... KU scored on seven of its 10 possessions and punted just twice against UNC... KU converted eight of 12 thirddown
attempts against UNC... Four different Jayhawks had runs of 20 or more yards, including both quarterbacks... KU had only one play that lost yards against Northern Colorado, a team rush that lost six yards.

DEFENSIVE NOTES -- KU allowed just three points, the fewest its allowed since shutting out Louisiana Tech in the second game of last year... UNC's 246 total yards were the fewest allowed by KU since limiting Colorado to 233 in the sixth game of last year... KU allowed two 10-plus play drives by UNC, but neither resulted in points (both punts) and the two drives combined for only 51 yards... UNC reached KU's 20-yard line just twice in 10 possessions and scored one field goal... KU allowed only two plays of more than 20 yards by UNC.

Kansas Football Press Conference 9.8.09

Denverjhawk — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 20:33:35 -0000

Week one is in the books and it's time to turn the page. Coach Mangino give his final thoughts on the positives of Northern Colorado as well as some areas for improvement. Coach also looks ahead to Saturday's opponent in UTEP.

From the player side we get to hear from regulars in Darrell Stuckey and Todd Reesing. One of the impressive performers from week one in Chris Harris. Freshman contributor Bradley McDougald and Justin Springer who returns to Texas and will see a familiar face in a UTEP uniform.

At the beginning of the presser the players of the week are released and Tom Mabry a freshman offensive tackle was awarded scout team player of the week honors which is certainly a positive sign in terms of the continued development of depth on the offensive line.

Players of the Northern Colorado Game (voted by KU coaching staff):

Offensive Player of the Game: Jake Sharp

Defensive Player of the Game: Chris Harris

Special Teams Player of the Game: Jacob Branstetter

Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week: Chea Peterman

Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week: Tom Mabry

Head Coach Mark Mangino

Opening statement on this week's game vs. UTEP:

"We are preparing now to play UTEP. UTEP just lost a very tough ball game to Buffalo. As we prepare for UTEP, we understand they have a lot of talented players. They are very well coached by Mike Price, who is very well respected in the coaching profession."

On the offense of UTEP:

"Their quarterback, Trevor Vittatoe, is very productive. He throws the ball well and is an all-around good athlete. They have a bunch of receivers who run very well and can catch the football. They have a young man named James Thomas, who they kind of use as an all-purpose player. You can see him lined up at quarterback, running back; he is very speedy and very talented. Donald Buckram rushed for a little better than 100 yards last week. They have a very good offensive line. I am very impressed with their offensive line. They are physical, athletic and very talented."

On the defense of UTEP:

"On the defensive side of the ball, they have several good athletes. Their defensive ends are quick guys, athletic and play very well. Their linebackers are pretty decent and one of them is Justin Springer's twin brother. They moved him from quarterback to linebacker and you can tell he is still learning, but he is just like Justin in that he plays hard, he makes plays and he is a good football player."

On UTEP's special teams:

"Their punter really booms the ball well, a guy by the name of Greg Hiett. He really gives them an added dimension on special teams."

On road game so early in the season:

"This is an early road game for us, so it is a good challenge. We will find out a lot about ourselves. I think we are well prepared to play on the road and our players are looking forward to it. Our players are looking forward to getting on the road, because as you know, if we want to have success in the conference, we have to be able to win on the road."

On the UTEP quarterback Trevor Vittatoe:

"He has a little bit of a low delivery, but he gets the ball there. I can't say mechanically he reminds me of anyone in our league, but he sure can compete with quarterbacks in our league."

On UTEP vs. Buffalo game:

"Buffalo is a very sound, fundamental football team. They do not make many mistakes on either side of the ball. They pay attention to detail. That is two years in a row now Buffalo has beat UTEP; last year in Buffalo and then this year in El Paso. UTEP got off to a slow start and then things started to click for them in the second half. They had an opportunity to win the game, and then they made some mental mistakes, so for me, the game was sort of a toss-up."

On progression of KU defensive end Jake Laptad:

"He is a serious student of the game. He puts a lot into what he does. He is big in the weight room. He works hard on his fundamental drills on his on time, as well as what we do together. He is really getting better and he is a lot of fun to coach because he is in to and it is real important to him."

On correcting and improving on pass interference calls:

"We have to look at them from a technical standpoint on why they happen. Then we break it down and our coaches sit with the players and go over it. Then we work on it on the practice field - what fundamentally broke down to create those situations. They are not accidents, they don't just happen; there is a reason why. It is usually a lack of being sound fundamentally - doing what you are supposed to being doing in those situations against those routes."

On the rehabilitation of KU linebacker Justin Springer:

"Being injured is a lonely world. You are not practicing with your teammates and you want to be out there, but you are not. And as much as the coaches and players embrace you and want you to feel a part of it, because you are not participating, it is lonely. But he has had good rehab. He has come back slowly and he has had a few roadblocks, but he is coming around now and we are easing him in to it, but he will be full speed before you know it."

On UTEP's wide receiver Jeff Moturi:

"Moturi is a solid, dependable guy. He reminds me a lot of our Tertavian Ingram. David Beaty knows him because he coached him in high school for a while. But he is a quality player, a really good football player."

Junior Cornerback Chris Harris

On what he has to improve:

"(I need to work on) tackling better and reading my reads a little bit faster so that I can make better plays. I left a lot of plays out there that I should have made."

On the defensive performance against Northern Colorado:

"We still have a lot of improvement to make on tackling and fundamentals and just reading stuff better. The biggest improvements always come from game one to game two. We are hungry right now and we are just ready to improve."

On what makes it difficult to win on the road:

"We have been practicing at our home stadium for so long that we just get used to that environment. Going on the road, we are going to see the character and makeup of this team. It is a pretty hard step to go on the road, so we will see the makeup of this team."

Freshman Wide Receiver Bradley McDougald

On what the offense can do to improve:

"We all have our different areas. Each position has different areas they want to work on. For wide receivers it is probably holding onto our blocks and looking the ball all the way in. (Against Northern Colorado) we had a couple of drops and a couple of miscues when we were running different plays and blocking schemes that we can correct. That is probably going to be the main focal point this week."

On UTEP's game against Buffalo:

"Coaches have been telling us a lot that they are a great team and we can't use that game to hold against them. Buffalo just got them, so we have to still prepare like it is a whole new game on Saturday."

On facing a hostile environment:

"I haven't thought too much in depth about it. I know I have my team at my back and my coaches at my back. As long as I can distract the crowd as much as possible and just play football and worry about what is happening on the field, that will help me a lot."

Senior Quarterback Todd Reesing

On the game against Northern Colorado:

"I thought guys were ready mentally and I think we showed up focused and ready to play. I think we executed very well on offense and defense. I don't think we had a lot of mistakes out there, so I am very pleased with the first game."

On his initial impression of UTEP's secondary:

"They are athletic. They have guys that can make plays and they are talented. They have athletic guys all over their defense. It is definitely going to be a challenge for us. We have to get ready and prepared, especially knowing that they are probably going to score some points with the reputation their offense has. It will be a good challenge for us."

On taking the team's momentum on the road to UTEP:

"We definitely want to build upon what we did this last week. It was definitely a good start for us. But, obviously, going on the road, it is a whole new environment. We have guys that are young that are going to have to learn to play on the road and deal with the hostile environment. Any time you play on the road, it is tough - it doesn't matter if it is conference or non-conference. It is going to be a big game for them and it is a big game for us. We are going to have to have even more focus this week in practice and get ready and prepared the best we can. We want to start our first road game on the right foot."

On the Texas heat:

"I don't think it should be a problem. We have been working hard the last eight months conditioning. We worked out all summer in the heat and had two-a-days. I think the guys are in good enough shape and everyone is well-conditioned enough, any heat should not be a problem. We had a little heat this past Saturday, and everyone was all right. I don't see that being a problem for us at all."

Junior Linebacker Justin Springer

On the importance of getting a win on the road:

"It is very, very important, especially UTEP. It is going to be a crazy atmosphere over there with the Sun Bowl and it is going to be fun, but it is very important for our team and I think we are going to do that."

On cheering for his brother (Jeremy, a starting linebacker at UTEP) and UTEP:

"Big time. Last week I was watching that game and I was really disappointed they lost. But of course this game I'm not."

On talking to his brother after the first weekend:

"I just told him a couple of things he needed to work on like staying lower and wrapping up. Sometimes he didn't wrap up and he missed like three tackles and should have had 13 tackles, but he missed three."

On knowing UTEP better than anybody on the team:

"I know a lot of their players. I know their quarterback personally, I know their linemen. I know everybody on that team. They are going to be a lot better than they played against Buffalo. I promise that. They are really good offensively. They have very fast receivers, a very good quarterback and they are confident, real confident that they can beat us and we have got to play hard."

Senior Safety Darrell Stuckey

On Chris Harris:

"He is getting more comfortable. Whether it is playing nickel, corner or safety or whatever position we need him at. He is pretty athletic and he has got a lot of confidence and we help him a lot and support him. He is just a player who will go out there and do whatever it takes to help his team and I think that is what motivates him the most."

On seeing improvement from game one to game two:

"There is always so much more improvement from game one to game two because the fact it is game one you get all those different doubts out about playing at the level, especially when you have got a lot of young players. Whether it is offense or defense, they get a lot of those nerves out."

On UTEP's offense:

"They are pretty talented. They have a pretty balanced offense in passing and running the ball too. It is one of those things where we are going to have to read our keys and stick to the fundamentals and read our assignments and carry them out."

Kansas Football Depth Chart Is Out

Denverjhawk — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 19:20:36 -0000

One week out and we've got an official word from the athletic department on what things will look like when we take the field on Saturday the 5th. For the better part of three weeks we've been trying to piece together what this thing might look like from the eyes in the sky, but it's always fun to see the official look from the staff.

Let the speculation end because this is the Jayhawks story and for now their sticking to it. We'll see come next Saturday.

Offense:

LT 72 Tanner Hawkinson 6-6 270 Fr. RS
63 Ian Wolfe 6-5 295 Jr. 1L

LG 76 Brad Thorson 6-3 290 Jr. 1L
71 John Williams 6-4 309 Fr. RS

OC 77 Jeremiah Hatch 6-3 311 So. 1L
76 Brad Thorson 6-3 290 Jr. 1L

RG 59 Sal Capra 6-3 295 Jr. 1L
69 Trevor Marrongelli 6-4 285 Fr. RS

RT 74 Jeff Spikes 6-6 314 So. 1L
55 Darius Parish 6-4 314 So. 1L

TE 86 Tim Biere 6-4 250 So. 1L
43 Ted McNulty 6-5 231 So. SQ

WR 81 Johnathan Wilson 6-3 189 Jr. 2L
29 Isiah Barfi eld 6-0 184 So. 1L

WR 10 Kerry Meier 6-3 221 Sr. 3L
24 Bradley McDougald 6-2 195 Fr. HS

WR 80 Dezmon Briscoe 6-3 202 Jr. 2L
89 Tertavian Ingram 6-0 200 Jr. SQ

RB 1 Jake Sharp 5-10 195 Sr. 3L
35 Toben Opurum 6-2 235 Fr. HS
or 6 Rell Lewis 5-10 201 So. SQ

QB 5 Todd Reesing 5-11 200 Sr. 3L
19 Kale Pick 6-2 200 Fr. RS

Defense:

LE 90 Maxwell Onyegbule 6-5 258 Sr. 2L
84 Jeff Wheeler 6-7 260 Sr. 3L

LT 97 Richard Johnson 6-2 281 So. 1L
99 Jamal Greene 6-4 304 Jr. 1L

RT 94 Caleb Blakesley 6-5 298 Sr. 3L
98 Duane Zlatnik 6-4 303 Fr. RS
or 92 Patrick Dorsey 6-0 275 So. SQ

RE 91 Jake Laptad 6-5 258 Jr. 2L
93 Quintin Woods 6-5 230 Jr. JC

SLB 45 Justin Springer 6-4 242 Jr. 2L
9 Vernon Brooks 5-11 230 Jr. JC

MLB 49 Drew Dudley 6-2 232 Jr. 2L
52 Steven Johnson 6-2 229 So. 1L

WLB 41 Arist Wright 6-0 226 Sr. 3L
34 Huldon Tharp 6-1 215 Fr. HS

LC 15 Daymond Patterson 5-9 175 So. 1L
27 Greg Brown 5-11 177 Fr. RS

SS 25 Darrell Stuckey 6-1 205 Sr. 3L
13 Lubbock Smith 5-11 192 Fr. RS

FS 46 Justin Thornton 6-1 213 Sr. 3L
26 Phillip Strozier 6-1 201 Jr. 2L

RC 30 Anthony Davis 6-0 192 So. 1L
17 Calvin Rubles 6-3 203 Jr. JC

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)

Browse more photos »

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.