SB Nation - Drew Dudley

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.

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

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

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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.

Kansas Football Notable Quotables 10.20.09

Denverjhawk — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:16:28 -0000

Coach Mangino weighs in on much of what we've been discussing around here this week. Bradley McDougald going both ways, John Williams at defensive tackle and putting Colorado behind them.

On the player side of things we hear from Todd, Kerry and Jake as well as Bradley McDougald himself.

I also thought the special teams player of the week was a little bit interesting. Not who I expected.

Players of the Game (at Colorado)

Offense: Todd Reesing

Defense: Darrell Stuckey

Special Teams: Kayl Anderson

Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week: Nick Plato

Scout Team Defensive Player of the Week: Randall Dent

Head Coach Mark Mangino

On last week's game vs. Colorado:

"Once again, I felt like Todd Reesing played really well, and he had a lot of help from his receivers. We did not run the ball well, which is something that we need to get back to doing. On the defensive side of the ball, Darrell Stuckey played a strong game. Also, Drew Dudley played extremely well. He is really settling in there at linebacker and we like the way he is progressing. The defense played pretty well, or at least improved. There were some new faces and some personnel changes that I think have boosted our defense. As those players continue with experience, they will get better and better. It has really helped our defense both against the run and the pass."

On Oklahoma's defensive unit:

"It is a good defensive unit; there is no question about it. It is the same aggressive style that OU always plays on defense. They are up front. Their front four are very talented and very quick guys who jump the ball. You have guys like Gerald McCoy, Jeremy Beal and Austin English, along with others who are quick, athletic and run to the ball. The linebackers are always good players. Ryan Reynolds in the middle kind of anchors it down. Their secondary is very quick, very athletic and are good tacklers, as usual. You have people like Dominique Franks back there with a lot of experience. So, yes it is a very, very good defensive unit."

On a player's (i.e. John Williams and Bradley McDougald) ability to learn a new position in a week:

"It is difficult, but sometimes out of necessity, you have to do it. What you need is a young guy who is willing to do it, willing to understand the frustrations and disappointment early on, but I think if you have kids who are mentally tough, you can do it. We have had kids in the past make those kinds of moves and be very successful. For John Williams, it has been a sudden change, but not for Bradley McDougald, because we have worked him on defense for several weeks now in practice. We have given him work each and every day on the defensive side of the ball. He is still not ready to play every down and we do not expect that. He will be helpful."

On both teams (KU and OU) coming off a tough loss:

"Well I can speak mainly for us, obviously, it was disappointing to lose, but that is long gone out of our system. It is behind us. We can't change it, we can't do anything about it, but we can do something about the games we are about to play and our next game is against Oklahoma. Now, I can't speak to them, but I have been a part of their program and they will not have any problem getting their players ready to play. I know that."

On players playing on both offense and defense:

"Our philosophy here has always been ‘try to put our best guys on defense.' There are some guys who are extremely talented, but they are not made for defense. Dezmon Briscoe is not built for defense. That is not what he does. Kerry Meier is not built for defense, he is an offensive player. He and Dezmon are so strong in what they do on offense; it would be ridiculous to have put them on defense. But there are some kids who have the skill sets for both and Bradley McDougald is one of them. We have tried to put our most athletic guys and our guys that can play a physical-style ball on defense, as well as trying to recruit to that. Everybody is throwing the ball around and spreading the ball around, so I don't care who you have on defense, in the Big 12, there are just not a lot of low-scoring games anymore because the style that is being played is utilizing the entire field."

On recruitment of John Williams:

"We recruited John to be a defensive tackle, but then his freshman year he had an injury that kept him out the whole year. So, we he thought to get him back, he would be better suited on the offensive line to take some of the pressure of the injury that he had suffered. He was doing well on the offensive line, but I kept looking at him and seeing a defensive lineman. The more I watched him in practice, the more I kept saying ‘this guy is a defensive lineman.' He has quickness, explosion and a low center of gravity. He plays the game with power in his lower body. He can jump the ball. He is extremely quick for a guy his size. So, I finally decided to pull the trigger and said ‘we are going to do this.' And I really think it is for the better. There is no question he will help us on the defensive line. I think he is very talented."

On Oklahoma's current quarterback situation:

"Well Landry Jones is a pretty talented kid. He is a good player. One of the things I see in him is he understands their offense really well, so that tells me he is paying attention to what they are doing. He has the ability to throw the ball very well and with accuracy. He has enough escape ability from the pocket to give you trouble. He looks poised to me and looks like a very intelligent player. He is a quality player. Obviously, I understand that when you lose a guy of the caliber of Sam Bradford, there is going to be a drop-down to some degree. But it is not a horrific drop; they are not falling off a cliff after Sam Bradford."

On Oklahoma's offense this year vs. last year:

"They are still a productive offense. They are in the top 20 in total offense in the country. They have a lot of weapons. If you look at their running backs in DeMarco Murray and Chris Brown; those are good running backs. Murray is a tough, hard running guy who is a veteran guy. Brown has a lot of speed and is really a handful back there. OU's receiver, Ryan Broyles, has to be one of the fastest receivers in the league. They have some other kids who can receive too, like Brandon Caleb, who are just playmakers. Their offensive line is probably not what they had a year ago, but it is still a big, physical offensive line. They are not putting up the kind of numbers as they did last year. But you lose a Heisman trophy quarterback and maybe a top-five player in the draft in Jermaine Gresham; obviously you are not going to have the same production you had a year ago, but they are still pretty doggone good."

On added pressure when playing as good a defense as Oklahoma's:

"It puts a lot of pressure on your entire offense, not just your offensive line. Now, let me tell you, they will blitz. They are going to dial up blitzes, I know that for a fact, but they play a zone defense very well. The key is, they will mix it up and we have to understand the difference and be able to play with both. Anytime you have a pressure defense, it puts pressure on the quarterback, on the offensive line and on the receivers. They [receivers] have to understand the checks and call for the ball and get ready to make a play. The running backs have to protect as well."

On coaching philosophy employed by Bob Stoops and himself [Mark Mangino]:

"It is a pretty simple philosophy that I have carried here, but is something that I believe, and that I did really get from Bob. You cannot change what is done. You lose, you lose. The sun is going to come up the next day. There is no sense in crying or pouting about it, because you cannot do anything about it. The things that give me pause in life are the things that I know that I can control; the things that are in front of me. The things that have happened behind me do not bother me. Am I disappointed we lost? Yes, but I got over that disappointment at about 2 p.m. on Sunday because I watched the tape, graded it and then started look at Oklahoma, our next challenge. And I have not looked back. Life is too short to worry about things you cannot control. I tell our players all the time, ‘the next play is the most important play, what you did a play ago, whether it was good or bad, is gone, the next game is the most important game'. I think Bob did a great job of that with the kids at OU when we were there. I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that the kids follow the head coach's lead. If the head coach is going to walk around with his head down and pout and feel bad for himself, so will the players. If the head coach runs out on the practice field ready to go, then the kids will do that. They will follow the lead of the coaches. Being around Bob for a long time, he would always say ‘hey, we are not going to let anybody beat us twice.' And that is the way we are too, so hopefully this will be a great matchup for us Saturday."

On his years coaching in Oklahoma:

"Well, they were important years in my career, but they were also a lot of fun. The best way to explain it is we had a really good coaching staff. Bob put together a really good staff of people that had known each other for a lot of years. There was a sense of family and community when we got there. The people of Oklahoma welcomed us with open arms. The first year we went to the Independence Bowl and they were thanking us. Now, there is nothing wrong with the Independence Bowl, but Oklahoma and the Independence Bowl? And the fans were still thankful. Then we won a national championship and the football program got its swagger back. The fans were energized about their football program. You know, even if you do not go to school at OU, if you live in Oklahoma, all the people there call it ‘their football program'. So, I was comfortable there and I liked the folks there. They reminded me a lot of western Pennsylvania people, where I grew up. They are hard working, not pretentious and just love football. It was an exciting time for my family and me and because of the success there, I had the opportunity to come here to Kansas. It was an important time of my life. I enjoyed it and I'm glad to hear I am still popular there even though I wear Crimson and Blue now."

Senior Wide Receiver Kerry Meier

On the slow offensive starts in games this season:

"A lot of times it's what the defense is doing. Stuff we plan for and stuff we think we're going to see in the opening drive and looks we think we're going to get-the defense then comes out with an entirely different look. A lot of times a team does that. What we've prepared for and what we thought we were going to see and then we come out on the first drive and they're not in the same defense. When a team does that it might take a couple drives, or a couple series, or maybe even a half to try and figure it out and beat them at what they're doing."

On how good the offense can be when it gets going:

"Once we get one, we get hungry and are looking for another one. Once we get another one, then we get that momentum going. What's crucial for us is to get into the flow and get started early. That's what we're going to have to do this week straight from the get-go. As soon as we get the ball, we're going to have to put points on the board."

On the difference between OU's defense this year and last year:

"It's crazy; we watched them on film last year and thought they were really good. Then they come out this year and their stats are even better. They've got some different faces, but there are a lot of familiar faces on that defense and they have the same coordinator. It's going to be a stiff challenge. There's no beating around the bush, these guys are good at what they do."

On the loss at Colorado

"Once we got the day going and got through lifting and practice all thoughts were gone. We watched the film and learned from it, but we knew it was time to get ready for Oklahoma. We took the right steps to work out the kinks and dings from last week's game."

On winning the Big 12 North

"It is very much within our reach. Every goal that we set for ourselves in the off-season is still right there and that's the good part. There were a couple of other teams in the Big 12 North that didn't quite take care of business like we did, which is good for us. That leaves our goal right in store for us. It is going to be a long and tough race for the Big 12 North title, and it is going to come down to who ever wants it the most."

Senior Quarterback Todd Reesing

On the loss at Colorado:

"That's behind us. We've moved on. We're not thinking about last week's game. We are more focused on the game this week ahead of us."

On OU's defense this year:

"They're more experienced and they've got a lot of guys back. They're extremely talented, extremely athletic and big and physical and their coach has given them great schemes. They are ready to play every week and that side of the ball has definitely not been a reason why they've had their close losses. Their defense is playing about as well as anyone else in the country."

On OU's defense being the best defense they've faced thus far:

"I think it is (the best defense). I think from top to bottom on their defensive personnel size-wise, athleticism and the way they play, I think we've got the biggest challenge ahead of us. They do a lot of things really well that we have to get ready for. They played Texas really well and pretty much shut that team down and they are one of the better offensive teams in the country. We have a big challenge ahead of us this week to get ready for them."

On what it would mean to the program beating OU:

"Well it's big anytime you beat a team like Oklahoma regardless of how they're doing or how people think of them. OU is a great team year after year and they have been for a long time. They're recognized nationally as a team that puts out a great team every year. To get a win over a team like that, no matter what year it is, is big. We've got a great opportunity ahead of us and hopefully we'll get prepared this week and get ready for it."

Senior Running Back Jake Sharp

On the difference between the second and first half against Colorado:

"I think collectively, as a team, we kind of felt different in the second half. Things kind of got rolling for us and we started doing what we expected to do."

On putting the loss behind them:

"There's no question we've got to put it behind us. This is a whole new week and anything can happen and our focus is on Oklahoma."

On getting the running game going:

"I think we all need to get on the same page and keep working and we're going to do that this week. We just need to keep working at it and keep improving it."

Freshman Wide Receiver / Defensive Back Bradley McDougald

On seeing playing time on defense at Colorado, while also starting at wide receiver:

"Coach Mangino called me into the office, asked me what I thought about playing a little on the defensive side of the ball. He said the offense was going well and he didn't want to take anything from me from the offensive side of the ball, but he wanted to maybe add on a little bit of defense and see how that worked out for me."

"I think playing both ways will be exciting. It's going to be a lot. I have to make sure I'm on top of everything because mistakes are very costly in Division I and now that we're in conference play, they're going to become even more costly, so I just have to make sure I know what I'm doing."

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 the Morning After

Denverjhawk — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 13:39:41 -0000

A look at news and notes about the game...

Jayhawks win but the team is still looking to improve.
Defensive line finally puts it together in an impressive performance against UTEP.
Position changes in the secondary help out in UTEP win.
Miners say, "We just couldn't stop them."
KC Star story about the game.
Box Score
Game Report

Denver's Take...

While the offense still ended up with nearly 600 yards in total output the defense was the story in El Paso and that is a very good sign.

Chris Harris back to corner, Justin Thornton to the Nickel spot and Phillip Strozier at safety seemed to solve any concerns in the defensive secondary and the coverage led to a few sacks up front.

On the defensive line the front four to their credit was also making it happen themselves. Maxwell Onyegbule and Jeff Wheeler the two most talked about defensive ends in terms of potential throughout their careers finally seemed to realize a little bit of that at the Sun Bowl.

Sure UTEP shot themselves in the foot at times but regardless of who you are playing, when a team that can't break the century mark in total yards for the better part of three quarters you are doing something right.

Even the linebacking corps seemed solid with both Arist Wright and Drew Dudley providing excellent run support as well as playing pretty solid in coverage when called upon. If you need a stat to show what these guys did, UTEP only put together 4 yards rushing and numerous times I saw Drew Dudley meeting the Miner backs in the holes or in the backfield.

Lastly on the defensive side of the ball the game plan itself was much improved, far less vanilla and at times did look to disrupt the rhythm of the UTEP offensive game. All in all this was a big confidence builder on the defensive side of the ball and something we all needed to see.

From an offensive perspective Jake Sharp and Dezmon Briscoe showed up to play, both having tremendous outputs. The team as a whole as I said was near 600 yards but it still looked a mess at times. Todd Reesing was battling some bad snaps at times which might have led to some of his questionable play making but I'll cut the guy some slack as he's usually a warrior out there for us. It might have even felt good for him to know he didn't have to win every game for us.

Our two headed monster of Jake Sharp and Toben Opurum combined for 166 of the teams 255 rushing yards behind a modified offensive line that saw Thorson move back to center, Capra to LG and Trevor Marrongelli enter the game at right guard and count me among those impressed by this guy. Ultimately I really want Hatch back in the game and his snapping concerns addressed but it's good to know we have some solid depth on the interior. The competition in this area is stiff and it's going to get harder and harder for the coaching staff to keep a guy like Marrongelli off the field.

In terms of pass protection it did seem that Todd Reesing was scrambling less, most of his jitters in the pocket seemed more a result of either his own indecision or a lack of open receivers. Tanner Hawkinson again protected the backside but Jeff Spikes did stumble a bit at the right tackle and at this point might be the one weak link up front that has shown through 2 games.

Finally, the third phase of the game on special teams. Kick return game looked good as Daymond Patterson nearly broke two punt returns for touchdowns. Jacob Branstetter and Alonso Rojas continue to look pretty solid in terms of kicking when it comes to the kind that determines field position. The biggest concern that was exposed today was hands down the kicking accuracy of Branstetter. It's early and I'm hoping those were jitters but right now this is an area that could lose a game for us and that's scary.

Overall, Kansas dominated this one and the reality is we still are far from putting together our best game. Duke next week and then another decent test in Southern Miss before Iowa State and Big 12 conference play. There's a lot of football to go but if there is one thing the first two weeks have shown it's that this year is wide open in the Big 12. Put the pieces together and there's no telling what Kansas might accomplish.

Postgame Quotes and Notes after the jump...

- With the win KU: Started a season 2-0 for the seventh consecutive season... Won its fourth straight game dating back to last year... Stopped a three-game non-conference road losing streak... Improved to 18-2 in its last 20 non-conference games... Improved to 25-7 in its last 32 games overall...

- KU Head Coach Mark Mangino tied for second among KU coaches for career victories with his 47^th win (47-41 overall). He is tied with Glen Mason (47-54-1) and behind A.R. Kennedy (52-9-4).

- New starters from last week included RB Toben Opurum (first career start for the freshman as KU started two running backs) and WR Dezmon Briscoe on offense and DT Caleb Blakesley and S Phillip Strozier on defense. Chris Harris started at cornerback this week after starting at nickel back in the first game.

- KU recorded three sacks in the first quarter to extend its streak of recording at least three sacks in a game to four straight dating back to last year. The first-quarter sacks were by Max Onyegbule, Jeff Wheeler and Patrick Dorsey.

- Jake Sharp's 30-yard run from the KU six-yard line in the first quarter, was the second-longest rush of his career (47 vs. Kansas State last season).

- Sharp moved into 10^th place on the KU career rushing list as he entered the game with 1,933 yards and moved past Kerwin Bell (1,970).

- Sharp tied for fifth place on the KU career rushing touchdowns list after entering the game with 20 scores on the ground.

- Sharp moved into third place on the KU career receptions by a running back list after entering the game with 54 career grabs.

- Sharp scored a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the same game for the fourth time in his career.

- Sharp recorded the fifth 100-yard rushing game of his career, including his second in two games this season (had 123 in opener against Northern Colorado).

- Sharp has rushed for 15 touchdowns in the last 11 games.

- KU junior Justin Thornton recorded his eighth career interception in the second quarter after a deflection by Daymond Patterson.

- WR Dezmon Briscoe recorded his fifth straight 100-yard receiving game dating back to last year and in fact had 121 yards by halftime. It marked his eighth career 100-yard receiving game which tied Willie Vaughn for the most in KU history.

- Briscoe moved into third place on the KU career receiving yardage list as he entered the game with 1,903 yards and Richard Estell had 1,997.

- Briscoe has now caught at least two passes in 20 consecutive games.

- QB Todd Reesing moved into ninth place on the Big 12 career total offense list as he entered the game with 8,392 yards and Josh Freeman of Kansas State had 8,421 in his career.

- DE Maxwell Onyegbule had a career-high tackle total (had five vs. Texas last year). His first five tackles were for loss, including two sacks.

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.

Hawk Talk Northern Colorado the Morning After

Denverjhawk — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 15:34:31 -0000

A look at news and notes about the game...

Northern Colorado Impressed with Reesing
Tom Keegan compares Reesing to some fairly famous "performers"
Kansas dominated Northern Colorado in front of a record crowd.
Toben Opurum and Kale Pick gave a glimpse at the future and it ain't half bad.
Kansas v Northern Colorado Summary
Kansas v Northern Colorado Report Card
Anyone catch this score....I'd be concerned.

Denver's Take

Well, there was good and bad to take from this one. Honestly I was hoping for a more dominating performance but at the same time it's clear we are much more committed to and confident in establishing a balanced attack which is a great thing.

Todd was Todd accounting for 4 touchdowns while showing off his scrambling skills that we've all come to expect. The offensive line I thought really looked solid. Getting on blocks, staying on blocks and finishing them. It's always tough to tell how much time Todd really has because of his tendency to scramble, but he had plenty of time and the scrambling was due more to receivers not getting open than the blocking breaking down.

The running back corps looked good. Hard to call it a corps in this one because it was all Jake Sharp for 3 and a half quarters which I was a little surprised by. Still though Sharp showed why the staff is confident in his consistency. You have to wonder if we see a little more of a two back look next week though, after Toben Opurum EXPLODED onto the scene racking up 80 yards and 2 touchdowns in just 9 carries. I think the effectiveness of the running game is just another example of the improved offensive line in this one.

At the receiver spot it definitely wasn't the best performance, but that's simply because Northern Colorado was committed to not letting Todd and our receivers beat them. This group does deserve some kudos though for what they did in terms of blocking in the running game. I don't think this improvement can be understated when it comes to our improvement in the running game. Johnathan Wilson definitely had a few struggles and our whole group wasn't finding openings as they usually do, but you have to take what they give you and our offense capitalized on what we were given so it's hard to complain to much. I think Dezmon Briscoe's return certainly makes it more difficult for anyone to stall us out in the passing game going forward.

On defense I am still a little concerned. We did hold them to a fairly low offensive total and obviously kept them out of the endzone, but at times our front seven really struggled to control the line of scrimmage which isn't comforting against UNoCo. Jake Laptad really stood out up front but that's about it.

The other main concern right now is that #2 corner spot which between Rubles and Davis accounted for 4 pass interference penalties. It's too early to sound the alarms but this group has definitely been put on notice. Hats off though to Chris Harris who showed why he's the perfect fit for this 4-2-5 scheme. He was johnny on the spot all night long making tackles and is it just me or has this guy really bulked up.

Last phase of the game is special teams and from what we've seen so far it looks solid. Branstetter has added some distance to his kicks. Rojas showed some pretty accurate placement punts and the kick return game looks better.

Oh one more thing, the reserves looked impressive. Pick, Opurum and Trevor Marrongelli all stood out to me as guys off the bench that were getting after things in a big way. I was also pleased with what Steven Foster showed coming off the bench at the defensive end spot.

All in all this was pretty much an exhibition and there was good and bad to take from it just like any game of this nature. The staff now has the opportunity to build on some positives, improve on some of the negatives and get this team moving in the right direction. Mangino coached teams seem to take this path every year and improve over the course of the season. Good win, not great but I'm probably being overly critical on this one. On to El Paso!!!

Postgame Quotes and Notes after the jump...

Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino

On the impressive number of rushing yards (328):

"Northern Colorado came in here and I think they were expecting us to put up big numbers in the passing game. They played some zone, and well, we can run the ball. In order to do that and in order to be effective, we'll do what we've got to do. We'll go through our tailback and we can do it through our quarterback. I'm pleased with the way they did what they had to do given the circumstances."

On KU's defensive pressure on the quarterback:

"Without looking at tape, I thought we got some good pressure. I think we played the run well, although we left some gaps free at times. That's related to having some different kids out there and getting everyone on the same page, but I feel good about it. I think we've got a lot of work to do. The competition is going to pick up considerably here in the next week. Overall, it was a good first night out."

On KU playing without four suspended players:

"(Desmon) Briscoe and (Jamal) Greene's suspensions were related to the spring. They knew when they were suspended in the spring that part of the stipulation would be not playing in the first game. Jeff Wheeler and Raimond Pendleton's issues were different, but they violated a team policy and I didn't have them play tonight."

Freshman Quarterback Kale Pick:

On the young players:

"Toben (Operum) is a great running back, he had a great night tonight, with two touchdowns - and Bradley McDougal also had some great plays. Giving the freshmen a grade: I'd give them an A, both of them made great plays, and Toben had two touchdowns."

On his first career game:

"It was exciting, I haven't been out on the field in a while. For only playing two games my senior year, and being redshirted my freshman year, it was an exciting moment."

On pre-game nerves:

"Actually (Jeremiah) Hatch asked me right before the series, `are you nervous at all?' I was like, `not really.' I was just looking forward to getting out there and playing."

Sophomore Center Tanner Hawkinson:

On communication with the other offensive linemen:

"We all communicated very well - that was a big emphasis going into the game. Coach Redding was just telling us about doing our assignments and we'll be fine."

On "bulldozing" the defensive line and tallying up a lot of rushing yards:

"Yeah, it definitely is (really fun), it's really encouraging, looking to see how many rushing yards you have in the game. Looking at the different sets they had, we knew coming in to the game that they'd come in with three down linemen. We had to create some seams and get to the linebacker, and get them blocked."

Junior Defensive End Jake Laptad:

On starting the season and being able to hit someone in a different colored uniform: "It was a lot of fun getting out there and finally getting to hit someone else for a change.

On the overall performance of the defensive line:

"We were just going out there, and we've got to take it one game at a time, to be able to get better and practice every day. I felt like we took a step forward today.

Junior Safety Chris Harris

On the pass interference woes:

"They are problems that we can work out. Those plays were just mental mistakes that we can fix, so it was not too big of a deal."

On his position change:

"I am way more comfortable, the reason that I love this position is because I am just free to play."

Freshman Running Back Toben Opurum

On his first college game:

"It was an opportunity that I have been waiting for, and when I got that opportunity I took advantage of it. It felt really good."

On his two touchdowns:

"It was not something that I expected, but when that opportunity comes around you definitely have to take advantage of it."

On his nerves:

"I actually was not nervous, I kept my calm tonight. It was more excitement. I have been thinking about this game for a very long time."

Senior Wide Receiver Kerry Meier

On the game:

"We got off to a good start on the opening play. After that we kept rolling and I think that we played pretty well."

On the blocking of the receivers:

"Blocking is something that we have worked on and stressed throughout camp and the offseason, becoming physical blockers and throwing up physical blocks. We came out tonight and were in the right position. Coach made the right play calls so it made it easy on us."

Northern Colorado Quarterback Bryan Waggener

On what got the game out of hand:

"We struggled in the red zone; we had some penalties that killed us in the red zone. The missed field goal hurt a little bit and Todd Reesing took over the game today and showed why he's one of the better quarterbacks in the nation."

On Todd Reesing:

"I feel like he's just a playmaker out there. He's just real scrappy and knows how to get it done and finds ways to make plays all the time."

On not getting any touchdowns:

"We always expect to score. We expect to play with them and be in the game, we come out here trying to win every game and it was a disappointment not to get in the end zone, but they're a Top 25 team for a reason."

-- The crowd of 52,530 set a new single-game record for home attendance, surpassing the crowd of 52, 230 that attended last season's 52-21 victory against Kansas State. KU has played in front of four-straight sellout crowds at home. The game marked the 25^th home crowd of at least 50,000 at Memorial Stadium.

-- Six Jayhawks made their first career starts. On offense: LT Tanner Hawkinson, LG Brad Thorson and RG Sal Capra. On defense: DE Max Onyegbule, DT Patrick Dorsey and CB Anthony Davis.

-- QB Todd Reesing now owns a 21-6 record as a starter after KU's 49-3 victory against Northern Colorado.

-- Reesing's two rushing touchdowns gives him 11 for his career. This was the first game in his career that Reesing recorded multiple rushing touchdowns in a game.

-- Reesing's 79 rushing yards were his third most in a single game behind the 90 and 84 yards he recorded against Colorado in 2006 and 2007.

-- Reesing has thrown a touchdown pass in 19 consecutive games.

-- With 13 completions against Northern Colorado, Reesing (632) passed Jason White of Oklahoma (626) to occupy the 10^th spot on the Big 12 career completions list. Reesing needs (23) to pass Josh Heupel of Oklahoma (654) for ninth.

-- Kerry Meier has caught at least two passes in 22 consecutive games.

-- Meier's 71-yard reception to end the third quarter was the longest of his career, surpassing his previous best of 68 yards against Sam Houston State.

-- With 115 yards receiving against Northern Colorado, Meier (6) tied two others for third on the KU career 100-yard receiving games list.

-- RB Jake Sharp's 122 rushing yards against Northern Colorado moved him into the 11th spot on the KU career rushing yardage list and were his third most as Jayhawk (181 vs KSU in 2008, 127 vs Toledo in 2007).

-- With 122 rushing yards against Northern Colorado, Sharp (7) moved into a tie for seventh with five others on the KU career 100-yard rushing games list.

-- Sharp's 12 points moved him into ninth place on the KU career points list with 144 points.

-- S Darrell Stuckey made his 31^st career and consecutive start.

-- RB Toben Opurum rushed for two touchdowns in his first game as a Jayhawk. Opurum finished with 79 yards on eight carries.

--The last time a true freshman rushed for two touchdowns in one game was in 2006 when Kerry Meier rushed for two touchdowns against Northwestern State.

-- WR Tertavian Ingram caught his first career touchdown pass in the second quarter. His two catches against Northern Colorado were one short of his previous career total of three.

-- DE Jake Laptad recorded his first career two-sack game against Northern Colorado. He had two games of with 1.5 sacks in 2008.

-- Laptad also tied his career high in tackles with six. His also had six tackles against Texas in 2008.

-- LB Drew Dudley recorded his first career sack in the fourth quarter.

-- CB Chris Harris recorded his first career forced fumble and DT Steven Foster recorded his first career fumble recovery on Northern Colorado's first drive.

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.

View full size photo »

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