SB Nation - Jamal Greene

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.

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 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

SB Nation 2009 Big 12 Preview: Kansas Jayhawks

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

More photos » by Donna McWilliam - AP

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

Browse more photos »

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas: Beyond the Box Score Preseason Defensive Preview

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

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

Defense

Overall Stats

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

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

Redzone S&P+: 106.4 (#46)

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

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

Rushing Stats

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

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

Redzone: 110.0 (#39)

Line Yards+: 109.2 (#31)

Passing Stats

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

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

Redzone: 107.5 (#41)

Sack Rate+: 88.7 (#77)

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

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

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

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

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

Defensive Line

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

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

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

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

Linebackers

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

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

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

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

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

Secondary

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

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

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

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

Special Teams

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

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

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

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

Summary

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

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Projections on Friday.

Kansas Postional Previews: Defensive Tackle

Denverjhawk — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 10:00:15 -0000

Senior Caleb Blakesly will look to Lead a Potentially Deep Defensive Tackle Group for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2009.

View full size photo »

Week two of camp and week two of our positional previews. We'll continue this week by kicking things off with a look at a position that many feel might be in a real position of strength for 2009, defensive tackle. Last year the Jayhawks were in a little bit of a pinch with this one in terms of depth with the departure of James McClinton as well as Todd Haselhorst. McClinton was lost to graduation and had he physically been a more prototypical size he certainly would have been playing on Sundays.

Last season Caleb Blakesly stepped into a starting leadership role with this unit while Richard Johnson Jr. assumed the role of the smaller, quicker guy in middle. Throw in the rotation Jamal Greene and Darius Parish and the unit was fairly stout against the run but didn't really pose a huge threat in terms of flipping the line of scrimmage. Parish has since moved to the offensive line but this group has added some potentially potent weapons to it's arsenol and may be looking at providing the depth and effectiveness that will vastly improve the Kansas defense.

Looking at the starters it's tough to say if anyone is a clear cut leader. I'f you had to pick though at the moment I'd think the day one starters will be the same as last year in Blakesly and Johnson Jr.

Caleb Blakesly is a a 6'5" 298 pound senior who has started in 23 games over the last two years including 13 during the 2007 season. Blakesly earned honorable mention all Big 12 honors as a junior making 22 solo tackles and providing for a stout front throughout the season.

Richard Johnson Jr. was a player who looked very promising early on drawing some comparisons to James McClinton with his quickness off the ball and ability to get to the backfield. An injury slowed things a bit but he still had a solid season. Standing 6'2 281 pounds Johnson is certainly not a monster in the middle but started the first 8 recording 13 solo stops with 2 sacks on the year and being names to Phil Steele's freshman all american 3rd team. Johnson was also the scout team player of the year in 2007 during his redshirt year.

While the competition looks to be stiff and there are certainly challengers, these two could well find themselves back in the saddle as the two middle men in the trenches.

Complete Positional Breakdown After the Jump...

Moving on to the contenders at the position and there are a few of them that will be pushing for time from the get go.

First off is Kansas City product in junior Jamal Greene. Greene is a redshirt junior and stands 6'4" 300 pounds. His size has had Kansas fans hopeful from the get go and reaching his potential could be huge for this unit. Greene showed a lot of the potential in filling in as the starter due to nagging injuries to both Blakesly and Johnson last year. Greene finished the year with 21 tackles 2 sacks and recorded 4 tackles in each game against Kansas' most difficult opponents in Texas and Oklahoma. That time filling in has many feeling more confident in terms of depth this year versus the beginning of last year when everyone but Blakesly was a bit of a question mark.

The next guy that we'll preview is one that has been receiving a lot of attention ever since arriving on campus last year, at least from those who follow recruiting closely. Duane Zlatnik didn't necessarily jump of the page at you but his commitment to play Kansas football was always looked at as a great pickup. Zlatnik came in as a 6'4" 260 pound defensive end that was also a state champion wrestler. One redshirt year and 40 pounds heavier, the leverage that he learned as a top tier wrestler is helping him turn some heads as a defensive tackle. There obviously isn't any game situation that tells us the Zlatnik is ready, but if early reports are accurate he'll definitely push for staring minutes before it's all said and done.

Another name that has been around the program is 6' 275 pound sophomore Patrick Dorsey. Dorsey comes out of Houston Texas and is another one of those undersized tackles that Kansas likes because they are low, quick and get into the backfield. Dorsey ran with the first unit during the spring game and while he has yet to make a splash on gameday it sounds like he might push for minutes in the rotation.

A new face to the Jayhawks interior defensive line is junior college transfer Travis Stephens. Stephens has played both end and tackle at Blinn Community College in Texas but will likely be looked to for depth at the tackle spot for the Jayhawks. Stephens measures 6'3 262 pounds but after arriving on campus in July he has turned some heads in early practices. If his junior college time is any indication of his ability to play on the other side of the line of scrimmage Stephens recorded 10 sacks and 29 tackles for a loss.

One last name who is also a newcomer and in that tweener mold is Randall Dent. There has been talk of him as a tackle and an end but I think based on the fact that he already stands 6'4 280 pounds I'll preview him as a tackle. Dent was a two time all state selection in the state of Texas and during his career recorded 121 tackles 21 sacks and 25 tackles for a loss.

So that wraps up the defensive tackles spot and with 7 on the roster there are likely 6 legitimate potential players as I would expect Dent will reshirt. I'd guess a rotation of six might be out of the question, but having the option and ability to go six deep makes this an area of strength. My guess would be we'll see a pretty healthy dose of Blakesly, Johnson, Zlatnik, Green and Stephens throughout the year, keeping fresh legs and rested bodies going after opposing offenses in the middle.

Poll

What Defensive Tackle Will Make the Biggest Impact in 2009

Caleb Blakesly

9 votes

Richard Johnson Jr

11 votes

Duane Zlatnik

18 votes

Jamal Greene

2 votes

Patrick Dorsey

2 votes

Travis Stephens

3 votes

Randall Dent

1 votes

46 votes | Poll has closed

A Final Reflection; Insight Bowl and 2008

Denverjhawk — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:19:59 -0000

New Year’s Eve 2008 marked the end of an exciting Kansas football season as the Jayhawks wrapped up their first ever back to back bowl wins in school history. Already fans, media and players alike are looking toward 2009, but I thought I would take one last opportunity to look back at the 2008 Insight Bowl and discuss 2009 sometime next week.

Full story after the jump…

I myself landed in Tempe early the morning of the game. Weather was fantastic, there looked to be about 8 fellow Jayhawks arriving on the same plane with me. One shuttle to the hotel and one to downtown Tempe and my first bowl experience was underway. Now, before getting to much into the game I’ve got to say if you haven’t made the plunge and forked over the money to attend one of these, do so on your next opportunity. These events are special and going forward I will make every effort to attend in the future. I sat next to an older Jayhawk alum at a bar prior to the game. He had been to the Orange Bowl, Final Fours and many other events I as younger alum had not been able to attend at this point. His advice to me, “go to as many as you can, you’ll never say, gee I wish I hadn’t spent the money to go to that.” After the game and the good feelings you get being surrounded by that many Jayhawk fans in that environment, I think I’ll heed his advice going forward.

Onto the game…after a few beers in downtown Tempe I wandered over to the alumni tailgate and an ocean of blue shirts outside the stadium. Got my tickets at will call, snapped a few photos of the scene and just took it all in waiting for the doors to open. Now, I know this wasn’t the Orange Bowl or a BCS Bowl, but as someone who endured the Terry Allen era and realizes where this program has been, you take nothing for granted. I wandered over to the player will call area and all the parents and guest of the players were lined up for a very, very long stretch. I think my favorite was what I assume was Dezmon Briscoe’s mother. She had a shirt on the back that read Mrs. Briscoe, and on the front the phrase “you got Briscoed.” I wonder if she handed that over to Tim Brewster after the game.

The doors opened, fans filed in and moral was high as Kansas fans far outnumbered the Gopher faithful. My guess would be a good 6:1 ratio of Kansas to Minnesota. I don’t say that as a knock on the Minnesota crowd but more as a acknowledgement of the Kansas following. If you think about it this is a fan base that went to the Orange Bowl last year, the National Championship in basketball and now like everyone else is stuck in one of the worst economies of recent history. Combine all that it makes it very impressive that so many fans, students and family were able to make the effort and fork over their hard earned cash to make the trip. I think it speaks a lot to the potential this program has if the building continues.

Pregame was great, fireworks, precision parachuting and a flyover. One somewhat humorous moment was right before the national anthem started Todd Reesing and the captains came bursting out of the tunnel in a sprint. I think they were expecting a rowdy welcome but since everyone was showing respect for the flag, it remained quiet. Reesing quickly realized what was going on, removed his helmet and showed his respect. One other thing regarding the pregame, there was a Greg Ostertag sighting. Two rows in front of me a freakishly large man rolled in with his wife and kids, I quickly recognized him as the Big O and glad to see he could make it.

Kickoff came, Briscoe back deep and I had a good feeling about our special teams. One play later and we had scored. Jayhawk fans went wild and Gopher fans had that look on their face like they were already convinced Big 12 offenses were as good as advertised. As we all know the game would swing the other direction before Kansas took firm control in the third quarter and never looked back.

There were several player performances I was impressed with. The obvious of Todd Reesing, Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier is worth mentioning but there were others who seemed to save there best for last.

The offensive line, a much maligned unit early in the year pulled it together late and between the Missouri contest and this one allowed Reesing to step up, improvise and make plays. The tackles have come a long way and on one drive in particular Jeremiah Hatch played the whole series with a malfunctioning helmet. The thing must have fallen off three or four times, one time with Reesing picking it up and carrying it up to the line for the big guy. The interior Seniors have been great, going from a question mark in 2007 to the anchors of back to back bowl champions. One other worth mentioning here is Sal Capra. The redshirt sophomore came to Kansas as a linebacker from Rockhurst in Kansas City. He’s bulked up, put in the work and seems like he has the chance to lock down one of these spots next year. He might not be the most physically gifted but he seems to be a very smart gritty player that just gets it done.

The defensive line, another area that has been frustrating throughout the year also seemed to find its way late. The defensive tackle rotation of Blakesly, Greene, Johnson Jr, Wheeler and Parish seemed to really respond to the extra time off and opportunity to heal. The goal line stand showed a lot of what the future may hold for a very young, very raw Parish and with another year in the weight room this unit could be fairly effective. At the ends, Brorson was his usual steady self, but the guy that impressed me most was Maxwell Onyegbule. For the first time the guy with all the potential seemed to really understand the game. He may not have had his name called a ton but he did get pressure, sack the quarterback and showed a lot of athleticism and intelligence on some of the screens shovel passes, and running plays where he put himself in the right position to make the play.

Linebackers are a special group; special guys and they went out the right way. Kansas has shown a knack lately of developing this position and with the advent of the spread these three faced some tougher tests, but they always gave it 150%. Special mention to James Holt, should have had him on the occasional pass rush all year.

The secondary did what they had to do. No huge plays here but Daymond Patterson looks the part after half a season on the defensive side of the ball. Stuckey has a chance to be great next year. Finally, Kendrick Harper I know it hasn’t been a smooth ride but he made a big play on the goal line stand and he is a Jayhawk and for that I am grateful.

On the special team’s side of things, Branstetter again proved our best tackler on kick coverage. Alonso Rojas, this guy is brilliant at times and that punt at the 1 inch line was the most remarkable kick I’ve seen in my life. I’ve been to a lot of football games but I’ve never seen a fan base get that excited over a punt.

The coaching staff deserves some serious recognition as well. Watching the fine tuned, well oiled machine work on the sideline is impressive. The coaching staff orchestrates everything so well and smoothly and I think that is why we get the absolute most out of our players. Expectations are high, everything is taken seriously and all these guys have to worry about is making the play. You also see a real good cop, bad cop dynamic from these guys. Just due to pure personality there are coaches down there that strike fear into a player making the wrong move, but there are also those guys that really pick players up. Clint Bowen comes to mind as he shared a moment with each of the senior linebackers as the game wrapped up. Hugs all around for that group.

As the game wrapped up the Rock Chalk Chant was hear loud and proud. If Minnesota fans hadn’t heard it before they got one of the best versions I’ve heard. As I’ve mentioned before many stayed for the trophy presentation. Coach Mangino thanked the great fans of Kansas; we sang the alma mater, did the Rock Chalk Chant and sent the players off to the locker room I know this was a bit long, but I really think you do gain an appreciation for a team when they go through as many hard times as Kansas has and you witness an event like this. Jayhawks filled the streets of Tempe well past midnight to ring in the New Year. 2008 was a fun, wild ride. It maybe finished a little short of initial expectations but it was still a success, and now 2009 can’t come fast enough.

Hawk Talk...The Morning After Edition

Denverjhawk — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 14:40:53 -0000

A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

KU athletics game recap
Game Notes
Press Conference Quotes
Kansas Senior Linebacker Corps wraps up a home career
KUSports recap
KC Star recap
Whitlock Column talks about keeping things in perspective.
KC Star Game Report
Great Article on some of the Seniors

My Thoughts...The unthinkable happened yesterday, Kansas lost a football game because its offense was inept. Todd Reesing appeared flustered and incapable of making the plays that we all know him for. The pass protection was more than acceptable in many cases and there has been a clear improvement over the year with Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes, yet Reesing couldn’t seem to pull the trigger and couldn’t seem to keep the ball out of the dirt. I say it again, the Kansas offense lost this game and it’s been awhile since I’ve had to say that.

A Senior day inspired defense came out and did everything they could in the first half forcing several punts by the potent offense of the Texas longhorns. The unit forced a turnover, the defensive backs seemed to continue to get more comfortable in their new positions, and even the defensive line put some token pressure on Colt McCoy. The problem this week was we couldn’t capitalize from an offensive standpoint. The longer the game went without us turning the stops into our momentum the more hopeless the cause and eventually it all broke down.

This was a frustrating game yet again for Kansas fans and it’s clear we still have work to do in the talent department before we take the next step and beat these big time opponents at home. I talked about it a little yesterday but it’s worth mentioning again, Kansas needs some more time to improve recruiting and development based on the recent success. This senior class committed to Mangino on the heels of a 4-7 year so while one of the greatest senior classes in terms of on field success ever at the University they probably weren’t the most talented to ever walk through the door. Hopefully that class is yet to come and when they do on a more consistent basis we’ll begin to turn the next corner. Nonetheless, we will see a 2^nd straight bowl, we are bowl eligible for the fourth straight year and I believe we’ve got a good shot at Missouri in Arrowhead.

A couple of guys on this team do deserve special mention after yesterday. Kerry Meier, this guy is a warrior and all hear, we need a few more healthy versions of him on the field. Dez Briscoe, amazing catch, another great game, and he continues to develop into a star. Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes, no they aren’t there yet and no they didn’t have the greatest game, but they have shown marked improvement and if we could play South Florida with this current version of these two I think we win the game. The defensive line, the unit that has been frustrating all year got some pressure and didn’t get pushed around against a usually dominate Texas O-line. Thornton and Patterson both seem to be developing and getting more comfortable at their new spots and while I hope we get Patterson back on offense, he looks like a serviceable corner.

Those are a few of my thoughts for positives looking ahead now it’s an extended Missouri week and maybe this team can put together their first full complete game in this one and make us all feel a little better.

Rock Chalk Jayhawk

Hawk Talk...The Morning After(Sunflower Edition)

Denverjhawk — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 20:35:44 -0000

A look at news and notes about Jayhawks and upcoming opponents...

Jake Sharp runs wild behind the Kansas offense.
Russel Brorson turns in a memorable performance.
Notes including news on season ending injury to Justin Springer.
KU Athletics game recap.
Final Stats.
Game Notes.

My Thoughts...The morning after and the win feels just as satisfying as the day of. While it seems like our true football rivalry is Missouri this game was a big win for the Jayhawks and their fans. My only question is why the hell are there empty seats after halftime when we are handing our instate rival who we clearly have on the ropes an absolute beat down. Enjoy the journey and don't get so wrapped up in the destination Jayhawk fans.

Enough of that tangent how about a look at the game. There has been recent mention of Ed Warriner changing his offensive blocking scheme from a zone block to man. Clearly that is the right move. Yesterday, I saw our offensive line dominating man on man throughout the game. K-State players found their faces buried in the grass and I can count more than a few times where Jeff Spikes and Jeremiah Hatch our two newbie’s were on top. Jake Sharp used this to his advantage in a big way. Many of his big runs were off the right side behind Spikes and Sharp made the right reads hit the holes aggressively, got to the next level and then made guys miss. Not to mention his touchdown where he outran the Kansas State safety. Fact of the matter is Sharp proved a lot yesterday, and with consistent blocking he can be a very effective back for us. The shovel pass that he broke for long yardage was probably his best example of reading and cutting off blocks all year. Overall, kudos to the running game for being the focal point and not an afterthought this week.

Defensively it was hard not to be very happy with the scheme and effort. Josh Freeman is a very good quarterback with a pocket and with time. Under pressure he sometimes tries to do too much. Clint Bowen's zone blitzing along with the decision to utilize James Holt as an end was huge in applying pressure and allowing our secondary to provide solid coverage. The scheme also allowed Russel Brorson to pick off his 2nd and 3rd Josh Freeman passes adding to his one from last year’s game against Kansas State. In the backfield Justin Thornton and Daymond Patterson both looked much more comfortable in their positions this week, which might have something to do with not playing Texas Tech, but nonetheless both looked improved. Another crew that made a difference was our defensive tackles. Caleb Blakesly was a warrior in the middle, while Jamal Greene and Darius Parish did an excellent job filling in for Richard Johnson and tied up blockers allowing our linebackers to run free. Finally the leaders of this defense Joe Mortenson, Mike Rivera and Darrell Stuckey used their freedom to roam and stifle the running game holding Kansas State to a minimal 91 yards rushing.

Even the special teams were improved. Daymond Patterson had room to work on returns, Herford and Crawford looked more decisive on kickoff returns, Branstetter put a few in the end zone, knocked through a FG and made some great tackles. The only low point was the blocked field goal, but then again Kansas State doesn't lead the nation in that statistic for nothing.

From a mental standpoint Kansas definitely recovered from the haymaker that Tech threw their way a week ago. The players showed they aren't done yet and next week against Nebraska, the Jayhawks have a chance to break a streak, lock up a seventh win and probably creep back into the Top 25 before facing a tough Texas Longhorn team in Lawrence. Big win this week, another huge and difficult game next week but fans can rest easy as Kansas for the third year in a row defeated rival K-State in the sunflower showdown.

Press conference highlights after the Jump...some good stuff this week...

Image Source: KUSports.com

Kansas Head Coach Mark Mangino:

On things that stand out from the game:

“First of all, our defense played really well today. I liked the plan that we had on defense, but our coaches did a good job of getting our kids to bounce back and play really well. Our pass defense, including our pass rush, put some pressure on the quarterback for the better part of the day, we got some sacks, so I’m really pleased with that aspect. Offensively we noticed during the week that they were giving some opportunities to run the ball, and we felt that they played us on defense the way we expected. Our offensive line did a terrific job of getting off the ball and knocking the defensive line back a little bit, and gave Jake Sharp room, and Jake just had a great day. He not only ran the ball well in space, but he took some viscous hits today and he jumped back up, and like I said before, Jake Sharp is a hard-charger. He’s a tough guy.”

On the improvement of the program:

“Obviously we’ve made great improvement, but I still think it’s a great in-state rivalry (with K-State). This year and the last few years we’ve played very well and I’m proud of the way our kids have played. Our program has made a lot of progress. Our fans are elated that KU is winning some of these games in this Sunflower Series. Overall, the credit goes to the kids. They want to do it, they want to get better, and each and every year we seem to have kids that really play hard, play together, and have great resolve. They are resilient; they bounce back from tough days. I’m very proud of the players that play in this program.”

On the success of the defensive pressure playing a part in the win:

“We put a great deal of pressure on the quarterback, or at least didn’t give him as much time as he would like to have. He’s a talented guy, he can hurt you, he made some very good throws today, you can see that he’s really a talented player. He made some tough throws. There were a couple of times I thought we had good coverage. He put the ball in there. If you give him a lot of time to stand back there you’re going to have a long day, and we’ve learned some lessons about that in the past, so we didn’t want that to happen today.”

On Jake Sharp getting knocked around:

“He has proven to us he is exceptional. Most guys his size cannot. But you cannot measure a guy’s heart. You can measure how fast he runs, how high he jumps, the weights he lifts, but you cannot measure intestinal fortitude. There’s no real measurement for it, and he has it. He’s a tough customer, and he’s a great guy to be around. His teammates like him, he’s proven that he can play at the highest level of college football and be successful at it, and I think there were some people who questioned that at one point in time. I’m glad that we didn’t, because we’re glad to have him in our program.”

Kansas senior center Ryan Cantrell

On rushing for 280 yards:

“The results speak for themselves. Before I knew it, I looked up on the stat boards and saw that we had over 100 yards rushing before the end of the first quarter. It was a good feeling. I think we had the right schemes. Jake (Sharp) ran his butt off today. I can’t say enough good things about the way he ran today. I wanted 300 yards (rushing), but we didn’t get that. It’s a good feeling. It makes all the work you put into it, especially in the run game, worth it. It helps motivate you for the next time.”

On the progression of freshmen tackles Jeremiah Hatch and Jeff Spikes:

“Anytime you have young guys and they are both redshirt freshmen, you are going to go through some growing pains. Every week they mature more and more. We’ll go through film each day and see if they had any mistakes. And every week there mistakes get to be less and less.”

Kansas senior linebacker Mike Rivera

On winning three in a row against K-State:

“I can’t tell you how good it feels. It was a great game for us to win, and to win it handily. We did a really good job. Being from Kansas, it is one game that I mark on my calendar each year. I’m glad that we went out there and gave our best effort. We had an awesome game and we put it all together. It’s my second to last game at Memorial Stadium, so it was exciting.”

Kansas State Head Coach Ron Prince

Opening Statement:

“They were a good team; a team that needed a win. KU lost a game badly and came back well organized and very well coached and did a terrific job today. On the flip side, we were not well coached today and that is my responsibility and the people of Kansas State deserve better then this. It is about as bad of a loss that I have been associated with, particularly the way we played in the first half. A number of things come to mind. No. 1, the offensive line from an offensive standpoint. Number two on offense, the turnovers continue to plague us. When you look at the number of carries that Lamark Brown was able to get, he had the same carries that Jake Sharp had, but the outcome was tremendously different. KU did a terrific job and we failed to beat blocks and once again tackle. They got big plays and we had very few. Also despite some positive things that could have occurred in the kicking game they did a really good job of limiting any big plays. When you are on the road and fall behind it is very difficult to keep balance in the game from a run or pass situation. We had to get some quality stops in the second half in order to get back into it and we just never got those. So it was a thorough and complete defeat by a very good KU team and my hat’s off to them. It was a very poor one by myself and my coaching staff.”

On the Kansas running game:

“They did a really good job of running the ball inside and then they did a very good job taking the ball to the perimeter on the option. We had some very specific things that we wanted to do to handle the option and we didn’t get them accomplished so therefore we had some plays that really looked uncontested, but they weren’t designed that way. As a coach I have to take responsibility for those.”

On the significance of the game:

“This is a thorough and complete beating and defeat there is no question about it. I’m not one that’s going to try to mince words and try to spin anything. They did a great job, they were very well prepared for the game and it meant a lot to them. We were very well prepared coming into the game, but didn’t execute like we needed to and that’s my job to