6B THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26. 2005
Paid for by KU
security.ku.edu
Schedule of free fall workshops available online at www.lib.ku.edu/instruction/workshops Register on the web, by phone or email training@ku.edu or 864-0410 and get the skills you need.
FOOTBALL
Defense faces top test
Ryan Howe/KANSAN
BY DANIEL BERK
dberk@kansan.com
KANSAN SPORT SEHR WRITTER
Senior linebacker Kevin Kane lays out to bring down Colorado sophomore wide receiver Alvin Barnett while freshman cornerback Aqib Talib and junior cornerback Kenneth Thompson converge to assist. Kane accumulated six tackles in the game against Colorado on Saturday in Boulder.
The Kansas defense is No. 1 against the rush in the Big 12 Conference, but its hands will be full this weekend against Missouri's Brad Smith.
Kansas football coach Mark Mangino said he knew how difficult it would be to shut down Smith. He's so dangerous because he's not just a threat to throw the ball, he is capable of breaking long runs.
Last weekend, against Nebraska, which had the No. I rush defense in the conference before Saturday, Smith became the sixth player in NCAA history to run for more than 200 yards and also throw for more than 200 yards in the same game.
"If you give Brad Smith an open field, he will run it like a tailback," Mangino said. "You can't give him any creases. If you give him creases, he will hurt you."
Kansas is coming off a stretch of conference games where it faced several pocket passers, rather than quarterbacks who run — like Smith. Senior linebacker Banks Floodman said the defense would have to prepare differently for Smith than it had for any other quarterbacks.
"We'll try to put a quarterback on the scout team that is agile and quick, like Brad is," Floodman said. "We have to work on containing him. If he gets outside, he is likely to make big plays and hurt us."
Floodman and the rest of the
KU defense have had success shutting down Smith before. Last season, Kansas beat Missouri 31-14 and held Smith to negative rushing yards because of sacks.
In 2003, Kansas held Smith to 33 rushing yards and came away with a 35-14 victory.
Senior linebacker Kevin Kane said the team didn't like to look back at previous games, but said it gave the defense confidence to know it had shut down Smith.
Missouri has changed its offensive game plan from last season and tried to spread the ball more.
Mangino said the defense worked on adjusting to Missouri's new look.
"They are still doing some things they have done in the past," Mangino said. "But they have picked up the tempo and spread out the field trying to run him with no running backs in the backfield."
During Smith's freshman season, he became only the second
quarterback in NCAA history to throw for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season. Smith's past two seasons haven't been as successful. He accumulated only 553 rushing yards last season, and in 2003 he threw for fewer than 2,000 yards. This season, Smith has regained his freshman year touch. He leads the conference in rushing yards with 865 and has thrown for more than 1,400 yards just seven games into the season.
"Sometimes during a play, you just have to sit back and say, 'wow,' Temple said. "He is capable of doing anything when he has the ball in his hands, and it is exciting for everyone in the stadium. Brad is truly a special player."
Missouri running back Tony Temple said it was special to be on the same team as Smith.
— Edited by Jonathan Kealing
Top to bottom,left to right the history of KU sleeps every night.
I'm tucked away,safe and sound In a place with knowledge All around.
By now you know a library is close to where I rest. So be like me and take a seat If you choose a white bench, you'll be my guest.
Use the daily clues to find this year's Homecoming Medallion. A different clue will be revealed every day this week, and by Friday the Medallion's location will be named. Keep your eyes open and you could be the winner of the first annual Medallion Hunt.
Check out the Medallion Hunt Facebook Group for more information