THE UNIVERSITY BARRY KANSAS
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2007
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
3B
A&M's rushing offense KU's biggest threat
BY CASE KEEFER ckeefer@kansan.com
The way the Texas A&M offense has survived on the run this season would have even made Jesse James envious.
Through its first eight games, Texas A&M ranks fifth in the nation in rushing offense with more than 260 yards per game. The Aggies have eclipsed 350 rushing yards in two games so far.
Kansas coach Mark Mangino knows how potent the A&M ground game can be.
Triple threat
Texas A&M's top three rushers:
Atts Yards Average TDs
Stephen McGee 120 711 5.9 4
Jorvorske Lane 117 575 4.9 15
Mike Goodson 96 465 4.8 2
"They do a good job of executing the offense and the option game," Mangino said. "They try to out-gap you with running with the quarterback and creating an extra gap. Our defense has played well against the run all year but this is a different kind of challenge."
Ranked seventh in the nation in defending the run, the Kansas front seven have been impressive, to say the least. But only one team the jayhawks have played this year ranks higher than 60th in rushing offense. College Station, Texas, will be the site of Kansas defense's first true test against a consistently efficient rushing offense.
The Aggie offense presents a problem because it's not only one running back causing damage. Texas A&M has three primary ball carriers.
"Stephen McGee is just playing outstanding and running the ball very well," Mangino said. "Plus, they have those quality running backs in Jorvorskie Lane and Mike Goodson that also help that running attack."
McGee, a junior quarterback, runs the show. In an age of college football where the majority of programs are deploying spread offenses, the Aggies stick to a classic approach with an option offense.
Nebraska as an indicator, McGee prefers to stash the ball and fight for the yards himself.
He ran for career-highs in attempts (35) and yards (167) in the game. Members of the Kansas defense said McGee made the offense harder to prepare for.
Most of the Texas A&M rushing plays start with McGee racing off to one side of the line with a decision to either keep the ball or pitch it to a running back. As evident in last week's 36-14 victory against
Texas A&M's quarterback Stephen McGee runs for 167 yards on 35 carries Saturday against Nebraska. The Aggies bring in the No. 5 ranked rushing offense against Kansas' No. 7 ranked run defense this week.
"That's going to be a whole other dimension to their offense that we haven't really seen this year because he will take off, and he's very fast, so you have to keep an eye on him," junior defensive end Russel Brorsen said. "You have to keep your angles right because he's not a normal quarterback."
Running backs Mike Goodson and Jovorskie Lane serve as McGee's partners in crime. Goodson brings the speed, and he blew past the Jayhawks last year in Lawrence for 9.9 yards per carry. Lane brings
ASSOCIATED PRESS
the power at 268 pounds and has already run for 15 touchdowns this season.
Aggie coach Dennis Franchione
said the Jayhawk defensive line looked great on film. If Kansas can slow down the Texas A&M running game this weekend, Franchise will|
really have a.reason to praise it
— Edited by Meghan Murphy
FOOTBALL
Jayhawks must face challenge of Kyle Field's intense atmosphere this weekend
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
According to the road map, the jayhawks will travel about 700 miles to play Texas A&M this weekend. But there's a much larger gap between Lawrence and College Station, Texas, in terms of college football lore.
So far this season, the layhawks have played in the presence of thousands of purple-clad fanatics at Kansas State and in the thin air of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. Neither of these experiences is comparable with the atmosphere of Texas A&M's Kyle Field.
Mangino didn't misspeak. During the pregame singing of the "Aggie War Hymn," Texas A&M's fight
"It's one of the great college football venues in America," Kansas coach Mark Mangino said, "The A&M fans are known for their sportsmanship. I've competed against them several times over the years, and they're big into sportsmanship, but they cheer loud, and they get the stadium swaying."
song, Aggie supporters latch onto one another and sway side-to-side, causing the stadium to move, similar to Allen Fieldhouse during the KU Alma Mater
"I've never actually seen a game there, but from what you hear, it's a wild place," junior defensive end Russell Brorsen said. "The fans are passionate, and supposedly, it's a fun place to play"
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MARK MANGINO Kansas coach
None of the current Jayhawks have played at Kyle Field, but they are well aware of the venue's reputation for disrupting visiting teams.
The intimidating atmosphere has not suited the Jayhawks well in the past. Kansas has visited Kyle Field four times in its history and has never returned victorious. The
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"I've competed against them several times over the years and they're big into sportsmanship, but they cheer loud and they get the stadium swaying."
team's last trip to College Station,
Nov. 1, 2003, started auspiciously
but ended in an easy Texas A&M
victory. Adam Barmann led the
Jayhawks to a 14-14 tie at halftime,
but the Aggies ran away with the
game in the second half, winning
45-33.
sophomore safety Darrell Stuckey said he was not worried about the challenge of playing in a large-capacity venue because the opposing crowd tended to quiet down when the Kansas defense took the field.
Kansas has fared well on the
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at Kyle Field has not tempered Mangino's spirit.
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Edited by Rachel Bock
"If you're a college football player, and you're going in there as an opponent, you've got to love it," Mangino said. "These are the reasons you play Division-I football."
You and directory servers may use a New thumbnail picture being photo ID, protocol of address, and Social Security Card. You only hold this unique digital code.
Seating capacity: 82,600
Built: 1927
Surface: Natural grass
Texas A&M all-time record at Kyle Field: 251-122-12. (6.68)
Moderated by Bill Kurtis 7:30 p.m. at the Institute
Third Parties in Two Party America
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Dole Institute of Politics ON KU'S WEST CAMPUS 785.864.4900
Kyle Field facts
The evening program will feature Unity '08 Founders, Doug Bailey and David Boaz, the Cato Institute's David Boaz, and author Micah Sifry.
Source: aggieathletics.com
Presents...
Join us for an afternoon panel of authors and professors at 3 p.m. for a discussion of the history and viability of third parties.
www.doleinstitute.org
road so far this season, defeating Kansas State and Colorado, two quality teams. The Jayhawks should continue to earn road victories because of their swagger and work ethic, Mangino said. The team's swagger will face a stiff test this weekend: The Aggies have won all five of their home games this season. But Texas A&M's proficiency
ROBERT J. DOLE
INSTITUTE OF POLITICS
LAWRENCE, KS 66045
2350 PETEFISH DRIVE
JAYHAWK NATION Homecoming 2007
- Stuff the Bus, Dining Centers (Daisy Hill & Oliver), 4:30-6:30 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 28
Monday, Oct. 29
- Medallion Hunt kick-off
• Corndog eating contest, Wescoe, noon
• Basketball Tournament,
KU Recreation Center, 4-10 p.m.
October 27-November 3
The University of Kansas
- Spirit Sprint, 9:30 a.m., Kansas Union,
$15 students, $20 non-students.
* Stuff the Bus, Dillon's on 23" St., 1-4 p.m.
Saturday, Oc. 27
- T-shirt sales, $10; and info table, Wescoe,
weekdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Medallion Hunt on campus
- Mural Display in Strong Hall
All Week Events
Tuesday, Oct. 30
- Jayhawk Nation Murals, Wescoe,
9 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Homecoming Night at Dining Halls –
4:30-7 p.m.
- Basketball Tournament,
KU Recreation Center, 4-10 p.m.
- Pep Rally & Jayhawk Jingle Competition,
Student Recreation Center parking lot,
6-8 p.m. (Inclement weather location,
KU Union Ballroom)
www.homecoming.ku.edu
Wednesday, Oct. 31
- Jayhawk Nation Money Station, Wescoe,
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Halloween Costume Contest, Wescoe,
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. I
Thursday, Nov. 1
• Chalk n' Rock, Wescoe,
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Deck the Halls/Office Judging, 3 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 2
Friday, Nov. 2
• Crimson and Blue Spirit Day, Wescoe,
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
• Sign the Good Luck Banner, Wescoe,
10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 3
- Pancake Breakfast, Stauffer-Flint lawn,
$5. 8-11 a.m.
- Parade, Jayhawk Boulevard, 10 a.m.
• KU Alumni Association Pre-game Tailgate,
Adams Alumni Center, three hours before
kick-off
- KU vs. Nebraska, kick-off time TBA.
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
The University of Kansas