8B
SPORTS
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
wEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008
AT A GLANCE
KU
KICKOFF
Kansas has finally settled on a feature running back, as Jake Sharp was the only back to carry the ball last Saturday, Coach Mark Mangino may throw Jocques Crawford or Angus Quigley into the mix a little bit on Saturday, but Sharp has settled in as the No. 1 guy. Kansas will need that offensive balance to keep Oklahoma's defense guessing, which means Sharp must turn in another workman-like effort and grind out the clock.
BYTHE NUMBERS
(2008 averages and national rank)
24th scoring offense (34.3 ppg)
7th
7th passing offense (331.9 ypg)
88th rushing offense (124 ypg)
27th scoring defense (18 ppg)
68th
passing defense (214.2 ypg)
12th rushing defense (93.7 ypg)
PLAYER TO WATCH
Junior wide receiver Kerry Meier
Meier ranks third in the nation with just under nine catches per
Meier
game, but he appeared to suffer from a mild injury last week. Kansas needs him on the field, especially on third down. Meier has excelled in converting third down attempts. Oklahoma ranks 17th in the nation on third down defense, allowing only 30 percent completions.
QUESTION MARKS
Can Kansas score a first-quarter touchdown?
It may not matter in the grand scheme of the game, but Oklahoma hasn't allowed a first-quarter touchdown, so Kansas could gain some momentum by doing just that. Field position will be crucial in the Jayhawks' effort to get on the board early.
Who will win the third-down battle?
Kansas' offense ranks third in nation in third-down efficiency while Oklahoma's defense ranks 17th in stopping teams on third down. One of these units will triumph, and it could be the difference between a close game and a blowout.
COUNTDOWN TO KICK-OFF
STEAMING SOONERS
Kansas meets former No.1 Oklahoma, fresh off loss to Texas
Kansas 5-1,2-0 Big 12.
OFFENSE
Another slow start plagued the offense in the first half against Colorado, but once again Kansas put it together in the final 30 minutes. Running back Jake Sharp sparked a comeback against Iowa State. This time he carried the Jayhawks to victory and rushed a career-high 31 times for 118 yards and three touchdowns. The passing game wasn't spectacular, but Todd Reeing managed the
game with 27-for-34 passing for 256 yards. Kerr Meier caught nine passes for 94 yards despite dealing with a minor leg injury.
Sharp
Oklahoma
DEFENSE
Even in defeat, Sam Bradford looked like he might be the best quarterback in the country. Bradford threw for 387 yards and five touchdowns in last week's loss to No. 1 Texas. His two interceptions were costly, but they were just his fourth and fifth of the year. Juaquín Iglesias and Manuel Johnson are two of the best wide receivers in the nation. Oklahoma's only weakness seems to be its once-strong running game. The Sooners managed just 48 rushing yards last week.
Sophomore defensive end Jake Laptad looks more like an elite pass rusher every week. Laptad recorded Kansas' first safety after chasing down Cody Hawkins for a 16-yard loss, and he leads the team with five sacks. In the secondary, senior cornerback Kendrick Harper looked better in his second game back from injury. He had a first quarter interception and three pass breakups. Kansas
5-1,1-1 Big 12
Bradford
OFFENSE
is tremendous against the run, but the shuffling in the secondary has led to less-than-impressive numbers.
Laptad
Coach Mark Mangino blames the special teams for the offense's consistently slow starts. Poor kick coverage has allowed Kansas' opponents to win the early field position battle and forced the offense to dig itself out of an immediate hole. Mangino vowed to make some changes, and it looks like more starters will see time on the various special teams units. Mangino needs to fix this before
SPECIAL TEAMS
Mangino was an assistant coach on Bob Stoops' Oklahoma staff from 1999 to 2001. He served as the offensive coordinator from 2000 to 2001, helping guide the Sooners to the national championship in 2000. Mangino said his No.1 priority this week was to correct the special teams, which he said caused a lot of the offensive problems. Saturday will be a great chance for Mangino to prove he can scheme with the best of them.
Mangino
heading to Norman because an early slip-up could bury Kansas.
COACHING
Crow
DEFENSE
The pressure is on sophomore Brandon Crow and freshman Austin Box to try to replace starting linebacker Ryan Reynolds. Reynolds went down with a season-ending knee injury last week.The junior was the only linebacker who entered the season with starting experience and he ranks second on the team with 44 tackles. If Crow and Box perform ably, the rest of the defense is more than capable of picking up the slack.
MOMENTUM
Consecutive lackluster first halves leave much to be desired, but the important part is that Kansas recovered and won both contests. The Jayhawks are the only team in the Big 12 North without a conference loss, yet they head into Norman as 18-point underdogs. That's just fine, according to the players who said that they thrive when no one else thinks they can win. That’s certainly the case this weekend, and they'll have to steamroll that negative energy into a perfect effort to come out victorious.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Oklahoma's kickoff coverage unit cost it a lot of momentum in the first half against Texas. The Sooners had just taken a 14-3 lead when the Longhorns' Jordan Shipley took the ensuing kickoff for a 96-yard touchdown. Punter Mike Knall also continued to struggle, averaging just 34.3 yards per punt. Oklahoma's return game is stellar, but the other aspects of its special teams could
Knall
other aspects of its special teams could use a lot of work
COACHING
Bob Stoops has taken some recent criticism for faltering in big games — he's 1-4 in bowl games since 2003 — and last week's game will certainly add fuel to that fire. Still, there's no denying his team's prowess at home. Stoops is a career 57-2 at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. The Sooners currently hold a 21-game home winning streak, the longest in the nation. Also,
Stoops is undefeated since 2002 in games following a loss
Taylor Bern
KANSAN.COM
Taylor Bern
Kansan football writers will provide up-to-the minute photos and blogs on Kansan.com
OU KICKOFF
AT A GLANCE
Oklahoma's No. 1 ranking vanished almost as quickly as it appeared. The Sooners will be eager to take out their frustrations on somebody, and the Jayhawks have the unenviable task of playing in Norman one week after a difficult loss. Beating up on Kansas won't get them back to the top of the hill, but it won't hurt either. Oklahoma has buried its opponents 110-6 in the first quarter and it will try and jump on Kansas early on Saturday.
BYTHE NUMBERS
(2008 Averages and National Rank)
4th
4th
scoring offense (47.2 ppg)
passing offense (365.3 ypg)
rushing offense (157.2 ypq)
53rd
37th
32nd
25th
passing defense (178.7 ypg)
37th scoring defense (19 ppg)
rushing defense (107.8 ypg)
Senior
Senior wide receiver Juuaquin Iglesias Sam Bradford is cool and calm in the pocket, but it helps that
PLAYER TO WATCH
Iglesias
he's got a wideout like Iglesias to whom he can throw. Iglesias has 30 catches for 493 yards and five touchdowns. He also changes field position with 23.8 yards per kick return.
QUESTION MARKS
Who will replace middle linebacker Ryan Reynolds?
Stoops is turning to a pair of youngsters — freshman Austin Box and sophomore Brandon Crow — to replace his best defensive player. Last Saturday, outside linebacker Travis Lewis made up for the loss with 19 tackles, and his play could counteract Reynolds' absence this weekend.
Will DeMarco Murray get back on track?
Sam Bradford made up for the running game with 387 passing yards, but Murray's six yards on seven carries have to be a concern. Oklahoma may be talented enough to beat Kansas with nothing but passing, but eventually Stoops will need his formidable rushing attack to return.
BIG 12 SCHEDULE
Game
Saturday
Time Channel
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 11 Missouri 7 p.m. ABC
No. 4 Oklahoma vs. No. 16 Kansas 2:30 p.m. ABC
No. 7 Texas Tech at Texas A&M 11 p.m. FSN
No. 8 Oklahoma State vs. Baylor 2 p.m. No TV
Kansas State at Colorado 6 p.m. FSN
Nebraska at Iowa State 11:30 p.m. Versus
NORMAN WILL FALL SILENT IF...
Kansas plays its best all-around game of the Mark Mangino era. It will take an excellent performance from the offense, defense and special teams, and a lot of the bounces need to go the Jayhawks' way.
GALE SAYERS WILL WEEP IF...
Oklahoma jumps out on top, as it has in every game this season. The Sooners own the first quarter, and it would be nearly impossible to dig out of a hole in Norman. Kansas must throw the first punch.
TOP 25 TELEVISED GAMES
PREDICTION Oklahoma 42, Kansas 20.
Time
Game
Thursday
Friday
No. 9 Brigham Young at TCU 7 p.m. No TV
No.15 Boise State vs. Hawaii 7 p.m. ESPN
Saturday
Channel
No. 2 Alabama vs. Mississippi 2:30 p.m. CBS
No. 3 Penn State vs. Michigan 3:30 p.m. ESPN
No. 6 USC at Washington State 2:30 p.m. No TV
No. 10 Georgia vs. Vanderbilt 11:30 a.m. ESPN360.com
No. 12 Ohio State at No. 20 Michigan State 2:30 p.m. ABC
No. 13 LSU at South Carolina 7 p.m. ESPN
No. 14 Utah vs. Colorado State 2:30 p.m. The Mtn.
No. 17 Virginia Tech at Boston College 7 p.m. ESPN2
No. 18 North Carolina at Virginia 2:30 p.m. ABC
No. 19 South Florida vs. Syracuse 11 a.m. ESPN360.com
No. 21 Wake Forest at Maryland 11 a.m. ESPN360.com
No. 23 Pittsburgh at Navy 2:30 p.m. No TV
No. 25 California at Arizona 9 p.m. No TV