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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2006
KU 13 - USF 7
5B
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAN
(Left) Marcus Herford,
sophomore wide reciever, gets tackled by South Florida's Ryan Gilliam, Junior defensive back. The Jayhawks defeated the Bulls 13-7 on Saturday night.
Dexton Fields,
sophomore wide reciever, catches
a pass from Adam
Barmann, senior quarterback, during
Saturday night's
game against
South Florida.
Lisa Lipovac/KANSAM
(Below) Adam
Barmann, senior
quarterback, fumbles
the ball on the 32 yard
line at the end of the
second half. The ball
was recovered by South
Florida's Allen Cray, junior
defensive lineman.
We noticed with this quarterback here [Grothe], he likes to stare down one side. When he looks at one side, he's going to go to that side.
"
ANTHONY WEBB freshman cornerback
PHILLIPS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
4,6,6,9,9,10 and 11 yards. Six of those eight situations qualify as third-and-long, a play the offense should never be allowed to convert.
Early in the season, it was obvious why the Jayhawks didn't blitz. Their secondary wasn't getting the job done, and the team couldn't risk giving up a big play by leaving an inexperienced cornerback stranded.
Now there is more stability at the position. Safety Jerome Kemp is looking healthier every week. Cornerback Sadiq Muhammed missed Saturday's game with a "nagging injury" but is expected to return this week. Most importantly, cornerback Aqib Talib is back, and has reestablished himself as a player who opposing quarterbacks must throw away from. He said he's not opposed to the blitz.
"We're trying to call more plays and mix it up," he said. "However long we've got to cover, we're going to cover."
Defense end Paul Como said the defense installed some new schemes for this game, and thought that when the unit tried to put pressure on the quarterback, it worked out well.
"It's always nice running in there to try to go get the quarterback," he said. "I've just got to tackle him
when I get through, instead of running by him."
That will happen. Como and the rest of the line will fix that this week in practice. The question is whether or not they will be allowed to go after quarterback Zac Taylor next week at Nebraska.
If they aren't, Young's calendar might have a different word.
Phillips is a Wichita senior in journalism. He Is the Kansan sports editor.
Blowout.
Edited by Kate Shipley
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
tion on Kansas' lone touchdown drive of the game. Barmann ran to the right side of the field, pitching the ball to senior running back Jon Cornish, who ran downfield for 13 yards. He also nearly had a touchdown pass in the second quarter, but wide receiver Marcus Henry fumbled the ball in the end zone. USF recovered the ball for a touchback.
Other than a fumble in the second quarter, Mangino said Barmann played a nearly flawless game.
"The thing I liked about Adam tonight was he looked confident throwing the ball". Mangino said. He just sat in the pocket and he read the routes, got his progressions and delivered the ball. That shows you he's capable. He's always been capable."
Meier, who injured his right arm in last week's loss to Toledo, was evaluated throughout the week by doctors and Mangino and it was decided late Thursday night that Barmann would get the starting nod. After Saturday's game, Mangino said he didn't know if Meter would be available next Saturday.
With the beginning of Big 12 Conference play looming on Saturday against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Mangino may have a quarterback controversy on his hands.
Even if he is, it's hard for Mangino to ignore Barmann's impressive performance.
It would be nothing new, though. Mangino has had to deal with rotating several quarterbacks in each of the past three seasons.
After the game, Mangino refused to discuss any possible change at quarterback.
"I haven't even taken a shower yet," Mangino said. "I'm not going to give that much thought tonight."
The situation will have to be addressed eventually, though. While Kansas' offense certainly wasn't perfect on Saturday night, it ran as smoothly as it has in a long time.
"The main thing is we took a bunch of kids that lost a tough game on the road last week and came back and played a very, very good football team here." Mangino said. "That tells you a little bit about the character of our kids and does provide a boost from us going up to Nebraska."
The Jayhawks had three wide receivers — Brian Murph, Marcus Henry and Dexton Fields — with at least 50 yards. Cornish had an average night, rushing for 105 yards on 26 carries. He got a majority of those yards, 35 of them, on a tackle-breaking run in the fourth quarter.
Junior kicker Scott Webb made two field goals Saturday after starting the season 0-for-2. Webb made kicks of 37 and 42 yards, respectively.
Barmann's performance certainly provided a spark for Kansas, coming off an emotional doubleovertime loss last week. That momentum will be important, especially in Lincoln on Saturday.
-Cornback Aqib Talib said that he felt better playing in his
Football Notes:
second game after being suspended to start the season, and that he was able to get into the flow of the game easier. He also addressed his standing with Mangino.
"We're on good terms. We're real good right now," he said. "Me and coach have always been good."
-Juniior tight end Marc Jones and freshman cornerback Anthony Webb made their first starts against USF. Jones started in place of senior wide receiver Brian Murph, and Webb started for junior Blake Bueltel. Also in the secondary, freshman Justin Thornton started for junior Sadiq Muhammed, who Mangino said was "not 100 percent."
-With the victory, Kansas has won a school-record nine straight home games at Memorial Stadium. The team is only one off the Big 12 record. Texas Tech has the lead with 10 straight home victories.
-Kansas and South Florida were tied scoreless at the end of the first half. It was the first time a Jayhawk game had been scoreless after two periods since 1980, when Kansas was scoreless after the second quarter with Oregon. That game in Eugene, Ore., ended tied at seven.
-Kansas created a turnover for the first time in two weeks. The Jayhawks got turnovers off an interception by sophomore cornerback Aqib Talib and a fumble recovery by senior defensive lineman Paul Como.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneider@kansan.com.
Edited by Erin Wiley