THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 10.2007
KU 62-SLU 0
5B
Linemen answer Mangino's call
Marcus Henry, senior wide receiver, charges past Southeastern Louisiana junior defensive back Eric Jackson. Henry pulled in five catches and totaled almost 120 yards Saturday evening at Memorial Stadium.
BY CASE KEEFER
ckeefer@kansan.com
Kansas coach Mark Mangino said he was looking for improved play from the defensive line in the week leading up to his team's game against Southeastern Louisiana.
After the Jayhawks pounded the Lions 62-0, players from Southeastern Louisiana were wondering how the line could get any better.
"Number 93, that guy is a great player," Lions quarterback Brian Babin said. "We've got a great offensive line but they out-athleted us. There's only so much you can do."
Babin was talking about senior defensive tackle and team captain James McClinton. Babin would know better than anyone just how good of a night McClinton had, because most of the lineman's success was at the quarterback's expense.
On the first play from the line of scrimmage, McClinton exploded through the middle of the offensive line for a quarterback hurry. The next play he drove freshman guard Caleb Simmons back several vards.
Not much would change for the rest of the night. McClinton and his defensive line cohorts found a home in the Southeastern Louisiana backfield, disrupting anything its offense tried to do.
"I thought our defensive line wasn't so much just overpowering them," Mangino said. "But our defensive line got off the ball and did a good job in the run game."
But the Lions kept trying to get the ball into junior running back Jay Lucas' hands through screen passes. That strategy didn't work so well, either. Lucas finished the game with eight receptions but only 20 receiving yards.
McClinton and sophomore defensive tackle Caleb Blakesley's penetration early in the game made it clear that the Lions rushing attack was not going to be a factor. At halftime, Southeastern Louisiana running backs had 14 carries for 22 yards.
Most of those plays resulted in negative yards. That's because the Jayhawks defensive linemen stuck to their assignments and were right on top of the short passes to Lucas. Sophomore defensive end Max Onyegbule and freshman defensive end Jake Laptad were among those who planted Lucas in the backfield after a reception.
"That gave the young bucks some confidence and got them ready for the Big 12," McClinton said.
On the next play, McClinton twisted to the left side of the offensive line and sacked Babin. It was McClinton's first sack of the year and a huge play for the Kansas defense.
only 9-0, and Southeastern Louisiana reached the Kansas 44-yard line on a third-down conversion with less than five minutes remaining in the first quarter.
McClinton and the youngsters stopped any possible momentum the Lions could muster up. The score was
"Thank the Lord, I finally got a sack," McClinton said. "I'm on the board; we missed my sack last game."
Laptad followed the sack with a big play of his own. Lucas caught a short shovel pass and was immediately met with a textbook tackle.
Led by the defensive linemen, Kansas tallied 20 tackles for losses and four sacks in the game.
"Kansas is very good in the front four," Southeastern Louisiana coach Mike Lucas said. "They are very sound defensively."
Most of the Jayhawks' defensive players said the most important thing was coming out of the game with a shut-out. And the defensive linemen are to thank for that zero
Andrew Wacker/KANSAN
John Larson, junior defensive end, stops a Lion ball carrier in the second quarter of Saturday night's game. The Kansas defensive line repeatedly disrupted the Southeastern Louisiana offense.
that lit up the Memorial Stadium scoreboard.
View from press row
It was over when...
Game ball goes to...
Senior defensive tackle James McClinton. From the first play of Saturday's game, the Southeastern Louisiana offensive line stood as much of a chance against McClinton as a snowman does against the Sahara. McClinton bull rushed, spun and knifed his way through the offensive line repeatedly on his way to three tackles for loss and his first sack of the season. Thanks to McClinton's imposing presence, Lions' sophomore quarterback Brian Babin struggled his way to 89 yards on 30 pass attempts.
Junior wide receiver Marcus Herford flew past 11 Southeastern Louisiana players on his way to the end zone and a 9-0 Kansas lead. It took the Jayhawks a few minutes to get on the scoreboard, but once they did the game was sewn up. The Lions never had a legitimate shot at scoring. Herford, an All-Big 12 second team kick returner last season, had never returned a kick for six points before the 74-yard scamper.
Game to forget for...
Southeastern Louisiana junior running back Jay Lucas. Lucas, a first-team All-Southland Conference selection, ran for 12 yards on nine carries. He got plenty of chances in the passing game as well, catching eight passes but only picking up 20 yards. In all, Lucas gained 32 yards on 17 touches.
Stat of the game...
Seventy-five. Southeastern Louisiana scraped together a measly 75 yards of total offence. The figure is the eighth-lowest ever yielded by Kansas and the least since 1992 when Kansas State gained 69 yards. The Lions' most costly folly was a botched long snap that resulted in a safety and a loss of 28 yards.
Edited by Matt Erickson
Game leaves marks in stat book
Asher Fusco
BY ASHER FUSCO afusco@kansan.com
RECORD BOOK
Kansas made some significant renovations to the all-time record book on Saturday night.
Brandon McAnderson, senior running back, shakes off Lion defenders as he bolts down the field. McAnderson ran for 60 yards Saturday, contributing the most vardage to the team's 221 rushing yards.
The 62-point margin of victory was the team's largest since 1994, when the fayhawks defeated UAB by 72 points.
-62 points is the fourth-largest margin of victory Kansas has ever posted.
For the first time in the history of the program, the Jayhawks have scored more than 50 points in consecutive outings.
Southeastern Louisiana's negative 31 rushing yards is the second fewest Kansas has ever allowed.
Andrew Wacker/KANSAN
—Kansas had not shut out an opponent since blanking Southern Illinois seven years ago.
TIME FOR RESERVES
The Kansas reserves saw plenty of action on Saturday. The secondstringers entered the game with just more than five minutes remaining in the third quarter and stayed in for the duration. Kerry Meier looked sharp for the second game in a row, completing a 23-yard touchdown pass and breaking loose for a 44-yard run. Jake Sharp, who did not see much early-game action, rushed for 32 yards and two touchdowns. Other notable subs included freshman Carmon Boyd-Anderson, who gained 54 yards on 13 carries and scored his first career touchdown, and sophomore linebacker Maxwell Onyegbule, who made four tackles and a sack that resulted in a safety.
PERFECTVS.FCS
The victory improved Kansas coach Mark Mangino's record against
FCS opponents to 5-0. Mangino has scheduled and defeated an FCS team in five of his six years as Kansas head coach. This is the second-consecutive year Kansas has squared off against a team from the Southland Conference; last year Kansas opened the season with a 49-18 victory against Northwestern State.
The announced attendance was 43,914 but by the end of the third quarter much of the crowd had departed. Last year Kansas' second home game of the season, against Louisiana-Monroe, drew a crowd of 45,221.
ATTENDANCE
KICKERS
Senior kicker Scott Webb put together another solid game. Of his 10 kickoffs, Webb only deposited one in the end zone for a touchback but averaged 64.1 yards per kickoff. Webb also converted on all seven of his extra point tries and his only field goal attempt. He has made his last seven field goals dating back to last season.
INJURY REPORT
Though Southeastern Louisiana suffered a number of injuries, Kansas stayed injury-free for the most part, the notable exception being sophomore defensive end jeff Wheeler, who left the field clutching his arm in the third quarter. Before leaving the game, the reserve defensive lineman
Junior cornerback Aqib Talib didn't make any progress toward his goal of 10 interceptions, but he did add another notch to his belt with a notable play on offense. Though he only appeared in a limited capacity at wide receiver, Talib caught a 36-yard touchdown pass from Todd Reesing. Talib blew past junior free safety Travis Williams on a go route and corralled the pass in the end zone for his fourth career reception and third offensive touchdown.
collected one tackle.
TALIB'S TOUCHDOWN
Edited by Luke Morris
12 POWER RANKINGS
Each week, Sports Editor Travis Robinett, Associate Sports Editor Kyle Carter, football writer Asher Fusco and Big 12 football writer Case Keefer will vote on the Big 12 power rankings.
1. Oklahoma
2. Texas
3. Missouri
4T.Texas A&M
4T. Nebraska
6. Kansas
7. Oklahoma State
8. Texas Tech
9. Kansas State
10. Colorado
11. Baylor
12. Iowa State
4