KANSAN.COM / THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN / FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2010 / GAME DAY
7B
KU KICKOFF AT A GLANCE
Nebraska will be the toughest team the Jayhawks have faced all season. They are No. 8 in the BCS standings with a 7-1 record, and control their own destiny in regards to the Big 12 North crown.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Junior quarterback
Quinn Mecham
The 85,000 screaming fans in
Lincoln's Memorial Stadium will be a bit of a culture shock for Mecham, who's only road game was in Ames two weeks ago. Coach Turner
Mecham
Gill liked the quarterback's poise and execution last Saturday and said his performance led to being named starter against Nebraska.
QUESTION MARK
Can the Kansas offense pick up where it left off?
After three lackluster quarters offensively, the KU offense caught fire en route to the upset of Colorado. However, this Nebraska defense is better than any they've seen all year.
BY THE NUMBERS
102
The Kansas offense is currently 102nd in the nation in scoring.
20
Bo Pelini's Husker defense is only giving up 19 points per game. They are the 20th best defense in the country.
NEBRASKA NOTES A quick glance at the Jayhawks and the Cornhuskers
KANSAS AT NEBRASKA 6 p.m., Saturday, MEMORIAL STADIUM, Lincoln, Neb.
OFFENSE
KANSAS 3-6(1-4 Big 12)
Quinn Mecham will once again start for Kansas on Saturday. Mecham has thrown three interceptions and three touchdowns in two starts this season. Gill said he has earned the starting spot this week, even with Jordan Webb been cleared to play.
DEFENSE
The Jayhawk defense buckled down in the second half against Colorado, only giving up 10 points after another disastrous first half. Sophomore safety Lubbock Smith is injured and will be out for Saturday's game. Turner Gill labeled Smith as doubtful on Tuesday, and confirmed on Wednesday that Smith won't be playing this weekend.
Mecham
SPECIAL TEAMS
Even after missing the Iowa State game for an undisclosed suspension, kick returner D.J. Beshears still leads the team in all-purpose yards with 914 on the season. He's averaging 114 yards per game to go along with his four touchdowns for the year.
COACHING
Smith
Bo Pelini has improved the Nebraska defense every year he's been there, and is looking to win the Big 12 North one more time before Nebraska leaves for the Big Ten next year. Turner Gill has had a rough first year in Lawrence with a few bright spots along the way.
Beshears
Gill
MOMENTUM
Since losing to Texas on Oct. 16th, Nebraska has won three straight games, improving its record to 8-1 and putting the Cornhuskers in first place in the Big 12 North. Kansas looks to keep the offensive momentum going after last Saturday's historic 35-point fourth quarter against Colorado.
Kory Carpenter
Bradley McDougald
BABY JAY WILL WEEP IF...
BIG JAY WILL CHEER IF...
The Jayhawks have a shot to win in the fourth quarter. A win might be too much to ask, but a close game against a team like Nebraska shouldn't hurt any players' confidence levels moving forward.
The oddsmakers are right. Kansas is 35-point underdogs for Saturday's game, so obviously no one believes this game will be close.
NEBRASKA 8-1 (4-1 Big 12)
OFFENSE
Martinez
The Cornhuskers are led by freshman sensation Taylor Martinez. He is the first ever Nebraska freshman to start a season at quarterback. He has already collected numerous Nebraska freshman records and has collected many national honors this season. He suffered an ankle injury against Missouri two weeks ago and sat out last weekend against Iowa State. However, he is expected t against Kansas.
against Iowa State. However, he is expected to start this week against Kansas.
Amukamara
DEFENSE
The Nebraska defense features senior cornerback Prince Amukamara. He was named First-Team Preseason All-American and First-Team Preseason All-Big 12 by many national publications. ESPN college football insider Todd McShay predicted yesterday that Amukamara would be the fifth overall draft choice in the 2011 NFL
Henery
Draft. This year he has 36 tackles and 10 pass breakups. Junior linebacker Lavonte David leads the team with 96 tackles, including three sacks.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Senior Alex Henvery is both the kicker and the punter. He was named as the First-Team All-Big 12 as a punter by both the Kansas City Star and ESPN.com. He was named to the First-Team All-Big 12 as a place kicker by the Dallas Morning News and Rivals.com. He was the Nebraska Special Teams MVP
the last two years. This year he is 11-12 on field goal attempts, including 4-4 between 40 and 49 yards and a season long 52 yards.
Pelini
COACHING
The Cornhuskers are coached by third year head coach Bo Pelini. Pelini had previously been the defensive coordinator for LSU, Oklahoma and Nebraska. He is 28-9 as head coach at Nebraska. He has led Nebraska back into national prominence largely because of a drastically improved defense. This year the Cornhuskers rank 20th in the country in points against
20th in the country in points against, allowing an average of 19.1 points per game.
MOMENTUM
The 8-1 Huskers are coming off a close 31-30 overtime victory at home last weekend against Iowa State. They have won their last three games and only have one loss this season, a 20-13 home loss to Texas. They are ranked eighth in the country by the BCS.
Max Vosburgh
PREDICTION
PLAYER TO WATCH
NU KICKOFF AT A GLANCE
This is it. The Jayhawks and Huskers have played 104 straight times, the longest uninterrupted series in college football. Next season Nebraska will leave for the Big Ten. This game also is Turner Gill's return to Nebraska. Gill played at Nebraska and returned in 1992 and was the quarterback's coach for ten years. He later became an assistant head coach and the wide receivers coach until 2005 when he left to become an assistant coach for the Green Bay Packers. The Connhuskers will be looking to beat Kansas and win out the rest of the season in hopes of eventually winning the Big 12 and heading to a BCS bowl game.
Senior running back Roy Helu, Jr.
Senior running back Roy Helu
yards and nine touchdowns this season for Nebraska. After rushing for 307 yards and breaking a Nebraska rushing record against
Helu
QUESTION MARK
Missouri two weeks ago, he ran for 99 yards and one touchdown last week against Iowa State. He has a rushing touchdown in all but two of the Cornhuskers' games this season.
With Bo Pelini wanting to impress voters with a big win and Tom Osborne not wanting to embarrass his close friend Gill too bad, if Nebraska gets up big, who wins out, coach or athletic director? It should be interesting to see if Pelini calls off the dogs earlier than normal.
Will Nebraska take it easy on Turner Gill?
Turner Gill is a beloved figure in Nebraska football history and Nebraska fans still love him today. The Cornhuskers are clearly the more talented team and they could have their way with the Jayhawks if they wanted. However, Nebraska may have too much respect for Turner Gill and could decide not to run up the score on him.
BY THE NUMBERS
10
Points Kansas lost by last time they played Nebraska in Lincoln.
Nebraska 62
Kansas 9