Highlights from today's press conference w/Coach Mangino and KU Players...

Head Coach Mark Mangino

Opening remarks:

“Looking back on last week, Nebraska made more plays than we did to win the game. We had opportunities and didn’t always capitalize. We didn’t make stops when we needed to make stops. We have got to improve our tackling. We have got to play a lot more sound in our inside run game. There were a few bright spots. Dezmon Briscoe had a big day and looked really good. Todd Reesing had a good day, although his numbers didn’t show that he did. James Holt is really playing good defense for us right now.”

“This week we have Texas, who is a very good, ranked, top-five program. They have a lot of weapons on both sides of the ball and on special teams. Defensively they are very stout. They are only allowing 86 yards per game rushing. They have a very athletic defensive line with very quick, athletic guys who can move around. Their linebackers seem to be the heart of their defense. They are an outstanding group of linebackers. Their secondary is very athletic as always.”

“On the offensive side of the ball they run the ball with a number of different tailbacks. Their big playmaker is obviously Colt McCoy at quarterback, both running and throwing the football. He has a bunch of excellent receivers to throw to, led by Jordan Shipley and Quan Cosby. Shipley is also a very dangerous player on special teams.”

“It is a very good Texas team that is coming here and we are planning on having a good week of preparation and getting ready to play them. It is an opportunity for us to play a top-five team here at home and we want to play well.”

More Coach and Player Quotes after the Jump...

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No matter the team, no matter the league, the offensive line is immensely important. NFL, FBS, FCS, Division 3, jayvee high school ball, whatever. In order to protect your QB, you need a passable offensive line. Want a running game? You better have a good O-Line. For evidence, look back through the immense history of football; or, for a recent-and-local example, simply look at the Kansas City Chiefs, version 2007. A Top 10 RB in the NFL, a Top 2 TE, a Top 20 WR and a host of other, capable skill position players all were on the team last year. A single average offensive lineman (except Brian Waters) was not. And thus, one of the worst offensive seasons in NFL history, and the worst in Chiefs history.

Last season, Kansas rode a tremendous offensive line, highlighted by two offensive tackles, to a 12-1 season and an Orange Bowl. You know that. You also know that both of those offensive tackles, one of them a First Team All-American and NFL Draft choice and the other a three-year starter, have since departed. Add the two together and you get the biggest hole on the team; replacing two of the best offensive linemen in school history in one offseason. Some positive reports out of fall practice sessions seemed to indicate that the problem seemed to be solved, at least at left tackle with Jeff Spikes. Right tackle was still up-in-the-air, although Jeremiah Hatch had quite a fall himself.

However, all of this blew up when Jeremiah Hatch couldn't play against FIU. And then, the supposed strength of not only the O-Line but of the entire offense, the interior threesome of Adrian Mayes, Ryan Cantrell and Chet Hartley, didn't perform up to expectations. This is how you struggle in the running game against, statistically, one of the worst defenses in college football last season. If we are to have a chance against some of the better teams on our schedule, and maybe even some middle-of-the-road type of teams such as Louisiana Tech, we have to have improved offensive line play.

My solutions for how we can get this done after the jump...

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Last season, the Kansas Jayhawks possessed one of the best offensive tackle duos in all of college football. Both were adjusting to new positions, but there was never really an adjustment period. Cesar Rodriguez, on the right side, had spent much of his sophomore and junior seasons in the starting lineup, and used that experience to his benefit. And then you had Anthony Collins starting opposite him, a high school basketball player who only came to football as a way to make some serious dough. So much so that "Momma's Gotta Eat" became his unofficial nickname. Still, even with his humorous take on why he is playing football, he was named a first team All-American and a finalist for the Outland Trophy, which he lost to Glenn Dorsey.

And so, while there are some uncertain and unproven Jayhawks that will be depended upon throughout the entire team, including TE, OWR, DT, DE and CB, no position is as questionable entering into the season as the offensive tackles. Replacing two of the best offensive linemen in school history are two redshirt freshmen, two players who have yet to even don a uniform with a chance of playing that night at the collegiate level. If that doesn't make you uneasy, not much will. Still, the freak out factor has been relatively low throughout the Jayhawk fanbase, right or wrong. While the MSM is harping on the losses of 1,300 yard rusher Brandon Mcanderson and 1,000 yard receiver Marcus Henry departing, not to mention first round pick Aqib Talib, few are acknowledging the largest hole on this team. The tackles. Which is especially odd considering that the two positions the MSM seems to be most worried about on offense, runningback and outside wide receiver, are littered with at least somewhat experienced players, while the offensive tackle position is going to be left up to two complete unknowns.

And yet, despite the fact that they are completely and utterly unknown quantities, I'm not nervous. Well, that isn't true. I still haven't quite figured out a way how we will survive George Selvie and South Florida in week 3, but besides that I'm good. Really. Because Spikes reminds me a helluva lot like Collins. Not to say that he is the next AC, because not too many offensive linemen will sprint down the field just to pick up the touchdown-scorer while slapping him across the helmet in the process, but he has the same intangible feel to me. But more on that later. For now, here is the three year depth chart at both LT and RT:

--- Italics denote projected redshirt year

--- Bold denotes projected EMPTY space on depth chart

* I realize that this report indicates that Lueken will not be redshirted this season. However, I still think that he will be initially redshirted, only to potentially come available were he to be needed, which he hopefully won't be. Still, great news that he has looked that good thus far in camp.

Because of the whole freshmen factor, we seem to be set at this position for the forseeable future. Wolfe and D'Cunha figure to be really good backups, and there is always the possibility of, if Wolfe/D'Cunha/Lueken performs well enough, of Hatch moving back inside to his natural position of G/C and W/D'C/L taking over at RT. In all honesty, this is probably as deep of an offensive line unit Kansas has ever had, and that includes the losses of Collins and Rodriguez. This group is that good, IMO.

Player-by-player previews after jump...

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