A look at news and notes from this week about the Jayhawks and their upcoming game....
The Good Guys...
- Jayhawks Focused on Changing the Defensive Problems.
- Coach Mangino Thinks Todd Should be in the Discussion for Heisman.
- Is the Defensive Scheme Overwhelming Kansas' Defenders.
- Players Notice the Halftime Student Exodus...Seriously Students, this is Messed Up.
- Ryan Murphy Setting an Example.
- Reesing has been A Buffalo Hunter from Day One.
- Kansas Receivers Expecting a Tougher Test Against Colorado.
- Kansas v Colorado Preview.
- The Old Elevation Argument Whenever Anyone Travels to Colorado.
The Bad Guys...
- Colorado Knows Todd Reesing All to Well.
- Colorado Defensive Line Coming Along.
- CU Primer: Kansas Jayhawks.
-
Coach Hawkins Wife Reflects on Decisions.
- Cody Hawkins or Tyler Hansen? Sounds like both might play.
Denver's Take...
One Paper this one is easy. Then again on paper so was Iowa State. Good news is the weather is gorgeous here in Colorado and I'm off to Boulder to enjoy some fun in the Colorado sun. The good weather should be a benefit to the Kansas offense and I'm curious to see what the coaches have in store for the defense this week.
A few quick items of note. I've been told Jake Sharp will be playing, and also keep your eyes open for a new face in the backfield on Saturday. Big John Williams should push for minutes at defensive tackle this week and from the sounds of things the guy might even push for major minutes by late in the season. Lastly on defense keep your eyes out for Lubbock Smith in the defensive secondary and true freshman DJ Beshears appears to be making a little bit of noise. Beshears might not appear on Saturday but it sounds like he's had the staff taking notice of late.
Back to the game Colorado put out an excellent first half against Texas last week. If their defense can be equally effective against the Jayhawks through four quarters this might be a tough one. In terms of the Colorado offense, it's anybody's guess what we'll see there just as it's anyone's guess what we'll see from the Kansas defense.
My opinion is this is a game that will play tough early but Kansas will pull away. The Kansas offense is riding high and confident as ever. A few stops for the Kansas defense whether by their own account or the self destruction of the Buffaloes and this will eventually get out of hand as things did for CU with Texas.
I'm not discounting the Buffaloes and this game has scared me from the beginning but I'll hop in my car and head to the Darkhorse confident but cautious. CU has put together one shocker nearly every year with Coach Hawkins. I don't think it's Kansas this year and Todd runs out of Boulder with a 4-0 record against the Buffs.
Final Score: Kansas 42 Colorado 24
Notes and more things to look for after the jump..
KU-CU SERIES -- Colorado leads the all-time series 41-24-3, including a 23-9 advantage in games played in Boulder. Kansas has won three straight in the series since CU won five consecutive from 2001-05.
LOOKING TO MAKE HISTORY -- With its current three-game winning streak, Kansas is looking to win four straight against Colorado for the first time in the series which dates back to 1903. The Jayhawks
won three straight from 1962-64. KU posted a five-game unbeaten streak from 1906-1948 with two wins, a tie and two wins.
KU-CU LAST YEAR -- RB Jake Sharp rushed for 118 yards on a career-high 31 attempts and scored three touchdowns to lead then No. 16 Kansas to a 30-14 victory at Lawrence on Oct. 11, 2008. Kansas limited Colorado to just 233 yards of total offense, nearly 100 yards shy of its 325 yards per game average. S Darrell Stuckey and CB Kendrick Harper both came up with interceptions. KU meanwhile produced 407 yards of total offense as QB Todd Reesing completed 27 of 34 passes for 256 yards. KU led 16-14 going into the fourth quarter before Sharp scored on touchdown runs of eight and seven yards to put the game away.
KU-CU LAST TIME AT BOULDER -- Behind the leadership of QB Todd Reesing, then 15thranked Kansas held off Colorado 19-14 at Folsom Field on Oct. 20, 2007. Kansas built up a 19-7 lead after scoring on a 15-play, 94-yard drive with 10:23 left in the game. Colorado scored a touchdown to pull within 19-14 at the 3:42 mark. After Colorado forced KU to punt, the Buffaloes took over at their own 42-yard line with 2:16 remaining in the game. Kansas stopped the Buffs on four plays (CU lost eight yards on the possession) and the Jayhawks won their seventh straight game of the year. Reesing completed 20 of 29 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown while also rushing seven times for 84 yards. KU's defense registered seven tackles for loss, including three sacks, and came up with three turnovers.
JAYHAWKS VS. COLORADO -- Here is a look at how some Jayhawks have done vs. Colorado:
- QB Todd Reesing made his collegiate debut in the second half against Colorado in 2006 completing seven of 11 passes for 106 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 90 yards and another score to rally the Jayhawks from a 9-0 deficit to a 20-15 win... In two and one half games against the Buffaloes he is a combined 54 of 74 (73 percent) for 515 yards and four passing touchdowns... The top two rushing games of his career have come against Colorado with 90 in 2006 and 84 in 2007 (his third-best rushing game was 79 vs. Northern Colorado this year).
- WR Dezmon Briscoe did not have a catch at Colorado in 2007, but has recorded at least two receptions in his 23 games since then... He was shutout on receptions just one other time in his career (zero vs. SE Louisiana in game two of his freshman year.
- TE Tim Biere had his previous career bests in both receptions (two) and yards (26) against Colorado last year. He is coming off his new career game with three catches for 53 yards against Iowa State last week.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR AGAINST COLORADO
- KU has scored at least 30 points in six straight road games.
- KU is looking to post its first ever four-game winning streak in the series with Colorado.
500 CLUB -- For the third time this season Kansas produced 500 total offensive yards in game with its 551 against Iowa State last week. In the 31 games since the start of 2007, KU has produced 400 yards in 25 games, 500 yards in 12 games, and one 600-yard game.
DEFENSE DOING WELL IN THE FOURTH QUARTER -- In the last two games, with the game on the line in the fourth quarter, the KU defense has managed to come up big when it needed to. Against Southern Miss. with the game tied heading into the fourth quarter, KU forced USM into an interception, two punts and a drive which ended on downs. Last week against Iowa State, KU trailed 30-27 before holding ISU to a punt, a touchdown and a drive ending on downs in the final period en route to the victory.
REESING LEADS NATION -- KU QB Todd Reesing has the nation's longest active streak of games with a touchdown pass at 23 consecutive contests. Colt McCoy of Texas is second at 22, while Case Keenum of Houston is third at 21