Preview 2007: Secondary

Aqib Talib and KU secondary could explode in 2007 | photo: www.annependleton.com

Shell-Shocked or Experienced?

How can a secondary with Aqib Talib manning one corner finish dead last in pass defense in the Big 12? It's quite a riddle, but it starts with the loss of leader Charles Gordon. Add to that a graduation here, an injury there and maybe an academic casualty and all of the sudden you've got a true freshman starting at corner and major inexperience spread across the unit. Sure Jerome Kemp was a senior, but he played with some injuries and never really became the leader we expected. So, the result was a brutal year for the secondary and a lot of fourth quarter losses. Now the question is whether or not guys like Justin Thornton and Anthony Webb learned from the trial-by-fire campaign.

My guess is that Webb will turn out to be a first-rate corner by the time he is done at KU. By the end of the 2006 season, his fundamental play was showing a steady improvement. Thornton actually showed pretty good coverage in a lot of situations last year. He needs to improve on making the tackle after catch and playing the ball in the air. Darrell Stuckey is a solid safety and was really missed after going down with the injury in August. If he can have a healthy year, that alone will get the unit going in the right direction.

What can you say about Aqib Talib? With all due respect to the previous #3, Aqib is the best DB of the Mangino era. He's got the size, speed and most importantly instinct. Oh and throw in some major swagger. Aqib will play on Sunday and you could predict about 13 picks for Talib in 2007, but I suspect teams will finally stop throwing in his direction. Oddly though, teams still tested him all through 2006. Please continue that trend.

That pretty much takes care of the known commodities, but another reason to expect some improvement is that KU is throwing a lot of bodies into the unit. Former LB Arist Wright is now listed as a safety and the word is that Gary Green II is a corner (although today's LJW article confuses the issue mentioning him at RB during Friday's practice). Senior safety Sadiq Muhammed got some playing time last year and should provide depth. Phillip Strozier was a highly-touted recruit who could also figure into the mix.

KU went hard after DB's on the recruiting trail and the experts say they landed a couple of good ones. Rivals is projecting that corner Kendrick Harper will take Anthony Webb's job. I think Webb will beat him out, but I expect Harper to get plenty of playing time. Safety Patrick Resby on the other hand does look like a shoe-in to start at one of the safety positions. He was rated as a four-star recruit by Scout.com.

With all of the competition on the unit, it looks like we should get some improved play. The other factor is the promise of a better pass rush for 2007. A little more pressure on opposing QBs early in the season could help the secondary build some needed confidence before they head into the Big 12 wars.

One note -- both JUCO corner recruits from 2006 are no longer with the team: Blake Bueltel and Mike McCoy.

In House

Cornerbacks

3 Aqib Talib Jr. 6-2/195 Richardson, TX (Berkner HS)
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.5
 
20 Anthony Webb So. 6-0/175 Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff HS)
Recruited: 2006 **** 4.5

4 Gary Green II Jr. 5-9/175 San Antonio, TX (James Madison HS)
Recruited: 2004 *** 4.4

14 Maurice Henry Fr. 5-8/175 Lawton, OK (Eisenhower)

45 Stanley Redwine Jr. RS 5-10/175 Lawrence, KS (Free State HS)

Safeties

25 Darrell Stuckey So. 16-1/202 Kansas City, KS (Washington HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.49

46 Justin Thornton So. 6-0/185 St. Joseph, MO (Central HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.78
 
41 Arist Wright So. 5-10/205 Houston, TX (Alief Taylor HS)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.4 

26 Phillip Strozier Fr. RS 6-0/200 Kansas City, MO (Rockhurst HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.55 

27 Sadiq Muhammed Sr. 6-0/190 Kansas City, MO (Hickman Mills HS)

28 Chris Clawson Fr. 5-10/180 Montgomery, TX (Montgomery HS)

19 Brian Seymour Sr. 6-1/190 Lawrence, KS (Lawrence HS)

Incoming

*** Anthony Davis DB -- 5-11/184/4.5 -- Tulsa, OK
*** Kendrick Harper DB -- 5-10/187/4.45 -- El Dorado, KS
*** Patrick Resby DB  -- 6-2/195 -- Corsicana, TX
** Isiah  Barfield ATH -- 6-0/175 --Haven, KS
** Chris Harris ATH  6-0 180 4.4 5.2  Bixby, OK
 

                                      |-----------Tackles--------------| |--Pass Def--|
2006 Secondary Stats  GP Solo  Ast Total   TFL/Yds  Int-Yds BrUp
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 Kemp, Jerome          12   53     29     82     3-12           .       4  
46 Thornton, Justin       12   35     11     46     1-3          1-0      4  
3  Talib, Aqib                 10   35       7     42     2-5          6-82    22  
20 Webb, Anthony        12   35       7     42      .             3-45     6  
25 Stuckey, Darrell          7   19     13    32     1-1              .       3  
41 Wright, Arist             12   15     12     27     1-2         1-28     2  
23 Bueltel, Blake              5   15      2     17      .                 .       4  
27 Muhammed, Sadiq     10   12     4     16      .               1-2      1  
30 Roux, Dominic           12    6      6     12      .                  .       2  
38 Brown, Raymond      12   10     1     11      .                  .       1   

2007 Preview: Linebackers

Destruction on Parade

You saw a little glimpse of it in 2006 -- the raw destruction that is Mike "God of Thunder" Rivera tracking down a ball carrier. It happened 90 times in 2006, but I'm not sure the Big 12 football world is quite ready for the anger storm that Rivera and his Hell's Angels linebacking crew are about to rain down on opponents in 2007. Here's a quick laundry list of why this will be KU's best unit in 2007:

• Even minimal improvement in play by the secondary and defensive line will free up this talented crew to wreck havoc. If the d-line comes on strong, hide the women and children.
• A full year of playing experience will mean these guys will be thinking less and moving by instinct
• These guys have been talked about for years, they're ready to deliver
• The unit has a legacy to uphold. The power of Gabe Toomey is with them.
• Ten months to think about that brutal loss to Mizzou

The fact that Rivera, Joe Mortenson and James Holt are the likely starters doesn't really mean too much. We'll see a lot of Brandon Duncan (assuming he is injury-free) and Jake Schermer. Some fans felt Schermer was maybe a little bit slower than the rest of the corp, but all five are solid Big 12 type linebackers. The more fascinating possibilities involve the switch of Olaitan Oguntodu to LB and three-star recruit Drew Dudley. Oguntodu played in the secondary last year and has impressive speed. I'd like to see him blitzing from the edge in passing situations. Perhaps he'll be a little better in his drops as well.

Dudley has been mentioned by the coaching staff as a possibility to play as a true freshman. That says quite a bit about his talent as this is a pretty deep corp of LBs.  Of course, he was ranked as the 19th best inside linebacker in the nation by ESPN.com so it's not like his skill level is a big secret.

So, while a lot of people will be zoned in on the QB battle during the spring game, I'll be focused on the linebacker crew because that orchestra of destruction is going be a lot of fun to watch.

Quick note -- all of the sudden this unit could use a coach.

In-House

Inside Linebackers

40 Mike Rivera Jr. 6-3/250 Overland Park, KS (Shawnee Mission NW HS)
Recruited: 2004 *** 4.58

16 Brandon Duncan So. 6-1/215 Garland, TX (Lakeview Centennial HS)
Recruited: 2005 **** 4.53

61 Ian Handshy So. 6-1/260 Lawrence, KS (Lawrence HS)
 
59 Sal Capra Fr/RS 6-3/245 Kansas City, MO (Rockhurst HS)
Recruited: 2006 ** 4.8

Outside Linebackers 

12 James Holt Jr. 6-3/215 Altus, OK (Altus)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.6
 
8 Joe Mortensen Jr. 6-2/245 Clayton, CA (Clayton Valley HS)
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.55
 
58 Jake Schermer So. 6-2/230 Nixa, MO (Ozark HS)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.65

44 Olaitan Oguntodu So. 6-1/220 Mesquite, TX (John Horn HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.45
 
51 Dakota Lewis Fr/RS 6-1/215 Sulphur, OK (Sulphur HS)
Recruited: 2006 ** 4.61

36 Tang Bacheyie Jr. 6-1/205 Windsor, Ont. (Sandwich HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.48
 

More Linebackers

53 Matt Zeleznak Jr. 6-0/215 Topeka, (Hayden HS)
43 Ted Hodges Fr/RS 6-1/215 Salina, KS (Central HS)
52 Jamal Murray Fr/RS 5-10/220 Wichita, KS (Collegiate HS)

Incoming

*** Drew Dudley OLB -- 6-2/212/4.6 -- College Station, TX
*** Justin Springer OLB -- 6-4/220 -- Los Fresnos, TX

                                   |--------Tackles----------------| |-Sacks-|
2006 LB Stats            GP Solo  Ast Total   TFL/Yds   No-Yds 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 Rivera, Mike          12   63   27    90          8-29       2-15 
8  Mortensen, Joe      12   40   42    82        12-36       4-25 
12 Holt, James             8   17   12    29           2-6    
58 Schermer, Jake     12    7   10    17      
16 Duncan, Brandon    3    7     0     7            1-8      1-8  
61 Handshy, Ian           2    2     0     2   
44 Oguntodu, Olaitan   9    1     0     1   

Preview 2007: KU Defensive Line

Bounce Back

Did we miss Charlton Keith and Jermail Ashley last year? The theory was that we'd be able to plug in the reserves from 2005 and their loss would be minimal. It turns out that we may have actually underestimated Keith and Ashley. Along with the obvious factors, the end position was implicated a number times last year for the failure to mount a better pass defense. Perhaps it was just part of the overall change as the defense replaced eight starters. Still, fans and coaches now have a pretty high standard for the defensive line and the unit better get used to being compared to the Keith/Ashley peak.

Though 2005 wasn't up to that standard, two things did occur that bode well for the future:

1) The defensive tackles became a force and though Wayne Wilder is gone, James McClinton will be back and looking to make some noise. He did some talking in 2006 and he backed it up. You gotta love that. Our other experienced tackles are Caleb Blakesley and Todd Haselhorst. Blakesley had a great year for a freshman and Haselhorst can get the job done. He proved that when he played the position as a true freshman.

2) A lot of the younger players got some great experience at defensive end. Russell Brorsen actually started several games last year and held his own. This could be a breakout year for the junior. Both John Larson and Jeff Wheeler had their names called on big plays last year. Jason Thompson also got into the action as a true freshman.

So can the d-line bounce back in 2007? If redshirt freshman DE Maxwell Onyegbule can live up to the recent hype we're hearing (thread from Rock Chalk Wednesday), then things certainly look good. He's already listed as the starter opposite Brorsen at end. With their experience from 2006, Larson, Wheeler and Thompson should provide a great, aggressive rotation.

At tackle, McClinton is already a known commodity around the Big 12 and I suspect that Todd Haselhorst is ready to become the big-time player that we remember from his freshman year. Blakesley is a capable, young player that is continuing to improve.

As for the recruiting class, KU did a good job of building some depth. Getting Aaron Mack in would have been nice to create some competition for starter at DE, but again, if Onyegbule works out then its not that big of a loss. The best news is that it looks like we have a legitimate shot to redshirt all three.

In House

DEFENSIVE END
81 Russell Brorsen Jr. 6-4/240 Stillwater, OK (Stillwater HS)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.8/40

47 Maxwell Onyegbule Fr/RS 6-4/250 Arlington, TX (Arlington HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 5.02/40 

95 Jason Thompson So. 6-6/260 Dallas, TX (Madison HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.7/40

87 John Larson Jr. 6-3/250 Overland Park, KS (Pembroke Hill HS)
 
84 Jeff Wheeler So. 6-7/250 Houston, TX (Clear Lake HS)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.9/40

90 Richard Alspaugh Jr. 6-3/225 Overland Park, KS (Blue Valley Northwest HS)

71 Luke Templin So. 6-2/270 Andover, KS (Central HS)
 

DEFENSIVE TACKLE
93 James McClinton Sr. 6-1/285 Garland, TX (Lakeview Centennial HS)
Recruited: 2004 *** 5.2/40
 
72 Todd Haselhorst Jr. 6-4/300 Olathe, KS (Olathe East HS)

94 Caleb Blakesley So. 6-5/285 Ottawa, KS (Ottawa)
Recruited: 2005 *** 5.0/40

99 Jamal Greene Fr/RS 6-4/295 Kansas City, KS (Washington HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.8/40

Incoming

*** Richard Johnson Jr. DE -- 6-4/255/5.0 -- Jefferson City, MO
*** Patrick Dorsey DT -- 5-11/263/5.22 -- Houston, TX
**  Jake Laptad DE -- 6-4/215 -- Jenks, OK

                              
2006 D-LINE STATS       GP Solo  Ast Total TFL/Yds Sck-Yds 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
93 McClinton, James      12   38   13    51    16-60     6-41
98 Como, Paul                12   26   17    43     9-31     5-21
81 Brorsen, Russell       12   18   15    33     6-13     4-11 
91 Wilder, Wayne          12   20   11    31     5-29     3-24
92 Allen, Rodney           12   10     4    14     3-21     3-21
87 Larson, John            10     8     5    13      3-9      2-8 
84 Wheeler, Jeff            12     5     2     7      2-22     2-22
94 Blakesley, Caleb        11    2     3      5      1-4      1-4
95 Thompson, Jason        3    2     .      2         .        .       
47 Onyegbule, Maxwell    2    1     .      1         .        .       
72 Haselhorst, Todd         6    1     .      1        1-1       .       .

Recruiting Rating Source: Rivals.com

2007 Preview: KU Offensive Line

Replacing the Core

One of the bigger concerns for Kansas in 2007 is replacing the core of the offensive line that graduated center David Ochoa and guards Bob Whitaker and Travis Dambach. On paper there's an answer for each of those losses, but the o-line has become notorious for starting out each campaign slow. In fact, looking back the last time the O-line really hit the ground running was the 2003 season when KU started 5-1. Going into year six, it would be a great time for the guys up front to establish themselves in September and October. There is reason for optimism as Anthony Collins has developed into a rising star at the right tackle position. The guy has the size, speed and fire to be dominant in the trenches. His best moment for 2006 was the domination of KSU mouthpiece Ian Campbell (rated by Rivals.com's Olin Buchanan as the best D-lineman in the Big 12 for 2007).

The other tackle position appears to be a battle between veteran Cesar Rodriguez and redshirt freshman Ian Wolfe. Both are capable tackles so either way things are looking up on the exterior of the line. Moving to the inside, junior Ryan Cantrell has big shoes to fill in replacing Ochoa at the center position. Fortunately, Cantrell saw plenty of action in 2006 and could transition easily. Of course, its still an unknown and the line will only be as good as Cantrell, so this will be the position to watch early. Things are a little more open at the two guard positions. Rameses Arceo is predicted to lock down one position, but the other one could go to three-star JUCO transfer Chet Hartley. There are plenty of other guys who could step up as well. Junior Adrian Mayes should figure into the mix as well as redshirt freshman Carl Wilson.

The three linemen that KU picked up with the 2007 class all have the potential for a big upside. As mentioned above, Hartley probably will snag one of the guard positions as he is already on campus. Jeremiah Hatch is a big-time Texas recruit and was rated as the 14th rated center in the nation. Hopefully, he'll redshirt, but it wouldn't be shocking to see him work his way into the line-up for 2007 as he already has the size at 6-3/301. Jeff Spikes was a last minute addition from Ohio that new O-coordinator Ed Warriner scored. At 6-5/316, he's already got the size, but he's had limited football experience due to injury. He figures to be a little bit more of a project, but he should work into the tackle rotation in the future. It should also be noted that Illinois and Ohio State both showed interest in Spikes.

Quick Note -- Long snapper Zach Hood graduated and Kayl Anderson is slated to take over the duty in 2007. He'll be a sophomore and this will be a transition to keep an eye on as well. Scott Webb is a solid kicker, but KU has had some difficulties in the past implementing new long snappers.

In House

Center

50 Ryan Cantrell  Jr. 6-3/297 -- Sugar Land, TX (William P. Clements HS)
Recruited: 2004 **
 
55 John Marshall Fr/RS 6-2/285 -- Mt. Vernon, TX (Mt. Vernon HS)
Recruited: 2006 ** 5.51

Guard

67 Rameses Arceo Jr.  6-4/310 -- Whittier, CA (St. Paul HS)
Recruited: 2006 ***

66 Adrian Mayes Jr. 6-3/300 -- Manhattan, KS (Manhattan HS).

68 Carl Wilson Fr/RS 6-4/290 -- Redlands, CA (East Valley HS)
Recruited: 2006 ***

75 Marcus Anderson Sr. 6-4/290 -- Oakland, CA (Skyline HS)
Recruited: 2005 ***

73 Justin Pessetto Fr/RS 6-3/285 -- Shawnee, KS (Shawnee Mission Northwest HS)
62 Alex Smith Fr/RS 6-0/275 -- Basehor, KS (Basehor-Linwood HS)
 

Tackle

78 Anthony Collins Jr. 6-6/310 -- Beaumont, TX (Central Senior HS)
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.9 as a DE

63 Ian Wolfe Fr/RS 6-5/290-- Fort Collins, CO (Fort Collins HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.9

65 Cesar Rodriguez Sr. 6-7/290 -- La Puente, CA (Bishop Amat HS)
Recruited: 2003 ** 5.0

70 Matt Darton Jr. 6-6/310 -- San Diego, CA (University City HS)
Recruited: 2004 **

60 Jose Rodriguez So. 6-6/300 -- LaPuenta, CA (Bishop Amat HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 5.2

Long Snapper

46 Kayl Anderson So. 6-2/225 -- Tulsa, OK (Bishop Kelley HS)

Incoming

*** Chet Hartley -- G -- 6-4/310/5.07 -- El Dorado, KS
*** Jeremiah Hatch -- C -- 6-3/301 -- Dallas, TX
**  Jeff Spikes -- T -- 6-5/316/5.77-- Painesville, OH

Big 12 Preview

Several Jayhawks Mentioned Among the Big 12 Best

Olin Buchanan from Rivals.com has a preview of the Big 12 on Yahoo Sports this morning. He's picking Kansas as fourth in the north division, though his selections are pretty much by the book. He also listed the top five players by position and mentioned several KU players. Anthony Collins may actually be ranked too low.

Link to the story and full list

Defensive linemen   
1. Ian Campbell, Kansas State
2. James McClinton, Kansas
3. Nathan Peterson, Oklahoma State
4. Chris Harrington, Texas A&M
5. Frank Okam, Texas  

Linebackers   
1. Bo Ruud, Nebraska
2. Alvin Bowen, Iowa State
3. Jordon Dizon, Colorado
4. Joe Pawelek, Baylor
5. Mike Rivera, Kansas

Defensive backs    
1. Aqib Talib, Kansas
2. Reggie Smith, Oklahoma
3. Zackary Bowman, Nebraska
4. Terrence Wheatley, Colorado
5. Marcus Watts, Kansas State 

Tight ends 
1. Martin Rucker, Missouri
2. Chase Coffman, Missouri
3. Martellus Bennett, Texas A&M
4. Jermichael Finley, Texas
5. Derek Fine, Kansas

Kickers   
1. Garrett Hartley, Oklahoma
2. Jeff Wolfert, Missouri
3. Alex Trlica, Texas Tech
4. Scott Webb, Kansas
5. Jason Ricks, Oklahoma State 

Offensive linemen  
1. Duke Robinson, Oklahoma
2. Cody Wallace, Texas A&M
3. Matt Slauson, Nebraska
4. Yemi Babalola, Texas A&M
5. Anthony Collins, Kansas 

KU Tight End Preview

Meet Derek Fine

Let's hope that new OC Ed Warriner has been introduced to #85. Although Derek Fine did manage to find the endzone five times on 28 catches in 2006, it still feels like he was under-utilized. With Jon Cornish as the focus of opposing defenses and the nature of the spread offense, it looked like Fine was set up for a big year at tight end. Yet there were times when KU seemed to exclude him from the gameplan. He had a few key drops in the Nebraska game, but other than that he has proven to be a reliable option in the passing game. In order to be successful, our young QBs are going to have to learn to check down to the tight ends and hopefully the staff will focus more on the tight end getting Fine into the attack. Our offense seemed a lot more efficient in 2006 when Fine was in the mix.

Mark Mangino and his staff obviously feel comfortable with the depth at the position as no tight ends were included in the recruiting class. Both Fine and back-up Marc Jones will be seniors this year, so expect redshirt freshman Bradley Dedeaux to see the field more often in 2007 to make for a smooth transition in 2008. Marc Jones came in as a JUCO transfer last year but was mainly utilized as a blocking tight end. It'll be interesting to see if he is asked to catch the ball in 2007. I'd expect KU to sign at least two tight ends in the 2008 class and possibly use one of our limited JUCO scholarships for the position.

The Breakdown

In-House

85 Derek Fine Sr. 6-3/245 Sallisaw, OK (Sallisaw HS)
2006 Stats: 28-355/12.7 5 tds

83 Marc Jones Sr. 6-4/265 Norfolk, VA (Norfolk HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.6

87 Bradley Dedeaux Fr/RS 6-3/250 Midwest City, OK (Midwest City HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.78
 
96 Marc Dierking Sr. 6-2/225 Overland Park, KS (St. Thomas Aquinas HS)

95 Mathew Matte So. 6-2/230 Albuquerque, NM (St. Pius X HS)

49 Derek Spears Sr. 6-3/215 Osborne, KS (Osborne HS)

KU Wide Receiver Preview

Who’s Gonna Step Up

Despite the loss of Charles Gordon, it looked like 2006 would be a breakout year for the KU wide receivers. The 2005 season ended with a Brian Murph explosion during the Fort Worth Bowl and Dexton Fields making a huge TD catch near the end of regulation vs ISU to send the game to OT. Jayhawk fans had reason for optimism with a talented crew on deck that included Murph, Fields, Marcus Henry and Marcus Herford. For whatever reason though, no one really stood out for the wideouts in 2006. Sure, there were a few big plays, but there really wasn’t a guy out there inspiring fear for opposing defenses. We know Murph was drawing quite a bit of attention and that should have really opened up for the field for the rest of the crew. Jonathan Lamb thrived as a possession receiver and TE Derek Fine benefitted, but the other speedsters were pretty quiet. Quiet enough that we started seeing DB Aqib Talib line up as a receiver (after his jaunt against Mizzou, he will certainly draw some attention if he takes downs as a wideout in 2007).

There were some good signs out of Fields though late in the season. He worked the short game nicely against KSU when he had 7 catches for 72 yards. I put him at the top of the list when ranking the wideouts going into 2007. Overall, I’m still bullish on the crew as Henry and Herford are too talented to not excel at the position. I suspect that Jeff Foster can take over that possession receiver role that Jonathan Lamb provided last year. The other thing is there are so many receivers on the roster and in the incoming class that I have to believe the competition is going to force someone to the top. Tertavian Ingram, Raimond Pendleton and Xavier Rambo are all players that have been talked about on the message boards. Somebody out of that crew is going to figure into the mix this year. Ingram and Rambo reportedly have 4.4 type speed, so they could possibly help out with the vertical approach that Mark Mangino has openly discussed regarding 2007.

In addition, Kansas signed four more wideouts for the current recruiting class. Ryan Murphy is the top-rated prospect in the class and could see the field in 2007 (although there was a poster on this site that said Murphy had an injury and would redshirt in ’07 – I’ve found no other confirmation, so we’ll keep an eye on that). At 6-3, both Dezmon Briscoe and Johnathan Wilson can help out as the big targets. Rell Lewis is a smaller speedster (5-10/185/4.5) who was the type of athlete that Mangino said he just couldn’t pass up.

Other than the competition at the position, I would also think that the experience Fields, Herford and Henry gained in 2006 will start to translate to game day success next season. Plus, another year working with the young quarterbacks should make for a more cohesive passing game overall. A breakout year is overdue for this unit -- can they pull it off?

Breaking It Down

In House

88 Dexton Fields Jr. 6-0/200 Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff HS)
2006 Stats: 45-455/10.1 5 tds
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.4
 
86 Marcus Henry Sr. 6-4/200 Lawton, OK (Eisenhower HS)
2006 Stats: 25-316/12.6 3 tds
 
13 Marcus Herford Jr. 6-3/210 DeSoto, TX (Cedar Hill HS)
2006 Stats: 8-137/17.1 1 td
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.46
 
82 Jeff Foster Sr. 6-2/195 Cedar Rapids, IA (Jefferson HS)
2006 Stats: 1-31/31.0 0 tds

89 Tertavian Ingram Fr./RS 6-0/185 Tampa, FL (Jefferson HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.4
 
9 Raimond Pendleton So. 5-10/180 Garland, TX (South Garland HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.55
 
18 Xavier Rambo Fr./RS 6-0/185 Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff HS)
Recruited: 2006 ** 4.4

Plus:
16 Hassan Johnson WR Sr. 6-0/175 Kansas City, KS (Washington HS)
37 Micah Brown WR So. 6-0/190 Kearney, NB (Kearney HS)
17 Jack Swab WR So. 6-1/185 Tulsa, OK (Cascia Hall HS)

X-Factor
3 Aqib Talib Jr. 6-2/190 Richardson, TX (Berkner HS)
2006 Stats: 1-42/42.0 1 td
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.5

Incoming
**** Ryan Murphy -- 5-11/180/4.4 -- Lawrence, Kan. (Free State HS)
***  Dezmon Briscoe -- 6-3/200/4.7 -- Dallas, Texas (Cedar Hill HS) 
***  Rell Lewis -- 5-10/185/4.5 -- Muskogee, Okla. (Muskogee HS) 
**   Johnathan Wilson  -- 6-3/185/4.6 -- Houston, Texas (Klein Forest HS)

Life After Jon

Unit-By-Unit: Running Back

The end of an era. Sure Jon Cornish was the starting RB at Kansas for just one year, but in retrospect Cornish, Clark Green and the troubled John Randle represented an era of sorts in the backfield. Clark Green battled it out for four years between the tackles while Randle, then Cornish came in and provided the flash. The Canadien Comet had the spotlight mostly to himself in 2006 and delivered on the promise, but even Jon could see that life was different as an everyday back. We didn't see the 72-yard streak for a touchdown ala Nebraska '05 (heck, Jon even toasted the Longhorns during that rout in Austin in '05). Fatigue and injuries are part of the deal when you carry the load in the backfield. This year, it was Jake Sharp providing the flash while Jon was the workhorse. Setting the career rushing record is a fitting end to the era.

Time Marches On
Despite the relative in-experience in backfield and the loss of Cornish, Kansas football fans are actually excited about the prospects in the backfield. Fullback Brandon McAnderson (6-0/235) will be a senior next year and has been a solid contributor. This should be the year that KU features B-Mac a little more. The one positive I took out of the Terry Allen era was that mixing in a big back (see Moran Norris) that likes to punish defenders and can catch the ball in the flat is something that can really put a defense off balance. Get the guy to the line of scrimmage with a little momentum and the fun begins. Especially when you mix it up with some lightning quick speed and moves -- enter Jake Sharp (5-10/190, Soph in 2007). Though McAnderson isn't nearly as big as Norris (6-1/254), he is a punishing runner. I'd love to see him get early carries to soften up the "D" then start hitting them with Sharp late in the first quarter. Sharp just gave us a tease in 2006, but his 6.1 yards per carry average says it all about this speedster.

The Unknowns
We only got a glimpse of Angus Quigley (6-2/210, RS Soph in '07), but what we saw in last year's spring game was pretty awesome. He displayed a combination of speed and power that had KU fans salivating. Unfortunately, Quigley went down for the season in August with some sort of muscle tear and based on the following quote from Mark Mangino in a recent KUsports.com article it looks the recovery is still in progress:

“Every indication is right now that he will be available (for spring practices),” Mangino said of Quigley. “But he’s still getting intense rehabilitation work and treatment. We’ll wait until we get a little closer, but it’s our hope that he will be able to participate. Even if it’s in a limited manner, we’ll be excited about that.”

From there, KU fans are pretty much in the dark. Donte Bean (5-9/195, RS Fresh in '07) came in as a three star recruit in 2006 and all the talk is that he has the potential to be explosive. I guess the question is how does he move ahead of Jake Sharp? KU fans will be watching #34 closely this spring. Sam Archer (6-1/225) is the back-up at fullback which means pretty limited playing time in this offense. He should start to factor in more in 2008.

Incoming
The Jayhawks feel like they got a big-time player at running back with three-star recruit Carmon Boyd-Anderson (6-1/200/4.5) out of Jacksonville, Texas. He is rated as the 33rd best prospect at running back in the nation and it's a possibility that he will contend for playing time as a freshman. Steven Foster (6-3/230/4.68) out of Sedgewick, Kansas joins the fray at fullback and already has good size and speed for the position. Brian Murphy (5-8/163/4.57) out of Lawrence will join KU as a non-scholarship player.

Projected Two-Deep

RB
Angus Quigley
Jake Sharp

FB
Brandon MacAnderson
Sam Archer

Kansas Running Backs

35 Brandon McAnderson -- FB/Sr. -- 6-0/235 -- ***
(2006 stats: 31-124 yards, 3.9 ave, 5 TDs -- rec: 6-70 yds, 0 TDs)

1 Jake Sharp -- RB/So. -- 5-10/190 -- ***
(2006 stats: 21-131 yards, 6.1 ave, 0 TDs -- rec: 6-73 yds, 0 TDs)

On the Roster:
28 Sam Archer -- FB/So. -- 6-1/225
34 Donte Bean  --  RB/Fr. RS  -- 5-9/195  -- ***
43 Nick Kurtenbach -- RB/Sr. -- 5-10/208  
22 Angus Quigley -- RB/So. RS -- 6-2/210 -- ***
30 Brian Roulhac -- RB/Sr. --  6-0/215

2007 Recruits:
HS Carmon Boyd-Anderson -- RB/Fr. -- 6-1/200/4.5 -- ***
HS Steven Foster -- FB/Fr. -- 6-3/230/4.68 -- ***
HS Brian Murphy -- RB/Fr. -- 5-8/163/4.57 -- **

Ranking Source: Rivals.com

QB Battle on the Horizon?

Unit-by-Unit Look: Quarterback

Now that we know all of the pieces to the recruiting puzzle, we can take a look at each unit on the team and throw out a little speculation as to how things will shape up for the 2007 season. We'll roll those out as capsules and start off today with the quarterbacks.

By the end of 2006, Kerry Meier (6-3/210) wasn’t playing with quite the same fire or zip on the ball that we saw early in the season. It’s interesting that a lot of casual Kansas football fans already want to write him off as just another mediocre KU quarterback after one injury-plagued season. For fully-engaged KU fans, it was clear to see that his shoulder was a pretty big issue late in the year. Why was he playing? Clearly, Mangino and Quartaro have their reasons, but from what we see as fans, Todd Reesing’s (5-10/190) explosive talent was countered by his rapid turnover ability. It appears he could use more reps to focus on learning how to minimize those mistakes. Veteran Adam Barmann was a little one-dimensional to be effective. Occasionally (see Nebraska 2006), he excelled enough at that one dimension, but in the end, that level of play surfaced rarely for Barmann. So, Meier probably gave us the best opportunity to win. He did go 2-1 as an injured starter to finish the season.
Heading into spring practice, Meier will start off with a lead, but it will be interesting to see how Reesing comes along. If the turnovers decrease, he’s a legitimate Big 12 QB despite his short stature. On the other hand, Meier did operate this offense effectively for good stretches during the 2006 campaign. He had some legitimate turnover problems as well, but he was also learning on the fly. There will always be questions about his durability, but a fully-recovered Meier could be a real weapon for KU.

That durability concern makes the development of Tyler Lawrence (6-3/205) and A.J. Steward (6-4/210/4.6) a critical factor. Lawrence was a surprise signing in 2006 out of Shawnee Mission West in Overland Park. Everyone will have a close eye on him during spring ball. He’s the incumbent third-string QB, which means he’s a Meier injury and a couple Reesing INTs away from seeing the field in 2007. Of course, he may get a challenge in August from a 2007 recruit that has the message boards humming – A.J. Steward out of Riverview Gardens High School in St. Louis, MO. Take a look at his high school stats and as one message board poster noted he pulled down seven interceptions on the defensive side of the ball. What does that mean for QB? Hey, it tells me he is a football player. The dual-threat athlete has great size for the new-era type college QB and ran the ball quite a bit at the high school level (1,087 yards, 11 TDs in 2006). Lawrence will have a full year in the program by the time Steward arrives on campus, so hopefully he should be able to secure that third spot to allow Steward to redshirt. At KU though, the QB soap opera plot changes week to week, so no one will be shocked if he is pressed into action in 2007.

One reminder – Jason Swanson proved at the end of the 2005 season that you don’t have to be a great QB to make this offense effective. Whoever the starter is, they just need to minimize the turnovers and spread the ball around and maybe mix in about five runs per game to keep the opposing “D” off balance. Of course, things get really interesting if one of these guys can step up to the level of a Bill Whittemore. Hopefully, the Big 12 game experience has paid off for both Meier and Reesing and they’re ready to take us there.

Predicted Depth Chart -- QB:

1) Kerry Meier (RS Sophomore)

Stats Att/Comp/PCT/YDS/TD/INT
2006 184/104 56.5% 1193 13/10
Recruited: 2005 Stars: *** Forty: 4.6

2) Todd Reesing (Sophomore)

Stats Att/Comp/PCT/YDS/TD/INT
2006 24/14 58.3% 204 3/3
Recruited: 2006 Rating: *** Forty: 4.70

3) Tyler Lawrence (RS Freshman)

Recruited: 2006 Rating:  ** Forty: 4.69

4) A.J. Steward (Incoming Freshman)

HS Stats Att/Comp/PCT/YDS/TD/INT
2006 209/129 61.7% 1549 21/8
Rushing: 176 att/1087 yards, 6.2 ave, 11 tds
Defense: 36 T, 1 FR, 7 INT
Punting: 2 att, 105 yds, 52.5 ave
Recruited: 2007 Rating: ** Forty: 4.6