 |  |
 |
|
Updated: August 18, 6:01 PM ET Kansas to build around QB Whittemore By Mark Wangrin Special to ESPN.com |
||||||||||
|
Kansas Jayhawks
|
| 
Coach: Mark Mangino (2-10, 2nd season) 2002 overall record: 2-10 Conference record: 0-8 Returning starters Offense: 6, Defense: 7, Kicker/Punter: 2 2002 statistical leaders (* - returners) Rushing: Clark Green* (813 yds) Passing: Bill Whittemore* (549 yds) Receiving: Byron Gasaway (490 yds) Tackles: Greg Cole (106) Sacks: Nick Reid* (6) Interceptions: Remuise Johnson* (6) Outlook: It was a tumultuous offseason at Kansas, with basketball coach Roy Williams leaving and athletic director Al Bohl getting the boot, changes that effected the football program. "It was difficult for a couple of months to get things done administratively,'' said second-year coach Mark Mangino, who, with the job facing him, doesn't have much time to waste. Mangino has a young quarterback to build around in senior Bill Whittemore, last year's Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year. If Clark Green, who ran for 813 yards behind a suspect offensive line as a freshman last year, gets help from a line that adds four JUCO transfers, KU's offense won't be so one-dimensional. Whittemore called out the Jayhawks' defense, which ranked last in the conference in scoring and rushing. "We had a couple of games where we scored 35 points and still came out with a couple of Ls," Whittemore said. "That's unacceptable. Any team that's any good at all has a real good defense." The Jayhawks are far from making that claim, though the return from injury of Banks Floodman strengthens a very young linebacking unit. Keep an eye on: Bill Whittemore. Last year, with the Jayhawks' woes at tailback and the offensive line, Mangino used the tailback as a blocker and ran Whittemore (549 yards on 137 carries). "If things go the way we plan it, Bill won't carry as a quasi-tailback," Mangino said. Whittemore will need help. Last year his receivers regularly dropped catchable passes, something that must change if Whittemore is to get the KU offense headed forward. Key game: Baylor on Oct. 18. In the Big 12 cellar-dwellar version of tag, it's the Jayhawks' chance to say "You're it" again to the Bears, who broke their Big 12 losing streak at home against the Jayhawks last year. If you're counting, KU hasn't won a Big 12 conference game since winning at Texas Tech in 2001, a string of 14 games. It's a good year if. . .: First-year athletic director Lew Perkins doesn't start itching to bring in his own guy. It's never a good deal for a football coach to get a new boss, especially after a 10-loss season. Mangino could sure use his first Big 12 win and a strong showing against a non-league schedule that includes Northwestern, UNLV, Wyoming and Jacksonville State, teams that were a combined 15-32 last year. Mark Wangrin covers the Big 12 for the San Antonio Express-News.
| ||||||||
