Undefeated Jayhawks to beat Huskers at home

The Kansas Jayhawks host the Nebraska Cornhuskers in a game at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence on Saturday. The game is set for an 11:40 a.m. kickoff in a contest that will be televised by Fox Sports Net.

The Huskers at 4-5 tangle with the 8-0 Jayhawks in a game that traditionally the Big Red has handled with ease. But this group is not the Kansas Jayhawks of the last 35 years or so. This Kansas team has a solid defense and opportunistic offense that has Jayhawk fans dreaming about a Big 12 Conference championship and BCS bowl berth.

Mark Mangino is the head coach of Kansas. Mangino is a fiery leader that earned his coaching stripes under Bill Snyder at Kansas State and Bob Stoops at Oklahoma. Mangino has his team believing they can play with anyone in the country.

Overall, the Jayhawks are a very young football team. Offensively only four starters are seniors for KU, and on the defensive side of the ball, Kansas has only one senior starting.

Quarterback Todd Reesing (5-foot-11, 200 pounds, Sophomore) sparks the KU attack. Reesing is not a big man, but he makes very few mistakes. Reesing averages 248 yards passing per game. He completes 59.3 percent (150 of 253) of his passes with 17 touchdowns and only four interceptions. When Reesing doesn't turn the ball over, Kansas is an outstanding football team.

Two backs lead the Jayhawk running game. Tailback Jake Sharp (5-10, 190, So.) averages 77 yards per game and has six touchdowns. The starting fullback is Brandon McAnderson (6-0, 235, Sr.), who averages 86 yards rushing per game and leads the team with nine touchdowns. McAnderson also splits time with Sharp at tailback. This pair has the Jayhawks averaging 215 on the ground per game.

The Kansas receivers are underappreciated. Four receivers have over 20 catches apiece for the Jayhawks.

The big play man is actually a starting defensive back. Aqib Talib (6-2, 205, Jr.) is probably the best defensive back in the conference. Coach Mangino has opted to have Talib be a factor on offense as well. Talib has only eight receptions on the year, but he averages 22.8 yards per catch and has four touchdowns.

When this is combined with Talib's three interceptions (including a 100-yard touchdown return), Talib must be respected anywhere on the field. Five receivers have at least three touchdown grabs for the Jayhawks.

Marcus Henry (6-4, 210, Sr.) has 32 catches for 585 yards and three scores. His combination of size and speed will make for a tough matchup for the Nebraska secondary.

Derek Fine (6-3, 250, Sr.) is a favorite possession receiver with 30 catches at tight end. Dexton Fields (6-0, 200, Jr.) has 28 grabs for 400 yards and three scores. Dezmon Briscoe (6-3, 200, Fr.) rounds out the quartet of receivers with 21 receptions and four touchdowns. This deep bunch will make some plays for the KU offense.

The Kansas offensive line averages 6-4 and 301 pounds per man from tackle to tackle. The group has given up 18 sacks so far on the season. They are solid, being equally effective blocking in the passing game or clearing the way for the rushing attack. Senior right tackle Cesar Rodriguez (6-7, 290) is the veteran leader up front as one of the few three-year lettermen for Kansas.

Defensively, the Jayhawks really shine. Kansas gives up only 77 yards per game on the ground and 186 yards through the air. This 4-3 defense may be even better balanced than the Southern Cal defense Husker fans heard so much about back in September.

Up front, KU is small but quick. Four different Jayhawks have two or more sacks on the season. Defensive tackle James McClinton (6-1, 285, Sr.) leads the linemen with 33 total tackles. Defensive end John Larson (6-3, 250, Jr.) has 29 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss on the year. This group may have the speed to keep Joe Ganz in check.

The defense is led by middle linebacker Joe Mortensen (6-1, 235, Jr.). Mortensen has 73 total tackles, tops on the KU squad. Kansas is one of the few teams in the nation to have the three starting linebackers lead the team in tackles. Mike Rivera (6-3, 255, Jr.) and James Holt (6-3, 220, Jr.) are the other starters in a very solid group of linebackers.

While Talib leads the secondary, the rest of the group doesn't give much up through the air. Free safety Justin Thornton (6-1, 195, So.) also has three interceptions for the Jayhawks. The defensive backfield will try to disguise coverages to make things difficult on Ganz.

The Kansas special teams are very good. Kicker Scott Webb (5-11, 210, Sr.) has converted 13 of 17 field goals (76.5 percent) and all 39 of his extra point attempts. Punter Kyle Tucker (6-2, 230, Sr.) averages 38.3 yards on 27 punts this season.

The Jayhawks have two punt returns and two kickoff returns for touchdowns. Marcus Herford (6-3, 205, Jr.) averages over 31 yards on 16 kickoff returns, including the two scores. The punt return team also has a 77-yard return for a score. The Nebraska coverage teams must be sure tacklers on Saturday or they will pay dearly.

The most impressive thing about the KU football team is that they do everything well. The running game is balanced, the passing game is deep, and the defense stops the run and pass equally well. Mix in a special teams unit that can make big plays, and you have the makings of a special football team.

With a first-time starter in Joe Ganz in front of a wild Kansas crowd, the Huskers are in for a tough afternoon against the Jayhawks. Look for Kansas to keep their record perfect with a 31-14 win over Nebraska.