Big 12 North Preview: Huskers Back to Prominence?

1. Nebraska

This is a very, very good football team. The return of Zack Bowman notwithstanding, this defense can be very, very good, sick good. It's not as deep as the Sooners, or LSU, or USC, but it's starting eleven will be as good as just about any in America. Bowman, when healthy, is one of the country's top cover men. His presence would do wonders as it would allow the Huskers to keep Courtney Grixby from starting and let him cover slot receivers in multiple receiver packages, which at his size, is more ideal for him. Andre Jones was the teams number two tackler a year ago from the other corner position, and his steady play should be enough to hold off Armando Murrillo, a JUCO transfer who will still be a key contributor. If Bowman can't go, Murrillo likely starts opposite Jones. If Bowman can go, the Huskers boast a trio of corners more than capable of matching up with the top receivers in the conference.

The defensive line is young, not a senior among them, but it's not at all short on talent. Ndamukong Suh, a sophomore, may become a household name by the end of the season. It would help though if Barry Turner shows the form he showed as a freshman. Zach Potter and Ty Steinkhuler haven't played too much in their first two years, but both juniors posses the ability to step in and be effective. One intriguing player is Clayton Seivers. He's been at tight end and linebacker, and now at defensive end. He's a good athlete who will likely find a way on the field in some capacity.

The only questions at linebacker is how to get everyone on the field. Bo Ruud, Corey McKeon, Steve Octavien and Phillip Dillard all boast All Star talent, so don't be surprised if the Huskers at times run a little 3-4 to take advantage of their abilities. Injuries have kept this group from reaching it's potential thus far, so it's a risky proposition to count on them for this year, but you just can't ignore the talent. Dillard will likely be the top backup at all three linebacker spots after missing all of last season with an injury. McKeon didn't approach his 98 tackle sophomore year and his tackles behind the line of scrimmage were cut in half last year thanks to constantly battling injuries. He's healthy, and so is Octavien. The one guy who has stayed healthy is Ruud who was first team all conference a year ago. Ruud possesses the ability to play the run, rush the passer, and drop back in coverage.

The offense again boasts a typical Nebraska line, something they haven't had in a while. They did allow 30 sacks a year ago, so the fact they have to replace both tackles may not be as startling as it would appear. Lydon Murtha will take over at one of those tackle spots and he's a guy that will likely be playing on Sundays in the near future. Who they are protecting is surprisingly still up in the air. Joe Ganz is apparently pushing Sam Keller for the job. Keller's physical ability has never been questioned, it's his mental aptitude and attitude that could be what ultimately derails what should have been a fantastic college career. He knows this is his last shot, so I expect him to hold on and keep the job. Ganz may have the edge in terms of familiarity with the system, Keller is the one with the edge talent wise, and ultimately the guy who is going to give this team a better shot at achieving it's lofty goals. If the Huskers just want to shoot for a Big 12 north crown, Ganz would do just fine, however, they want more. Either way, whoever wins the job will have plenty of talented wideouts to catch the ball, in fact, the Huskers probably have one of the top 20 receiving units in the nation. Wow, that just sounds funny. Maurice Purify, Terrence Nunn, Nate Swift and Frantz Hardy are all very capable receivers, so even with Purify's seemingly never ending off field problems they Huskers are set at this position, and these guys are all experienced too.

Their running situation reminds me of Penn State's, they need someone dependable to step up now that Kenny Wilson may miss the year. Marlon Lucky is the likely starter, he ran for over 700 yards last year. Cody Glenn is a bigger back, more of a power guy, and he tied for the team lead last year with 8 rushing touchdowns. Expect him to be the number one red-zone option. Freshman Marcus Mendoza likely would have redshirted, but because of the unknown status of Kenny Wilson, he may be pressed into duty. If Lucky can become a 1,000 yard back and Glenn can complement him in the red-zone and as a short yardage back it could complete this offense making them a legit contender to play for the national title.

The Huskers will look to find more big plays out of the return game, and Marcus Mendoza might be the answer. It's doubtful Lucky returns as the kick returner since he will be the starting running back. Then again, he didn't even average 20 yards a return last season, so it's probably not that big of a deal. Terrance Nunn and Courtney Grixby are the most likely of the veterans on this squad to return kicks and punts. Punter Dan Titchner put 26 of his 66 punts last year inside the 20, and his exceptional directional punting skills can put offenses in bad situations, which only makes an already tough defense even better. Finding a replacement for kicker Jordan Congdon will be a difficult task. Congdon only attempted 7 field goals last year, but hit 55 of 56 extra points last year which is an impressive feat. Adi Kunalic, a true freshman with a strong leg is the likely replacement at kicker.

If the Huskers find a way to win at Texas, they may be playing in the Big 12 title game with a shot at a rematch with USC. One possible pitfall though is a trip to Winston Salem that precedes their tilt with USC in Lincoln. If they overlook the Deacons there, their national title hopes will be smashed before the season really even begins. Beyond that, they get Oklahoma State and Texas A&M at home, where they are still 41-8 the past 7 years. The Huskers have also beaten Kansas State 18 of the last 19 at home, and while road trips to Missouri and Colorado seem to be dangerous, just keep in mind the Huskers seem to fare better against Colorado in Boulder than in Lincoln. However, they have lost their last two in Columbia, both by scores of 41-24. By October 6th, the Huskers will have either established themselves as the class of the North, and as a national title contender, or Bill Callahan will have a very, very hot seat, potentially opening the door for Kansas State and Missouri to win this division.

2. Kansas State

This may surprise some people, but I think the Wildcats are really primed to continue their upswing. Following 13 losses in 04 and 05 the Wildcats returned to the postseason a year ago with a turnover prone freshmen quarterback. That turnover prone freshmen quarterback is now a more seasoned sophomore with a spring practice under his belt. Freeman also has two talented backs lining up behind him and a legitimate receiving threat in Jordy Nelson. However, of some concern to Wildcat fans is Freeman's weight. He reported to camp overweight and out of shape, and even spent time some time working with the number three offense. However, there is no question that this team has to have Freeman to succeed. If it's any of the other quarterback options, the Wildcats won't be finishing this high.

Nelson's running mates from a year ago, Jermaine Moreira and Yamon Figurs though both depart so the need exists for a number two receiver to step up. That number two option could be tight end Rashaad Norwood who hauled in 35 passes a year ago and will probably be relied on even more this season. Also, they could line up tailback Leon Patton at receiver on occasion thanks to the presence of James Johnson. An intriguing candidate is Ernie Pierce who boasts excellent size. Ron Prince as gone the Bill Snyder approach with several JUCOs and Pierce is one who will have the chance to play right away, and so is Deon Murphy who is blessed with amazing speed. Freshman Lamark Brown, originally a defensive back, might wind up at receiver and he gives the team another big target.

In the backfield, sophomore Leon Patton ran for 609 yards and James Johnson logged 403. With their talent, they should improve over the rather paltry 115 yards per game they averaged a year ago on the ground. The offensive line won't dominate anyone, but it shouldn't hold this offense back, which had it's worst season, statistically, in years last year. The offensive line, coupled with a freshman quarterback, can be mostly to blame for their struggles a year ago. You can expect a big improvement over their 115 yards a game on the ground. If the Cats have another 4 games of rushing for less than 50 yards, something has gone seriously wrong. There is too much athleticism in the backfield for that to happen and they have three starters back on the offensive line, plus the addition of Alesana Alesana, a JUCO All American, at one of the tackle positions.

On defense the Cats began showing signs of getting back to their old Purple People eater ways, and while they won't be allowing 14 points a game or so this year, they won't be giving up the 30 they did in 04 and 05. They are switching to a 3-4, and how they handle that will determine the fate of this team. It's kind of odd they are switching to a 3-4 considering they lose their top two linebackers from a year ago, but they are high on the athleticism of the guys they've got stepping in. With a talented secondary though, look for a lot of aggressiveness out of the defense, and the 3-4 can provide some options for some different blitz packages which may make up for the lack of major talent at linebacker. Another key will be Alphonso Moran becoming a noseguard and facing likely double teams inside.  He's going to have to play well for this KSU defense to improve against the run, which after allowing 170 yards rushing or more 7 times last year. Personally I don't see the switch to a 3-4 being permanent. The personnel is better suited for a 4-3, and I think Ian Campbell, though undersized, is better suited at end, as he plays bigger than he is. Steven Cline started 7 games last year, but didn't make a whole lot of plays behind the line. However, at 290 lbs, he's the ideal size for a defensive end in a 3-4. On the other side though it will be interesting to see if Rob Jackson can handle playing in the 3-4. He's only 260 lbs, again, better suited for a 4-3, so it will be interesting to see if he can improve on an impressive 2006 season where he recorded 4.5 sacks and 36 tackles. After recording 40 sacks a year ago, the number could drop thanks to the change in philosophy.

Concerns obviously exist at linebacker. As mentioned, their top two are gone from 2006, and they don't have a senior among the replacements. Campbell will still be a force at one outside linebacker spot, and Antwon Moore flashed a lot of potential a year ago. One person who the 3-4 benefits is Moore who was a bit undersized at 5'10, 209 lbs. In the middle Reggie Walker and Ross Diehl appear to have the upper hand. Walker started 9 games last year, but he was nothing more than average last year. Unfortunately, the top choices behind him don't show much more potential. Diehl is talented, but entirely unproven. Don't be surprised if by the time the Big 12 schedule begins the Wildcats are back to a 4-3, at least more often.

Whatever they play in front of them, the Cats pass defense was decent last season, but not anything special. They do bring back three starters though, including sophomore Joshua Moore who became a starter at the close of the year as a true freshman and played extremely well. Justin McKinney made 54 tackles and had 8 passes defended last year. He and Moore team together to form a good duo who should help improve this team's pass defense. Byron Garvin and Bryan Baldwin are both experienced players with starting experience who provide depth to this unit. At safety Marcus Watts is one of the better safeties in the conference, and having him return healthy should further elevate the play of the secondary. JUCO transfer Gary Chandler will take over the other safety position. To me, the defense has the pieces to be pretty good, but it's though Tim Tibesar is trying to force these pieces together in a way that doesn't seem to fit.

As usual, the Wildcat return game was explosive last year, and Justin McKinney and Leon Patton both return. Both scored touchdowns on kick returns and averaged over 24 yards a return. With the new kickoff rules, it should make them even more dangerous. One of the two will likely return punts as well. Punter Tim Reyer returns, but they must find a new kicker. Jared Parker has been used on kickoffs the past two years and will get first crack at the place-kicking job. Brooks Rossman, a transfer from Ohio will also compete for the job, and so will senior Tim Schwendt, but Schwent lacks leg strength and Rossman lacks accuracy, so Parker appears to be lead man.

They only draw Texas (of the big three) from the north, and that, coupled with them hosting Missouri might give this Wildcat team the edge in the race for 2nd. Remember, untill last season, Missouri had lost 13 straight to Kansas State. The Cats are 6-2 at home in Big 12 games the past two seasons and each falls into a winnable category this year.

3. Missouri

If my prediction holds true, Gary Pinkel won't be here next year. Pinkel  is only two games above .500 for his career in Columbia and just 1-15 against the Top 25. In six years he's only won 9 road games, and I think only 5 or 6 road conference games. Offensively Missouri looks to be in good, no, make that, great shape. Tony Temple is one of the better backs most people don't know about, and they have some quality depth behind him. The offensive line is blessed with some high quality players as well. But as good as they hope the running game can be, we know what the key to the season is. Interestingly enough though, Missouri's late season swoon last year could be directly related to the running game disappearing. After going over 170 yards in 5 of their first 8 and getting off to a 7-1 start, they were held to 120 or less in each of their ensuing 4 losses and under 4.0 ypc.

Throwing the ball wasn't a problem last year, and the passing attack will be more dangerous with an even more experienced Chase Daniel back after throwing 3500 yards a year ago with 28 touchdowns and just ten interceptions. His two All American caliber tight ends are both back, and so is William Franklin who averaged over 17.0 ypc a year ago. Coffman and Rucker will pose matchup problems galore, often times forcing teams to use extra defensive backs, even when the Tigers only line up two receivers, which could really open up the running. If someone, and they expect it to be Tommy Saunders, becomes a reliable number two receiver this offense should eclipse the 30 points per game mark that has been the norm under Pinkel and likely approach 40. Another possibility though is Greg Bracey who runs a sub 4.3 40 and Jeremy Maclin who also runs a 4.3. The speed of these guys will simply make this offense that much more dangerous.

They might need the 40 though as this defense took bigger hits than people realize. Of their top seven tacklers from a year ago, only two return. Brock Christopher will do fine at middle linebacker, but they key to this defense will be him not just doing fine as he adjusts from playing outside to the inside, but excelling. He had 87 tackles a year ago, but interestingly, no sacks (though he did make 6.5 tackles for a loss). Christopher is strong pass coverage as well, but it will be interesting to see how he handles lead blocking fullbacks, and how he handles playing in traffic and not in as much space as he had on the outside. If Christopher can produce in the middle like he did on the outside they will hardly even feel the loss of Marcus Bacon and the two new starters at linebacker will reap the rewards. However, if Christopher struggles with the adjustment, the linebacker corps will probably be shuffled around quite a bit looking for the right combination. The coaches are confident in Christopher in the middle, but they are relying on a sophomore (Sean Weatherspoon) and a true freshman (Michael Keck) to replace Marcus Bacon and Dedrick Harrington who combined for 212 tackles, 8 passes defended, 6.5 sacks, and 3 interceptions. That's not exactly easy to just fill in the gaps. Plus, Keck is moving from defensive line to linebacker and making an adjustment. Another possibility is Van Alexander who has good size and speed. He was projected to start a year ago before getting hurt. Alexander possesses the athletic ability and size to play in the middle, and if he proves he can handle the middle, the Tigers might deploy him there, letting Christopher return to the outside. In any event, this unit alone might be the key to Missouri's whole season as it may dictate whether this defense is able to approach last year's success. If the linebackers play well, there's no reason it can't, and if the defense does come close to matching last year's numbers, this team has more than a decent shot at winning the division. However, there are questions at all three linebacker spots so it's a risky proposition.

Hardy Ricks and Darnell Terrell do make a fine cornerback duo, especially Terrell who will draw the opponent's top wideout. Both safeties have to be replaced though, and replacing Overstreet and his 90 plus tackles won't be easy, although William Moore shows a ton of promise. The defensive line should be strong in the middle as Ziggy Hood returns after getting 3 sacks in 3 games last year before bing injured and Lorenzo Williams recorded 6 sacks from his tackle position. The questions exist on the ends. Stryler Sulak could be ready for a breakout season, but they are going to need someone on the other side to adequately replace Xzavie Jackson. Last year's Tigers team was really good on defense, however, the trend the last couple of years has been boast a top notch defense one year, than suffer the next. If it holds true, this year's defense will struggle. Even if it performs well at the end of the year, it could struggle at the outset.

Missouri had some struggles on special teams a year ago, and they haven't returned a kickoff for a score since 1982. Marcus Woods, who averaged nearly 27 yards a return in 2005, but his injuries greatly limited his effectiveness a year ago. There are questions as to how much he will even play this year. Earl Goldsmith was okay on kick returns last season, but the Tigers would like someone with more big play capability back there, and that would have been a healthy Woods. Maclin or Bracey might get the opportunity, as well as Trenile Washington. Tommy Saunders was a solid option on punt returns and will likely reassume that role this fall. The Tigers biggest problem though was the punting game, which hurt them in the field position battle all year. Adam Crosslett's performance on the field has steadily declined, to the point the Tigers might look to Jake Harry to replace him. One are of no concern is the kicking game with Jef Wolfert. Wolfert hit 18 of 20 field goals last year, and was 4 out of 5 from 40 plus yards out.

The Tigers non conference slate is probably a little more difficult than would appear at first glance. Their tilt with Illinois could be an exciting game to watch, and playing Ole Miss in Oxford will be no guaranteed win, though talent wise, they have no excuse to lose. Western Michigan is no slouch either. While the Tigers are good enough to come out of the non conference portion of the season unscathed, they could also come out of it with at least one loss. Oddly enough, they play two games at neutral sites, where Pinkel is 4-2, including two wins over the Illini in St. Louis. Their home game with Nebraska on October 6th will determine the fate of this Tigers team. A win over the Huskers would give them the edge in the North, and the confidence to face the rest of their schedule. A loss, and the heat will be on Pinkel and the distraction, as well as the feeling early on that this is a lost season (as anything short of the division crown will be deemed a failure) may cause this team to wilt.

4. Colorado

The Buffaloes weren't as bad last year as their record would indicate. Defensively they were actually pretty good, and this year, with 9 starters back on offense, they won't rely as much on the defense. Last year's team lost 4 games by 5 points or less due largely to one of the worst passing attacks in school history. The offense can't help but improve, and with Cody Hawkins at quarterback, it should. He obviously knows his father's system and will benefit from having 3 returning starters on the offensive line, plus Ryan Miller, considered the top offensive line prospect in America. This Colorado line isn't overly talented, but it's experienced and solid. The real talent with this line lies on the 2nd and 3rd strings with some of the newcomers, who fortunately, injuries aside, won't be pressed into playing too early. One are the line can improve in though is pass protection. While they were solid run blockers, they allowed 31 sacks, though quarterbacks who were indecisive and receivers who couldn't get open helped inflate those numbers. Bernard Jackson will see some time at quarterback as they try to get his playmaking abilities on the field, but he's better suited to not have to run the offense. Should something happen to Hawkins, JUCO transfer Nick Nelson will be the quarterback.

The Buffs, despite no threat of a passing game, still averaged over 170 yards a game on the ground last year and Hugh Charles is back after averaging 5.6 ypc. Behind him is highly touted JUCO Patrick Gates who scored 23 touchdowns last year. The passing game was anemic a year ago, but they return everyone who caught a pass last year, so again, it has to improve. The most obvious sign the passing game was a sore spot is the fact that Riar Greer, a tight end, was the number one receiver. Furthermore, he led the team with just 24 catches and 3 touchdowns. In fact, no other Buffalo player had more than one scoring catch. Of the wide receivers, Alvin Barnett led them with 21 catches, but no receiver, no Buffalo player period for that matter, topped the 250 yard mark. So an infusion of talent is necessary, and freshmen Markques Sims is likely to be given every chance to play right away. The Buffaloes could also use a return to form by Dusty Sprague. He went from 44 catches in 2005 to just 11 last season. Sprague, more than anyone else, will probably benefit most from having a quarterback adept at going to his 2nd and 3rd options on passing plays, and not one who looks at option one and then decides it's time to run. Bernard Jackson will also get some playing time at receiver, and will give Mark Helfrich an added dimension to the offense. Jackson is the x factor here, as making quality use of him in his "slash" role could be a big factor in whether or not this offense can improve over it's lackluster performance in 2006.

On defense they do lose 5 starters, but other than Abraham Wright (11.5 sacks) and Thaddeus Washington (107 tkls), they don't really lose anyone of consequence. Jordan Dizon is back to anchor the defense at middle linebacker and should compete for national honors. Flanking him will be Brad Jones who had 72 tackles last year and either Michael Sipilli or R.J. Brown. Jones is a steady player, but doesn't make any big plays. In fact, he and Siplli, while combining to make over 100 tackles, made exactly zero behind the line of scrimmage, an alarming number. The Buffs are definitely searching for guys to team with Dizon that can make plays, but the pickings are pretty thin right now.

In front of Dizon the news is a little better as 2 starters return. However, Drew Hudgins had 19 sacks and 93 tackles at JUCO last year, Maurice Lucas has played well in a reserve role the past two years, and Alonzo Barrett started as a freshman before being injured back in 2005. So while both defensive ends will be a new starter, there shouldn't be a significant drop-off, even though they do have to replace Wright and his double digit sacks. Unfortunately for the Buffs, Hudgins won't be available to them this year. Even so, Barrett and Lucas should make a formidable duo. The loss of Hudgins opens the door for some of the other newcomers to step in and play right away. In the middle are two guys who will help keep the blockers off Dizon and the ends. Neither Georgie Hypolite or Brandon Nicolas are what you'd call big, both are just big enough, but offer enough quickness to be effective inside. Hypolite had 50 tackles last year, a high number for an interior lineman, and 10 of those were behind the line of scrimmage. Nicolas, a Notre Dame transfer, had 57. Their combined 107 tackles as sophomores has fans and coaches alike very excited about these two anchoring their defensive line for the next two seasons. So while the linebacker corps lacks playmakers to complement Dizon, there is no shortage of them up front.

Behind Dizon is a secondary that had it's problems a year ago, letting 2/3 of the passes thrown it's way be completed. The good news is All Big 12 performer Terrence Wheately is back at one corner. Lionel Harris only started 6 games a year ago at safety but still racked up 60 plus tackles, and Daniel Dykes started as a true freshman at Idaho and then had 4 interceptions in 2005 for the Vandals. Whether or not he supplants Harris, or perhaps Ryan Walters who started at the other safety spot last year remains to be seen, but his addition offsets the loss of J.J. Billingsley and should help improve the secondary. They could still use someone to step up opposite Wheatley, and depth is a concern at corner as 4 of the top 5 reserves have never taken a snap in a college game. Juniors Benjamin Burney and Gardner McKay appear to be battling it out for that other corner spot, but neither option is all that appealing as in their combined 4 years of play, they've only combined for 40 tackles and 1 pass defended. The newcomers will get a crack at cracking the lineup.

Last year's special teams did nothing to help their offense out, and it could be more of the same this season. The one strong suit to this squad last year was Mason Crosby. He was 19-28 on field goals, but 7 of his 9 misses came from 50 plus. A sign of how bad the offense was is the fact that he had as many field goal attempts from 40 plus as he did from less than 40. Now he must be replaced and first in line is senior Kevin Eberhart. Eberhart is strong legged, but it remains to be seen how he accurate he is as he's missed the only two field goals he's attempted here. The return game did very little to aide in the field position war, and while Stephone Robinson returns, his performance didn't instill enough confidence in the coaching staff to automatically keep him his job returning kicks. However, there may not be a better alternative as the Buffaloes have a dearth of game changing athletic playmakers, a sign of the talent demise in Boulder. One positive with the special teams is Matthew DiLallo, and he's back for his sophomore year.

The defense should be at least as good as it was a year ago, and the offense should be better. A brutal non conference schedule would seem to make getting back to the postseason extremely difficult. However, that could be offset by the fact that their conference road games are actually quite winnable, it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect them to win 3 out of 4. With Kansas and Miami University coming to Boulder, it leaves the season opening Colorado State game as perhaps the big swing game for the Buffs season. In a rivalry that Colorado owns, beating the Rams is a must for the season. If they do that, Colorado should get back to the postseason. Add to it, Missouri hasn't won in Boulder since 1997 and by the time they visit this year may be playing for a coach on his way out Colorado could more than triple their win total from a year ago.

5. Kansas

The Jayhawks scored 29 points a game last year, but that was with Jon Cornish running for 1,457 yards, a Kansas single season record. Problem A is the loss of three starters on the offensive line. The good news is that they will at least be replacing them with upper classmen. Both tackles return, with Anthony Collins capable of all league honors. Cesar Rodriguez started all 12 games last year and in 2005 and will be back to extend his streak of consecutive starts. The replacements will all come in the middle. Ryan Cantrell appears ready to step in at center, he's one of the strongest players on the team and has some experience, albeit at left guard, where he started 5 games as a redshirt freshmen in 2005. JUCO Chet Hartley will probably man one guard spot and Adrian Mayes the other. Mangino will probably go with these three as opposed to starting Marcus Anderson, a two year starter at the JUCO ranks who has seen next to no action at Kansas.

Problem B is that Cornish is gone and there really isn't anyone Mark Mangino can really count on to fill in and replace him. Jake Sharp, Angus Quigley and Cameron Boyd-Anderson appear to be the primary candidates to win the job, and each brings something different to the table. Sharp appears to be the most enticing possibility as he possesses the most speed and quickness, despite his size possibly the toughest runner the Jayhawks have on hand, and was the most highly sought after out of high school after scoring 63 touchdowns, a Kansas record. Keeping him in state was a big coup for Mangino, so you can imagine he'll try and reward him with the starting job. Sharp was impressive in very limited playing time a year ago, but he's still unproven at this level. Quigley is a little bigger and probably the more natural inside runner, but again, Sharp's toughness can't be underrated, though toughness can only do so much, size does matter. Anderson isn't quite as big as Quigley, but he's bigger than Sharp, though not quite as fast, though he's more nifty than Quigley. He's the tweener of the three backs, and being a true freshman might be redshirted this year if injuries don't force him to play. With Sharp just a sophomore, Mangino would prefer not to have to play Anderson, though he may not have a choice.  Three other true freshmen, Gary Green, Brian Murphy and Steven Foster may compete for playing time as well. Murphy's got the most promise as a return man, so he's the least likely to be redshirted. In any event, replacing Cornish is no small task, and it's some big shoes to fill by someone who's never been a primary ball carrier in college.

The number two rusher was quarterback Kerry Meier, who lost his job this fall to Todd Reesing. It wasn't that Meier was horrible last year, but he didn't do enough to show the coaches he could put the team on his shoulders and carry the offense. The coaching staff knows the potential exists for the passing game to be potent as Adam Barmann threw for over 400 against Nebraska. With the lack of a go to running back, and questions on the offensive line, the coaching staff felt they needed a quarterback who could do more than manage a game, they need one who shows a propensity to make a big play here and there, and Reesing fits the bill better than Meier. I wouldn't be surprised, if Reesing plays well, to see Meier transfer.

Reesing, who has good mobility, will have some targets to throw the ball to. Derek Fine is a solid senior tight end, who if not for the gluttony of tight ends in the Big 12, would be a more recognized name. The big key on offense though will be Marcus Herford. Herford was exciting and dangerous returning kicks last year, and at 6'3 210 he's a big guy who they need to become a big time receiver. Dexton Fields is a typical possession guy, 45 catches last year, but just 10 ypc. Though some of that could be attributed to Meier's inability to go downfield. Fields will benefit a great deal if Herford can be come the deep threat. Marcus Henry is another who should benefit from having Reesing throwing the ball. At 6'4 he has a height advantage over the corners in this league, and it's not like teams can just put their biggest corner on him, as the Jayhawks top three receivers are 6'0 or taller, and three of their top four come in at 6'3 or taller. Henry has the potential, like Herford, to potentially be an honorable mention Big 12 guy, and he's going to need to play like it for this offense to really succeed.

Defensively the guys in blue, sometimes red, (who I swear they seem determined to make their uniforms as New York Giantesque as possible) have undergone a remarkable turnaround under Mangino. It's this defensive renaissance that Mangino supporters will point to as to why his job should be safe. When Mangino arrived in 2002, this defense allowed 42.3 points per gam and 256 a game on the ground. Last season, despite just returning 3 starters, they allowed 25.5 pp, and a mere 109 a game on the ground. Unfortunately they were shredded through the air, 5 teams went over the 350 mark against this defense. A lot of that though was due to the run defense's success as teams threw it nearly 40 times a game against the Jayhawks. Aqib Talib is one of the best cornerbacks in all of college football, and Anthony Webb learned through trial by fire as a true freshmen last year, picking of 6 passes. His continued improvement could help make this one of the country's more improved secondaries. Depth behind them might be a problem though as of their next 4 corners, 3 of them are guys who weren't with the program a year ago. Additionally, projected starter at safety Patrick Resby is another newcomer who will team with Darrel Stuckey, who like Webb, had to play as a true freshmen. With so many new faces, the secondary is still a question, but the fact that Stuckey and Webb learned on the job last year could pay dividends and this unit should improve.

The front seven brings back 5 starters and should closely resemble the run defense of 2005 that allowed only 83 ypg and 2.4 ypc. Mike Rivera and Joe Mortensen make up a very reliable pair of linebackers who simply make tackles. James Holt missed time with injuries last year, but he provides the potential for an athletic and dynamic playmaker. Sophomores Artis Wright and Jake Schemer both showed some potential in limited time last year, and both posses more athletic ability than Rivera and Mortensen. While neither will likely press for a starting role this year, they do provide some decent depth, and will likely force their way onto the field more as the season wears on.

The defensive line may only return two starters, but one of them is James McClinton who was 2nd team Big 12 last year, which considering the defensive line prowess of Oklahoma and Texas, is quite an accomplishment. Kansas is still looking for answers though when it comes to who will line up on both sides of McClinton. At the other tackle spot the Jayhawks are in real trouble. Todd Haselhorst had a decent year as a freshman but missed 2005 with an injury and wasn't very impressive at all last season when he got on the field. Unfortunately, there aren't a whole lot of options beyond him. If something happens to McClinton this year, Kansas' defensive line is in serious trouble. On McClinton's other side the team has to replace defensive end Paul Como who had 4.5 sacks a year ago. Sophomore Jeff Wheeler is the guy slated to do that, and he could be primed for a big year. He was the scout team MVP in 2005 and in limited action had two sacks last year. Wheeler is just one of several options at defensive end that the team needs to become a big time pass rusher. Jason Larson also had two sacks last year and redshirt freshmen Maxwell Onyegbule was the scout team's co-defensive player of the year. Onyegbule is perhaps the most athletic of the players vying for that other end spot, but he's also the rawest. Russell Brorsen appears to have the other end position nailed down as the former tight end had 8 starts and 4 sacks a year ago. The ends have potential, and there are some good options for a solid rotation, but man, after McClinton, the tackle position is a scary position, and not for opponents, but for the Jayhawks.

The special teams units for Kansas aren't anything special, but they also aren't going to cost the Jayhawks any games either. Herford is back as a kick returner and may had put returner to that list as well, as the Jayhawks lose a pair who both averaged double digits in returns a year ago. Sharp is a possibility, and so is Brian Murphy as well as Donte Bean. Expect Mangino to take the role of finding a punt returner very seriously as he knows his offense may struggle with the heavy losses on the interior line and at running back, so regardless of who it is or if they start, the player who is the biggest threat to score will get the job returning punts. Punter Kyle Tucker had an extremely disappointing year after being a Ray Guy semifinalist in 2005. The Jayhawks could use a bounce back year from him. Scott Webb missed three extra points, and missed a field goal from less than 30 yards. He also was 8-8 from 30-39, and 4-8 from 40 and beyond. The Jayhawks know they could do a lot worse. Strong legged freshman Stephen Hodge though may get a crack at the job, or in the least be used on kickoffs. 85% of his kickoffs in high school were touchbacks, so with the new kickoff rules, strong legged kickoff specialists are a hot commodity this year. The coverage units should again be pretty solid as the team has some young, athletic players as reserves who will see time on special teams.

There seems to be a 50/50 split on those who support Mangino and those that don't. Those that don't point to the fact that Colorado, Kansas State and Nebraska were down recently and the Jayhawks couldn't capitalize, still going just 11-21 in conference the past four years. They've also yet to win more than 1 road game per season under Mangino. His supporters will say that the Jayhawks aren't the laughing stock they were at the beginning of the century. Last year they averaged 44,000 fans, not bad for a basketball school, especially considering ULM and Northwestern State were two of the home games they Jayhawks played. The non conference schedule for the Jayhawks is extremely favorable. All four games are in Lawrence. Toledo and Central Michigan do pose legit threats, but if Mangino is really the right man for this job, Kansas should take care of MAC teams at home and should start the year 4-0. With Baylor and Iowa State coming to Lawrence, 6 wins and a bowl should be the case. However, the Jayhawks road woes probably won't be coming to an end, and they are opting to play Missouri at a neutral site. Kansas is 11-2 at home the last two years, and will probably have to go 6-1 to return to a bowl this year. However, for Mangino to keep his job it may take a couple road wins over Kansas State and Colorado to push this team to the 8 win mark, and a higher finish in the division. Jayhawk fans don't want another Forth Worth Bowl bid, their goals are loftier, and if they can find a way to beat Colorado and/or Kansas State on the road and win 7 games, they may be an attractive team to the Sun Bowl or Alamo Bowl, because this team should be playing it's best football at the end of the season.

6. Iowa State

Kansas fans might want to pay close attention to what goes on in Ames this year as the Cyclones are an example of a program who was once in shambles, was turned around to respectability by a coach who just couldn't get them over the hump and was subsequently fired. A similar situation took place in Syracuse and the Orange faithful are probably longing for the days of Pasquolini and his consistent bowl trips. Will Iowa State fans be clamoring for the same thing? If they struggle this year, will that be something that might keep Mangino at Kansas?

Last year the Cyclones lost 8 games, just the second losing season in 7 years with McCarney, and the problem was offense. It was the second time in the McCarney tenure that the team returned 8 or more starters. Amazingly, those were the two worst offensive years in McCarney's reign. An offensive line that couldn't hold back a middle school team was largely responsible for the offenses inability to produce. Just three times they went over 21 points last year, and 8 times they failed to go over 105 yards on the ground. They also allowed 38 sacks, which considering the mobility of Bret Meyer is really inexcusable. So perhaps having only one starter back is a good thing. With a new coaching staff, it's probably best. The Cyclones are expected to only have 2 seniors in their two deep on the line, and just one senior starter. What that may lead to though is a repeat of last year's disaster. The running game was bad last year, but there is hope this year. Stevie Hicks is gone, but he's been gone his entire career it seems constantly battling injury. JUCO transfer J.J. Bass offers decent size and decent speed and could become the starter. Jason Scales is a big back, and Jason Harris is a former defensive back. It looks like a running back by committee unit, but if anyone can seize the spot for themselves it's Bass who hasn't had time yet to disappoint. Of course, it won't matter much who is running with this porous offensive line.

If the line can find a way to give Bret Meyer some time, the passing game has the potential to be decent. Meyer was outstanding over the final stretch of 2005, but spent a lot of time running for his life last year. Despite that, he didn't miss a snap and still nearly totaled 3,000 yards of offense. His touchdowns and interceptions though equaled each other, something that has to be corrected, and having more time to throw would help. He loses Austin Flynn and Jon Davis, but Toddy Blythe is back and healthy this year and R.J. Sumrall is a good athlete who is the perfect complement to Blythe. The offense has a quarterback who, if on a decent team, would be an honors candidate and is the case of a right guy wrong situation, a bevy of solid if not spectacular tailbacks, and an All American caliber receiver. The problem though is the offensive line is so bad it may not matter. This offense might approach the low of 2003 when they only averaged 14 a game, and lost 10 games.

The defense last year, after two years of impressive progress, took major steps back. The pass defense was far too lenient with opposing quarterbacks as opposing quarterbacks completed nearly 3/4 of their passes as teams racked up 31 ppg. Seven starters do come back on defense, so there is optimism on this side of the ball. One of those seven back is Alvin Brown, a guy who had 155 tackles a year ago and is one of the best linebackers in college football. Jon Banks is a steady performer who is on the other side, but the Cyclones do have to replace their middle linebacker, and the options there aren't very pretty. JUCO Michael Bibbs seemed to have the edge coming out of spring practice, though talented redshirt freshmen Kris Means will likely find his way onto the field in some capacity. An intriguing option would have been Adam Carper. Carper is a former defensive back and he can run. He had 39 tackles in 5 starts last year before being injured. Unfortunately he won't be back this season. This is a team who can ill afford any injuries, but especially at linebacker now as depth is a primary concern, and the loss of Carper further depletes a linebacker corps that has next to no depth.

Up front two starters are back, but his is a unit that allowed 154 ypg on the ground. Newcomer Michael Tate, who originally signed with Arkansas, could be the key to the run defense. He'll team beside 320 lb Athyba Rubin. Part of Iowa State's woes in pass defense could be attributed to their pass rush, or extreme lack thereof. Their 24 sacks were a meager amount, though they feel Rashawn Parker, a former running back with good speed and athletic ability who had 3 sacks as a freshman, could become a force at one end. As for the other, they don't really have an answer. Kurtis Taylor and Travis Ferguson both seem to be set to vie for the other end spot, but both missed last season with injuries. This is a line short on experience and short on talent.

The secondary will be better, 3 of their 4 starters are back, and Allen Bell is a JUCO transfer who can flat fly, and has decent size. Chris Singleton was the teams 5th leading tackler from his corner position, and his 3 pass defended tied for 2nd on the team, while his two interceptions, sadly, led the Cyclones. Sophomore Steve Johnson will likely man one safety spot after starting 2 games at corner and 2 at safety a year ago. However, with Devin McDowell, their projected nickel corner suspended this spring and no word yet on whether or not he will be back, Johnson might be used in that role, opening the door for James, and undersized sophomore or possibly Brandon Hunley. Caleb Berg is the starter at the other safety spot, and there aren't any questions there. Berg had 76 tackles and 3 passes defended. He's not a household name, and won't be after this year, but he's a steady player with good size who will probably make a good special teams player in the NFL. The secondary has to be better, it can't be worse, it's doubtful it's going to improve that much over last year. You can't get blood out of a turnip, and there are a few turnips in this backfield.

Iowa State should be solid again on special teams as Mike Brandtner returns as a punter after averaging 41.2 ypp last year and Bret Culbertson is a steady kicker who went 8 of 11 a year ago. Milan Moses is a solid kick returner, though someone must replace Ryan Baum, one of the country's finer punt returners last year. Allen Bell may get the chance to return punts for the Cyclones.

Iowa State enters this year as perhaps one of the worst teams in all the BCS conferences. They open with three home games and their first two (Kent State and Northern Iowa) could be their two best shots at victory all year. 9 or 10 losses is to be expected from this team.