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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Mark Mangino (5th season, 19-29) 2005 record: 7-5 (Beat Houston in Fort Worth Bowl) Big 12 finish: 3-5 (5th North) 2005 I-A offensive rankings: Rushing: 75th (134.0 ypg) Passing: 88th (195.7 ypg) 2005 I-A defensive rankings: Rushing: 3rd (83.3 ypg) Passing: 59th (220.0 ypg) Date Opponent Sept. 2 Northwestern State Sept. 9 UL Monroe Sept. 16 at Toledo Sept. 23 South Florida Sept. 30 at Nebraska Oct. 7 Texas A&M Oct. 14 Oklahoma State Oct. 21 at Baylor Oct. 28 Colorado Nov. 4 at Iowa State Nov. 18 Kansas State Nov. 25 at Missouri Depth Chart: Offense 6 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 80 Dominic Roux Sr. 86 Marcus Henry Jr. WR 6 Brian Murph Sr. 11 Jonathan Lamb Sr. WR 88 Dexton Fields So. 13 Marcus Herford So. LT 65 Cesar Rodriguez Jr. 69 Travis Dambach Sr. LG 77 Bob Whitaker Sr. 64 Jake Cox Sr. C 74 David Ochoa Sr. 76 Matt Mann Sr. RG 50 Ryan Cantrell So. 67 Rameses Arceo Jr. RT 78 Anthony Collins So. 60 Jose Rodriguez Fr. TE 85 Derek Fine Jr. 96 Mark Dierking Jr. QB 10 Kerry Meier Fr. 7 Adam Barmann Sr. RB 29 Jon Cornish Sr. 22 Angus Quigley Fr. Depth Chart: Defense 3 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 92 Rodney Allen Sr. 97 John McCoy Sr. DT 91 Wayne Wilder Sr. 94 Caleb Blakesley Fr. DT 93 James McClinton Jr. 72 Todd Haselhorst So. DE 98 Paul Como Sr. 87 John Larson So. OLB 37 Joe Mortensen So. 58 Jake Schermer Fr. MLB 40 Mike Rivera So. 16 Brandon Duncan Fr. OLB 33 Eric Washington Sr. 12 James Holt So. CB 3 Aqib Talib So. 31 Michael McCoy Jr. CB 23 Blake Bueltel Jr. 38 Raymond Brown So. SS 24 Jerome Kemp Sr. 36 Tang Bacheyie So. FS 25 Darrell Stuckey Fr. 27 Sadiq Muhammad So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 39 Scott Webb Jr. P 15 Kyle Tucker Jr. KR 2 Kenneth Thompson Sr. PR 2 Kenneth Thompson Sr.

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The jokes have stopped. If you're going to praise Mark Mangino for anything, credit him with forcing an end to all those one-liners about Kansas being a one-sport school. Mangino heard them all during his first three years in Lawrence.

Kansas loses an early season game: "When does basketball start?"

"People can't say that anymore," says Kansas AD Lew Perkins. "We knew all along that basketball and football could be successful here. Now we're starting to prove it."

Indeed, Kansas set home attendance records during a 2005 season that saw the Jayhawks end their 36-game losing streak against Nebraska. Their berth in the Fort Worth Bowl marked their second postseason appearance in the last three years. Campus spirit shops sold KU football garb as quickly as they did hoops apparel. Make no mistake: They still love their basketball in Lawrence -- but football is a big deal now, too.

It's not as if Kansas doesn't have a long way to go. The Jayhawks' 7-5 finish in 2005 marked their only winning record in the past 10 years.

Mangino believes this year's squad can build on that success, but only if it gets banner efforts from a freshman quarterback who's never taken a college snap and a defense that features eight new starters.

"We're not holding it together with spit and putty anymore," says Mangino, now in his fifth year. "We've got good, solid football players who are stepping up for the kids that graduated. We're light years ahead of where we were in 2002."

OFFENSE

If Kansas earns a second consecutive bowl berth for the first time in school history, it will do so with a freshman calling the shots under center. Yes, for the first time in recent memory, Kansas will enter August two-a-days without a quarterback controversy. Head coach Mark Mangino has anointed Kerry Meier as the starter, and anyone who watched Kansas' spring game can understand why.

At 6-foot-3, 210-pounds, Meier has the body and athleticism of an NFL signal-caller. By the end of spring drills, receivers were doting on the zip and accuracy of Meier's passes, and coaches bragged about Meier's speed and ability to pick up yards on the ground.

"As of right now, physically, I think I'm all right to run (our offense)," Meier said. "My mentality as a quarterback has to come along. But I'm ready to work at it and get better."

Even if Meier plays beyond his years, he may not be the team's biggest offensive threat. Tailback Jon Cornish is primed to become KU's first 1,000-yard back in 10 seasons following a breakthrough campaign in 2005.

"The way the O-line and I have been talking ... 1,000 yards would be a disappointment," the 205-pound Cornish says. Especially considering Kansas returns four starters in the trenches.

The Jayhawks' biggest weakness may come at receiver, where their most-proven commodity is tight end Derek Fine.

DEFENSE

Kansas loses eight starters from a unit that led the Big 12 in rush defense a year ago, but it's not as if the cupboard is bare.

Linebackers Joe Mortensen, Mike Rivera and Eric Washington are eager to step into the limelight after playing behind Kevin Kane, Banks Floodman and Nick Reid, the league's 2005 Defensive Player of the Year, the last two seasons. "We're not trying to fill their shoes," Rivera says. "We're trying to make new shoes."

Mangino says this group of linebackers has more athleticism and speed than the previous unit, but the question is intangibles.

Kansas' toughest challenge on defense will be replacing end Charlton Keith, arguably Kansas' top player last decade. Coaches couldn't be any higher on Rodney Allen, one of the country's top junior-college prospects in 2005.

Still, the biggest area of concern for Kansas is its secondary, because of a lack of depth.

Cornerback Aqib Talib is a NFL prospect who will contend for All-Big 12 -- and maybe All-America -- honors. Scouts love his height (6-2) and closing speed. Kansas would like to redshirt true-freshman Anthony Webb, but a lack of numbers may force him onto the field.

SPECIALISTS

The Jayhawks couldn't be feeling any better about their kicking game. Scott Webb may not be known for his distance, but the junior was 11-of-13 from inside 40 yards last season, when he made 27-of-29 extra points. Even better: Kyle Tucker was one of 10 finalists for the Ray Guy Award, which is given annually to the nation's top punter.

FINAL ANALYSIS

Mangino has created excitement about the program by leading the Jayhawks to two bowl games in the last three years.

Even though one of the top defenses in school history will have to be rebuilt, the Jayhawks still like their chances in the league race. Barring an injury to Meier or Cornish, Kansas' offense should be vastly improved. The schedule is easier, too. Instead of Texas, Oklahoma and Texas Tech, the Jayhawks get Baylor, Oklahoma State and Texas A&M. That, if nothing else, should keep Mangino's squad in the hunt until the end.