Despite losing all but three starters from last season’s dominating defense, Mark Mangino has a gut feeling about this year’s squad after only two days of practice.

They could be just as good.

“I like what our defense is doing, that defense is quick,” the Kansas coach said following Saturday’s practice, which was open to fans and media. “It’s a quick outfit, physical up front. We’ve got a scrappy bunch of guys, they’re going to be okay.”

The Jayhawks return defensive tackle James McClinton, safety Jerome Kemp and cornerback Aqib Talib from last year’s unit that gave up just 22 points per game.

The defense held its own in a scrimmage against the first-team offense, lead by redshirt freshman quarterback Kerry Meier. Talib intercepted one of Meier’s passes and nearly picked off another. The defense also collected two other turnovers by the offense.

Talib, a first team All-Big 12 selection in the preseason media poll, looked best among Kansas’ cornerbacks. In drills against wide receivers, Talib nearly picked off several passes and batted down a few others.

While Mangino was encouraged by the defense's performance Saturday, he realizes the group still has a long way to go before being ready for the season opener Sept. 2 against Northwestern State.

“The challenge is they’ve got to learn very quickly,” Mangino said. “We’ve got to get that chemistry we had last year and I think it's well on its way.”

Chemistry on offense appears to be strong, with Meier hitting several receivers in stride for long passes during the scrimmage. Senior running back Jon Cornish took most of the first team snaps at running back, with redshirt freshman Angus Quigley and freshman D’Marcus Lang battling for the back-up spot.

Despite taking all the snaps with the first team offense, Meier knows he could easily lose the starting job.

“You’ve got to go in there with the attitude that there’s guys behind you,” Meier said. “It’s never a secure lock that you’re going to play, you have to come out and prove yourself everyday.”

Football Notes:

Randle to SIU: Former Jayhawk running back John Randle has left KU and will be eligible to play this fall at Southern Illinois. Despite leading Kansas in rushing during his sophomore season, Randle was kicked off the team by Mangino in March 2005 following his fifth arrest. According to a statement released by SIU media relations, Randle has already enrolled in classes in Carbondale, Ill. and participated in the team’s first practice late last week.

"Coach Mangino, who I know very well, said he's a guy who could have been a prolific Big 12 guy," SIU coach Jerry Kill said. "He has tremendous skill and football instincts."

Two leave football team: Following Saturday’s practice, Mangino announced that two players had left the program. Senior cornerback Kenneth Thompson was declared academically ineligible and left the program. Thompson played in all 12 games last season primarily on special teams. Also, freshman defensive lineman John White decided to opt out before his first season as a Jayhawk and play at an undetermined junior college