Linebacking positions brimming with talent

Thursday, August 23, 2007

Kansan staff writer Asher Fusco is previewing KU football, position by position. Tomorrow’s edition will profile the KU secondary.

KANSAN FILE PHOTO

Linebackers

The problem: too much talent and not enough playing time to go around.

The solution: a little bit of mixing and matching.

Kansas coach Mark Mangino entered the preseason with two elite middle linebackers competing for one spot. By the third practice, junior Mike Rivera had moved to the outside, which left room for junior Joe Mortensen on the inside.

“Mike Rivera has been working at outside linebacker because we’re thin at that position in terms of depth,” Mangino said. “He’s playing out in space and he’s starting to feel more comfortable out there.”

Rivera was plenty comfortable last season as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention middle linebacker. But Mortensen was not fast enough to play on the outside, where his responsibilities included covering shifty slot receivers.

Mangino said Mortensen has taken to middle linebacker, his natural position, quickly and that the linebackers should be solid in 2007.

The starter at the other outside spot will be junior James Holt. After recovering from an early injury, Hold took over for the injured Eric Washington late in the season. His physical makeup is more safety than linebacker but his lean 220-pound frame makes him the team’s best linebacker in zone coverage.

“I’ve really liked the way things are coming together,” Mangino said. “The linebackers are playing their responsibilities very well in the passing game. We’re starting to get a good rhythm in that area.”

Sophomores Arist Wright and Olaitan Oguntodu are the top reserve linebackers. Oguntodu could see significant action as a pass-rusher in the “bandit” package. The team worked on “bandit” and a few other packages during open practices earlier this month.

Mortensen said the coaching staff implemented the additional packages to confuse offenses and get fresh defenders onto the field as often as possible.

Mangino said the competition for playing time behind Mortensen was not over. Possible backups at middle linebacker include sophomore Jake Schermer, who played in all 12 games last season, and true freshman Justin Springer.

Defensive Line

Kansas may need to be even more improvisational with its personnel on the defensive line. Only one starter returns from a group that stopped the run adequately but rarely put pressure on the quarterback last season.

That returning starter is an important one. Senior defensive tackle James McClinton is one of the best run-stoppers in the Big 12 Conference. The team captain used his sturdy 285-pound frame to accumulate six sacks and 14.5 tackles-for-loss in 2006. The impressive performance resulted in All-Big 12 Second Team recognition.

For the time being, McClinton’s partner at defensive tackle will be sophomore Caleb Blakesley, who has never started a game at Kansas. It remains to be seen if junior Todd Haselhorst will return from an injury in time to play against Central Michigan Sept. 1.

Junior defensive end Russell Brorsen started eight games last year and has retained the job heading into this season. Brorsen was an improvement over the inconsistent players he replaced last year and could lead the team in sacks this season.

At the other defensive end position, junior John Larson is number one on the depth chart. The 250-pound lineman played 10 games last year but needs to show the ability to hassle the quarterback more frequently.

Despite the injury and inexperience up front, Mangino said he liked what he had seen from the line in the preseason.

“We’ve been getting a little bit of pressure on the quarterback,” Mangino said. “We’re pushing the pocket back and making the quarterback get rid of the ball more quickly.”

Jeff Wheeler is the team’s third best option at defensive end. The 6-7, Houston native collected two sacks last year. Reserve defensive tackles include true freshman Richard Johnson, Jr., who Mangino said could skip a redshirt, and redshirt freshman Jamal Greene.

— Edited by Rachel Bock

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