They don’t have billboards, television commercials or radio commercials proclaiming, “This is what Fridays and Sundays were made for.” The hack job taking place on the Hill isn’t for their benefit. Most of their preseason accolades and position battles have gone unnoticed.

Still, there is one football team that Kansas fans should be pumped about.

No, not that football. I’m talking David Beckham, “Fever Pitch,” red card football — I’m talking Kansas soccer.

The soccer team is three years removed from its last Big 12 Championship and NCAA tournament appeaårance. But this year’s squad has the makings of becoming the best in Kansas history.

“There’s no doubt that this is a more talented team than that group,” coach Mark Francis said, comparing this year’s roster to the one that won the Big 12 Championship in 2004. “That group over-achieved. This year, if we achieve what we are capable of, we’ll do very well. To win a championship, it takes a lot more than talent. There are a lot of intangibles there that we’re actually seeing signs of with this group.”

Maybe it’s Francis’ British accent, but when he talks about how good this year’s team can be, it’s convincing. However, what he won’t reveal — in public, anyway — is that the league coaches committed an injustice when they picked Kansas to finish fifth in the Big 12. So I will.

Apparently, Big 12 coaches don’t watch their game film from when they play — and usually lose to — Kansas. This is the third straight year they’ve tabbed Kansas to finish no better than fourth in the conference. Yet, 2002 was the last time the Jayhawks finished worse than fourth in the Big 12. And certainly they haven’t noticed Francis stocking up on top-notch recruiting classes the last four years.

Last year, five current Jayhawks earned Big 12 honors. Junior Jessica Bush was named to the All-Central Region third team while sophomores Monica Dolinsky and Estelle Johnson were selected to the Central Region’s All-Freshman team. This year’s recruiting class has already been recognized as the third-best recruiting class in the Big 12, the fifth-best in the Central Region and 36th-best in the nation.

Included in this year’s freshman class is Emily Cressy, who won her second U.S. Youth Soccer national championship this summer, playing alongside Dolinsky. Cressy earned the Adidas Golden Boot award as the most outstanding offensive player of the tournament.

So much talent has given Francis headaches trying to settle on a starting lineup before the season opener Friday. To Francis’ luck, 11 starters emerged from Saturday’s intrasquad scrimmage. Senior Emily Strinden and sophomore Shannon McCabe will be the starting forwards, while senior Nicole Cauzillo, junior Missy Geha, Bush and Dolinsky will fill the starting midfield spots. Senior Afton Sauer, junior Jenny Murtaugh, Johnson and freshman Katie Williams will form the starting defensive line and complement senior goalkeeper Colleen Quinn.

However, this starting 11 is anything but concrete. By the time Kansas takes to the pitch on Sept. 6 for its home opener, its starting lineup could be completely turned over. Players like Cressy and juniors Sara Rogers and Kristin Graves are all waiting in the wings to snatch up starting spots.

At least one publication has actually taken notice of Kansas’ potential. The Jayhawks are ranked No. 26 in Soccer Buzz’s preseason poll. The test for Francis will be getting his collection of talent to jell early. Kansas’ schedule won’t allow for any lapses. By Oct. 1, Kansas will have played five teams — BYU, Portland, Illinois, California and Texas A&M — that are ranked in one preseason poll or another. October isn’t any more forgiving, though.

The first weekend of October, Kansas plays Drake in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 5, then Texas Tech in Lubbock, Texas, on Oct. 7. After that, Kansas faces ranked conference foes Oklahoma State, Colorado and Texas over a four-game span, having to travel to Boulder, Colo., and Austin, Texas, the same weekend.

But this team can handle it. In addition to all its talent, it has the leadership to match. This year’s senior class is all that remains from 2004, and they’re eager to return to the NCAA tournament. With their guidance, the juniors, sophomores and freshmen will follow suit, even if the billboards, commercials and publicity don’t.

— Edited by Matt Erickson