Thursday, November 1, 2007
When the Kansas coaching staff sits down to study Nebraska’s personnel and schemes in preparation for Saturday’s game, they won’t have much film to choose from. The Cornhusker team that shows up at Memorial Stadium this weekend will probably bear little resemblance to last year’s — or even last month’s — Nebraska squad.
Nebraska quarterback Sam Keller, right, lays on the ground after being injured during the fourth quarter of the football game against Texas, Saturday, Oct. 27, 2007 in Austin. Keller will miss the rest of the football season with a shoulder injury, the latest setback for coach Bill Callahan and the Cornhuskers.
Nebraska has endured an unsteady season heavy on turmoil and light on success. The Cornhuskers are 1-4 in Big 12 Conference play (4-5 overall) and could need victories in their final three games to earn a bowl berth. The school dismissed Athletics Director Steve Pederson on Oct. 15, and rumors about the job security of coach Bill Callahan have been swirling around the campus. In addition to those large-scale adjustments, Nebraska has made a major on-field change.
Sam Keller, Nebraska’s starting quarterback for the first nine games of the season, is sidelined for the season after suffering a shoulder injury against Texas last week. The Cornhuskers will call on Joe Ganz, a junior who has not started a game since high school.
“What a great way to have your first start, against Kansas and the great defense they have, on the road, against the number eighth team in the country,” Ganz said. “It’s going to be a great atmosphere and I like playing road games so it’s going to be kind of fun.”
Ganz is in his fourth year in the Nebraska program, but he is anything but a seasoned veteran. He has thrown just 17 passes in his collegiate career, completing 10 for 158 yards and four touchdowns. Ganz, a 6-foot-1, 200 pound, Illinois native, played in five games last season and competed against Keller for the starting job in the preseason.
Though he is a standard drop-back passer, Ganz is considered a more mobile quarterback than Keller. As a senior at Amos Alonzo Stagg High Scool, he rushed for 600 yards and 11 touchdowns. Though he can make plays with his legs, Callahan said he was not planning on significantly altering his offensive game plan.
“There’s not going to be much variation from the system, aside from what we do,” Callahan said. “We’re going to add some things, but I don’t think that’s going to shock or surprise them.”
Ganz’s relative inexperience could end up helping Nebraska solve the tough Kansas defense. With only six games and 17 passes worth of film to study on Ganz, the Jayhawks will not have the luxury of dissecting each and every tendency of the Cornhuskers new signal-caller.
“There’s not much to evaluate, so you prepare for their schemes and what you know about them,” Mangino said. “You try to anticipate what his strengths might be and how they might try to feature them. But we don’t know and it’s hard to speculate.”
So far this season, Kansas has game-planned well enough to handle all sorts of quarterbacks. The Jayhawks are ranked fifth in the nation in pass efficiency defense and second in the nation in scoring defense.
Edited by Elizabeth Cattell
Football Notes: Oct. 30, 2007
Todd Reesing, sophomore quarterback, is a candidate for a national award, but ...
Nebraska enters match-up as underdog
The Kansas football team has beat Nebraska only once in 38 years. ...
Nebraska doesn't deserve 'Blackshirts'
The NU defense has fallen far away from the dominating efforts of ...
Shroyer: I'm sold on Kansas football
Saturday’s football game against Nebraska went against the convention of the all-time ...
Callahan optimistic about second year at Nebraska
Cornhusker backfield full of talent
Bill Callahan is ready to lead his team back to the Big ...
Gameday: Nov. 8, 2008
Get ready for Saturday’s game against Nebraska.
Pelini, defense hope to restore glory
New Nebraska football coach places emphasis on defense, brings back family atmosphere ...
Jayhawks turn the tables against Huskers
In its last 38 games against Nebraska, the Kansas football team had ...
Big 12 football wrap up
Cowboys lost without Gundy, Leach criticizes officials
Gill hopes past success against Oklahoma State ...
Turner Gill delighted Cornhusker fans when he dominated the Cowboys defense in ...
Good turnover rate benefits team
Although the Jayhawks outgained the Cornhuskers by only 88 yards, their ability ...
Football Notes: November 5, 2007
Here's this weeks Football Notes on the KU vs. NU game.
Nebraska regains dominance over KU in the ...
Despite injuries, Nebraska QB Joe Ganz made plays bringing a much needed ...
Dodd: ‘Mangenius’ reverses KU’s fortunes
Saturday’s game between Kansas and Nebraska will take place exactly six years ...
Kansas scores 76 in blowout
Kansas came in as heavy favorites against Nebraska and didn't disappoint. Todd ...
Nebraska defense strong in trenches
Suh and the rest of the Huskers could pose problems for the ...
Nebraska Gameday
Get to know the Cornhuskers as they prepare to play the Jayhawks ...
Big 12 defenses slowing the spread
The wild ways of the early 2000s have slowly been taming down.
Tigers shoot for North Division Title
Missouri started 6-0 last season but dropped five of their next seven ...
Big 12 North Breakdown
A preview of the Big 12 North
Big 12 Media Day: Overview of Big ...
See how next Football seasons looks before it starts.
Kansas loses 45-35 at Nebraska
Defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh caught a 2-yard touchdown to put the Huskers ...
Gill focused on game, not homecoming
Kansas travels this weekend to Nebraska, where Gill played and coached for ...
Morning Brew: Kansas to travel to Lincoln
The Jayhawks will take on the Cornhuskers on their turf this Saturday.
Kansas Gameday
Get a closer look at Kansas as it tries to knock off ...
Big 12 North football previews
Big 12 North football previews for Nebraska, Iowa State, Colorado, Missouri and ...
Second-half conference play promises thrills
Kansas’ Big 12 matches for next season promise to offer thrills, and ...
Coaches familiar with Georgia Tech offense
Torbush and Gill’s experience with option offense should help team in game ...
Nebraska coach displays confidence
Despite being last in the Big 12 conference, Nebraska is preparing to ...
Long's disastrous debut now Pick's inspiration
Long gives Pick advice from his own experience for this Saturday’s game.
LSU loses No. 1 spot; Callahan loses ...
Among the weekend’s college football highlights: LSU lost to Arkansas 50-48 in ...
Turnaround: Suffering rivals getting green-eyed
The success of Kansas football has schools such as Texas A&M and ...
Long impressed with Mecham’s performance
Mecham will get his third start Saturday against Nebraska, drawing high praise ...
Breckunitch: Football season will be good
Spring game invites speculation about the Jayhawk football’s chances for Big 12 ...
Final wrap up: Kansas loses to Nebraska
The Jayhawks drop fifth consecutive game on Senior Day.
Kansas’ loss to Nebraska particularly painful
Unable to snap its 40-year losing streak in Lincoln, Kansas’ loss on ...
Conference offers no clear favorites
Texas Tech gameday
Get a closer look at the Red Raiders as they prepare to ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID