Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Before the football season started, the majority of Kansas football fans expected the usual year: finish with just enough wins to become bowl eligible, hoping to get a bid to the Insight bowl or something along those lines. But this team proved all the doubters wrong. Kansas is one of the top five teams in the nation. Here are some of the top highlights of the 2007 season.
Todd Reesing
During the year, Reesing has broken a plethora of school passing records including most yards (3,259), touchdowns (32) and 300-yard games (5) in a season. He also set the Big 12 record with 213 straight passes without an interception. All of this from a sophomore from Austin, Texas, who everyone thought wasn’t big enough to play at a big football school. Pretty sure his case has been put to rest.
Kerry Meier
Meier proved how versatile of an athlete he is by taking on many other roles. Meier has rushed, thrown and received a touchdown, becoming the first player at Kansas since Garfield Taylor in 1981 to do this. Meier has also shown his kicking skills for the Jayhawks by punting four different times this season. Who knows? Maybe we will see him returning kicks or playing on the defensive side of the ball in his remaining years.
Brandon McAnderson, senior running back, carries the ball towards the endzone. McAnderson rushed for more than 120 yards and scored four touchdowns during Saturday's homecoming game against Nebraska.
76 points against Nebraska
Remember when Nebraska always put up big numbers in blowouts against the Jayhawks? Times have changed. The 76 points scored by Kansas was the most that Nebraska had ever given up in their entire storybook history. It’s kind of ironic that it happened to be the Jayhawks doing it.
Reesing threw for six touchdown passes, four to freshman receiver Dezmon Briscoe. Senior running back Brandon McAnderson rushed for four touchdowns, becoming the first since June Henly in 1996 to accomplish this feat. And oh yeah — the Jayhawks scored touchdowns on 10 straight drives in the game as well.
Road Victories
During his previous five years at Kansas, head coach Mark Mangino had only tallied four road Big 12 victories. This year he led his team to victories against then ranked No. 24 Kansas State, Texas A&M, Colorado and Oklahoma State.
The victory in Manhattan was Kansas’ first since 1989, and the Jayhawks’ first road victory against a ranked opponent since it defeated Oklahoma State in 1995. Those power towels really seemed to work well for them.
In the win against Oklahoma State, Kansas picked up its tenth straight victory to move the team to its first 10-0 start since 1899. I hope it won’t take another 108 years to start the season with 10 victories.
Top 25 ranking for first time in 11 years
After the victory against Kansas State, the Jayhawks moved into the Top 25 in the AP poll with their fifth victory. Many people still doubted that they were for real. Each week though, they continued their success and climbed up the rankings to eventually top out at No. 2 in every major poll. It was the highest ever ranking for a Kansas football team. The Jayhawks also received some first place votes.
Aqib Talib and his defense
The All-American junior cornerback has proven all season why he was on so many awards lists. Teams were afraid to throw near him because of all his talent. After all, he was Superman in the Kansas State game, coming up with a big interception to help Kansas get the victory. Not only has Talib made his impact on the defensive side of the ball with four interceptions, but he also made a few plays on the offensive side earlier in the season as a wide receiver, reeling in four touchdowns.
The other members of the defense have led the team into the top 10 nationally for their defense. Kansas held its first five Big 12 opponents to less than 100 yards rushing. Also, the Jayhawks are giving up only 16 points per game.
The Jayhawks won 11 games
There is still a bowl game left to play, and the Jayhawks have the most wins in school history. It has been a fun season to watch with Kansas’ high scoring offense and shutdown defense. In the preseason, the Jayhawks were projected to finish fourth in the Big 12 North.
“I am more focused on where we stand in December, rather than the month of July,” head coach Mark Mangino said after hearing about the preseason ranking. He has to be pretty happy sitting at 11-1 and looking forward to a possible BCS bowl game later on in January.
Overall, this team has proven over and over again it is one of the top teams in the nation and has made its case why Kansas is going to be known for being a football school as well. Next year, don’t doubt the Jayhawks if they are picked to actually win the Big 12 North, or if people predict they have a chance for the championship once again — meaning NATIONAL championship.
For now, they are just getting their feet wet.
— Edited by Luke Morris
Politics, and good cinema, is a matter of ...
1 comment
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
2 comments
"Reconciliation" and Washington don't get along.
1 comment
Difference between winter and spring is negligible.
1 comment
How would Obama reflect on the past year?
1 comment
Mallot and Haworth Halls, two of the larger ...
1 comment
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.