Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Coach Mark Mangino has seen enough. After watching his special teams units perform poorly for the second consecutive game, the seventh-year coach has promised to shake things up.
“After todays exhibition,” Mangino said Saturday, “Whether its personnel or schemes or both, we have to make changes. We’re not going to do this anymore.”
The problems were across the board on Saturday. Daymond Patterson and Dexton Fields both muffed punts. Jacob Branstetter missed a 39-yard field goal. And Marcus Herford, who has struggled all season after being named a pre-season All American, averaged only 13 yards-per-kick-return against the Buffaloes — the worst rated kickoff coverage in the nation.
Kansas kick returner Marcus Herford looks to cut off a block during a kick return Sunday at Memorial Stadium. Coach Mark Mangino said he will make special teams changes. "I am going to get these special teams squared away," he said.
“All it takes is for one guy to break down,” Mangino said. “But Im not going to lie to you, there were two or three guys on some units today that didn’t do their job.”
The Jayhawks’ average starting position for their first five drives was their own 16-yard line. Their best start was their fifth drive when they started from the 24-yard line. It almost mirrored last week’s game against Iowa State when the Jayhawks battled poor field position much of the first half and fell behind 20-0.
“I’ll get that corrected,” Mangino said. “If there’s one thing that I do here during my tenure as the head coach, I am going to get these special teams squared away.
“We won some games over the years where we had lesser talent than the opponent but we won the field position battle. And were not doing that.”
One reason for the problem on special teams could be due to Mangino’s willingness to give younger players a chance to play. Some freshmen and sophomores, banished to the bottom of the depth charts on offense and defense, have been given a chance to see the field on special teams.
“We’ve given some guys an opportunity to get out there and play,” Mangino said. “You know, give them a chance to get in the game, get a little sweat going, be a part of it and contribute. Some guys have taken advantage of that and others have not.”
In the past, Mangino has played key starters on special teams including Jon Cornish, Brandon McAnderson, Derick Fine and Aqib Talib. While reluctant to do that again, it looks Mangino doesn’t have much of a choice.
“We have had some starters that have played special teams here for years,” Mangino said. “And we would have this year, but we have some kids who have had offseason surgeries and chronic injuries and they are playing, but we are getting everything we can from them at the line of scrimmage on offense and defense... I think some of those older kids are a little bit upset with the way we are playing on special teams. I told a couple of them to get ready, you’re back on special teams, and they were fine with it.”
— — Edited by Andy Greenhaw
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