Talib steps it up

By Tom Keegan     Oct 29, 2006

Linebacker Mike Rivera, known for the feeling he puts behind his tackles, made one of his patented vicious hits in the wrong place early in Kansas University’s 20-15 victory Saturday over Colorado.

It occurred out of bounds and cost KU 15 yards in penalties and three points on the scoreboard.

Once Rivera got to the sideline, he received as long and spirited an in-game tongue-lashing as Kansas University coach Mark Mangino has delivered this season.

Rivera tried to walk away, heading south along the back of the sideline. Mangino kept pace with him, walking and hollering along the front of the sideline.

After a temporary benching of Rivera, Aqib Talib showed the sort of leadership he has been showing lately and approached Mangino to lobby for his teammate to re-enter the game. Mangino gave Talib an earful, but did stop long enough to listen as well.

“I just promised him that Mike will never do it again as long as he plays here,” Talib said. “Hopefully, Mike holds up to it, or I might be in trouble.”

Doubtful. As long as Talib follows team rules, he will avoid benchings. Since rejoining the Jayhawks after starting the season on a two-game suspension, Talib has justified his preseason first-team Big 12 honors. He contributed two interceptions Saturday.

As Mangino was blistering the defense in his postgame speech in Waco after a fall-from-ahead loss to Baylor, Talib also spoke up on behalf of his teammates in leader fashion.

Mangino can be an intimidating figure and is not easily approachable. It takes a fearless person to disagree with him. It pays to be fearless playing cornerback, so Talib is the perfect one to lead the defense. He also appears to have a fondness for his coach.

“Coach had lightened up the mood all week,” Talib said. “We had a little competition out there after practice Tuesday, and we just made the focus on this being a game, and we’re out here to have fun. Coach did a good job lightening up the mood and preparing us to play the game.”

And Colorado’s quarterbacks did a poor job of deciding which defensive back to attack.

“If it was up to me, I would not throw at Aqib,” KU safety Jerome Kemp said. “But they took a chance at throwing at one of our lock-down cornerbacks.”

Colorado statistically is by far the worst passing team in the Big 12, and with decisions such as repeatedly throwing at Talib, it’s easy to see why.

“They gave me a lot of balls,” Talib said. “They gave me a lot of opportunities to make plays today. I got at least eight or nine balls. I feel like, if a team gives me that many opportunities to make plays, I’m going to make plays.”

It’s not a very wise approach.

“That’s on their coach,” Talib said. “It’s smart to me. If you ask me, that’s very smart. Teams should keep doing it.”

Kansas freshman QB Todd Reesing has been picked off by Talib in practice, too.

“Maybe when he first got here, lately, no,” Talib said. “As a matter a fact, just this week in practice he threw the best ball I’ve ever seen against me. He had me looking stupid, had me run past it.”

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