Advertisement
Advertisement
KU surges past Colorado, 30-14
The Jayhawks improved to 5-1 on the season with Saturday's win over Colorado at Memorial Stadium.
Audio clips
2008 KU-CU football
Podcast episode
Spodcasters
Spodcasters Postgame: Colorado
The guys (Tom Keegan, Jesse Newell) give their observations following KU's 30-14 victory over Colorado. They also look ahead to next week, when the Jayhawks will take on an angry group of Oklahoma Sooners.
Meier hampered
Despite another standout performance in a season that - so far - has been filled with them, Kansas University receiver Kerry Meier looked far from healthy in the Jayhawks' 30-14 home victory over Colorado on Saturday.
Meier, who entered the weekend ranked second in the nation in receptions per game, caught nine passes for 94 yards, but was moving gingerly Saturday and was on the sideline for multiple Kansas third-down opportunities, situations in which the sure-handed junior usually thrives.
Following Saturday's game, Meier brushed off multiple questions about his health, opting instead to talk generally about the success of the team's offense against the Buffaloes.
Asked if he was healthy, however, he implied that he could be playing through pain.
"I go out and try to play 100 percent," Meier said. "I might not be all the way there, but I'm going to play my heart out and see how things go."
Blakesley ailing
Kansas defensive tackle Caleb Blakesley had to be helped from the field late in the second quarter of Saturday's game due to an undisclosed injury.
"I'll get the medical report here later on this afternoon," KU coach Mark Mangino said. "I don't know. It was not encouraging when I talked to the trainer briefly on the sideline, so we'll see. He's been playing great football for us; we hope he's not lost for a long period of time, but we'll have to wait and see."
Blakesley, a junior from Ottawa, has started all six of Kansas' games this season, his second as a starter on the team's defensive line and his third as a regular contributor.
Special-teams shakeup
Following a dismal performance from his team's special teams unit, Mangino said alterations to the unit - including the use of starters - are likely.
Though injuries have prevented him from using starters on special teams to this point, the coach said performances like Saturday's, in which the Jayhawks struggled with everything from punting to kick returns, cannot continue.
"We're trying to keep them healthy and not worn down," Mangino said of his starters. "... (But) all it takes is one guy to break down. You can do everything perfect with 10 guys (on special teams), and one can break down."
KU-OU to kick off at 2:30 p.m.
The Jayhawks' game against top-ranked Oklahoma on Saturday in Norman, Okla., will kick off at 2:30 p.m., the schools announced Saturday.
The game, which is the first between the two schools since 2005, will air live on ABC.
The Sooners, who began the week at No. 1 in the Associated Press poll, are coming off a loss to fifth-ranked Texas, but both teams likely will be ranked entering the game.
KU vs. Colorado: Postgame
More like this
- Game balls & Gassers 1 comment / October 12, 2008
- Keegan: For Jayhawks, training wheels off 10 comments / October 12, 2008
- Special-teams shakeup coming 6 comments / October 12, 2008
- Buffs QB OK with benching October 12, 2008
- KU football notes October 26, 2008













Comments
FlaHawk (anonymous) says...
WHy not uses Kerry Meier as a Punt Returned. He does not have blazing speed, but he can catch the ball. THisis the main problem that KU Punt Return team has had in 2007 and 2008.Jake Sharp is another alternative, although I don;t think Jake has returned a punt in his KU career. He used to be on the KO Return team but Herford has pushed him out it seems.KU definately needs a spark and special teams are absolutely NOT it thisyear, so far!Go Hawks!
October 12, 2008 at 5:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hawkfan20 (anonymous) says...
Great news that we're finally going to shake up the special teams unit. It's been really hard to watch this year to go from one of the best units in the country year in, year out to be one of the worst this year.
October 12, 2008 at 8:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eastcoasthawk (anonymous) says...
Glad to see that this is getting focus. Branstetter is going to cost us a game or two. He is terribly inconsistent. Watch how erratic his PAT's are. He needs to develop some consistency.
October 12, 2008 at 9:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zazy (anonymous) says...
I undersand the premise, FlaHawk, of using Meier; however, with his health definitely a question right now, it probably is not wise to expose him to the additional pounding of returning punts.
October 12, 2008 at 10:25 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
leikness (anonymous) says...
Whatever happens I'm pumped for OU week. Can't wait to be in Norman on Saturday.
October 12, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yovoy (anonymous) says...
that and he's our #2 qb...prolly shouldn't fudge w/ stuff like that any more than we have to.
October 12, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kvskubball (anonymous) says...
I think we could try Angus as a return man, (or anyone with good hands who wants to run with the ball). That would get him some game-practice running full speed.I'm glad Coach called out the special teams. As I mentioned under "Sharpe Runs For 3 TD's.." Our technique sucked. A punt returner tripped himself as he backed up, luckily we covered the fumble. Another time the punt returner stuck his hands out to the ball instead of pulling the ball in and the ball luckily carooms out of bounds. The kick-coverage teams blew assignments, or acted like they didn't know what they were supposed to do.I said during the game that whoever the Special Teams Coach(es) is(are), aint earning his (their) pay!So I'm glad that Coach made a big deal out of it during his postgame press conference, because special teams were glaringly bad, to the point of being putrid. While the O (as usual) and D (improving nicely) were both pretty solid.Well we've had the appetizers, now for the main course!I hope we play disciplined and be tough and we'll give ourselves a chance to win each game.The CU win was really important from a big-mo standpoint. We can now face OU with some confidence and we should certainly believe as Coach said that we can compete. We have a chance to prove it, starting with Booming the Sooners in their house!So let's go Rock their Conestoga!
October 12, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Hawkish4bigM (anonymous) says...
I am looking forward to watching what Clint Bowen can do against their pass attach. Coach, this is a challenge! Jayhawk Nation is watching and hoping that you can do some magic and the trust that the Big Man put in you was not in vain. Do it, Coach, and all the negativity toward your good name will go away for a long time.
October 12, 2008 at 9:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
littlerichard (anonymous) says...
"Following Saturday's game, Meier brushed off multiple questions about his health, opting instead to talk generally about the success of the team's offense against the Buffaloes." Isn't the plural of "buffalo" "buffalo"?
October 13, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
actorman (anonymous) says...
While you may be right technically, since Colorado has been called the Buffaloes for decades I don't believe that reference will be changing any time soon.As for the OU game, I have yet to be convinced that KU won't lose by at least 20 points. I welcome arguments to the contrary.
October 13, 2008 at 12:47 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
tdub (anonymous) says...
Sadly I'm with you actorman.
October 13, 2008 at 8:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )