Bill Snead/Journal-World PhotoTangerine Bowl officials are billing their Dec. 22 game in Orlando, Fla., as a high-scoring affair, pitting North Carolina State quarterback Philip Rivers against Kansas University quarterback Bill Whittemore.
KU co-captain Banks Floodman wasn’t ready to concede that point after Monday night’s practice.
“A lot of people are saying it’s going to be a shootout,” said Floodman, a sophomore linebacker. “I don’t think the defense on either side — for them or for us — like that too much. People can talk. It’s a good story. We have a great quarterback in Bill, and they have a great quarterback. We’ll go down there and see what happens.”
Kansas (6-6) is an 11-point underdog against N.C. State (7-5). The Wolfpack led the Atlantic Coast Conference with averages of 436.5 yards and 36.1 points per game.
KU’s defense allowed averages of 392.6 yards and 28.3 points.
“We know Philip Rivers is a pretty darn good quarterback, and he’s going to make plays for them,” Floodman said. “We just have to limit his playmaking, and I think our practices have been really good and we have a good chance of doing that.”
Rivers presents a different type of challenge for the Jayhawks, who have seen numerous run-pass threats — such as Missouri’s Brad Smith and Kansas State’s Ell Roberson — in the Big 12 Conference. Rivers, the ACC Player of the Year, rushed only 75 times for 89 yards in 12 games.
“He’s real patient in the pocket,” Floodman said. “He tries to pick the defense apart. He’s been doing it all year, and he does a good job.”
His offensive line does a good job, too. The Wolfpack have allowed only 17 sacks, despite passing 450 times. Rivers, who has started an NCAA record 50 consecutive games, has passed for 4,016 yards and 29 touchdowns.
KU has had three extra weeks of practice with one more to go before meeting N.C. State in a 4:30 p.m. game on ESPN. That extra time should help the defense and late additions Charles Gordon and John Randle.
Gordon, a red-shirt freshman receiver, and Randle, a freshman running back, each started playing defense in the 10th game of the season.
“They’re playing great on defense and offense,” Floodman said. “They’re picking balls off and they’re breaking hard on the ball every time.”
KU will depart Wednesday for Orlando and will have a closed workout that night at a practice field near Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium.
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Thanks, Banks: Floodman and Whittemore will represent the football program at 6:35 tonight when the Jayhawks are recognized for the their successful season during the Lawrence City Commission Meeting at City Hall.
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McLendon in trouble: N.C. State tailback T.A. McLendon’s status for the Tangerine Bowl may be in question. According to a report in the Raleigh News-Observer, the sophomore was charged Oct. 25 with speeding and with driving under 21 years of age after consuming alcohol. McLendon, 19, has a court date scheduled for Jan. 5.
McLendon declined comment, and coach Chuck Amato would not say whether McLendon would play against Kansas.
“Maybe,” Amato said when asked whether everyone on the team would be available for the bowl game. Asked whether McLendon’s legal situation and pending court date could affect the sophomore’s availability for the game, Amato said, “unless something’s changed I don’t know about.”
McLendon was the ACC rookie of the year in 2002 when he rushed for 1,101 yards and 18 touchdowns, but he missed four games because of injuries this season and rushed for 536 yards and seven touchdowns.
