Secondary still seeking synch

By David Mitchell     Dec 19, 2003

? North Carolina State’s football squad shouldn’t watch much film of Kansas University’s secondary while preparing for Monday’s Tangerine Bowl.

KU’s secondary has changed — a lot — in recent weeks.

“My first week I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing,” said freshman running back John Randle, who started playing cornerback in the 10th game of the season. “I didn’t know the coverages too well. Now I feel almost like I’ve been doing it all year. The last four or five weeks that I’ve been playing both ways, I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable about it.”

Coach Mark Mangino moved Randle and red-shirt freshman receiver Charles Gordon to cornerback against Nebraska to boost a secondary that has been torched for an average of 196 passing yards per game.

Though each player had ups and downs in the final three regular-season games, the extra month of practice Kansas earned to prepare for the bowl game has given the freshmen ample time to adjust to their defensive roles.

“I was a little frustrated at first just because I got burned a few times; I busted a few coverages,” Randle said Thursday after practice at McCracken Field near Florida Citrus Bowl. “Coach really encouraged me. I took that the next week and worked really hard on my coverages and where I’m supposed to be. My confidence went up a lot. I don’t like getting burned. I put in a lot more work the next few weeks.”

In three games, both players made 13 tackles. How well they play Monday could be critical against an N.C. State offense that averages 436.5 yards and 36.1 points per game. Quarterback Philip Rivers was the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year.

“He’s one of the top quarterbacks in the nation,” Gordon said.

But Gordon said he, too, had improved since the regular season ended Nov. 22.

“I’m coming along,” he said. “My feet are getting a little better. I’m able to get out of my breaks faster. I know the schemes that much better now.”

Both Jayhawks will be three-way players in the bowl. Gordon, who leads KU with 53 receptions, also averages 13.1 yards per punt return. Randle will return kicks after taking that role from sophomore Greg Heaggans late in the season.

It’s uncertain what roles the freshmen will play as sophomores.

“Whatever I can do to help the team, I’ll do it,” Gordon said. “I’m not worried at all.”

Randle, who rushed for 499 yards and two touchdowns as a backup to sophomore starter Clark Green, hoped his future was in the backfield.

“I’m a running back, and they need me on that side of the ball, too,” Randle said. “They’re recruiting defensive backs, and hopefully I won’t have to play both ways. If it goes down like that, I will. I’ll do it for the team.”

  • Recruiting update: Kansas signed five junior-college players Wednesday, but Mangino said Thursday he would wait until after the bowl game to comment on the recruits.

According to rivals.com, KU’s newest additions are: Tyler Junior College defensive end Jermail Ashley (6-5, 245); Tyler defensive back Theodore Baines (5-10, 180); Chaffey College offensive lineman Alan Erving 6-5, 300); City College of San Francisco quarterback Jason Swanson (6-0, 190); and San Bernadino Valley College defensive back Rodney Harris (6-0, 190).

Mangino said KU, which has nine known commitments from high school players, would sign no more than seven junior-college players and a total of 21 or 22 recruits.

KU signed more than a dozen junior-college transfers last season, including starting linebacker Gabriel Toomey and starting center Joe Vaughn.

  • Leo drops in: Former KU linebacker Leo Etienne — who was KU’s second-leading tackler last season — watched the Jayhawks practice.

“It’s good to see these guys doing good,” said Etienne, who is an intern for Florida Citrus Sports, the organization that runs the Tangerine and Capital One bowls. “For me to be out here watching them is crazy, but I’m enjoying it.”

Etienne, who played on losing teams in his two seasons at KU, said he didn’t have bad feelings about graduating one year too soon to make a bowl trip.

“I can’t do that,” KU’s former captain said. “If I did, that’s being selfish. I was brought here to help build a team, and that’s what I did.”

  • In the pink: The staff at North Carolina State’s team hotel learned a lesson Wednesday after it washed NCSU’s white practice jerseys with red pants. That left the Wolfpack’s offense with pink practice jerseys Thursday. After their morning workout, the Pack spent the afternoon at the MGM theme park.
  • Etc.: Both teams will practice this afternoon when temperatures are expected to top out in the high 50s. The weather is supposed to gradually turn warmer with a high of 74 forecast for Monday. … Kickoff is 4:35 p.m. Central Time on ESPN.
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