Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoKansas University football coach Mark Mangino made radical changes to his defense this week in preparation for No. 19 Nebraska.
Little good it did.
KU, which had given up more than 40 points in three of its previous four games, limited the Huskers to three touchdowns, but the Jayhawks couldn’t come up with one of their own in a 24-3 loss Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
It was Kansas’ 35th straight loss to the Cornhuskers.
Mangino moved two freshmen — backup tailback John Randle and starting receiver Charles Gordon — to cornerback and also shifted junior Tony Stubbs from safety to corner. Senior backup Dan Coke started at strong safety in place of Stubbs.
Thad Allender/Journal-World PhotoSophomore corners Donnie Amadi, Ronnie Amadi, senior Remuise Johnson and junior Shelton Simmons — regulars in the first nine games — spent most of the day on the sideline.
“We are going to put our best players on the field,” said Mangino, who had seen his defense torched for an average of 456.2 yards in the last four games.
Nebraska finished with 400 yards.
It looked like the experiment might work on Nebraska’s opening drive when Gordon, who backed up Randle, broke up a third-down pass.
“I feel I did pretty good,” said Gordon, a red-shirt freshman who played free safety in high school. “I didn’t play perfect, but I felt I did OK for my first time in three years.”
Scott McClurg/Journal-World PhotoGordon finished with five tackles, and Randle had three. The freshmen also fulfilled their regular duties on offense, with Gordon hauling in six passes for 47 yards and Randle rushing seven times for 31 yards. They had only one week of practice before becoming two-way players.
“It’s taken me all this week,” Randle said of learning the defensive scheme. “And it will take me all next week to get it done. I still have a lot to learn.”
Nebraska’s normally run-oriented offense attacked the inexperienced corners. Senior quarterback Jammal Lord threw more passes — nine — in the first quarter than he had in three other games this season.
Last week, Lord completed five 15 passes and was limited to 22 yards on 21 carries in a 31-7 loss at Texas. Against KU, Lord completed seven of 12 passes for 110 yards and rushed 13 times for 85 yards.
“I was having fun out there today,” Lord said. “Last week, I didn’t have a lot of fun, and I didn’t want to go two weeks without having fun. Today the line gave us a lot of time to make plays, and they were able to make some holes that we were able to take advantage of. We had a lot of chances in the first half, but penalties and turnovers hurt us.”
Penalties and turnovers plagued KU the entire game.
Two plays after David Dyches gave Nebraska a 3-0 lead with a 28-yard field goal late in the first quarter, free safety Jerrell Pippens got the ball back for the Huskers with an interception at the KU 42.
Nebraska made it 10-0 on a one-yard touchdown run by fullback Steve Kriewald with 12:54 left in the second quarter.
The score stayed that way until the final seconds of the half. Kansas, which punted three times in the half, finally got moving and put together a 15-play, 78-yard drive that took 7:31 off the clock before stalling at the Nebraska three.
Jerod Brooks scored KU’s only points with a 20-yard field goal.
“You don’t get any points for running it down to the 10 or the one,” Mangino said. “You have to get the ball in the end zone.”
KU did it again in the third quarter, taking its opening drive 10 plays to the Nebraska seven. Freshman quarterback Adam Barmann was picked off for the second time when safety Daniel Bullocks intercepted a pass at the one and returned it 10 yards.
Nebraska countered with a drive to KU’s goal line, where Kriewald fumbled into the end zone. Stubbs recovered for a touchback.
But KU gave the ball back four plays later when Mark Simmons bobbled a pass from Barmann, and Josh Bullocks caught the deflected pass for a third interception.
Barmann finished 24-of-34 for 204 yards in his second college game.
Fullback Judd Davies made it 17-3 with a three-yard TD run.
“The turnovers were very timely, and we were very fortunate for those,” Nebraska defensive coordinator Bo Pelini said. “KU has put a lot of points on other teams, and we felt that we did a good job of holding them to three points today.”
It was the lowest scoring output of the season for KU, which entered the game ranked 21st in the nation with a scoring average of 33.1 points per game.
Backup I-back Cory Ross gained all 111 of his rushing yards after the break, helping the Huskers break the game open in the third quarter.
Facing third-and-20 from the KU 42, Lord completed a 39-yard pass to Isaiah Fluellen at the three. Randle had a chance to intercept the pass, but failed to make the play.
Mangino wasn’t discouraged by the freshman’s performance.
“He was in position to the make the play,” Mangino said. “Last week the cornerback would have been 10 yards behind him. Next week he’ll make the play. He’s fine. We’ll take all the John Randle’s we can get.”
Randle and Gordon said they weren’t fatigued.
“I feel pretty good, actually,” said Gordon, who also played on special teams. “All that running kept me warm. … I’m willing to do whatever I can do to better the team.”
Kansas (5-5 overall, 2-4 Big 12) remains one victory from becoming bowl-eligible with two games to play. Nebraska (8-2, 4-2) kept pace with Kansas State (8-3, 4-2) heading into Saturday’s showdown between Big 12 North leaders at Lincoln, Neb.
Beat goes on for Huskers
Hear Mark: KU-Nebraska postgame comments
6Sports video: ‘Huskers halt ‘Hawks, 24-3
Photo Gallery: KU-Nebraska