This could be the week Kansas University’s opportunistic football defense, which has scored two touchdowns in two games, registers its first sack.
At least that’s the hope of KU coach Mark Mangino, whose defenders Saturday (3 p.m., Laramie, Wyo.) will be facing a Wyoming offense that has allowed 11 sacks in two games.
“We need to get better at it and get some sacks,” shrugged Mangino, whose Jayhawks recorded 23 sacks a year ago. “We need to get pressure on the quarterback and we need to do it with a four-man rush — not just on blitzes. We need to be able to get some sacks and hurries out of our four down guys.”
Pressuring the quarterback is a work in progress for the (1-1) Jayhawks, who have three first-year starters on the defensive line this season. Wyoming (1-1) also has three newcomers on its offensive line.
“It is fundamentals and technique,” Mangino said of the art of sacking. “With the exception of David McMillan (end), who played regularly last year, we have a lot of new kids or kids that were in our program a year ago that are getting playing time now.”
Two of the newcomers — sophomore Monroe Weekley, plus senior Reggie Curry, who played sparingly last season after arriving from Moorpark (Calif.) Community College — have been trading off at one of the defensive end positions.
“It’s just another area we need to improve in. It’s something we’ve been working on,” Curry said of the pass rush. “We really do need to start getting after the quarterback more, taking the pressure off our secondary.”
Pass pressure could be a big factor in Saturday’s outcome. Wyoming senior Casey Bramlet passed the 7,000-yard plateau by throwing for 306 yards in last week’s 48-24 loss to Oklahoma State.
“UNLV and Northwestern had quarterbacks with a three-step drop,” Curry said. “Wyoming’s quarterback seems to have a five-step drop. He sits in the pocket. We need to do a good job of pressuring him this week.”
KU especially needs to go after the passer on third down. Opponents have converted 15 of 33 third-down situations this season for 45 percent. KU has been even better on offense, converting 13 of 24 for 54 percent.
“That goes back to the whole pass rush thing,” Curry said. “We just can’t let the quarterback sit back there in the pocket for too long.”
Curry, by the way, is ticketed to start ahead of Weekley this week. Weekley started against Northwestern; Curry versus UNLV.
“We rotate in and out,” said Curry, who has made great strides since arriving from juco last year.
“Last year was a huge learning experience as far as sitting the bench most of the year,” he said. “The whole game is so much faster, so much more technique. In junior college, basically they just told me to line up and rush the passer. When I came here, we’ve got to ‘squeeze,’ we’ve got to ‘spear,’ do this and that. Being here a year, going through spring ball, winter conditioning, it’s really gotten me ready.”
