After all, everyone wants to leave on a high note, right?

“That’s a career for a lot of guys,” KU coach Mark Mangino said of Perkins’ performance. “We’re real proud of his accomplishment, as well as the rest of the defense.”

Five sacks, a downed punt at the one-yard line and a tipped pass that eventually was intercepted gave Perkins the most expected of honors — Big 12 Conference defensive player of the week.

He’s the first Jayhawk recognized by the Big 12 since David McMillan after last season’s Missouri game.

“I was in the right place at the right time,” Perkins said Saturday. “The other side did a good job of containing, and (the quarterback) couldn’t go anywhere. I just had to go get him.”

The five sacks set a school record previously held by Ron Warner, who had four sacks on Oct. 11, 1997, against Texas Tech. Perkins also shot to sixth on the KU career sack list with 16, just one behind Nate Dwyer and Dana Stubblefield.

“He has been an awfully good player for us the last three years,” Mangino said of Perkins. “People talk about our linebackers, and they leave him out. That’s a mistake.”

Texas A&M’s Reggie McNeal was named offensive player of the week, while Nebraska punter Sam Koch was special-teams player of the week.

• No television: The kickoff for KU’s game with Texas Tech was finalized for 6 p.m. Oct. 1 in Lubbock, Texas. The game won’t be televised. The Big 12 Conference will have four games televised that day: Texas at Missouri (11 a.m., ABC), Baylor at Texas A&M (11:30 a.m., Fox Sports Net), Iowa State at Nebraska (2:30 p.m., ABC) and Kansas State at Oklahoma (6 p.m., FSN). Colorado and Oklahoma State is the other Big 12 game scheduled, and it won’t be televised.
• Too early: So far, only three true freshmen have received playing time in KU’s first three games — tight end Russell Brorsen and special-teams specialists James Holt and Tang Bacheyie. Most of the others have dressed out at least once, but most are expected to take red-shirt seasons. Mangino, though, hasn’t made any final decision public.

“I’m not sure about that just yet,” Mangino said. “I can’t answer that at this point in time.”

6Sports video: Perkins awarded for five-sack performance (09-19-05)

• Baines on the mend: Cornerback Theo Baines, who played sparingly in KU’s first two games while recovering from a nagging injury, saw extensive playing time in the secondary against Louisiana Tech.

Baines, in fact, intercepted the pass deflected by Perkins. He also registered six tackles, broke up a pass and picked up a sack on a cornerback blitz.

“It’s a situation where he’s worked some nickel for us and been effective,” Mangino said of Baines, who was expected to start before getting hurt. “We need him to work at corner, too, so we don’t play with the same guys all the time.

“It’s exciting to see him going at full speed.”

• Money raised: KU associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said $10,000 was raised from the “Bring a Buck to the Game” fund-raiser Saturday for Hurricane Katrina relief.

Coupled with previous fund-raising at the first two games and the $10,000 pledged internally, the KU athletic department has raised about $25,000 for the American Red Cross Gulf Coast Disaster Fund.