Sending a message
KU coach Mark Mangino said Sunday that he was sending a message to his offense during Saturday’s 62-0 victory over Southeastern Louisiana. That’s why he wasn’t as aggressive in fourth-down situations as he vowed to be one week earlier.
KU elected to punt on back-to-back drives during the first quarter Saturday – one on fourth-and-three and one on fourth-and-four. Kansas went for it on fourth-and-three against Central Michigan in the season opener and converted, and Mangino after the game said it was part of a new attitude that starts at the head coach and trickles down.
He has a reason for putting the attitude on hold, though.
“I think we’ve got to be able to move the ball and be able to get it in three downs against Southeastern Louisiana,” Mangino said Sunday. “I was sending a message to those guys.”
About Toledo
Kansas next will play Toledo at 6 p.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
The Rockets come to Lawrence with an 0-2 record. They have given up 52 points in each of their first two games, losses to Purdue and Central Michigan.
Saturday’s game against CMU – a 52-31 loss – was tied at 31 after three quarters, but the Chippewas scored three touchdowns in the fourth to pull away.
Kansas played Central Michigan in the first week of the season, winning 52-7.
Offensively, Toledo has averaged 27.5 points per game, led by quarterback Aaron Opelt (403 yards passing, two touchdowns), receiver Stephen Williams (10 catches, 215 yards) and running back Jalen Parmele (46 carries, 159 yards).
Kansas opened as a 22-point favorite Sunday evening.
He’s OK
Mangino said that defensive end Jeff Wheeler was in good health and practicing Sunday, after apparently injuring his shoulder against Southeastern Louisiana the day before.
Wheeler came off the field in the third quarter of Saturday’s game holding his right arm. He was tended by trainers and went to the locker room. He did not return.
Wheeler has two tackles on the season. He has primarily played in third-down bandit packages as a pass rusher.
