North Dakota State
N/A0-0
Kansas
12th Big 123-9
North Dakota State @ Kansas preview
David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium
Goodbye, Mark Mangino. Hello, Turner Gill.
Yes, it’s the start of the Turner Gill Era the University of Kansas. The Jayhawks are set to open the 2010 season against North Dakota State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
KU and NDSU have never met on the gridiron before, but its coaches have history together. Gill and NDSU coach Craig Bohl both played college football at Nebraska. Bohl was a defensive back from 1977-79, while Gill was a quarterback from 1980-83.
The Jayhawks have won six consecutive season openers, and are 9-0 all-time against current members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Regardless, people are more concerned with how Gill succeeds in his first big-time coaching job. He spent the past four seasons at Buffalo, leading it to a conference championship in his third season.
And it didn’t take long for Gill to make his mark at KU. He moved last year’s leading rusher, Toben Opurum, to the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker. Gill then moved Angus Quigley from linebacker to running back.
Quigley came to KU as a RB, but moved to LB in 2009. Now, Quigley is expected to make his third career start at RB. He also started there against Sam Houston State and Iowa State in 2008. Opurum, meanwhile, moves to the defense after rushing for 554 yards last year.
Gill has also named sophomore Kale Pick the starting quarterback. It will be the first time someone other than Todd Reesing, who graduated, has started at QB in 38 games for the Jayhawks. Pick is a versatile QB, who had three runs of 20-plus yards last year.
Defensively, the Jayhawks will look to defensive end Jake Laptad to have a big year. Last year, Laptad had 12 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks. Along with Laptad, the Jayhawks have LBs Drew Dudley and Justin Springer, and DBs Chris Harris and Phillip Strozier back.
The Bison, meanwhile, will be looking for their fourth win against an FBS team since 2006. They have defeated Minnesota, Ball State and Central Michigan.
Four seniors, Matthew Gratzek and Cyrus Lemon on defense, and D.J. McNorton and Jose Mohler on offense, will lead NDSU.
Gratzek, a defensive tackle, is coming off a season in which he had 50 tackles and 10.5 tackles for a loss. Lemon, a strong safety, had 24 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception last season.
McNorton, a RB, had 64 carries for 282 yards and two TDs last season. And Mohler, a QB, finished the season 43-for-72 passing with six TDs.
Yes, it’s the start of the Turner Gill Era the University of Kansas. The Jayhawks are set to open the 2010 season against North Dakota State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
KU and NDSU have never met on the gridiron before, but its coaches have history together. Gill and NDSU coach Craig Bohl both played college football at Nebraska. Bohl was a defensive back from 1977-79, while Gill was a quarterback from 1980-83.
The Jayhawks have won six consecutive season openers, and are 9-0 all-time against current members of the Missouri Valley Football Conference.
Regardless, people are more concerned with how Gill succeeds in his first big-time coaching job. He spent the past four seasons at Buffalo, leading it to a conference championship in his third season.
And it didn’t take long for Gill to make his mark at KU. He moved last year’s leading rusher, Toben Opurum, to the defensive side of the ball as a linebacker. Gill then moved Angus Quigley from linebacker to running back.
Quigley came to KU as a RB, but moved to LB in 2009. Now, Quigley is expected to make his third career start at RB. He also started there against Sam Houston State and Iowa State in 2008. Opurum, meanwhile, moves to the defense after rushing for 554 yards last year.
Gill has also named sophomore Kale Pick the starting quarterback. It will be the first time someone other than Todd Reesing, who graduated, has started at QB in 38 games for the Jayhawks. Pick is a versatile QB, who had three runs of 20-plus yards last year.
Defensively, the Jayhawks will look to defensive end Jake Laptad to have a big year. Last year, Laptad had 12 tackles for loss, including 6.5 sacks. Along with Laptad, the Jayhawks have LBs Drew Dudley and Justin Springer, and DBs Chris Harris and Phillip Strozier back.
The Bison, meanwhile, will be looking for their fourth win against an FBS team since 2006. They have defeated Minnesota, Ball State and Central Michigan.
Four seniors, Matthew Gratzek and Cyrus Lemon on defense, and D.J. McNorton and Jose Mohler on offense, will lead NDSU.
Gratzek, a defensive tackle, is coming off a season in which he had 50 tackles and 10.5 tackles for a loss. Lemon, a strong safety, had 24 tackles, two forced fumbles and an interception last season.
McNorton, a RB, had 64 carries for 282 yards and two TDs last season. And Mohler, a QB, finished the season 43-for-72 passing with six TDs.