Kansas Football Looking To Start Season 3-0 When It Hosts Toledo, Saturday, Sept. 15

Sept. 9, 2007

LAWRENCE, Kan. –

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QUICKLY — Kansas (2-0 overall, 0-0 Big 12) will play its third of four straight home games as the Jayhawks host Toledo (0-2, 0-0 Mid-American) on Saturday, Sept. 15 at 6 p.m… KU will be looking to start a season 3-0 for the first time since 2005 and for just the second time since the 1997 team opened 3-0… KU opened the year 2-0 last year before losing at Toledo last season… KU has won 12 straight home games against non-conference opponents… KU is 13-2 at home against non-Big 12 foes in the Mark Mangino era.

FACULTY/STAFF APPRECIATION NIGHT– All KU Faculty/Staff can purchase tickets for just $15. For information regarding this promotion, KU Faculty and Staff can contact the KU Ticket Office at 864-3141. The University of Kansas, Kansas Athletics, and ING will also be recognizing a distinguished member of the KU Faculty while presenting the Excellence in Teaching Award.

JUNIOR JAYHAWKS — All Junior Jayhawks will be admitted free with their Jr. Jayhawks membership card. Family members can purchase additional tickets for just $25. Jr. Jayhawks must pickup their complimentary ticket at the Southeast ticket booth.

FAMILY WEEKEND — Bring your family and friends and join us for this year’s exciting Family Weekend! This annual event will give you a chance to meet the people and see the places that are important to your KU student. Events are scheduled throughout the weekend, including the KU vs. Toledo game at 6 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT — Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing threw for 257 yards and two scores, while the Kansas defense recorded its first shutout since 2000 as Kansas trounced Southeastern Louisiana, 62-0 in front of 43,914 fans Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Kansas dominated in nearly every phase of the game Saturday, outgaining SLU 474-75 and scoring as many as 62 points for the first time since 2004. KU’s 62-point win tied for the fourth largest margin of victory in team history. Reesing and senior wide receiver Marcus Henry led the Jayhawk offensive attack. The sophomore signal caller completed 13-of-23 passes for 257 yards and two scores, while Henry became the first Jayhawk since Harrison Hill to record back-to-back 100 yard receiving games, collecting five catches for 119 yards Saturday. Junior fullback Brandon McAnderson led the Kansas rushing attack with 11 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. As a team, KU gained 221 yards on the ground and 280 through the air. Senior defensive lineman James McClinton led the Kansas defense with five tackles and a sack as KU held the Lions to just 75 yards of total offense, marking the first time since 1992 that the Jayhawks held an opponent to less than100 yards of offense.

FOUR STRAIGHT AT HOME — Kansas is opening its season with four straight home games for the first time since the 1986 team opened the year with five consecutive home contests (that team started the year 3-2). The Jayhawks have posted a 13-2 home record in the last three seasons and are 22-12 in Memorial Stadium in the Mark Mangino era.

UP NEXT — Kansas will play the last of four straight home games when the Jayhawks host Florida International on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. FIU opened the season at Penn State losing 59-0, hosted Maryland and lost 26-10 and plays at Miami (Fla.) this Saturday.

DID YOU KNOW? — Kansas and Toledo already share a common opponent this season as the Jayhawks defeated Central Michigan 52-7 in the season opener and Toledo lost to the Chippewas 52-31 last week.

DID YOU KNOW? — Kansas did not commit a turnover in its season-opener against Central Michigan, marking its first turnover-free performance in 42 games (vs. Baylor on Oct. 18, 2003). KU then did not commit a turnover in game two for consecutive games sans turnovers for the first time since that 2003 season (zero vs. Colorado and then zero vs. Baylor).

THE SERIES — Kansas owns a 2-1 advantage in the series against Toledo, but the Rockets claimed last year’s meeting with a 37-31 overtime victory at Toledo. KU had won the first two meetings, a 30-7 victory at Toledo in 1991 and 63-14 at Lawrence in 2004. KU has averaged 41.3 points while allowing 19.3 in its three games with Toledo. The 63 points by the Jayhawks in the 2004 game are the most points scored by a Mark Mangino-coached KU team. KU is 6-5 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference, including a 52-7 win against defending champion Central Michigan on Sept. 1. Mangino is 1-1 all-time against Toledo and 2-2 against the league, since taking over at KU.

KU-STATE OF OHIO CONNECTIONS — KU football has a number of connections with the state of Ohio. Kansas has one player on its roster from the state of Ohio in freshman OL Jeff Spikes, who spent last year at Harvey High School in Painesville, Ohio… KU head coach Mark Mangino is a Youngstown State graduate (1987) and was an assistant coach for the Penguins in 1985 and 1986… KU defensive coordinator Bill Young was the defensive coordinator at Ohio State from 1988-95 as the Buckeyes played in bowl games in seven straight seasons… KU offensive coordinator Ed Warinner went to high school in Strasburg, Ohio (Franklin HS), played football at Mount Union College (1979-83) and coached running backs at Akron in 1984… KU tight ends coach Brandon Blaney graduated from Youngstown State in 1999 and was a student assistant with the football program there from 1995-98… KU offensive line coach John Reagan coached the defensive line at Akron in 1999… KU wide receivers coach Tim Beck is from Youngstown, Ohio (Cardinal Mooney HS)… KU linebackers coach Steve Tovar is from Elyria, Ohio (West HS) and was a three-time all-Big 10 pick and one-time Big 10 defensive player of the year at Ohio State before playing in the NFL for eight years… He spent the 2003 season as the defensive coordinator at Upper Arlington High School… KU running backs coach Louie Matsakis is from Shadyside, Ohio… His brother, KU director of football operations George Matsakis, is also from Shadyside, Ohio… KU equipment supervisor Jeff Himes is a native of Mogadore, Ohio and graduated from Kent State… Only two full-time KU coaches (safeties coach Clint Bowen and cornerbacks coach Je’Ney Jackson) do not have connections to the state of Ohio… Toledo does not list any players from the state of Kansas on its roster.

KU-TOLEDO LAST YEAR — Toledo’s Jalen Parmele scored on a 25-yard touchdown run in the second overtime to give Toledo a 37-31 double-overtime victory against Kansas on Sept. 15, 2006. After trailing 17-14 at the end of the first half, Kansas scored nine points in the third to take a 23-17 lead into the final quarter. UT scored twice in the fourth period to give the home team a 31-23 advantage with 7:19 remaining. KU scored on a 20-yard pass from Kerry Meier to Dexton Fields with 3:55 remaining and Meier’s successful two-point rush tied the game. Neither team was able to score in the first overtime and after KU threw an interception on the first possession of the second overtime, Parmele ended the game with his run. KU produced 391 total yards, while holding Toledo to just 237. However the Jayhawks had five turnovers in the game. Meier was 23 of 41 for 243 yards, but threw four interceptions. He also rushed for 57 yards in the game. Jon Cornish led the KU running attack with 89 yards, while Derek Fine had five receptions for 49 yards and Marcus Henry, Dexton Fields and Brian Murph all had four receptions. Mike Rivera led KU in tackles with eight, while Jerome Kemp had seven stops and Aqib Talib added six take downs.