September 10, 2011

Kansas 45, Northern Illinois 42

Sept. 10, 2011

Recap | Final Stats | Quotes |

KANSAS 45, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 42
September 10, 2011
Postgame Notes

SERIES INFORMATION

The Kansas-Northern Illinois series is tied 1-1
Today’s attendance: 48,084

CAPTAINS: Jeremiah Hatch (C), Tim Biere (TE), Steven Johnson (LB), and Toben Opurum (DE)

DEBUTS: Anthony Turzilli (WR), Michael Reynolds (LB), Victor Simmons (DB),

GENERAL NOTES

Kansas won back-to-back games for the first time in the Turner Gill era.
Kansas has won 24 of its last 26 non-conference home games dating back to 2003.
KU improved to 23-7 in its last 30 home games, including 2-0 this season.
Kansas is 24-4 in its last 28 games against non-Big 12 opponents.
Kansas improved to 572-559-58 all time.
Kansas assistant coach Robert Wimberly’s wife, Tracie, sang the National Anthem prior to kickoff.
Kansas won the coin toss for the second-straight week and elected to receive.
The KU ROTC did 188 pushups tonight.

OFFENSIVE NOTES

KU’s offense produced 534 yards against Northern Illinois, which was its highest total since the team recorded 547 yards against Missouri in the final game of the 2009 season.
Senior RB Rell Lewis made a 16-yard catch in the first quarter, marking his first catch since the 2009 season.
Junior WR D.J. Beshears caught a 16-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter, which marked his second career TD reception. It was also his first since the Colorado game last season.
Beshears became the sixth different Jayhawk to score a touchdown this season with his catch in the first quarter.
Beshears recorded career-highs in catches (seven) and yards (70).
Beshears 197 kick return yards is ranked second most in KU history behind Marcus Hereford’s 203 yards on six returns against Nebraska in 2007. His seven returns tied a school record (seven by Dezmon Briscoe vs. Missouri, 11-29-2008).
Beshears recorded 285 all-purpose yards – 18 rushing, 70 receiving and 197 in kick returns.
Freshman RB Darrian Miller scored a second quarter touchdown on an 18-yard run. He became the seventh different Jayhawk to score a touchdown this season.
Sophomore RB James Sims caught a career-long 39-yard pass on a screen late in the first half.
Sims ended the night with 110 yards rushing, marking his second-straight game with 100-plus yards. The last Jayhawk to rush for 100 yards in back to back games was Jake Sharp, who did so in the first two games of the 2009 season.
Sims had a career-high 26 carries.
Sophomore QB Jordan Webb spread the ball around in the first half, hitting eight different receivers.
Webb had a career-high 281 yards passing – the most passing yards by a Jayhawk since Todd Reesing threw for 498 yards against Missouri in 2009.
Late in the first half, junior WR Kale Pick caught his first career touchdown on a 36-yard pass from Webb.
Kansas has scored 12 touchdowns this season by eight different players.
The Jayhawks were 8-for-10 on third downs in the first half, and converted their first five of the second half.
After C Jeremiah Hatch went out with an injury in the third quarter, junior Trevor Marrongelli handled snapping duties.
Senior TE Tim Biere matched a career-high with four catches.

DEFENSIVE NOTES

Sophomore DE Keba Agostinho made a career high six tackles, including three in the first quarter.
Northern Illinois QB Chandler Harnish became the first opposing player to run for three touchdowns against Kansas since Rodney Stewart scored three times last season.
Junior LB Tunde Bakare recorded a season-high nine tackles, surpassing his seven last week against McNeese State.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES

Late in the first half, Ron Doherty attempted a squib kick, which was his first kickoff of the season.
In the fourth quarter, freshman PK Alex Mueller connected on a 27-yard field goal which was his first successful field goal this year.
Junior KR D.J. Beshears recorded 197 kick-off return yards which was a career high. Beshears had long returns of 52 and 51 yards.