October 06, 2012

Kansas Postgame Notes - at No. 7 Kansas State

Oct. 6, 2012

SERIES: Kansas now leads the all-time series 65-40-5.

CAPTAINS: Dayne Crist (QB), Tanner Hawkinson (OT), Toben Opurum (DE/LB), Victor Simmons (LB).

DEBUTS: Michael Cummings (QB)

GENERAL NOTES:
– Kansas won the toss for the fourth-straight week and elected to defer to the second half.
– The announced attendance was 50,344.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
– Junior HB James Sims rushed for 115 yards on 28 carries. It marked his first 100-yard rushing game since gaining 110 yards against Northern Illinois in 2011.
– It was the first time Sims gained 100-plus yards in a game where the Jayhawks did not win.
– Sims was the first opponent to rush for 100 yards against Kansas State since Nov. 12, 2011 (Cyrus Gray, Texas A&M).
– The Jayhawks rushed for 175 yards in the game, the most allowed by K-State since allowing 215 yards on the ground to Iowa State last season.
– Senior Kale Pick took a snap in the “Jayhawk” formation, marking the first time he has taken a snap from center since the 2010 season when he was a quarterback.
– Kansas used four quarterbacks in the game, the most since before the 2006 season as Dayne Crist, Pick, Christian Matthews and Michael Cummings all took snaps from center.
– Senior QB Dayne Crist connected on his first four throws and was 7-for-8 on KU’s opening touchdown drive.
– Kansas scored a touchdown on its first possession for the first time this year.
– The opening drive marked the first time that KU has scored a TD first against a Bill Snyder coached team since the 2004 meeting.
– Sophomore HB Tony Pierson’s 19-yard touchdown reception was the first receiving touchdown of his career.
– Pierson had six catches in the first half, which matched his career high (TCU).
– Sophomore WR Andrew Turzilli made five catches Saturday, marking a career high.
– In the second quarter, H Blake Jablonski completed a pass to DE Toben Opurum for a first down on a fake field goal. It marked Jablonski’s first career completion and Opurum’s first catch since the Nebraska game in 2009 (Nov. 14).
– Freshman WR Tre’ Parmalee made a 19-yard catch in the second quarter, marking his first collegiate reception.
– Junior FB Nick Sizemore made an eight-yard catch in the fourth quarter, marking his first career catch.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
– Senior DE/LB Toben Opurum recorded a pass breakup on the first play from scrimmage, marking his third consecutive game with a breakup.
– Sophomore LB Ben Heeney forced a fumble in the second quarter, marking the first of his career.
– Senior LB Tunde Bakare and LB Huldon Tharp tackled John Hubert in the end zone for a safety. It was the first safety recorded by KU since the Missouri game in 2008.
– Heeney recorded a career high 14 tackles in the game, including two TFLs.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
– Junior WR Josh Ford made two tackles on special teams on Kansas State’s first two kickoff returns.
– Kansas punter Ron Doherty ran for a first down with a 13-yard carry on a fake punt. It was Doherty’s first career rush from scrimmage.