A day after talking about his hopes for this season’s Kansas football team at media day, first-year coach Mark Mangino set his new system in motion Saturday during KU’s first day of full-squad, two-a-day practices.

“The guys who really did a tremendous job this summer to get ready, it was a breeze for them today,” said Mangino. His team will continue with two-a-days at 7:30 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. today through Aug. 21 in preparation for the season opener Aug. 31 at Iowa State.

KU Running back Clark Green gets tangled up with a defender during practice. Saturday was the Jayhawks' first day of full-squad, two-a-day workouts.

“A handful of guys that probably didn’t get themselves ready struggled a little bit today. But there were no problems.”

While Saturday’s late afternoon heat which was in the low 90s despite morning showers hampered a handful of players, it was the heated competition at the quarterback position that had Mangino fired up after a 90-minute practice.

“Good for us, the competition is starting to heat up at that position,” Mangino said. “We need that to happen. It makes everyone better.”

Mangino didn’t go into specifics about his two starting candidates juniors Zach Dyer and Bill Whittemore other than to say both looked good on a day when the offense seemed ahead of the defense.

Mangino was pleased with the progress of Whittemore, who was hampered by a sore shoulder during spring drills.

“He looked sharp out there,” Mangino said of Whittemore, a transfer from Fort Scott Community College. “He threw some ropes out there. He made good reads, and he got the ball where it needed to be. Bill had a good day today, a real good day.”

However, the Jayhawk Conference’s MVP last year appeared to have twisted his knee a bit in one drill.

“No, I think that’s his natural walk,” Mangino quipped. “Nobody told me anything. I’ll get an injury report. I still won’t tell you.”

Though Mangino won’t discuss injuries with media, Whittemore came back later in practice and had a 20-yard gain.

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“Zach looked good today, too,” Mangino said Dyer, who started in two of KU’s three victories last season. “Zach is getting comfortable with what we want him to do.”

Mangino credited the offense’s experience for its first-day success.

“That didn’t surprise me,” he said. “But I think the defense did a lot of good things. We just have to develop a mentality on defense that we’re going to come in there and stop people.

“It’s coming. It’s a process from the beginning of spring that’s carrying over now. A lot of good individual efforts … we need the defense together now as a whole. And we will.”

Overheated: The most notable players that left Saturday’s afternoon practice because of the heat were junior running back Reggie Duncan and senior defensive end Charlie Dennis.

Roster changes: A new roster released Saturday had five number changes. Sophomore safety Tony Stubbs switched from No. 29 to No. 9, junior quarterback Jeff Reinert switched from No. 6 to 10, freshman defensive back McClain Southwell swapped 41 for 14, freshman receiver Alex Hart switched from No. 16 to 17 and freshman tight end Kevin Borders changed from No. 89 to 45.

Two players freshman walk-on defensive back James Lewis and sophomore defensive end Jacob Spence were not listed on Saturday’s updated roster and have apparently left the team. Spence, a native of Goddard, came to KU on academic scholarship. Lewis hails from Kansas City.

Fan information: lf you want to watch KU during preseason workouts, today and Monday will be your last chances for awhile. Mangino will open the evening sessions tonight and Monday on the fields behind Anschutz Pavilion, but then all practices will be closed until Fan Appreciation Day on Aug. 21. On the 21st, the second half of the afternoon practice will be open and players will be available for autographs and photos afterward.

Jayhawk Football Kids Day is scheduled for 7 tonight. Youths are requested to assemble at Hoglund Ballpark for activities, drinks and door prizes. Posters will be available for player autographs.