After two losses and a change of offensive line coaches, Kansas University finally had its running game going Saturday night.

Red-shirt freshman Clark Green rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns and also led the Jayhawks with four catches for 54 yards against Southwest Missouri State.

So how did Green feel after carrying the ball 24 times in a 44-24 victory?

“Sore, real sore,” Green said with a smile, “but that’s what you have to do if you want to play in the Big 12.”

Kansas had rushed for only 138 yards combined in its first two games  losses to Iowa State and Nevada-Las Vegas. Offensive line coach Ken Conatser quit after the UNLV game and was replaced by tight ends coach Brandon Blaney.

The changes continued this week as senior David Hurst moved from tight end to guard, and junior Kregg Schmidt made his first start at right guard.

Something clicked as KU finished with 202 yards rushing, 314 total yards and its highest point total of the season. Of course, it helped that Kansas was playing a Division I-AA foe.

“We wanted to pound it, pound it, pound it,” Green said. “That worked for a while.”

Green wasn’t the only freshman making a difference for the rebuilding Jayhawks (1-2).

Red-shirt freshman Greg Heaggans set a school record with 195 yards on four kickoff returns, including a 100-yard touchdown on the game’s opening kick and a momentum-swinging, 52-yard return late in the third quarter.

True freshman receiver Mark Simmons added one catch for 13 yards, giving him seven receptions for 58 yards in three games.

Eight of the 23 Jayhawks who made at least one tackle were freshmen. Linebacker Nick Reid, a true freshman from Derby, led the youngsters with six tackles.

“There’s a lot of young kids out there playing,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “Nick Reid is out there playing nearly every snap.”

True freshman Kevin Kane also played at linebacker  where Kansas has lost starter Banks Floodman and backup Nick Clapp to injuries  and made one tackle.

“I have every reason to stand here and be optimistic, and I am,” Mangino said of his young players. “I am proud of these kids.”