KU’s special teams special in victory
Kansas University’s Charles Gordon couldn’t wait to watch the replay.
Gordon broke off an 82-yard punt return in the first quarter that set up the Jayhawks’ first confidence-inspiring score in Saturday night’s 46-24 victory over UNLV. The return awed the crowd as Gordon seemed to turn Rebel punter Gary Cook inside-out.
“I thought it was a nice move,” said Gordon, after he watched his shimmy-shaking, ankle-breaking replay on Memorial Stadium’s MegaVision.
“But I have to give credit to my blockers,” Gordon said.
If not, KU’s Greg Heaggans wouldn’t let anyone forget.
“I was right there. I made that main block to get him open,” Heaggans said. “I was like, ‘All right, you did good, now it’s my turn.'”
On his first kick-off return, the sophomore Heaggans didn’t show up Gordon, but he did stutter-step for a 32-yard gain.
“Yeah, I really do think those kind of returns really sparked us,” said Gordon, a red-shirt freshman.
Indeed, Saturday was a special night for Kansas’ special teams.
Johnny Beck celebrates a field goal just before halftime.
“Special teams is something we have made a high priority,” Kansas coach Mark Mangino said. “We have had more meetings with the special teams than any other team I have ever coached with.
“I think special teams can give you an edge. The offense played well, but the special teams put them into that position.”
And it wasn’t just the Jayhawks’ kick-return game that excelled, although Gordon and Heaggans combined for 211 yards on seven returns.
Just ask Johnny Beck.
A week after the Jayhawks’ junior kicker missed a chip-shot field goal against Northwestern, Beck tied his career-best mark of four field goals against the Rebels.
“It was nice tonight to make some kicks,” Beck said. “We know that we go out there in practice every day and can make the kicks, but we definitely got some confidence that we can get it done now.”
Ecstatic special teams coach Clint Bowen said the highlights started to snowball.
“I believe they do lead to more plays,” Bowen said. “Take that punt return early in the game. Everyone on the sideline starts jumping up and down, getting excited. It’s a big play, it’s out in the open where a lot of people are going to see it and gets everyone excited.”
UNLV only returned one kick past its 20-yard-line, and Beck booted several into the end zone.
With all the talk about special teams, it was almost forgotten that KU punter Curtis Ansel was perfect Saturday. The senior known for his booming, field-position punts got off exactly none against the Rebels.
The only action Ansel saw was holding field-goal and extra-point snaps.
“At one point I turned to him and told him he’d really have to ice down his leg tonight,” Beck said of Ansel, who last week muffed the hold on the game-tying extra point. “I’m sure he enjoyed the vacation. But even tonight, just like all the special teams play, he was so valuable.”