Woodling: Gordon, Reid easy to praise
Just once in the previous eight years of Big 12 Conference football has a Kansas University player — Ron Warner in 1997 — earned Associated Press first-team all-league honors.
That number should double this season.
If KU cornerback Charles Gordon and linebacker Nick Reid aren’t first-team selections, they should demand a recount. Somebody should have to check for chads.
As a freshman last season, Gordon led the Jayhawks in receptions with 57, but coach Mark Mangino switched the 5-foot-11, 170-pounder to defense last spring and the Carson, Calif., product has been spectacular.
After stealing two passes Saturday against Colorado, Gordon climbed to the top of the NCAA pass-theft chart with six. In addition, Gordon is averaging 8.0 yards on punt returns and, in limited offensive duty, has 14 pass receptions.
If Gordon doesn’t make the all-league first team in the secondary, then they should create a utility category like they do in baseball which, as you may know, is another sport Gordon excels in.
Meanwhile, Reid has been the other ringleader of a markedly improved defense.
The 6-4, 230-pound junior from Derby has alternated with Nebraska’s Barrett Ruud at either No. 1 or No. 2 on the Big 12 tackles chart all season. The AP all-league team, chosen by writers and broadcasters in the conference area, contains four linebackers, so Ruud and Reid should be locks along with Texas stud Derrick Johnson.
Other than Reid and Gordon, strong safety Tony Stubbs deserves recognition for a strong senior season, as does center Joe Vaughn, the Jayhawks’ best offensive lineman. Middle linebacker Kevin Kane and free safety Rodney Harris, both juniors, have had notable years, too.
6Sports video: Longhorn’s QB double-threat for Jayhawks
Finally his timeIf you’re looking for recognition — like a We Whacked Woodling T-shirt, for instance — all you have to do is enter the Wanna Whack Woodling? contest at KUsports.com on the Web.
With Missouri and Iowa State idle Saturday, I stuck in the Auburn-Georgia game to make it the usual six-game slate. Here are this week’s picks:
Oklahoma State 44, Baylor 12 — Cowboys figure to display residual effects of last week’s stunning 56-35 loss at Texas — they blew a four-touchdown lead — but Baylor is Baylor. OSU’s Vernand Morency should romp and stomp against league’s worst rush defense.
Colorado 27, Kansas State 23 — Buffaloes riding tide of momentum after road victory over Kansas, but K-State is in must-win situation and gained renewed enthusiasm after last week’s come-from-behind victory at Missouri. Difference may be field position, and CU has league’s best punter in thunder-legged John Torp.
Texas A&M 37, Texas Tech 32 — Basically, this is a battle for a better bowl game. Both teams have 6-3 records and both are out of the running for the South Division title. Just a guess, but the winner will go to the Cotton Bowl or Holiday Bowl and the loser to the Alamo Bowl.
Oklahoma 39, Nebraska 9 — Once upon a time this was the Game of Games in the Big Eight Conference. Today it’s just one of the Big 12’s mediocre north teams playing a south division power. Huskers’ vaunted Blackshirts have surrendered a shocking average of 49.7 points a game in three previous league road trips, so Sooners rolling out the maroon carpet.
Texas 30, Kansas 6 — When it comes to defense, Kansas and Texas are a wash. When it comes to offense, Kansas and Texas are poles apart. Longhorns boast one of nation’s most potent 1-2 punches in Cedric Benson and Vince Young, while Jayhawks haven’t had a running game all season and are down to a walk-on quarterback.
Georgia 12, Auburn 10 — The Kansas-Texas game will end about 2 p.m., then eyes of Texas will shift to the 2:30 p.m. nationally televised game between No. 3-ranked Auburn and No. 8 Georgia because No. 6 Longhorns may not receive a BCS bid if Auburn runs the table.