Charles Gordon is well known for wearing three hats on Kansas University’s football team — cornerback, wide receiver and punt returner.

Yet John Randle, also a sophomore, basically is one up on Gordon.

Randle is the Jayhawks’ leading rusher and third-leading receiver. In addition, the 6-foot, 185-pounder from Wichita returns kickoffs and plays on the punt-coverage team.

In performing all those duties, one might suspect Randle also leads the Jayhawks in gasps for breath. Not really. He says he’s accustomed to ironman duty.

“I do it every day in practice, so I’m used to it,” Randle said. “It doesn’t put a whole lot of stress on me. I like to do it. I like making plays.”

Randle arguably has been the most productive returning kickoffs. He has hauled six back for an average of 27.3 yards, good enough to rank second in the Big 12 — behind Kansas State’s Darren Sproles — and No. 14 nationally.

Randle also is the Jayhawks’ leading rusher with 228 yards and three touchdowns. In addition, he has 16 receptions for 149 yards and two TDs.

To put it succinctly, Randle is the Jayhawks’ most dangerous offensive threat, while Gordon is KU’s most versatile athlete. It’s no wonder KU coach Mark Mangino utilizes both of them as much as possible.

“I am always mindful of their workload,” Mangino said. “I will never put them in position where they might get injured from fatigue.”

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For example, Mangino used Clark Green at running back during the third quarter of Saturday’s Texas Tech game in order to give Randle a blow.

During that quarter, Randle had raced downfield following a Kyle Tucker punt and nailed the Red Raiders’ returner almost in his tracks. Randle making a tackle seemed so out of place that stadium announcer Hank Booth reported that Gabriel Toomey had made the stop.

Both Randle and Toomey, a starting linebacker, wear No. 1 jerseys.

Randle had another tackle Saturday as well. All in a day’s work is how he sees it.

“I do get breaks,” he said. “I’m getting decent rest. I mean, nobody can go the whole game. I get my rest before the game, not the day of the game.”

Mangino has said time and time again, he wishes he didn’t have to put Randle and Gordon into harm’s way so much, but it’s a case of placing the players on the field who give the Jayhawks the best chance of winning.

“They are talented kids,” Mangino said of Randle and Gordon. “We just don’t have enough of them right now. They do a lot of things well. We have kids in our program that are like them, but are still developing.”