Burleson, Texas ? Get out a piece of paper and, in order, start listing Kansas University’s best football players.

Then, go back and see just how thick the top of the rankings are with seniors.

So why is there little concern about a big dropoff after Friday’s Fort Worth Bowl, the swan song for seniors like Nick Reid, Charlton Keith, Kevin Kane, Jason Swanson and Mark Simmons?

“We are starting to develop depth,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “It’s not exactly where we want it to be, but it will be better next year than at any time since we’ve been at KU.”

That includes at linebacker, a position losing Reid, Kane, Banks Floodman and Brandon Perkins. Those four have clogged the depth chart with their experience and talent, and, truthfully, playing time for younger guys below them was somewhere between slim and none.

Next year, Mike Rivera, Joe Mortensen, Eric Washington and Brandon Duncan could be the linebackers roaming the field, all relatively fresh save some special-teams duties.

“We’ve tried to play them as much as we possibly could, but we have very good linebackers right now, so they have to wait their turn,” Mangino said. “Their turn will come next fall, and I believe that will continue to be a strong part of our football team.”

Added Kane: “They’re bigger, faster and stronger than I ever was and ever will be. Once they just learn everything, they’ll be real good.”

Kansas is expected to sign four junior-college players today, yet none are linebackers. That could be seen as a hint KU’s coaches like what they have waiting in line.

“They have the potential to be very good,” Kane said. “There’s a lot of talent in the corps of guys. If they keep their heads right, and learn the defense to the top of their ability, they’ll be real good.”

¢ USF added: According to a report in the Tampa Tribune, Kansas and South Florida have agreed to a one-and-one deal, and the Bulls will play the Jayhawks on Sept. 23, 2006, in Lawrence.

Kansas reportedly will return the game with a trip in 2008 to Tampa, Fla.

Associate athletic director Jim Marchiony said the two schools had been indiscussions, but he was not sure if anything had been confirmed.

Associate athletic director Larry Keating, who is in charge of scheduling, could not be reached for comment.

USF, a new member of the Big East Conference, went 6-5 this season and is preparing to play North Carolina State in the Meineke Car Care Bowl on Dec. 31. The Bulls beat Central Florida, Louisville, Rutgers, Syracuse, Cincinnati and Florida A&M this season.

Kansas’ nonconference schedule for next year includes home games with Northwestern (La.) State and South Florida, and a road game at Toledo. One more date, Sept. 9, still needs to be filled.

¢ Almost ready: Kansas do-all Charles Gordon continues to practice, and should be ready for Friday’s game against Houston.

The junior suffered a shoulder injury and was in a sling following the Nov. 26 game against Iowa State, but Mangino indicated again Tuesday that he expected Gordon to line up at wide receiver against the Cougars.

“He’s practicing, and he’s getting repititions, and he’s doing pretty well,” Mangino said. “I think his situation is, we’ll see how he feels on game day. I suspect he’ll be ready.”

¢ Not too shabby: Once thought of as the cupcake on KU’s schedule, Appalachian State shed the reputation by being crowned Division I-AA national champions last week.

Mangino said Louisiana Tech was the best nonconference team Kansas played this year, but certainly had plenty of respect for the Mountaineers.

“I tried to tell you guys they were a pretty good football team,” Mangino said. “I know they were I-AA, but we took them very seriously.”

Appalachian State went 12-3, losing to Kansas, LSU and Furman.