Defensive demon

Suddenly, Keith a sack machine for Jayhawks

Never one to be satisfied, Kansas University defensive coordinator Bill Young had a “what if” answer when asked about Charlton Keith’s possessed play on the football field this season.

“I don’t know how many sacks he’s missed,” Young said. “Maybe seven or eight where we lost containment on the other side.”

Couple that with the seven sacks he has picked up in KU’s first eight games, and Keith’s production at defensive end is dominant.

But where in the heck did he come from?

He had zero starts before this year’s season-opener. He was considered too small to defend the run. He’s a linebacker playing out of the three-point stance, going up against guys who can pancake the pudding out of him thanks to a 60-pound advantage.

That was the pessimist’s view. Now, try the optimist’s (hint: it’s proving to be the correct one).

What 290-pound offensive tackle has a chance when a 230-pound athletic freak like Charlton Keith can twist, swim and slip his way through a line and crunch the ball carrier like a hammer to a nail?

“He’s an unbelievable athlete,” linebacker Nick Reid said. “He showed signs of it last year, and this year, he’s just really going out wanting to prove to everybody he is a playmaker. He’s done a great job for us, and he’ll continue to do that.”

Proving his worth

After stops at Minnesota and Minnesota West Community College in his first two years of eligibility, Keith found his old Golden Gopher strength coach, Chris Dawson, and chose Kansas over Houston and Troy State after flourishing under the radar of many big schools.

Kansas University's Charlton Keith, left, swarms Louisiana Tech quarterback Donald Allen for a sack alongside teammates Nick Reid, bottom, and Kevin Kane, right. Keith has emerged as a sack producer and all-around defensive standout for the Jayhawks this season.

While junior-college transfers like fellow end Jermial Ashley seasoned in KU’s system during spring drills, Keith was a little late — even to preseason camp in August. He was forced to sit out until his summer grades at Minnesota West were posted, making him again eligible to play Division I-A football.

Once the academics were cleared, Keith was a bandit-package specialist in 2004, much like Paul Como is this season: a third-down defensive end specializing in rushing the passer and disrupting the pocket at all costs.

One-third of his 21 tackles were behind the line of scrimmage as a result.

With David McMillan enjoying a fine senior season in 2004 — coupled with Ashley earning honorable-mention All-Big 12 Conference honors at the other side of the line, Keith had trouble cracking the starting lineup.

McMillan graduated, though, and the starting job was Keith’s to lose heading into 2005.

Tough defender

The Akron, Ohio, native did more than enough in the spring and summer to lock the spot down. Heck, KU’s coaches were buzzing about Keith’s big-play capabilities even before he came up big this year.

“Charlton is going to be one of our best defensive players,” Young said over the summer. “Maybe one of the best we’ve had since we’ve been here.”

With Reid, McMillan, Banks Floodman and Charles Gordon roaming the field during the Mark Mangino era, Young’s statement could have been considered a bit bold.

But in eight games, Keith has made a case: He’s racked up 37 tackles, including 15 for a loss and seven sacks. In addition, he’s had six quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The stats all prove Keith’s worth as a pass rusher, and that much has been known for some time. But Keith also is a driving force behind the Jayhawks’ show-stopping run defense, which ranks second nationally, allowing just 69.5 yards per game.

Neither Young nor head coach Mangino would say Keith has surpassed expectations his senior season –but he’s certainly meeting them.

“He has done everything that we have asked him to do,” Mangino said. “He’s a tenacious and fearless player.”

Every Sunday, Mangino and his staff dissect game film, grading every player for every play made the day before to determine who’s performing the best on their squad.

Keith, to say the least, isn’t letting any of them down.

“He is so productive,” Young said. “When we grade our film, we not only grade on their performance as far as plus and minus or a letter grade or percentage grade, but we also grade production. He is at the top of the defensive team in production each week. He just makes plays, gives tremendous effort.”

It seems Keith’s athleticism is too good for professional scouts to completely ignore. But will the NFL want him after the season is over?

“I think he’ll have a chance,” Young said. “I don’t know where, but I think he’ll have a chance. If he doesn’t get drafted, I certainly think someone will sign him as a free agent.

“But I’d be real surprised if he doesn’t get drafted.”

Much like McMillan last spring, Keith seems ticketed for a position change at the next level. With his lack of weight, Young says without hesitation that outside linebacker is the place for Keith, probably on a team that relies on 3-4 formations where the outside linebackers can rush the passer.

McMillan made the switch to outside linebacker and was drafted by the Cleveland Browns — and he still had 30 pounds on Keith. McMillan and Keith have very different bodies, but their strengths are pretty much the same: good speed and good knowledge of how to get into the pocket.

Strong statement

Mangino said he didn’t converse closely with scouts during the season, though they were allowed to come to campus and evaluate players at practice.

“After the year, I’ll get more calls, and there will be more scouts that would like to visit with me face to face and talk about personnel,” Mangino said.

Mangino ended the professional talk regarding his defensive end with a strong statement on Keith’s stature in the scouts’ eyes — a view shared by coaches all over the Big 12.

“I can assure you that Charlton Keith is on their radar screen,” Mangino said.