A special player

Despite offensive prowess, Cornish won't be removed from kicking teams

Jon Cornish may be Kansas University’s best bet for an explosive playmaker on offense.

Problem is, the same could be said about his special-teams work, too. And that aspect of the game is one football coach Mark Mangino has no interest in de-emphasizing.

“We won’t take Jon Cornish off special teams,” Mangino said Monday during the Big 12 coaches conference call. “He’s one of our key players, if not one of our very best special-teams players.”

Mangino faces these situations any time a legitimate playmaker surfaces, especially on an offense in dire need of some firepower. The Charles Gordon utilization question will go on forever, it seems, and with Cornish’s emergence as a speedy back who can move the chains and eat the clock, where to spread out his talent is another predicament for the KU coaches to tackle.

“I try to help the team wherever possible,” Cornish said after Saturday’s 30-17 loss to Texas Tech. “I feel like I do contribute on special teams.”

Cornish rushed for 111 yards on 17 carries Saturday, including runs of 26, 19 and 15 yards and a touchdown run of 11 yards that came after he initially was stuffed at the line of scrimmage. On more than one occasion, though, Cornish broke a big run that put KU in prime field position, only to watch as the Jayhawk passing game failed to finish out the drive.

Jon Cornish dives into the end zone for a touchdown in the third quarter against Texas Tech. Though he has become a proven playmaker on offense, he still will toil on KU's special teams, too, thus limiting his touches.

It raised questions as to whether Cornish, who has 290 yards rushing and 6.3 yards per carry this season, has earned the right to more touches with his big-play ability.

Mangino countered Saturday by saying Cornish’s special-teams work stretched him out.

Cornish is involved with kickoff coverage, which has proven to be a solid unit since the beginning of last season, as well as punt return and punt coverage. Mangino’s creed is to put the best available players on the field for special teams, and Cornish has been just that.

Now he has proven to be one of the best available players on offense, too. So the quandary begins.

“He does a lot of things,” Mangino said. “He carried the ball 17 times Saturday. I’m not going to sacrifice the special teams. I’m not going to take him off, but that does not mean he can’t get more snaps at running back.”