When Theo Baines was healthy and shining last season on defense as one of Kansas University’s starting cornerbacks, everything should have been all good in his world.

But it wasn’t. Instead, things seemed dreadfully out of whack.

On his uniform, that is.

“I always wanted a one-digit number,” Baines said.

Whether he felt his football jersey was too crowded with the number 20, Baines really didn’t say. But when coach Mark Mangino offered Baines jersey No. 1 after linebacker Gabe Toomey left the program, Baines jumped at the opportunity.

At last – inner peace.

“I said fine,” Baines said with a chuckle. “I didn’t even care what number.”

A dinged-up Baines has played sparingly in most of this season’s games, recording 16 tackles, an interception and a sack. But Saturday’s 6 p.m. tilt at Colorado could be a breakthrough: Mangino has labeled Baines 100-percent healthy, and KU’s coach forewarned reporters to expect a lot more of him this week.

You’re on your own trying to find him, though.

“They’ve got me playing safety, corner, nickel :” Baines said. “Wherever they need to use me, I’ll play it. It’s not a big deal for me – I like it.”

If a defensive back can be classified as utility, Baines could be it. Mangino, for one, is glad the senior can display a gift for being versatile. It makes the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder’s chances for playing time go up that much more.

Theo Baines.

“We have to play him where we need him, and there’s a need at both positions right now,” Mangino said. “He’s been adapting to both.”

Coming out of Tyler (Texas) Community College, Baines earned a starting cornerback spot right away at KU. He picked up an interception and a sack in his first Division I game, while fellow Tyler alum Jermial Ashley started at defensive end.

Injuries marred the end of his junior season, but Baines, expected to be back and healthy, was thought to be joining Charles Gordon atop the depth chart at corner once again for his last go-around.

Not so – not after another undisclosed injury described as “major” knocked him out of preseason camp, and consequently down the depth chart.

• 6Sports video: Herford experiment at QB on hold (10-21-05)
• 6Sports video: Quarterback Klatt leads Buffaloes against Jayhawks (10-21-05)

“It’s really frustrating, but I stay positive,” Baines said. “My teammates have made sure they’ve been positive around me, and that’s helped a whole lot.”

With Baines at less than 100 percent, Ronnie Amadi moved into the starting spot, then Aqib Talib switched positions from strong safety to provide help. Now, Gordon is playing more wide receiver to try and resuscitate a barely breathing offense, making Baines that much more needed on a stout defense ranked just eighth in the Big 12 Conference against the pass.

“As you know from last year, he was a tremendous player,” safety Jerome Kemp said. “With him coming back, being 100 percent, he’s going to help us out a lot.”

And, with him back to where he’s comfortable – in single-digit land, of course – Baines is both healthy physically and playing with the right image adorning his uniform.

It certainly is all good, now, if it wasn’t before.

“I don’t make a big deal about numbers,” Baines said. “I don’t think the number makes the player. The player makes the number.”