Starter: Swanny

Mangino: Swanson will 'be the guy' at QB against Missouri

Kansas University football coach Mark Mangino confirmed Monday during the Big 12 coaches conference call what already was pretty clear: Jason Swanson would be the starting quarterback against Missouri.

With Brian Luke hobbled by an undisclosed injury to his right leg, Swanson might be the only option. But the senior likely would’ve started regardless after passing for 291 yards and a touchdown against Colorado.

“Swanny, based on his performance last week … he’s healthy, he’s ready to go and can take all the reps,” Mangino said, “so he’ll be the guy.”

Saturday’s game was Swanson’s first of the season. He missed the first six games because of an undisclosed, nagging injury that hindered both his performance and ability to stay in shape. He played in seven games, including one start, as a junior before suffering a season-ending shoulder injury against Colorado.

Luke started in KU’s 44-13 loss to Colorado, but lasted just three ineffective drives. Swanson came in near the end of the first quarter and finished the game, completing 26 of 50 passes, including a seven-yard touchdown to Charles Gordon that ended KU’s 10-quarter drought without a touchdown.

“The thing I liked about him is that he walked in the huddle poised,” Mangino said. “He throws a nice ball, he’s got a good spin on it. His accuracy picked up as the game went on. I could sense the players really rallied around him.”

¢ Sunday practice: For the second straight week, KU practiced Sunday and took Monday off. Usually, KU starts preparing for the next week’s game Monday after taking Sunday off. “You’d think we were on a six-game winning streak right now with the kind of bounce our kids have in their step and the kind of confidence they have,” Mangino said.

¢ No TV for Nebraska: KU’s Nov. 5 home game with Nebraska will not be televised. A game time is expected to be announced today.

ABC has exercised a six-day pick option for the Nov. 5 game and will choose between Texas A&M-Texas Tech, Texas-Baylor and Missouri-Colorado. Fox Sports will pick up the games ABC doesn’t select.

Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 will carry the KU game tape-delayed at 11 a.m. Nov. 6.

Keegan Kreamed

After picking perfect last week, Journal-World sports editor Tom Keegan was kreamed this week by 16 contestants in his weekly pick ’em contest.

A majority of the prognosticators, including Keegan, missed the Missouri-Nebraska game, but Lawrence’s Justin Crawford correctly picked the Tigers and nailed all five other Big 12 Conference picks.

Crawford was the closest competitor to the Kansas-Colorado score with a prediction of 31-17. CU beat the Jayhawks, 44-13, Saturday in Boulder, Colo.

For his effort, Crawford will receive a Kream Keegan T-shirt.