Kevin Kane never has wondered what might’ve been.

As a true freshman linebacker on Kansas University’s dismal 2002 football team, Kane learned for sure in the season’s second week that he wasn’t going to red-shirt his first year on campus. The ’02 Jayhawks had so many shortcomings en route to a 2-10 record, first-year coach Mark Mangino just couldn’t afford it.

Same goes with linebackers Nick Reid and Brandon Perkins, as well as wide receiver Mark Simmons.

It’s interesting to look at now. As the 2006 Jayhawks start preseason camp in preparation for their Sept. 2 opener, they could’ve been in much better shape experience-wise had the 2002 squad featured more Big 12 Conference-caliber players.

The aftershocks of ’02 weren’t so visible until now. But had those four red-shirted as first-year players, they’d be fifth-year seniors on the ’06 team.

“We were all kind of happy and fortunate that we didn’t have to red-shirt,” Kane admitted. “But if (a red shirt) would’ve happened, I don’t know. There would’ve been a lot of competition at linebacker, because we’ve got a lot of good linebackers there right now.”

He’s right. Along with Kane, Reid and Perkins – three solid parts on KU’s terrific ’05 defense – the Jayhawks would’ve had Mike Rivera, Joe Mortensen, Eric Washington, James Holt and Jake Schermer all battling for three or four spots on the field.

Kane said the fates of both himself and Perkins in 2002 weren’t sealed until the season’s second week, after linebacker Banks Floodman tore an ACL in a 45-3 loss to Iowa State. Once the paper-thin depth on defense got even slimmer with Floodman’s season-ending setback, Kane and Perkins were called to action out of necessity.

Kane played in 11 games as a backup linebacker and member of every special-teams unit. Perkins played nine games in a similar role.

Reid, meanwhile, played in all 12 contests with six starts in 2002, recording 62 tackles and two forced fumbles. Of the three linebackers thrown to the wolves right away, Reid was the only one certain to do so in preseason.

The impact of those three in ’02 was minimal at best: The 2002 KU defense still couldn’t stop anybody and recorded victories over only Southwest Missouri State and Tulsa. It allowed 42.2 points per game and 472.4 yards per contest – a reminder of not only how far KU had to go in ’02, but al how impressive KU’s turnaround was between 2002 and 2005.

Now, in 2006, an eerie reminder returns when thinking of what could’ve been.

“Much to my chagrin, I had to take the red shirt off a couple of guys so we could stop somebody – so we could keep people under 60 points as best we could,” Mangino said. “Had I not done that, some of them would still be back. That should give you a little hint of how inept we were on defense in my first year here.”

On offense, Simmons caught 23 passes as a true freshman lining up out wide with Brandon Rideau, Byron Gasaway, Marcellus Jones and Derick Mills. Now, instead of providing a sure-hands option in an uncertain ’06 position, Simmons is battling for a spot on the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

Kane, for one, doesn’t think of how those four could’ve helped the 2006 team. It played out how it played out, he said.

But it’s still an interesting subject of speculation, though Kane thinks any wonderment about how much more improved Reid, Kane and Perkins would’ve made things will be put to rest soon by the 2006 fleet.

“I think they’ll be OK,” Kane said. “They’re big, strong and fast guys, and that takes care of a lot of stuff.

“They pretty much already know the defense pretty well. Once they get used to the flow of the game, we’ll be just fine. We’ll be real good.”