Yes, Kansas University’s pass defense had major problems last week against Oklahoma State.

But Jayhawk coach Mark Mangino made sure to emphasize that the star of the secondary didn’t have much to do with it.

“The cornerbacks really are not a critical part of it, at least Aqib Talib,” Mangino said of KU’s preseason All-Big 12 sophomore. “He’s a veteran guy, he’s knows his way around. He played pretty solid.”

About the same words have been showered upon Talib after each game he plays. Talib leads the Big 12 in passes defended, breaking up 12 and intercepting two more for a total of 14. Texas senior Aaron Ross has 13, and Colorado’s Terrence Wheatley has 10.

Keep in mind, too, that Talib missed the first two games of the season because of a disciplinary suspension. That makes the numbers he has put up even more impressive.

“He was a little bit rusty early on,” Mangino said, “but he gives you an opportunity to isolate a receiver in some part of the field. He has great hips and ability to change direction and very seldom gets beat with somebody behind him.

“And it seems that when he does (get beat), he has very good catchup speed.”

Talib, though, isn’t interested in taking himself out of the blame for KU’s pass defense woes. The Jayhawks have allowed a 375-yard passer three times in seven games, and the pass defense’s struggles were a big reason KU couldn’t beat Oklahoma State last week.

“The secondary is a unit. It’s not every man for himself,” Talib said. “Everybody has to do their job. So if we give up that many yards passing, I ain’t satisfied with how I played.”

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Two-sport standouts: Baylor has four players on its roster who play a sport other than football for the Bears.

Wide receiver David Gettis is a standout track athlete, and receiver Queito Teasley is an All-Big 12 long jumper.

In addition, linebacker Joe Pawelek is a catcher for the Baylor baseball team, and receiver Carl Sims suits up as a guard for the Bears’ basketball team.

Two other football players used to run track for Baylor: cornerback Braelon Davis and receiver Dominique Zeigler.

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Still going: Kansas is believed to have the longest streak in Division I-A without allowing an individual 100-yard rushing performance in a game. It’s now at 20 straight games dating back to 2004, when Cedric Benson and Vince Young each had more than 100 for Texas.

There’s a good chance that will continue through today. Baylor, as a team, has just 274 yards rushing this year. Leading the way is fullback Paul Mosley, who has a team-high 58 carries for 256 yards, about 42 yards per game.

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This, that: Baylor has 13 interceptions this season, second in Division I-A only to Western Michigan’s 14 picks. : Kansas had just one penalty against Oklahoma State, and is the third-least-penalized team in the Big 12. : Baylor has led at halftime in six of seven games this season, but has won only three of them. : Kansas never has won at Floyd Casey Stadium, losing contests in 1989, 1998 and 2002