Every so often during the ongoing spring practices, Aqib Talib grabs a yellow mesh penny and slips it over his head to cover up his white jersey.

The Kansas University junior then runs a route as a wide receiver. He finishes up, gets a pat on the helmet, takes the penny off and then goes back to cornerback.

Defending the player he just was.

Charles Gordon was the last Jayhawk to bounce freely between offense and defense, but this is different. No one is even thinking about taking Talib’s focus away from cornerback, where he’s an All-America candidate this fall for KU’s football team.

But Talib has enough energy, he claims, to play wide receiver every once in a while. So why not?

“I did it all through junior high, all through high school,” Talib said. “If they’re throwing away from me during the game, (playing offense) keeps me in the game. It keeps me focused on the game and keeps me having fun.”

Talib lined up on offense a few times last season, and was the intended receiver just twice. He caught one pass the whole year, but it was a good one. A short dish to him in the flat turned into a 45-yard touchdown reception against Missouri after he out-jetted the Mizzou secondary up the right sideline.

No one’s doubting he’s a playmaker, just like Gordon was between 2003-05. But while Gordon’s utilization was debated every offseason, Talib’s a playmaker with a home – at cornerback.

“He’s another guy that’s gotten strong in the offseason,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “His tackling was good last year, but it’s even better. It’s much more sure this year.

“I think his change of direction, his drop-step coming out in coverage is quicker. He’s improved himself. He’s worked at it.”

An improved Talib would put on quite a show. As a sophomore, his 28 passes defended (six interceptions, 22 breakups) were six more than the next best in NCAA Division I-A. A 59-yard interception return against Colorado was a critical turning point in a 20-15 KU victory, and he had another against Kansas State which sparked a pick party on Wildcat quarterback Josh Freeman.

Although he’s just a junior, Talib joins defensive tackle James McClinton as KU’s most experienced defensive players. And like McClinton, he’s taking that role for what it can be worth.

“I’m going to focus on letting people hear me the whole game,” said Talib, who claims to have gained eight pounds of muscle in the offseason. “Last year, I talked sometimes and didn’t talk sometimes. This year I’m going to talk the whole time and let people feed off me. If we need energy, I’m going to be the one to provide it for the whole game.”

Of course, he knows he needs to save some juice for all he could be involved in. Besides amping up the whole defense, mentoring the other cornerbacks – which include Kendrick Harper, Anthony Webb and Gary Green – and entertaining the media with lively quotes periodically, Talib has to : well, he has to play football.

The good news is that experience prepares him for the added responsibilities. It makes playing on the field just a little easier.

“Every year I come back, the game is slowing down,” Talib said, “and it’s slowing down even more this year.”

Good thing, because every time he slips on the yellow penny, he slips into an offense that is, in part, new to everyone. First-year offensive coordinator Ed Warinner is bringing fresh ideas to KU’s offense, and every once in a while Talib is asked to join in.

It’s the perfect situation, if you ask Talib. Playmakers, after all, want to play.

“They’re going to throw me in there a couple of plays here and there,” Talib said. “I’m not really sure, but the new offense? I kind of like it. It’s more up-tempoed and more revolved around big plays. I think it’ll be real good for us.”