Kansas offensive lineman Jose Rodriguez squirts his face with water during a practice at Barry University. The Jayhawks practiced Saturday in Miami Shores, Fla., then headed to a beach party.

Miami Shores, Fla. ? Kansas University’s football team has been praised all season long for being across-the-board solid, one reason it’s 11-1 and playing in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

But pulling up the caboose has been punt returns, a facet of the Jayhawks’ game that has been scary at best and terrible at worst.

For Thursday’s game against Virginia Tech, KU coach Mark Mangino is pulling out his best weapon in the team’s most important game yet: All-America cornerback Aqib Talib.

Mangino confirmed after practice Saturday at Barry University that Talib will return punts for the Jayhawks in the Orange Bowl at Dolphin Stadium. It long has been considered for KU’s top playmaker, but didn’t become reality until now.

“It’s out of necessity,” Mangino deadpanned.

Talib has worked on and off in the role on the practice field since the spring of 2006, after he made his college debut with a splash the season before. Back then, he didn’t stick with the punt-return role because he still was getting situated at cornerback.

Instead, Brian Murph and Jonathan Lamb returned punts admirably in 2006. When both of them graduated, Talib once again was in the mix during the spring of ’07. By summer, though, Raimond Pendleton, Anthony Webb and Dezmon Briscoe were the top candidates while Talib focused on playing cornerback and occasionally wide receiver.

The punt-return job originally went to Pendleton this fall, and the freshman actually returned one for a touchdown in the season opener against Central Michigan on Sept. 1. But his later struggles judging punts re-opened the position.

Webb was the next to try, and he was able to secure the ball better. But the sophomore averaged just 0.8 yards per return and never fully figured out when to go for a return and when to signal for a fair catch. It cost him dearly against Oklahoma State when he was drilled by an OSU gunner as he caught the ball and was slow getting up.

Webb’s inability to break off sizable returns – in 19 tries, his long was just 15 yards – sent KU’s coaches back to the drawing board.

“We just feel like we’ve got to get something out of it,” Mangino said. “We’re blocking people. We’re not returning the ball.”

Re-enter Talib. The All-American – who could be playing in his last college game if he decides to skip his senior season for the NFL – spent the first half of the ’07 season getting work as a wide receiver in addition to his defensive duties. But the emergence of Briscoe and sophomore Kerry Meier made Talib less needed on offense.

Thus, the possibility of Talib returning punts opened up again. He dropped back and returned one in the final minute against Missouri on Nov. 24, though good coverage limited him to just four yards.

Turns out, that return against the Tigers won’t be his last.

“All year we’ve practiced him there,” Mangino said. “He’s a playmaker, he’s a dependable guy. He’ll do a great job.”