Kansas safety Darrell Stuckey (25) celebrates with the defense after pulling in an interception from Nebraska quarterback Joe Ganz. Ganz, making his first career start, threw four interceptions against the Jayhawks.

The sporting world’s age bias is the Kansas University football program’s gain.

Defensive coordinator Bill Young’s performance as a recruiter who entices players to come to KU, as an instructor who makes them better, and as a game-planner who schemes to shut down offenses, should make him a big-name coaching candidate.

Right?

Wrong, Young said.

“I think at my age I’m probably past that,” Young said. “I’d love to be a head coach, but I don’t think at my age I’ll have that opportunity.”

Why does age matter?

“Every time you read in the paper it’s, ‘They need to get a young, enthusiastic coach.’ I don’t think I fit that bill,” said Young, 60.

A piece of advice for anyone in the market for a head coach: If being young enough is a priority, then make sure that being Young enough is one, too. Use his skill in every area to set the bar, and if a candidate doesn’t match his performance, dismiss him. Here’s guessing the pool would be close to empty.

Young has been a hidden hero behind the 9-0 start to this football season. At Colorado and Texas A&M, when the offense has sputtered early, Young’s defense rendered the slow starts irrelevant.

Until Nebraska threw for 405 yards and scored 39 points last Saturday, KU opponents averaged 10.2 points per game.

The amazing thing about that statistic, from a player-personnel standpoint, is that the Jayhawks do not have what is considered the most vital type of defensive player in today’s game. They don’t have an accomplished speed rusher. They don’t have a Charlton Keith or a Brandon Perkins of two years ago.

What they do have is a team full of coachable players who don’t question their defensive coordinator and play so hard for him because they feel how much he likes them and they want to make him look good.

“When I was working at Toyota two summers ago doing the detailing in the body shop, one of the guys who worked there was a neighbor of coach Young,” safety Darrell Stuckey said. “He said about coach Young that he’s one of those guys you’d love to go fishing with and waste a whole day away because he makes great conversation, he’s a great person, and he’s a genuine guy. I like being around people like that.”

Young played and coached football at Oklahoma State and also was an assistant coach at Iowa State, Tulsa, Arizona State, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Southern California, and with the Detroit Lions, before joining Mark Mangino’s first staff at Kansas.

“When a guy has a resume that extensive and that successful, you can’t help but be quiet when he speaks,” Stuckey said. “He’s very humble. He talks to you like you’re adults and not kids. He doesn’t talk down to you.”

On paper, it would appear as if Oklahoma State’s offense would spell trouble for a defense that lacks the personnel to apply consistent heat on the quarterback from a four-man rush. Last season, Adarius Bowman blew up the record books with 300 receiving yards and four touchdowns. KU’s defense is healthier and faster this year.

“We got embarrassed last year,” Young said. “We certainly want to look better this year.”

Don’t bet against it.