The Kansas University football coaches, taking a breather from practice and game preparation during the most successful season in school history, are on the road recruiting this week. They have more bait than ever to dangle in front of prospects.

The coaches find out Sunday night whether they can sell the prestige of being one of the 10 schools participating in a BCS bowl game. Regardless of that outcome, they can sell prospects on a brand-new, state-of-the-art football complex that will give athletes that big-time football program feel they crave. Whether they are doing schoolwork with all the academic assistance they need at the ready, lifting weights, studying film, healing in the training facilities or learning football on the practice fields, they will be doing so under optimum conditions.

What ought to appeal even more than that to big-time offensive recruits is the opportunity to play in Ed Warinner’s no-huddle, spread offense.

Why wouldn’t a quarterback want to play in that system? Much of the burden on the QB is lightened because the plays and audibles come in from the sideline. The eyes in the sky read the defensive alignment and quickly process what play would be the best for the quarterback to exploit it. It’s an ideal system to make the quarterback look good.

Todd Reesing has the position locked up for two more seasons, so selling instant playing time doesn’t apply here, but it does at many other positions.

This could be the year Kansas locks horns with the likes of Nebraska and Oklahoma on elite recruits and actually comes out ahead.

Consider how appealing catching passes from Todd Reesing in Warinner’s offense would be to one of those 6-foot-4, 4.4-second receivers Texas and Oklahoma are known for landing. Working with Reesing and Warinner for a full season has enabled Marcus Henry to catch 52 passes for nine touchdowns and an average gain of 19.1 yards in his senior season. In his first three seasons combined, Henry caught 50 passes for three touchdowns and an average gain of 11.7 yards.

Henry has one more game left in his career, and the KU coaches won’t have any trouble convincing a hot prospect he could play immediately. True freshman Dezmon Briscoe has 41 receptions, seven for touchdowns. Cornerback Chris Harris has been a regular starter, and undersized defensive end Jake Laptad has played often.

For players talented and hard-working enough to make an impression next summer, immediate playing time could be found at wide receiver, running back, tight end, offensive tackle and across the defensive line.

Linemen need only look at the remarkable development of both defensive tackle James McClinton and offensive tackle Anthony Collins during their careers to appreciate just how skilled defensive coordinator/line coach Bill Young and offensive line coach/run coordinator John Reagan are at developing players and how successful strength coach Chris Dawson is in sculpting bodies.

The chances of even the top athletes finding the same opportunities to play at Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas are remote.

If the recruits have their thinking caps on and weigh all the factors, the Jayhawks could win a lot of football games this week, even though they don’t figure to play another one until January.