Kansas University football senior Cesar Rodriguez just recently found out about a two-for-one Sunday burger special at the West Coast Saloon, 2222 Iowa.

A perfect place, he figured, for five guys weighing 290, 310, 290, 305 and 315 pounds.

“I thought it’d be good to get two burgers,” Rodriguez said, “after a long day of work on Sunday.”

West Coast Saloon has been added to the rotation of restaurants KU’s five offensive linemen invade together on a weekly basis. It’s a way for them to bond, because while football is an 11-man team game, nowhere is teamwork more critical than in the offensive trenches.

Rodriguez is the lone senior on the line which includes four juniors with significantly less experience – Anthony Collins, Ryan Cantrell, Chet Hartley and Adrian Mayes have about as many career starts combined as Rodriguez does alone.

Ultimately, that places Rodriguez in a leadership role he accepted whether he wanted to or not.

“I feel like I had to put it upon me,” Rodriguez said, “to get the guys going every day and make us better.”

First lesson: Do what’s best for the team.

After playing the last two seasons as a left tackle, Rodriguez and Collins swapped spots in the offseason better to suit both player’s abilities. Rodriguez now lines up at right tackle, the same position he played as a red-shirt freshman in 2004.

“Because I’m right-handed,” Rodriguez said, “it’s more natural.”

From there, Rodriguez hopes that what he has picked up from his 35 career starts can be passed on to the rest of the line, which has performed well by most accounts so far.

“(Cesar’s) been through a lot of games, a lot of playing time,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “He’s played against everybody in the conference, so his experience helped him personally in a lot of ways and it’s been able to help the other guys as well.”

¢ Nothing yet: Mangino said that “nothing has changed” regarding the search for someone to return punts for the Jayhawks this Saturday when they take on Baylor.

“We’re working with some guys to see who’s going to be able to do that job the very best for us,” Mangino said.

¢ Baylor LT ailing: The Bears’ offensive line is in limbo heading into Saturday’s game because of a setback to left tackle Jason Smith.

Smith, Baylor’s most experienced player with 23 career starts, injured his knee and is considered questionable for the Kansas game. If he can’t go, the Waco Tribune-Herald reports Baylor might have to shuffle normal right tackle Dan Gay over to left tackle, and use Jordan Hearvey or Thad Boatner on the right side.

¢ Sold out: Just one day after announcing that tickets were running out, the Kansas-Missouri game next month at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., was announced as a sellout Wednesday.

Kickoff time for the Nov. 24 game has not been announced, though it will be on television along with Oklahoma-Oklahoma State the same day. ABC and Fox Sports Net have until Nov. 1 to determine which game they want that weekend, and a kickoff time will be determined then.