Hard at work

Kansas is having a relatively normal week of practice despite having no game on Saturday.

“It’s high tempo,” linebacker Joe Mortensen said. “Since I’ve been here, bye weeks have always been high tempo. You rehab, you get your body right, but at the same time, the practice is uptempo. You don’t want to take a step down, you want to take a step up.”

KU coach Mark Mangino said the focus was on Kansas this week.

But game preparation for the Oct. 6 game against Kansas State slowly is creeping into the work being done during this off week.

“We’re watching film on them,” Mortensen said. “We’re more watching them in the film room, but out here we’re kind of ones on ones and still running against each other. But (today) could be a big day for K-State.”

Still getting back

KU junior cornerback Kendrick Harper is about back to where he needs to be. But not quite yet.

Harper was injured in August and hasn’t played this season. He dressed for KU’s 55-3 victory over Florida International, and he could be ready to finally play against Kansas State next week.

“Kendrick’s doing good,” Mangino said. “He’s a little rusty. He’s talented, he’s got a lot of enthusiasm, great attitude. He’s out there just trying to get back in the groove.”

All gone

OK, now it’s REALLY a sellout.

Kansas State announced Wednesday morning that 275 tickets out of KU’s allotment were returned and immediately swiped up, meaning the 50,000-seat Bill Snyder Family Stadium should be full for next week’s 11 a.m. game.

The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net (Sunflower Broadband channel 36).