DBs struggling with new positions

Considering that Kansas University’s defensive shake-up against Texas Tech last week placed various players in unfamiliar positions, it should come as no surprise that, as of Tuesday, those players were still getting acclimated to their new posts.

During Saturday’s 63-21 loss to the Red Raiders, cornerback Chris Harris played safety, safety Justin Thornton played cornerback, and receiver Daymond Patterson was moved to cornerback for the first time since his senior year of high school – switches that are expected to continue in this week’s game against Kansas State.

“It was pretty hard trying to get the signals and trying to see what formation they were in,” said Patterson, a true freshman and one of the team’s top receivers earlier this season. “But the biggest thing was just the communication factor. Trying to make sure I was doing what I had to do, being new, and then also trying to communicate to the other (defensive backs) what I was seeing.”

Harris, who was named an honorable mention freshman all-American at cornerback last season, voiced similar sentiments.

“It wasn’t very comfortable,” Harris said. “I was thinking a lot. But I got comfortable when we got to man calls, where I could just (work) to my strengths, which is covering.”

“I was shocked,” he added of coach Mark Mangino’s decision to move him to safety. “It’s his call, you know what I mean? So I got to do whatever he says and do it to the very best of my ability.”

Players decline adding fuel to the fire

A day after Kansas State receiver/punt returner Deon Murphy made a number of bold statements about the team’s game Saturday, Kansas’ players on Tuesday declined to get into a war of words with the Wildcats.

Multiple players on Tuesday chuckled when told of Murphy’s comments – the Kansas State senior guaranteed he’d return a punt or kick for a touchdown against the Jayhawks, while also saying Kansas’ coaches would wish they had recruited all of the Wildcats’ players after this weekend – but refrained from adding fuel to the fire.

“He can do all his talking right now, we’re just going to do our talking on the field,” senior linebacker Joe Mortensen said. “That’s how coach Mangino brought us up, and that’s how we’re trying to play.”

Mangino also declined to offer a response to Murphy’s comments, although he did say that the Jayhawks coaching staff often uses such fodder as motivation for players.

“Everybody does,” Mangino said about posting derogatory comments on the locker room bulletin board. “But we’re not hung up on it. If there’s a good quote, we’ll put it up.”