Candidates for Game Balls and Gassers following Kansas’ 54-16 loss to Texas Tech …

Game Balls

• Ben Heeney intercepted a pass on Texas Tech’s first possession and late in the half slammed an end zone-bound running back to the ground, turning a touchdown into a field goal. When the momentum turned, it was easy to see a change in body language from some players. Not Heeney. As usual, he was all-out, all the time. He led the team with 12 tackles and made most of them hurt.

• Tony Pierson turned nothing into something over and over again and amassed 118 receiving yards before his day ended when he was knocked out on the sideline near the goal line on a 39-yard play that should have ended near the line of scrimmage but for Pierson’s multiple changes of direction with sharp cuts, a truly remarkable play.

Gassers

• Punter Trevor Pardula decided to tuck it and run, even though Gale Sayers couldn’t have gotten a first down on the play. With 13 yards to go for a first down and the line of scrimmage at the 16 it’s surprising he even had the green light to run under any circumstance.

• Aslam Sterling repeatedly was whistled for false starts, which begs the question: Will he get any more real starts or will he be replaced at left tackle?