Three games into the football season, Kansas quarterback Bill Whittemore doesn’t have a go-to receiver.

What he does have might be even better.

“In this offense the ball can go anywhere,” said KU receivers coach Tyrone Dixon. “Brandon Rideau had six catches last week, and he had one this week. It’s spread around. You can’t really predict who’s going to be the guy.”

The two main guys have been red-shirt freshman Charles Gordon and sophomore Mark Simmons.

Gordon has 11 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns, and Simmons has eight catches for team-leading totals of 254 yards and three touchdowns — one in each game.

KU’s leading receiver, however, is sophomore running back Clark Green, who has 13 receptions for 144 yards.

The Jayhawks’ suddenly sure-handed receivers have helped Whittemore put up eye-popping numbers. The senior ranks first in the Big 12 and second in the nation with a pass-efficiency rating of 180.9. He ranks second in the league in total offense (306.7 yards per game) and third in passing average (259.7).

“He’s doing what he does,” Green said. “He’s able to scramble and find open receivers. That’s what Bill does a lot, and that’s what we want.”

More time, more TDs

KU receiver Mark Simmons, right, celebrates a touchdown with running back John Randle. Simmons has caught a TD pass in each of the Jayhawks' three games this season. Kansas has eight touchdown passes -- two fewer than all of last year -- through three games.

Whittemore did the same things last year, but he didn’t have the same kind of results.

No doubt some skeptics snickered during the preseason when coach Mark Mangino told the media Whittemore could be an elite quarterback if KU provided the senior with a strong supporting cast.

Whittemore’s ability aside, KU’s offensive line was suspect after losing four starters. Furthermore, Whittemore’s 48 percent completion rate would have been substantially higher in 2002 if not for a receiving corps that often seemed to drop as many balls as it caught.

The Jayhawks are holding onto the ball this season, and the revamped line — Adrian Jones, Bob Whitaker, Joe Vaughn, Tony Coker and Danny Lewis — has given Whittemore plenty of time to throw.

“We didn’t make too many big plays the last couple years,” Rideau said. “That comes with Bill having time and the receivers having confidence. The line is taking care of him, and he’s able to just sit back there and air the ball out and throw it wherever he wants to and make plays wherever he throws it.”

Whittemore has completed 46-of-74 passes for 779 yards and eight touchdowns with two interceptions. Those numbers could skyrocket tonight against Division I-AA Jacksonville State, which has allowed 500 passing yards and four TDs in two games.

Putting pressure on Whittemore hasn’t done opposing defenses much good. He’s only been sacked once and is most dangerous on the run.

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“Anybody can make big plays at any given time because Bill runs around so much,” Rideau said. “Once he scrambles out, we know to not quit working because he tends to find you if you’re open.”

Back to basics

Last season, four KU receivers hauled in a total of 10 touchdown passes. Whittemore already has connected with five different receivers for eight TDs this season, and 10 different Jayhawks have at least one reception.

After watching dropped balls kill drive after drive in 2002, the coaching staff made an effort to improve fundamentals in the offseason.

“I thought they left to many catchable balls on the ground last season,” Mangino said. “All of the wide receivers, tight ends and running backs were required to go through jugs gun drills and tennis ball drills. They did those drills throughout the winter, spring and summer, and we still do it out here on the practice field during the season — before and after practice. It’s paid off, but we just have to keep at it. It’s just like any other fundamental, such as blocking or tackling. I am a firm believer that you can learn to catch the ball.”

KU coaches made receivers accountable by keeping track of every pass thrown in practice, and the results are posted in the locker room. Mangino said there has been an “18 to 20 percent” improvement from last year.

“Every ball that they drop they do 10 pushups, so if you go out there and drop three balls that’s 30 pushups,” Dixon said. “A game drop is double.”

Rideau, a junior who has seven receptions for 66 yards and a TD, said the extra work had made a difference.

Kansas receiver Charles Gordon catches a touchdown pass against Wyoming. The freshman has 11 receptions.

“It allows us to relax and just focus on catching the ball first,” he said. “We’ve gained a lot of confidence. We feel like if the ball is close enough to us we ought to catch it.”

Big plays

If not for his own struggles with a wet ball in a season-opening loss to Northwestern, Whittemore’s numbers might be staggering. The senior threw numerous errant passes in that game and finished 12-of-28 for 240 yards and one touchdown. In the next two games, he was a combined 34-of-46 for 559 yards for seven TDs. Five of Whittemore’s TD passes have been for more than 25 yards.

He’s also rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown.

“He is a big-play player,” Mangino said. “He can orchestrate drives. He is cool and calm and does not get rattled easily. When he does get rattled he recovers rather quickly. Bill is a good player.

“He has got some weapons out there. Mark Simmons has a year under his belt. Charles Gordon was in our program for a year. Brandon Rideau has improved his game tremendously over a year. He has a tight end (Lyonel Anderson) that he can throw the ball to. He has Clark Green that has been a sure-handed back out of the backfield. … It is getting back to what I said earlier about the supporting cast. If he has a supporting cast then Bill can continually get better.”

With nine games left, how much better can Whittemore get?