REESING PASSED OVER

Todd Reesing, the former Lake Travis star, returns for his senior year after two record-breaking seasons. Still, despite the gaudy numbers — he passed for 7,374 yards and 65 touchdowns in 2007 and 2008 — he's not the star quarterback of the Big 12. Analysts rank him maybe its fourth best, although he's won 20 games, including two bowls, the past two years.

KANSAS' SHOW OF HANDS

The Jayhawks return two receivers who each caught more than 90 passes a year ago.

Dezmon Briscoe is the star. He caught 92 passes and averaged 108.2 receiving yards per game, fourth best in the NCAA. Mark Mangino let him return kicks in the season finale against Missouri, and he responded with 195 yards on seven returns for a 27.9 average.

But Briscoe, who found himself in Mangino's dog house earlier this year for violating team rules, missed all of spring practice before he was reinstated two weeks after KU's spring game.

Then there's Kerry Meier, the former starting quarterback before Reesing came along. Meier caught 97 passes in 2008.

LOOKING FOR MORE LBS

Mangino hired 31-year veteran Bill Miller away from Louisville as his defensive co-coordinator in the offseason. He served similar stints at Miami, Oklahoma State, Michigan State and Arizona State.

He'll also be the Jayhawks' linebackers coach. In that role, he'll have to replace all three starters from a year ago, a trio that accounted for 288 tackles in 2008.

Kansas has switched to a 4-2-5 base defense, partly because of its lack of experienced linebackers and partly because there are so many passing teams in the Big 12. Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) and runner-up Colt McCoy (Texas) are on the schedule.

The most intriguing linebacker is Angus Quigley, the former starter at running back.

BUDDING STAR AT SAFETY

Strong safety Darrell Stuckey is on most preseason watch lists for national defensive player of the year.

He was all-conference last year, when he notched 98 tackles — second-most on the team — with five interceptions. Stuckey always had been good at run support, but he's now adept at defending the pass and can play either strong or free safety.

He upped his play in an upset of rival Missouri, with two interceptions and a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.