Fan voting to select the finalists for the 2011 Paul Hornung Award is now open on Facebook and being powered by Texas Roadhouse and the Louisville Sports Commission. Fans can vote as often as once a day by going to www.votepaulhornung.com.

The Paul Hornung Award, presented by Texas Roadhouse, is awarded annually to the most versatile player in major college football and Kansas juniors WR/KR D.J. Beshears and S Bradley McDougald are both on the ballot.

Beshears currently leads the Big 12 and ranks ninth in the NCAA in all-purpose yardage. The Denton, Texas, native has three rushes for 29 yards, 12 receptions for 135 yards and 18 kickoff returns for 387 yards. Beshears is averaging 183.7 all-purpose yards per game and has recorded two TDs, both on receptions.

Beshears was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week and to the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll on Sept. 12 following his standout performance in leading KU to a 45-42 win over Northern Illinois. Beshears recorded 285 all-purpose yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds as Kansas outlasted the Huskies. He set career highs in kick return yardage (197), receptions (seven), receiving yards (70) and touchdown receptions (two). His 51-yard kickoff return set up KU’s final scoring drive.

McDougald, who was named to the 2011 Watch List for the Paul Hornung Award, ranks fifth on the team with 15 tackles from his safety position. McDougald recorded his first career sack in KU’s last game at Georgia Tech and has two passes defensed on the season.

College football fans nationwide will have the opportunity to vote for players on the 2011 Watch List and any player that has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll. Results of the fans’ selection on Facebook will count for one vote, adding to the votes cast by the 16-member Selection Committee. http://www.paulhornungaward.com/selection-process.

Fans will also have the chance to vote for the winner from among the finalists in a second round of voting starting December 9.

The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son and to promote outstanding performances by multi-talented college football players that often go unnoticed.

Owen Marecic of Stanford, a two-way starter and All Pac-10 performer at fullback and linebacker, won the inaugural Paul Hornung Award in 2010.

Beshears, McDougald and their Kansas teammates will host Texas Tech in their Big 12 Conference opener Saturday, Oct. 1. Game time is slated for 11 a.m., with a live broadcast on Fox Sports Net.

— KU Sports Information —

In a game featuring 23 of the all-time legends of Kansas men’s basketball history, two stole the show at the end to send all 16,300 fans home happy from the Legends of the Phog exhibition game, which ended in an 111-111 tie, in historic Allen Fieldhouse Saturday afternoon.

With the game tied at 108 and the entire soldout crowd on its feet in anticipation of something great about to happen, Paul Pierce (1996-98) delivered with a three-pointer to put his Blue team up with 5.1 seconds on the clock, setting off a deafening roar in the Fieldhouse.

However, not to be outdone, Mario Chalmers (2006-08) recreated his “Miracle” shot, knocking down a three-pointer from the top of the key as time expired to tie the game, just as he did with two seconds remaining in the 2008 NCAA National Championship Game against Memphis, which the Jayhawks went on to win in overtime, 75-68. With the Legends of the Phog contest tied at 111 and no possible way of creating a more memorable ending, the officials declared the game a tie and all of the players received a standing ovation in the Fieldhouse.

Divided into Blue and White teams coached by Larry Brown (1984-88) and Ted Owens (1965-83), the Legends of the Phog game gave the Jayhawk faithful a chance to see some of its favorite Kansas men’s basketball players of years past run up and down historic James Naismith Court one more time. Participants ranged from players who recently left Kansas to turn professional, such as Josh Selby (2011), the Morris twins (2009-11), Xavier Henry (2010) and Julian Wright (2006-07), while also including legends from previous decades like Ron Kellogg (1983-86) and Darnell Valentine (1978-81).

The exhibition included many special ceremonies and recognitions, beginning with a video featuring highlights of every individual participating in the game to introduce the two teams prior to tipoff. Each player went to center court after his individual highlight reel played on the video board and received a loud cheer from the crowd. Members of the 1952, 1988 and 2008 National Championship teams were also recognized during one of the breaks of the game to a standing ovation in the Fieldhouse.

In addition to giving the Jayhawk faithful a chance to reminisce about the all-time greats who have run through the tunnel at Allen Fieldhouse, the game also helped honor the memory of former KU assistant coach Neil Dougherty, who died tragically this past summer. Kansas Athletics will donate a portion of the proceeds from the game in honor of Dougherty to one of his favorite local charities – the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence.

During the second media timeout of the first half, Darnell Valentine gave a brief message to everybody in the Fieldhouse about Coach Dougherty “feeling the love” from the energy of crowd, and in the second half Pierce gave a teary-eyed speech to say how special it was to be back in the Fieldhouse and how much Coach Dougherty meant to him as a mentor and a father-figure when he became a Jayhawk.

Pierce finished the game with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Chalmers posted a double-double for the White team with 17 points and 10 assists. Cole Aldrich (2008-10) also registered a double-double for the White team with 14 points and 19 rebounds. Brandon Rush (2006-08) led the White team with 18 points, while Wright added 14. Darnell Jackson (2005-08) added 11 points, and Jeff Graves (2003-04) and Darrell Arthur (2007-08) were close behind with nine points each.

Henry led all scorers with his 23 points for the Blue team. Other double-digit scorers for the White team were Ryan Robertson (1996-99) with 15, Nick Collison (2000-03) with 14, Marcus Morris with 11 and Markieff Morris and Selby with 10 points apiece.

Other Legends of the Phog included Jeff Hawkins (2003-06), Billy Thomas (1995-98), Wayne Simien (2002-05), Christian Moody (2003-06), Greg Ostertag (1992-95), Nick Bradford (1997-2000) and Scot Pollard (1994-97).

— KU Sports Information —

For Georgia Tech, it felt like a video game.

The option offense was working to perfection Saturday, and Kansas couldn’t find the off switch.

Led by Orwin Smith, who had more than 100 yards rushing and receiving, the Yellow Jackets piled up a school-record 768 yards in a 66-24 rout of the Jayhawks.

Georgia Tech (3-0) also set a school mark with 604 yards rushing and played with a passion and focus that was missing a year ago in an mistake-plagued loss to Kansas.

“When we’re making our blocks, it’s like a video game,” said Embry Peeples, who had a 63-yard touchdown run to spark a 42-point second half. “It’s score after score after score.”

The Yellow Jackets ran at will and mixed in three long passes against Kansas (2-1), which looked as if it had never seen the option offense.

“It’s a bad position to be in when you can’t adjust out of it,” Kansas defensive coordinator Vic Shealy said. “You can’t slow it down, and it snowballs on you.”

Georgia Tech avenged a 28-25 upset by the Jayhawks last season, a bitter defeat that sent the Yellow Jackets spiraling to a losing season.

“We wanted to show them that last year was a fluke game,” Peeples said. “The fun that they had was not going to be had today.”

Georgia Tech also set a school record with 604 yards on the ground in its highest-scoring game since a 69-14 win over Samford in 2007. Roddy Jones also scored running and receiving, while David Sims had a pair of rushing TDs.

Losing its 10th straight road game, Kansas gave up three one-play scoring drives to the Yellow Jackets, including their first offensive snap of each half.

Completing befuddling the Jayhawks with fakes, pitches and guys darting in all different directions, Georgia Tech averaged 12.1 yards each time they ran the ball. That broke the NCAA record, an 11.9-yard performance in 1973 by one of Bear Bryant’s powerhouse Alabama teams against Virginia Tech.

Smith needed only five carries to put up 157 yards. Peeples added 110 yards on five carries.

Smith set the tone on Georgia Tech’s first offensive play, breaking off a 95-yard touchdown for yet another record — longest run in school history. He swept through a huge hole, then picked up key blocks downfield from receivers Stephen Hill and Tyler Melton.

“Our offense is based on the perimeter,” Smith said. “If we’re getting blocks on the perimeter, we’re going to have a big game.”

Tevin Washington had another efficient day at quarterback, completing 4 of 7 for 164 yards. He connected with Smith on a 67-yard touchdown and hooked up with Jones on a 52-yarder. Washington also completed a 41-yard pass to Smith that came up short of the end zone, giving the junior A-back 108 yards on his two receptions.

Georgia Tech had gone seven years since its last player, Calvin Johnson, had rushing and receiving touchdowns in the same game. Both Smith and Jones did it against the Jayhawks.

Smith also was the first Yellow Jackets player since at least 1978 to account for more than 100 yards on the ground and through the air. The school wasn’t able to immediately determine if anyone did it before that.

Kansas kicked a field goal on the last play of the first half and actually went to the locker room only down 24-17. It was all Georgia Tech after that.

Peeples took off from the 37 on the opening play of the third quarter, was barely touched on his way to the end zone and the rout was on.

The Yellow Jackets were perfect — six possessions, six touchdowns — before running out the clock the final time they got the ball. They finished with their highest-scoring second half since putting up 96 over the final two periods of their famous 222-0 victory over Cumberland in 1916.

Georgia Tech broke the school record of 558 yards rushing against VMI in 1975, and the 706-yard mark for total yards set in 1948 against Citadel. The Yellow Jackets had 10 plays of at least 21 yards — and three that went for more than 50.

“We were spreading the love,” Washington said. “When everybody’s touching the ball, everybody’s happy.”

Especially when they have huge holes to run through. Numerous times, a Georgia Tech runner would burst past the line of scrimmage — every defender tied up by a blocker — and find a clear path to the end zone. It wasn’t farfetched to say the Yellow Jackets appeared to have extra players on the field.

Now, after averaging 59 points per game, they are off to their first 3-0 start since 2005 heading into Atlantic Coast Conference play.

“A lot of big plays,” coach Paul Johnson said. “It was fun. Especially after last year, it was fun.”

— Associated Press —

Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Friday evening that freshman Braeden Anderson will not attend the University of Kansas during the 2011-12 academic year.

The NCAA deemed Anderson to be a partial qualifier, which would make him eligible for financial aid and possibly earn the right to practice second semester with no competition. However, due to Big 12 Conference policy, all partial qualifiers must be approved by the league’s faculty athletic representatives and Anderson’s case was not approved for aid and therefore will not attend KU.

“I am very disappointed but I know Braeden is even more crushed,” said Self. “He has worked very hard to be in a position to come here. I certainly understand the uniqueness of his academic record coming from Canada. I understand the NCAA ruling and I understand the Big 12 policy that states that the faculty athletic representatives must approve, but I am extremely disappointed in the outcome.”

“Braeden has been great since he arrived here. Our goal for the immediate future is to give him as many options as possible moving forward so that he can make the best decision that fits him so that he can get on with his academic career.”

— KU Sports Information —

Kansas junior wide receiver/kick returner D.J. Beshears earned weekly honors from both the Big 12 and the Paul Hornung Award Monday. Beshears was named the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Week and was one of six national honorees on the Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll.

Beshears, a 5-foot-9 junior wide receiver/kick returner from Denton, Texas, recorded 285 all-purpose yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds as Kansas outlasted Northern Illinois, 45-42, on Saturday. Beshears set career highs in kick return yardage (197), receptions (seven), receiving yards (70) and touchdown receptions (two). His 51-yard kickoff return set up KU’s final scoring drive.

Beshears scored KU’s first touchdown of the game – a 15-yard pass from Jordan Webb in the first quarter – and also had an 18-yard run on KU’s decisive drive. The Kansas junior leads the Big 12 with 382 all-purpose yards, which includes a conference-best 283 yards in kick returns.

This marks the second time that Beshears has been named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, also taking the honor on Sept. 27, 2010 after KU’s win over New Mexico State.

Beshears and the Jayhawks will meet Georgia Tech Saturday at 11:30 a.m., at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta.

— KU Sports Information —

Jordan Webb hit B.J. Beshears with a 6-yard touchdown pass on fourth down with 9 seconds to go and Kansas escaped with a wild, back-and-forth 45-42 victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday night.

After Jasmin Hopkins’ 1-yard run put the Huskies on top 42-38 with 5:03 left in the seesaw slugfest, Beshears broke a 51-yard kickoff return to the 47. Then, facing a fourth-and-two from the 7 at the 1:19 mark, James Sims plowed to the 5 for a first-and-goal.

Two running plays lost yardage, setting up the last-second drama that resulted in Kansas’ first two-game winning streak under second-year head coach Turner Gill. The touchdown on the goal line was so close, it was reviewed as the crestfallen Huskies, who won 11 games last season and are bidding to become the next mid-major upstart, looked on hopefully.

Everyone expected an offensive shootout from two teams that combined for more than 950 total yards in winning their openers the week before, and everyone was right. It was tied 35-35 tie at the end of the third quarter. Kansas (2-0) totaled 534 yards and Northern Illinois had 462.

Chandler Harnish, Northern Illinois’ senior quarterback closing in on a raft of team records, was 27 for 33 for 315 6yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 89 yards and three TDs.

The Jayhawks also had touchdown runs of 72 yards by Tony Pierson and 31 by James Sims called back by holding penalties. Sims wound up with 110 yards rushing and two touchdowns while Jordan Webb was 21 for 30 for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

After Harnish hit Da’Ron Brown with a 6-yard TD pass to tie it 35-all near the end of the third quarter, the Jayhawks swept right back down the field but were stopped on third-and-goal from the 5 and Alex Mueller kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 38-35 lead.

The first half ended with a wild flourish and Kansas locked in a 21-21 tie. With less than two minutes to play and Northern Illinois facing a fourth-and-six from the 30, Harnish lifted a perfectly thrown pass to Martel Moore, who appeared to come down with the ball just one yard short of the goal line.

The Huskies hurriedly lined up to run a play and seize a 28-14 lead. But a review resulted in a reversal, so the Jayhawks took over on their 30 at the 1:46 mark.

On third-and-eight, Webb hit Sims out of the backfield, he got a couple of good blocks and went 39 yards to the 29. A moment later, Webb was sacked, putting Kansas beyond field-goal range. But with 17 seconds left, on third-and-17, the Huskies blew coverage and left Kale Pick completely alone down field. He hauled in Webb’s 36-yard touchdown pass, making it 21-21.

Each team scored two touchdowns in a third quarter that was almost devoid of defense. Harnish tallied on a 26-yard run and connected with Brown on a 10-yard TD pass. Kansas got two TD runs from Sims of 8 and 1 yard. Webb started sharp, hitting Beshears with a TD pass on third-and-goal from the 15. Harnish found Brown for 18 yards on fourth-and-three from the 28 on the Huskies’ next possession and Harnish ran it in from the 7.

After Sims’ TD run was wiped out by a penalty, Northern Illinois took over on its own 32 and Harnish was 3 for 3 for 53 yards in a five-play, 68-yard drive he capped with a 12-yard scoring run.

Northern Illinois tackle Ron Newcomb fell on a Kansas fumble after Webb and Sims bobbled a handoff and Harnish needed nine plays to move 53 yards for a 21-7 lead. On third-and-goal from the 8, the senior quarterback fired into the end zone for Martel Moore and a 21-7 lead.

JaCory Shepherd’s 20-yard reception on third-and-10 a few minutes later kept Kansas’ drive alive and Darrian Miller, one of several fleet freshmen who have enlivened what used to be a ponderous offense, made it 21-14 with an 18-yard dash around right end.

— Associated Press —

Men’s basketball freshmen Ben McLemore and Jamari Traylor are enrolled at the University of Kansas and have begun going to class, head coach Bill Self announced Thursday.

“The NCAA and the Big 12 have cleared both Ben and Jamari to enroll and attend class,” Self said. “They (the NCAA) are still reviewing information to determine their final status concerning participation. Both are on scholarship and have been cleared to be here. Now we are just waiting to hear the final status.”

“(It’s) not like Josh’s (Selby) situation last year but there are a few similarities that do take time in responding to academic materials,” Self said.

On KU freshman Braeden Anderson, Self said “We hope to have an answer by the end of the working day tomorrow (Friday).”

— KU Sports Information —

The Sept. 24 Legends of the Phog exhibition game in Allen Fieldhouse is sold out.

Tickets went on sale Aug. 24 to Williams Education Fund members and current KU students.  More than 10,000 tickets sold between then and Sept. 5.  The general public scooped up the remaining tickets by 11 a.m. Tuesday morning.

Former KU coaches Larry Brown and Ted Owens will coach a collection of former KU players who have been part of three NCAA titles, 54 conference championships, 13 Final Fours and 2,038 all-time victories. The rosters will include many current NBA Jayhawks as well as many other recent KU standouts.

Kansas Athletics will donate a portion of the proceeds in memory of former KU assistant coach Neil Dougherty who died tragically this past summer.  KU officials are working directly with the Dougherty family on specifics, including one of his favorite local charities – the Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence.

The event will tip off at 4 p.m. Sat., Sept. 24 in historic Allen Fieldhouse.

Confirmed attendees (as of Sept. 6, 2011):

Cole Aldrich
Mario Chalmers
Nick Collison
Xavier Henry
Darnell Jackson
Marcus Morris
Markieff Morris
Greg Ostertag
Paul Pierce
Scot Pollard
Brandon Rush
Darnell Valentine
Julian Wright

— KU Sports Information —

Jordan Webb threw three touchdown passes and ran for another, and Kansas, flashing the improved speed coach Turner Gill had promised, beat McNeese State 42-24 Saturday night in a season opener delayed almost 25 minutes by rain.

JaCorey Shepherd caught three passes for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He went 56 yards for one score and then, after getting wide open on a fourth-and-3 play in the fourth quarter, hauled in a 48-yard pass for another.

Kansas also got touchdown runs from James Sims, who totaled 104 yards on 19 carries, and Tony Pierson.

The Jayhawks looked snappy and much faster than last year, when they struggled to a 3-9 finish in Gill’s first season, beginning with a shocking 6-3 loss to Division II North Dakota State.

Webb, who started seven games in an injury-marred 2010 season, attempted only 10 passes, but completed seven for 146 yards.

Pierson, a true freshman, went 47 yards on his first carry to set up a touchdown and 13 yards into the end zone the second time he touched the ball. He had 73 yards on five carries.

Cody Stroud was 22 for 27 for 210 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys. He alternated with Riley Dodge, who was 9 for 14 for 107 yards and another TD.

After getting stopped cold on their first possession, the Jayhawks went 84 yards in eight plays on their second, with Webb hitting Daymond Patterson on a 25-yard scoring pass following Sims’ 30-yard scamper up the middle.

The Jayhawks took a 21-3 lead into halftime following Sims’ 1-yard touchdown run and Pierson’s 13-yard carry out of a wildcat formation.

The Cowboys scored on their first possession of the second half, rolling 76 yards in 12 plays. Stroud flipped a short pass to Champlain Babin, who got two excellent blocks while going into the end zone. Babin had five catches for 108 yards.

The Jayhawks answered with Shepherd’s 56-yard catch-and-run. Shepherd and Kale Pick seemed to be running the same route, and both had their hands up. But Shepherd, a couple of steps behind Pick, was the one who pulled in the ball.

McNeese State’s Dodge, on fourth-and-14, found a wide-open Wes Briscoe for a 32-yard scoring pass in the third quarter. Then back came the Jayhawks, with Sims getting a short touchdown run for a 35-16 lead early in the fourth.

Stroud connected with Babin on a 60-yard pass play, then got into the end zone two plays later. He hit Damion Dixon for a two-point conversion that made the score 35-24 with 8:32 to go before Webb hooked up with Shepherd on another long scoring pass.

— Associated Press —

Kansas football head coach Turner Gill addressed two personnel changes regarding the Jayhawk football roster here Tuesday afternoon.

Gill first announced that freshman quarterback Brock Berglund will no longer be taking part in practice during the fall semester, but will remain a member of the Kansas football team.

“Due to legal issues, Brock will no longer be attending practices with the team this fall,” said Gill. “He will remain enrolled as a KU student, and plans to resume all team activities in the spring semester.”

Additionally, Gill announced that due to a violation of team policies, sophomore running back Deshaun Sands has been removed from the team effective immediately.

Sands played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2010, gaining 211 yards on 55 carries, with one touchdown. He picked up Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year honors in 2009, while sitting out the season as a redshirt.

The Jayhawks will open the season Saturday, Sept. 3, when they play host to McNeese State. KU-MSU will kick-off at 6 p.m.

— KU Sports Information —