Tracking Mack

General Comments:
The defense is looking to start the game better than we did last week, obviously. We had played such great defense for the last four or five weeks, so we want to make sure we get off to a good start. Derrick Johnson and Phillip Geiggar, the senior leaders on this team, have been talking all week about getting a better start. We want to play the entire game against Kansas the way we did in the second half against Oklahoma State. Both practices have been really good. The players know what is at stake and they are ready to go to Lawrence.

On Kansas' quarterback situation:
Last week, the young man went 21 of 31 for 187 yards. About the time that everyone starts talking about his lack of experience, a guy like that can get hot and really gets after you. We've got to do a great job of stopping the run and getting after him, but we've got to anticipate him having his best day ever.

On getting up for Kansas:
When you look at Texas A&M and Baylor, Florida St. and Maryland, Mississippi St. and Florida and Miami and North Carolina, it isn't hard to get up for this game. You have to take who is the best team on that day, not who might win eight out of 10 or nine out of 10, but who is the best on that day. That is how parity has changed college football.

On Derrick Johnson and Cedric Benson being finalists for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award:
It's a great day for those guys. They are obviously two of the best players in the country and I'm glad that the awards people thought they were two of the top 10 in America. I still think they are the best two. Kansas is doing a good job against the run so it will be a tough day for Cedric, but he's handled himself really well throughout the year. I think he should end up in New York for what he has accomplished. If he gets 119 yards, he's going to surpass a bunch of Heisman Trophy winners. Derrick, to me, is the best defensive player in the country and he continues to show that each week.