Scaling new heights is one thing. Fielding a consistently strong team is another.

That is the challenge Kansas must begin to embrace in spring practice after the Jayhawks played their first New Year's Day game in 39 years, beating Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl to finish 12-1.

Several key players return, including spunky quarterback Todd Reesing, though the Jayhawks must replace a pair of All-Americans -- cornerback Aqib Talib and offensive tackle Anthony Collins -- who applied for the NFL Draft.

Finding replacements for those stars, as well as gap-plugger James McClinton, an All-Big 12 defensive tackle, will be chief objectives for Kansas during spring drills.

The Jayhawks don't figure to tinker as much with their system as a year ago, when Ed Warinner took over as offensive coordinator and installed a no-huddle spread.

However, Kansas must adjust on defense after veteran coordinator Bill Young, an original member of Mark Mangino's staff, left for Miami. As much as the Jayhawks will miss McClinton and Talib, the loss of Young and all the knowledge he brought could be critical. His presence allowed Mangino, a former offensive coach, to spend most of his time developing the Kansas attack.

"Any given day anything can happen. Anybody can beat anybody. Last year was evidence of that," said running back Jake Sharp, who figures to get more carries after alternating last season with a senior, Brandon McAnderson. "We have to keep working as hard, if not harder, than we did last year."

Not only must Kansas work hard, it also must hope it recruited intelligently. The Jayhawks lost two scholarships as the result of Academic Progress Report deficiencies. The program already was down three scholarships as the result of NCAA sanctions, which is why Kansas signed only 20 recruits in February.

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