THE UNIVERSITY OF DARY KANSAN
MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2006
Anthony Mattingly/KANSAN
quarter interception during Saturday's game against quarter interception with a 59-yard set to set up a.
DAVIS (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
KU 20 - CU 15 5B
40 yards into the end zone to Jeff Foster. Foster didn't catch it, but an obvious pass interference was called and on the very next play Reesing hit Cornish with a screen that went for six points.
There was a certain sense of "what the hell is Mangino doing" versus "please let this kid be legit" swirling above Kivisto Field when the youngster entered the game. Yeah, his first possession wasn't the stuff legends are made of, but the job he did for the rest of the game was
After the Foster throw, Reeing looked toward the end zone, saw the penalty call, and pumped his fist as if to say, okay, now we're rolling. And rolling he was.
To start the third drive of his KU career, Reesing threw a gorgeous play-action pass to another true freshman, Jake Sharp, good for 42 yards and a play that started the Jayhawks' comeback in earnest. But it was three plays later, when Reesing dropped back, felt the pocket collapse, calmly stepped up and threw an absolute strike
The poise Reesing showed on Saturday is something Kerry Meier knows faintly and Adam Barmann's only heard about. The way the offense ran after Reesing got going was the finest I've ever seen this offense — and that includes the Nebraska game this year.
Reeing gives this team something it's sorely lacked — a playmaker at quarterback. I know we've
all hyped up Meier and wanted so badly for him to be the man. But all we've gotten out of the blond-locked Kansan is a couple of ugly wins against bad teams and a shoulder problem that leaves me wondering if he's a bigger version of Dylan.
Mark Mangino knew he had something in Todd Reesing, but I'm not sure he knew just how special the kid actually was. Forget the kid's height. He's got moxie, he's got a big arm, and most importantly, he's got big-play ability. And when it comes to big-play ability, everything is bigger in Texas.
Davis is a Topeka senior in journalism.
- Edited by Catherine Odson
Freshman quarterback Todd Reesing makes a pass downfield while under pressure from the Buffalo defense during Saturday's game against Colorado. Reesing had seven completed passes out of 11 attempts and scored two touchdowns to beat the Buffaloes 20-15.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
e 1,000-yard mark.
Kansas 20. Colorado 15
Colorado 3 6 0 6 - 15
Kansas 0 0 7 13 - 20
First Quarter
CU — Crosby, 37 yd field goal, 4:51.
Second Quarter
Second Quarter
CU — Crosby, 26 yd field goal, 8:57
CU — Crosby, 32 yd field goal, 41.
Third Quarter
KU — Cornish, 22 yd pass from Reeving (Waltham High) 4:25
Third Quarter
Fourth Quarter
KU — Reesing, 3 yd run (Webb kick),
14:30.
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Despite being listed at only 5-foot-11, Reesing certainly proved he belonged.
After an interception on the second pass of his career, Reesing seemed to get into a rhythm on the team's third drive.
I wanted to be in there."
He hooked up with fellow freshman Jake Sharp for 42-yard completion. Sharp lined up in the backfield, then split out wide, making the catch in front of the Colorado sideline and running down to the 34-vard line.
"We worked that play all week and knew it would be good for us. We knew we were going to start clicking from there on up."
That completion, the longest of the day for Reeing, set up the first three consecutive scoring drives.
Reesing finished with three touchdowns — two through the air and another on the ground.
Kansas now just needs two more victories in its final three games to become bowl-eligible for the second straight season. The road back to a bowl game won't be easy, with two of those final three coming on the road, where the Jayhawks have lost seven straight.
The difference with Reesing in the game was that Kansas was able to go back to the quarterback run game that had been so successful with Meier. In fact, it worked so well
in the second half that Reese finished the day with 90 yards and was the team's leading rush.
"A lot of people overlooked him because they thought he won't call enough." Mangino said. "That's our benefit — that's our gain. We don't care what kids look like or how tall they are. We care if they can play. He has the ability, no question."
"Bumps and bruises don't hurt as much when you're having success," Mangino said. "The food in the cafeteria all of a sudden tastes like you're at a fine, French restaurant. Everything improves when you win."
None of that mattered Saturday, though.
Kansan senior sportswriter Ryan Schneider can be contacted at rschneider@kansan.com.
Edited by Kristen Jarboe
After talk early in the season of parity between the Big 12 North and South, the South again appears to be dominating the conference. Voter Thor Nystrom adds that "Missouri's dream season is about to end with a thud." He also gives a vote of confidence to Oklahoma State, calling the Cowboys "the best team that $250 million can buy". The Jayhawks will hit the road this weekend against Iowa State, which is currently ranked 12th.
Big 12 Power Rankings.
1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Texas A&M
4. Nebraska
5. Missouri
6. Oklahoma State
7. Texas Tech
8. Baylor
9. Kansas
10. Colorado
11. Kansas State
12. Iowa State
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING
KU — Fine, 5 yd pass from Reesing (pass failed). 7:57.
CU — Walters, 95 yd fumble recovery (pass failed), 3:17.
CU: Charles 15-78, BJackson 13-67,
Holliday 10-27, Ellis 2-3, Team 1-0,
Cox 2-3)
KU: Reeing 7-90, Cornish 23-80,
McAnderson 1-0, Barmann 2(-9).
PASSING
CU: B.Jackson 9-21-1-132, Cox 1-5-0
RECEIVING
12. Geer 0-1-1-0.
CU: Barnett 3-26, Williams 2-65,
Crawford 2-14, Sprague 1-19, Yates
1-14, Charles 1-6.
KU: Barmann 11-18-2-74, Reesing 7-11-1-106.
KU: Murph 6-22, Fields 3-11, Cornish 2-27, MarHenry 2-23, Sharp 1-42, J.Foster 1-31, Lamb 1-16, Fine 1-5, McAnderson 1-3.
RECORDS — Kansas 4-5, 1-4; Colo
rado 1-8, 1-4.
Jared Gab/KANSAN
Kansas defensive players celebrate their ability to hold the Colorado offense from a first down. The Jayhawks gained possession after the close call was confirmed by a chain measurement.
UP OR DOWN