10B FOOTBALL
SCRIMMAGE (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 16, 2007
throws to junior wide receivers Marcus Herford and Raymond Brown.
Meier was slightly less flashy than Reesing, but displayed good touch on several occasions, connecting with senior wide receiver Marcus Henry for two touchdowns. Meier finished 13-for-27 for 204 yards and an interception that sophomore safety Darrell Stuckey took the other way for an easy touchdown. But the lapse was an isolated incident and Meier showed poise throughout the scrimmage.
"Its a heated competition," coach Mark Mangino said. "Those guys are, in a friendly way, competing intensely."
The 6-foot-4 Henry frequently used his notable size advantage against the second-stringers that covered him. He corralled six catches, gaining 150 yards and scoring three touchdowns. He was at his best on Sunday, adjusting to poorly thrown passes, out-leaping defenders and picking up yardage after his catches.
"Marcus had a great spring," Reesing said. "With his body type and his route running ability and the way he catches
the ball I think he could step into the role of a number one receiver"
The Blue team also dominated on the defensive side of the ball, allowing only 78 yards of total offense. The White offensive line was no match for the ferocious pass rush led by junior linebacker Joe Mortensen and junior defensive end John Larson.
Mortensen laid several hefty hits on the quarterback and flew from sideline to sideline to tally 10 tackles and one sack. Thanks to Mortensen's highlight-worthy game and the speed of junior outside linebacker James Holt, the defense looked nothing like last year's version that was full of holes.
"I liked the way we were running to the ball on defense," Mangino said. "We played the run pretty well. I liked the mental edge the defense of the Blue group had today."
The secondary appeared to have made great strides during the five weeks of spring practices. Solidified by the addition of junior cornerback Kendrick Harper from Butler County Community College, the unit often
forced the quarterbacks to tuck the ball and run when no receivers were open. Junior cornerback Aqib Talib said improved chemistry was key to the improved play of the defensive backfield.
"This year, we've got more experience. We've got more plays under our belt," Talib said. "We feel like more of a team right now."
More than four months remain until the Jayhawks' season gets underway, but football-starved fans were anxious to take in some football in the middle of April. Sunday's announced attendance was 8,200, the largest crowd for a spring game during the Mark Mangino era. Fans may not have learned which quarterback will emerge as the starter come fall, but for one afternoon they received a glimpse at the future, albeit uncertain, of Kansas football.
Kansan sportswriter Asher Fusco can be contacted at afusco@kansan.com.
Edited by Sharla Shivers
Anna Faltermeier/KANSAN
Sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing is tackled by junior linebacker Joe Mortensen and freshman safety Olafian Oguntodu during the second quarter of the 2007 Spring Scrimmage Sunday afternoon in Memorial Stadium.
MCANDERSON (CONTINUED FROM 1B)
Cornish gone now, McAnderson has the chance to be Kansas' backfield star. The runs of 10 yards or more could become common.
That doesn't mean he's done being the Jayhawks' short yardage specialist.
"My size is one of my biggest assets," McAnderson said. "I feel confident I can get it into the end zone on any play that they call."
Hitting is natural for McAnderson at 6 feet and 235 pounds. All he has to do to knock a linebacker off his feet is get low and push forward. He did that just that during the Spring Scrimmage. McAnderson ran for a 2-yard touchdown and had three first downs on short-yardage situations.
"Brandon did what he does best," Mangino said. "He gets his pads down, and he gets tough yardage."
His ability to rumble over people contrasts from sophomore lake Sharp, the Jayhawks' other candidate to earn the starting running back position. Sharp doesn't have McAnderson's size, but he can sprint into the open field before the defensive linemen get out of
their three-point stance. He had seven carries for 39 yards during Sunday's game despite being slightly injured. The two will likely compete for the bulk of the carries.
"That's out of my hands," McAnderson said. "I'm just going to go out there and perform. If the opportunity comes, I'll be ready for it."
As a package deal, McAnderson and Sharp could make a formidable backfield. Mangino plans to use both for different situations. Sharp will stretch the defense, and McAnderson will bullock it.
Any role suits McAnderson. He's ready to do whatever the team needs to get Kansas back to a bowl game during his senior season.
"I want it all bad," McAnderson said. "If it means running the ball, blocking a ton of times, playing special teams. I'm willing to do whatever because it's my last chance."
Kansan sportswriter Mark Dent can be contacted at mdent@ kansan.com.
Edited by Carissa Pedigo
More than 8,000 fans got a taste of fall at the Spring Scrimmage on Sunday at Memorial Stadium, filling stands for a glimpse at next year's team nearly five months before the first game of the season.
Fans get sneak peek of fall season
The scrimmage was a dress rehearsal for everyone involved. A referee backpedaled into a pylon and tumbled to the delight of the crowd, Hank Booth misspoke a couple of times over the loudspeaker, and the team worked under the direction of a new offensive coordinator. The leaves on the trees around the stadium were budding rather than changing colors, but the blare of the fight song, the yell of the cheerleaders and the smell of beer in the air gave the day the feel of a Saturday in fall.
Though not as numerous or rowdy as on a normal game day, hundreds of fans showed up early to tailgate on the hill and enjoy the warm, sunny weather.
Danny Kessler, Lawrence resident,
and a group of friends drank
BY KYLE CARTER
beer and grilled burgers near the base of the hill next to a big blue bus with red-tinted windows and "Jayhawk Nation" painted on the side. Kessler said they tailgated at
every game last season, usually with a keg on the bus, which his brother owned. They settled for five coolers of beer instead of a keg on Sunday, but Kessler said they'd been there
ARIC TOLER iola freshman
"I want to see what moves he does and what works against bigger people," Malik said.
Elementary School and hopes to play running back on his youth football team this year. He said McAnderson was his favorite player because he attended several of
"Seven wins and a bowl game. That's all I ask."
since 11 a.m., 4 1/2 hours before the start of the scriffmage.
Just up the hill an air pump labored to fill a moonwalk that functioned as a magnet for the children in attendance. Malik Thompson, 10, eagerly waited his turn in line. Soon after, his attention turned to his favorite player, senior running back Brandon McAnderson.
The moon-
Malik attends Kennedy
walk deflated at the start of the game, and the crowd migrated into the stadium, where fans had a rare chance to be both dedicated supporter and fair-weather fan at the same time. With the team playing against itself, fans clapped and cheered at every big play, showing favor to whoever succeeded rather than rooting solely for the first or second team.
Aric Toler, iola freshman, said he was particularly impressed by sophomore quarterback Todd Reesing's running and junior cor-
the school of Malik's football practices last year. Malik said McAnderson encouraged the players to do well in school and gave them pointers on the field.
nerback Aqib Talib's coverage.
The crowd buzzed with talk of Reesing and fellow sophomore quarterback Kerry Meier, who will compete for the starting job.
Toler attended with four of his friends. They were split on who should be the starter, but Toler said he felt the competition would make them better.
"I think they need to stick to one once the season starts to give the team stability," he said.
Kessler repeated the word "potential" when describing the team and said the program was on the rise. Toler was more specific about his hopes for the team.
Fans eager for the start of the season on Sept. 1 at Memorial Stadium against Central Michigan were optimistic about the team's prospects.
"Seven wins and a bowl game," he said. "That's all I ask."
Kansan staff writer Kyle Carter can be contacted at kcarter@ kansan.com.
Edited by Carissa Pedigo
3 players who impressed
Joe Mortensen, junior linebacker — Not only did Mortensen lead the Jayhawks in tackles, he kept the offense on its heels with three tackles for loss. Mortensen was projected as a backup after moving from outside linebacker to middle linebacker during the offseason. But Mortensen looked at home at the middle spot, directing teammates and making big hits. Mike Rivera played well with the second-team defense, but Mortensen was more impressive on Sunday.
Brandon McAnderson, senior fullback —McAnderson lined up in a number of different positions for the Jayhawks and was productive in every situation. He totaled 80 rushing yards on 15 carries and eight receiving yards on one reception. McAnderson wasn't just versatile, he was
elusive. The 235-pound back appeared quicker than last season, running around defenders instead of over them.
John Larson, junior defensive end The battle for playing time at the defensive end position was one of the most intriguing of the spring. With four capable candidates vying for two spots, the situation was very fluid. However, Larson may have assured himself a starting spot with his performance in the scrimmage. Playing with the first team, he recorded five tackles, recovered a fumble and sacked Todd Reesing in the first quarter. Kansas looks stacked at the defensive end position with the stout Larson and lanky Russell Broers putting the clamps on the quarterback.
3 players who disappointed
Angus Quigley, sophomore running back — Quigley, by far the most physically gifted back on the roster, never lined up in the backfield. He was instead used mainly as a slot receiver, playing on the second squad. Quigley made two catches for 17 yards but looked out of sorts playing at his new position. Coach Mark Mangino attributed Quigley's rust to having missed a few practices.
Darrell Stuckey, sophomore safety/punt returner — Stuckey may not have the title of punt returner next to his name anymore. He was fabulous on defense, making big hits at the line of scrimmage and returning an interception for a touchdown. He was not so successful when it came to holding onto punts. Even though every
punt return was an automatic fair catch in the scrimmage, Stuckey looked nervous and missed several easy catches. Junior cornerback Gary Green looked much more steady fielding punts.
Donte Bean, sophomore running back — Bean cannot be solely taken to task for his performance on Sunday, considering the second-team offensive line provided little in the way of blocking, but he was the least impressive of all the Jayhawk backs. With Jake Sharp limited by a minor injury, Bean was the most frequently used tailback. He did not take advantage of the opportunity, rushing for one yard on 10 carries.
Asher Fusco
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