6A
SPORTS FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2010 THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN KANSAN.COM
FOOTBALL (CONTINUED FROM 10A)
MORE ON THE QUARTERBACK CANDIDATES
Kale Pick
Strengths: "He's got a great
arm and
he always
wants to go
deep. Our
big thing,
that first
game he
was ready
to throw the
long ball.
Pick
But he developed and just as a student of the game, he has learned how to make the right decisions."
- Dodge City High School coach Justin Burke
Weaknesses: "His weak
Weaknesses: "His weaknesses probably tie in with his strengths. The fact that he's so driven and so determined to win, he sometimes tries too hard. He never wants to lose and tries to maybe make some plays when they aren't there."
— Burke
Jordan Webb
Strengths: "He has a live
arm, a really
strong arm.
He has
what a lot
of coaches
talk about:
He has 'it.'
He has the
ability to
anticipate
Webb
he ability to make plays."
— Union High School coach Brent Eckley
Weaknesses: "Athletically, speed-wise is something he's going to have to improve on because the guys he's playing against are going to be NFL-type guys. There will be a lot of speed there. The more he can work on his feet, the better chance he'll have at avoiding those hits."
Eckley
Ouinn Mecham
to be Ben
Strengths:"He's not going
to be seen Roethlisberger and throw a 50-yard touchdown pass. But he can throw the touch
pass, the
Mechan
out pass and the intermediate pass. He's real accurate and throws a very catchable ball."
Snow College coach Steve Coburn
Weaknesses: "He can throw the deep ball but he doesn't have the strong arm to throw that on-a-laser ball down the field."
Coburn
he's from Dodge City and we've got the Old West heritage with Wyatt Earp and the gunslingsers. But he can flat throw the football."
Pick earned All-State honors as a junior in leading Dodge City to its first winning season in 12 years.
But he hasn't played significantly since then. Pick missed nearly all of his senior year with a thumb injury before redshirting his first season at Kansas.
Last year, he played well enough that former coach Mark Mangino decided to name Pick — not Kerry Meier — as Reesing's backup.
"He can go anywhere in the pocket and put the ball on the money, and he's very dangerous on the edge throwing the ball." Burke said. "He's a John Elway-type of guy."
In the final game of the season — and his high school career — Pick returned from his injury to play against Goddard.
Dodge City lost and Burke can't remember how many
amassed.
But Burke
doe is
remember
one thing:
Pick only
had two
practices to
prepare for
the game.
combined for 55 touchdowns his senior season at Union High School in Union, Mo. And that is where he draws one more comparison to Reesing.
"I think that Jordan is a little better athlete than the Reesing kid right now."
In his first public college appearance after graduating high school early, Webb kept plays alive by scrambling around the pocket — a trait shared by Reesing, the school record holder in nearly every passing category.
With Pick returning after seeing limited snaps last year — and with the addition of Mecham — Webb's name isn't always mentioned when discussing Reesing's replacement.
"He was
"There are a lot of times he probably makes plays that are above his athletic ability," Eckley said.
"That's stuff that he did for us here in the tight games when teams were a little better than us," Webb's high school coach, Brent Eckley, said. "I do think there are some similarities there."
During Kansas' spring game on April 11 last year, freshman Jordan Webb filled in for Todd Reesing, Kerry Meier and even Pick late in the game.
Webb enters spring practices as the least talked about candidate for the quarterback job.
very rusty because he hadn't practiced in eight weeks, but again his drive and will to win were unbelievable with a casted up throwing hand." Burke said. "And he was still throwing a nice ball."
"I think that Jordan is a little better athlete than the Reeseing kid right now," Eckley said. "He's a little faster, taller and definitely stronger."
BRENT ECKLEY Union, Mo., high school coach
"His mindset going into the spring is he wants to be the guy and that he's good enough to be the guy," Eckley said. "He knows he will be in a battle, but that's his mindset."
Granted. Eckley's position is that of an undoubtedly biased high school coach. But his point is well taken.
Yet Eckley is quick to add to the comparison between the 5-foot-11 Reesing and the 6-foot-1 Webb.
After a sloppy first half in Snow College's bowl game against Grand Rapids last season - after the Badgers dug an 18-13 halftime deficit - offensive
JORDAN WEBB
OUINN MECHAM
Webb passed for 3,100 yards, rushed for another 1,024 and
coordinator
Tyler Hughes approached quarterback Quinn Machum
"Coach Hughes sat him down and said, 'Quinn, we're going to go as you go.'
If you come out and play well the second half, we're going to win this game." Snow College coach Steve Coburn said.
Mecham finished the game with 352 passing yards and four touchdowns. But more importantly, he engineered a 96-yard scoring drive in the final minutes to give Snow College a 41-37 victory.
"That's kind of what Quinn did all the time," Coburn said. "He just put the team on his shoulders."
The only junior college player joining coach Turner Gill in his first season. Mecham passed for 3,091 yards and 40 touchdowns during his final season at Snow College.
"He's very accurate and he can make all the throws," Coburn said.
Although unofficial, Coburn said that Mecham ran his 40-yard dash in the "4.5 range," a more than respectable time for a quarterback.
"In the bowl game, when the protection broke down or the coverage was good, he was able to run it and get 10 or 15 yards." Coburn said. "He's fast, but he's not Vince Young."
Still, Coburn said the most impressive aspects of Mecham are his intangibles - the parts of his game that are harder to describe.
"He's just a winner," Coburn said.
— Edited by Cory Bunting
Running backs:
Linebackers:
Kansas' linebackers dealt with questions about replacing three three-year starters last season. Now they'll face questions about improving a unit that generally struggled in conference play a year ago.
Cornerbacks:
Plus, Kansas' corners rotated throughout the year as no player managed to claim a starting spot for the entire season.
Seniors Justin Springer and Drew Dudley and sophomore Huldon Tharp all played extensively last season but sometimes looked outmatched against the quick and physical teams of the Big 12.
Deshaun Sands, a 5-foot-9 freshman, was named Offensive Scout Team Player of the Year while redshirting last season.
Throughout last season, Kansas' corners struggled with the speedy receivers in the Big 12. The Jayhawks surrendered 245 passing yards per game, the ninth-most in the Big 12.
as the most experienced option (he led Kansas with 554 yards and nine touchdowns), but the Jayhawks also possess a stable of young and unproven running backs.
After the first three games last season, the Jayhawks never developed a consistent running game. Sophomore Toben Opurum returns
Brandon Bourbon, a four-star recruit according to Rivals.com, and James Sims, a three-star recruit, are new faces that could compete for carries once they arrive this summer.
Position situations:
OTHER POSITIONS TO WATCH
Scheme changes:
Before the start of spring practice, eight players have already been penciled in for different positions than they played last season. But that doesn't mean they'll stay in those positions. Keep an eye
With a new coaching staff comes change. And that usually includes players, too. Keep an eye on any players that have either left or joined Gill in his first season.
Faces:
Linebacker Vernon Brooks is back on the team after leaving the Jayhawks during the middle of last season. Brooks, who played at Binn Junior College, joined Kansas late during spring practice last season
Offensive coordinator Chuck Long and defensive coordinator Carl Torbush carry with them respected reputations as coordinators. What scheme changes will be implemented during their first seasons?
Steven Foster moved from defensive end to fullback.
Chase Knighton moved from quarterback to wide receiver.
Angus Quigley moved from linebacker to running back. He started his career as a running back.
Isiah Barfield moved from wide receiver to corner back.
- Jayson Jenks
Daymond Patterson moved from cornerback to wide receiver. He initially started as a wide receiver as a freshman two seasons ago.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
The Dynamite Saloon & Buffalo Bob's • 719 Mass • 856-BREW
D. J.Beshears moved from cornerback to wide receiver. He started three games at cornerback last season.
- Duane Zlatnik moved from defensive line to offensive line.
lan Wolfe moved from offensive line to tight end.
on position situations as Gill becomes more comfortable with his team.
Notables...
B/
good friends great Place smart living
Largest Floorplan in Town Private Shuttle to KU Campus Fully Furnished w/ Washer & Dryer Free Internet & Best Cable Package Pet Friendly International Students Welcome
Legends Place
smart student living.com
HOMES FOR SALE
4101 W. 24th Place, Lawrence, KS 66047
(785) 856-5848
2 Blocks West of HyVee on Clinton Parkway