Monday, April 16, 2007
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.
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.
pullquote
I want to see what moves he does and what works against bigger people.
-Malik Thompson
Danny Kessler, Lawrence resident, and a group of friends drank 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 since 11 a.m., 4 1/2 hours before the start of the scrimmage.
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.
“I want to see what moves he does and what works against bigger people,” Malik said.
Malik attends Kennedy 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 Malik’s football practices last year. Malik said McAnderson encouraged the players to do well in school and gave them pointers on the field.
The moonwalk 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 cornerback Aquib 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.
Fans eager for the start of the season on Sept. 1 at Memorial Stadium against Central Michigan were optimistic about the team’s prospects.
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.
“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
Mallot and Haworth Halls, two of the larger ...
1 comment
Lawrence Settles Lawrence graduate student “I like T-Pain ...
1 comment
Mallot and Haworth Halls, already two of the ...
1 comment
It was the symmetry of this sidewalk that ...
1 comment
Texting while driving is the cause of many ...
1 comment
Comments
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.