Redshirt freshmen bolster offensive line

Friday, August 22, 2008

At 6-foot-6, 314 pounds, Jeff Spikes wouldn’t be your typical kicker.

But because the number of kickers on the roster continues to dwindle, coach Mark Mangino figures to go looking for a backup kicker anywhere he can find him. And though Spikes has already nailed down a starting spot at left tackle, he’d gladly step back and launch a few kicks if called upon.

“I actually kicked in high school,” said Spikes, a redshirt freshman from Painseville, Ohio. “It’s funny because most of my teammates don’t believe me, but I kicked off and had a lot of touchbacks. I kicked one extra point when our field goal kicker got hurt during the game. It went off the goalpost and went in. I’m always willing to do whatever I have to do to help my team.”

Spikes joked about the possibility two weeks ago when the Jayhawks had four viable kickers on the roster, but the matter may not be as funny now that the Jayhawks appear to be down to just one kicker.

Chances are Spikes won’t get his chance to kick, but just nailing down a starting spot on the offensive line and being able to contribute has him counting down the days until the Jayhawks play host to Florida International next Saturday.

“I’m overwhelmed with excitement,” Spikes said. “Last year was something that couldn’t be traded for anything, and hopefully we do what we have to do to make it back there again and I can contribute and felt good about it.”

Spikes sat atop the depth chart at left tackle since the spring game and beat out Ian Wolfe for the spot during camp. He was ranked as the seventh best lineman in the state of Ohio by Rivals.com coming out of high school in 2007, and impressed Mangino and the coaching staff right away.

“He’s one of the most athletic linemen we’ve had here,” Mangino said. “Of course he’s young and has a lot to learn but he’s coming along fine. He has a chance at the end of the day when he’s done here, to be one of the better offensive lineman we’ve had at Kansas.”

Just being a starter as a redshirt freshman is hard enough, but having to replace a First-Team All American in Anthony Collins makes Spikes’ job almost impossible.

“It’s going to be hard; filling his shoes will be a great challenge,” Spikes said. “I learned a lot from AC. He was a wonderful player. Every time he came to the field he was always energetic and loud and some people thought it was kind of annoying but in my mind, it was something that helped us get ready for practice or the game and I am trying to take that from him.”

Spikes will join Jeremiah Hatch as newcomers to the offensive line this fall. Hatch, a 6-foot-3, 311-pound redshirt freshman from Dallas, was listed on the preseason depth chart as the second string left guard, but Hatch beat out Matt Darton for top right tackle spot. He replaces Cesar Rodriguez, who started more than 40 games during his career at Kansas before graduating last spring.

“He is one of the hardest working and hardest playing guys we have on the team,” Mangino said of Hatch. “What he lacks in experience, he’ll make up with grit and toughness and hard work.”

Joining Hatch and Spikes on the offensive line are three returning starters in center Ryan Cantrell and guards Adrian Mayes and Chet Hartley. Despite losing two starters on the line, Mangino is confident that the group will be more than capable of protecting quarterback Todd Reesing.

“I have confidence in all five kids up front,” Mangino said. “The tackles are really developing and coming along, I’m pretty pleased with that. I think that we will be able run the ball as much as we want. Plus, our pass game provides creases and opportunities to run the football. They kind of complement each other pretty well.”

— — Edited by Kelsey Hayes

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