Sunday, August 31, 2008
He led his team out of the tunnel, he gained six yards on the first play of the season and when Todd Reesing needed someone to get open in the end zone, he was there to close the deal.
Sophomore wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe stepped up everywhere Saturday night in Kansas’ 40-10 victory over FIU. Briscoe caught nine passes and tied his career high with three touchdown receptions – all inside of five yards.
Sophomore wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe catches a touchdown pass to put the Jayhawks up 14-0 in the second quarter of Saturday's game.
With Briscoe as its star, the Jayhawk receiving corps looked like the only ready-for-primetime players on offense.
The rushing game was inconsistent and slowed by an apparent injury to Jocques Crawford. The offensive line broke in two inexperienced tackles that suffered through several mental lapses and Reesing’s solid numbers (37-of-52, 256 yards) were more about crisp route running than stellar throws.
Kansas converted 11-of-19 third down attempts, and nine of those were Reesing passes. Seven of those nine were to receivers who gained exactly the amount or only two yards more than what was needed for a first down.
“We had a lot of plays where we got just enough for the first down, and that’s what we’re looking for,” Reesing said. “We don’t need to get 18 yards if we only need five, we just need to get the first down and keep the drive moving.”
Kerry Meier tied Briscoe for the lead with nine catches, three of which were for third down conversions that were just past the first down marker.
“When teams are getting a lot of third down conversions, I think it really takes a toll on the defense mentally as well as physically,” Meier said.
Offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said getting past the sticks was a focus for his receivers leading up to the game, and he was pleased with Saturday’s results.
10 players caught at least one pass and five had three or more. Jonathan Wilson hauled in the longest reception of the night with a 24-yard grab, but freshman receiver/punt returner Daymond Patterson stole the show in the big play department.
Patterson fielded a punt in the second quarter at his own 25. 75 yards, a few jukes and one memorable hurdle later, Patterson was celebrating his first collegiate touchdown in the north end zone.
“That just happened on the spot,” Patterson said of hurdling FIU’s Ashlyn Parker. “I was running and he fell and I ended up jumping him, but I think it was pretty cool.”
Wilson enjoyed the show from the sidelines.
“Briscoe and I were on the sidelines and we were just amazed,” Wilson said. “He looks like a little kid out there.”
Not everything went according to plan for the Jayhawk receivers. In fact, things started rather horribly when Briscoe took a shot over the middle from linebacker Scott Bryant and fumbled on Kansas’ first possession.
“Getting your bell rung is better sometimes than getting taught how to do it, because you’ll remember next time when you see zone to sit down and split the difference between defenders rather than running through it and getting your clock cleaned,” coach Mark Mangino said.
Briscoe admitted that he made a wrong move on the play.
“I set myself up for that lick,” he said. “It shook me up a little bit, but my teammates on the sideline encouraged me to get out there and do what I do.”
What Briscoe does is muscle his way to open space every time the offense marches into the red zone.
On a fourth and goal from the three-yard line in the third quarter, Reesing evaded a pair of defenders and lobbed a pass to the back corner that looked as if it’d sail away and fall harmlessly on the track. Then Briscoe came out of nowhere and leaped into the air, clutching the floater as he tiptoed back to earth for his third touchdown of the night.
While they admit that anyone of them is capable of making those plays when called upon, Briscoe’s fellow receivers couldn’t help but be impressed with his 2008 debut.
“He’s great,” Meier said. “If the ball’s anywhere in the area, he’s going to go up and get it.”
“Me personally?” Wilson asked. “I think he’s money. It’s six points every time he’s in the red zone.”
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