Monday, November 3, 2008
It would be silly to think that the reason Kansas throttled in-state rival Kansas State 52-21 on Saturday was because of a little black athletic tape on the player’s shoes, right?
Well, after coach Mark Mangino allowed players to “spat,” or wrap athletic tape around their cleats for the first time this season, players said they took the field Saturday knowing they were going to win.
Junior quarterback Todd Reesing attempts to break loose of a Kansas State lineman Saturday afternoon. Reesing threw for 162 yards and one touchdown in Kansas' 52-21 win over the Wildcats.
“Everybody had that swagger on a whole new level,” said cornerback Justin Thornton. “Regardless of what you say, when you feel good and you think you look good — you’re going to play better.”
Players “spat” during all of last season but Mangino hadn’t allowed it until this week. The reason why is unclear — some say it may have been punishment, others say Adidas didn’t want their logo covered up on the shoes — but it appeared to have an immediate impact against KSU. The Jayhawks rolled to a 31-0 halftime lead, thanks in large part to three first quarter rushing touchdowns from running back Jake Sharp.
On the day, the Salina native had 181 yards rushing on 21 carries and tied the KU single game rushing touchdown record with four touchdowns. He also had five receptions for a team high 76 yards, totaling 257 yards of total offense and leading the Jayhawks to their third straight win over Kansas State.
“He got a whole lot of bragging rights,” Mangino said. “He’s going to be walking around Salina with his chest out — and he deserves to.”
Knowing his team needed a confidence boost after a tough loss to Texas Tech, quarterback Todd Reesing went to Mangino during practice last week to ask if the players could “spat.” Mangino said yes, sending an immediate jolt of energy through the program.
“I know a lot of guys had been wanting to do it all year and I figured it was the right week to talk to coach about it,” Reesing said. “I told him it was time to get our swagger back and get a little momentum going. I knew it would really get the guys excited, and it really showed out there.”
Because of the Jayhawks domination on the ground — they rushed 41 times for 280 yards as a team — Reesing wasn’t called upon to carry the load as in recent weeks. He was a businessman like 14-23 for 162 yards and a touchdown but knew that the “spatting” would make a difference.
“You look good, you feel good, you play good,” Reesing said. “All the guys like doing it. It does provide a little extra support for your ankles but I think it’s more of a swagger thing than anything else.”
The most noticeable swagger came on defense, where the Jayhawks forced five turnovers and were vastily improved from recent weeks. KSU quarterback Josh Freeman was held to 207 yards passing, was sacked three times and had three interceptions. Two of the interceptions came by Russell Brorsen, who also picked off a Freeman pass last season.
With KU leading 24-0 midway through the second quarter, K-State had the ball on the one-yard line when Freeman fumbled while trying to reach the ball over the goal line. Kansas got the ball on the 20 after the touchback and drove 80 yards right down the field to turn what could have been a 24-7 game into a 31-0 rout at intermission.
“When you put on your best clothes and go out with a girl or go out to the club, you feel better,” said safety Darrell Stuckey. “You feel good. That’s kind of what it does. It’s just something that you have that the other team doesn’t have. We were pretty excited.”
The win improved Kansas to 6-3 and means they are now bowl eligible for the third time in four seasons. A win against Nebraska on Saturday would ensure the Jayhawks a chance to play for the Big 12 North title when they face Missouri on Nov. 29 in Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo.
Their season might have been saved — all because of a little black athletic tape.
“The spat is back,” Stuckey said. “The swagger is back.”
— — Edited by Ramsey Cox
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