Senior runningback Jake Sharp runs the ball through Oklahoma's defense Oct. 24. Kansas is hoping to improve its running game this weekend against Texas Tech.
Friday, October 30, 2009
Senior Jake Sharp walked into the Mrkonic Auditorium — the site of Kansas’ weekly meeting with reporters — and slowly made his way through rows of desks before taking a seat. Soon after, microphones, recorders and television cameras surrounded him.
“Are you 100 percent healthy,” a reporter asked.
Sharp, who hasn’t appeared full-speed since returning two weeks ago after an undisclosed injury, prides himself on being tough. So, upon hearing the question, Sharp wasted no time in snapping back.
“No, by no means,” Sharp said. “I just think there is something to be said that maybe I don’t have my high-gear that I had a month or so ago. But it’s coming.”
Kansas is certainly hoping that Sharp regains his speed tomorrow against Texas Tech at 2:30 p.m.
After missing two games earlier in the season, Sharp has struggled since returning to the starting lineup on Oct. 17 against Colorado. In his two games back, Sharp has rushed for just 43 yards off 20 carries.
His longest gain in either game was seven yards.
But Sharp’s problem is one shared by Kansas’ entire offense. The Jayhawks have simply struggled to run the ball in their last two games.
“I think it’s just a simple attitude,” Sharp said. “I think we need to go out there at the start of the game and get our offense established early.”
Then Kansas’ senior running back said something that will carry plenty of weight into tomorrow’s game against the highly-capable Texas Tech offense.
“We need to help our defense out,” Sharp said. “We need stay on the field, maybe control some of the clock and keep Tech’s offense off of the field.”
Sure, running the ball is a priority for Kansas each week. After all, coaches and players always preach the need for a balanced offense in order to be most efficient.
But when facing a team such as Texas Tech, running the ball successfully not only gains yards, it also keeps the Red Raiders’ offense on the sideline.
“When the defense is out there a lot, especially against the Texas Tech offense, the ball is getting thrown everywhere so you’re having to run around the whole game,” sophomore cornerback Daymond Patterson said. “Running the ball and clock control is really big against teams like Tech.”
Yet it’s something the Jayhawks have struggled with in their last two games — both of which were losses. Kansas finished with minus 8 yards against Colorado, and followed that performance with 81 yards against Oklahoma.
Those games share another common theme: Kansas dug an early hole that forced the Jayhawks to pass more in order to play catch-up.
“Certainly when you feel like you need to score faster, pounding it out three, four, five or six yards at a time isn’t necessarily what you see as the best solution,” offensive line coach John Reagan said.
During practice this week senior quarterback Todd Reesing said one of Kansas’ weekly focuses was to re-establish the run game — an area of the offense that served as the team’s strength in the first two games.
Sharp opened the year with back-to-back 100 yard performances and even led the Big 12 in rushing yards after two weeks.
Then he suffered an injury before Kansas’ game against Duke on Sept. 19, and the run game hasn’t been nearly as potent since. Freshman running back Toben Opurum filled in adequately but the Jayhawks visibly missed Sharp’s big-play threat.
In turn, Kansas’ offensive line hasn’t blocked as effectively in the Big 12 as the unit did during the nonconference season.
“But just like anything,” Reagan said, “the struggles are more than just a two part problem.”
Now Kansas wants — and most likely needs — to kick-start its rushing attack to compete with Texas Tech and avoid losing three consecutive games for the first time since 2006.
“We’re focusing this week on the run game because we want to get this going,” Reesing said. “We want to get Jake and Toben some more carries and get them going in the right direction. We’re going to try and get that phase of the offense going.”
— Edited by Jonathan Hermes
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