Friday, April 23, 2010
Sophomore quarterback Kale Pick smiles at an assistant coach during a set of stretch routines Monday afternoon. Pick and the rest of Kansas' quarterbacks will make their first public appearance tomorrow during the spring game at Memorial Stadium.
Other Items to Watch During The Spring Game
Three players to watch
Toben Opurum: Opurum is still working his way back to 100 percent health this spring, and that’s certainly a reason to watch him Saturday. But he’s also Kansas’ only experienced running back. Watch how he runs, both from a health perspective and in Gill’s more run-oriented offense.
Prinz Kande: A well-regarded recruit last season, Kande entered Kansas as a safety with a playmaking reputation. In need of two new safeties this season, Kande is a likely candidate to fill one of the voids. Watch where he fits in among a crowded secondary.
Daymond Patterson: Patterson showed explosive flashes as a freshman two seasons ago, but he hasn’t played offense since then. His speed could provide Kansas with a big-play threat in the slot receiver position. Watch how he handles his first public outing back at receiver.
Three trends to watch:
Return games: Simply put, Kansas’ return games struggled last season. The Jayhawks averaged 21.5 yards per kickoff return and 7.1 yards per punt return, ranking them eighth and ninth in the Big 12, respectively. Those areas must improve to ease the pressure on both the offense and defense. Patterson, D.J Beshears, Deshaun Sands and Isiah Barfield are potential candidates.
Pass coverage: Last season, Kansas’ secondary appeared to play off opposing receivers, meaning they allowed a cushion. Cornerbacks coach Vic Shealy said he’s stressing an aggressive, risk-taking approach this season in hopes of generating more turnovers. Will that style lead to interceptions or broken up passes in the spring game?
Offensive schemes: Much has been made of Gill’s desire to run the ball while also placing the quarterback under center more than last season. This will be the first glimpse to view how the Jayhawks have handled those new schemes.
Position to watch:
Cornerbacks: Freshman cornerback Tyler Patmon said on Monday that eight corners were battling for two starting spots. Saturday will show who has gained an early edge at the position.
Gill: Teahan Improved During the Spring
ince his first practice on March 31, junior Conner Teahan has insisted that he truly wants to compete for Kansas’ starting quarterback position.
Teahan, the walk-on basketball guard who decided to try out for the football team this spring, spent the first few practices without pads, attempting to pick up drills by watching the other quarterbacks.
“He’s behind the 8-ball a little bit because of time-wise,” coach Turner Gill said.
Yet Gill said on Monday that Teahan has developed quickly this spring. Teahan starred as a two-sport athlete at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., and he received interest from Division I football programs.
But until March 31, Teahan hadn’t played organized football since high school.
“He’s making it interesting because with the reps that he’s been getting, I’ve seen him do some things where I’m kind of like, ‘Hey I like that,’” Gill said. “Again, he’s putting himself in a position.”
Teahan said that he will sit down with Gill at the end of spring practices to discuss his future with the team. Kansas wraps up spring practices tomorrow.
There’s a chance Saturday will ease the swirling questions about Kansas’ depth chart and quarterback position. Then again, there’s a chance the annual spring game may only stir more uncertainty.
Such is the nature of spring football, when questions are common but answers are few.
For the first time under coach Turner Gill, Kansas will publicly showcase next year’s team. And perhaps no position enters with as much outside interest as quarterback. Thing is, none of the guys involved in the highly publicized battle knew what to expect after Monday’s practice.
“They haven’t mentioned anything to me,” freshman Kale Pick said.
“I’m really not sure what the format is going to be,” freshman Jordan Webb said.
Uncertainty is an expected part of spring football any year. But this season the Jayhawks are filled with more question marks than proven players.
Part of that is because of the graduations and early departures of established producers.
But the real story of this year’s spring practices deals with a pledge Gill made upon first arriving at Kansas: Every player will have an equal opportunity to compete for a starting job.
It’s a message shared by coaches throughout the country, but Gill and his staff carried no attachments or preconceived notions. Each player truly started on level ground this spring.
“I want to really give these guys an opportunity to see what they can do,” Gill said early in the spring.
Pick, Webb and the remaining four quarterbacks entered under similar circumstances.
At this point, though, the battle appears to be a two-way competition between Webb and Pick, the favorites heading into spring practices.
Webb is touted as more of a true pocket passer, and he has drawn comparisons to Todd Reesing for his ability to create plays. He also has the stronger arm.
Pick is the better runner — a point that could help him in Gill’s versatile offense — but he insists that he’s not just a running quarterback.
He’s also the only quarterback on the roster with game experience.
“There is great competition,” Gill said. “It puts a smile on my face when you have some guys who can make some plays.”
Since the first practice, Gill and quarterbacks coach Chuck Long have talked about the importance of demeanor while also stressing the need for a quarterback who makes his teammates better.
Those are two aspects to keep an eye on Saturday.
“No matter what offense you run, you definitely want a guy that takes care of the football,” Gill said. “You definitely want a guy that will be able to make plays, whether with his legs or with his arms.
“But the main thing is trying to raise the level of play of the guys that are around him. If he’s able to do all three or four of those things, then you’ll have an outstanding quarterback.”
With a new coaching staff that features new schemes and terminology, every player on the roster needed to adjust.
For the quarterbacks, those changes included more emphasis on lining up under center. The Jayhawks operated almost entirely out of the shotgun formation last season.
Long, who also serves as Kansas’ offensive coordinator, said the switch in philosophy isn’t a radical adjustment from a quarterback’s perspective.
Still, the Jayhawks said they needed time to adjust.
“I was a little nervous about it coming in because I haven’t really done it since junior football,” Webb said. “It’s been different, but it’s been good.”
The move also affords Kansas the opportunity to more effectively use play action. Webb said the Jayhawks are therefore able to take more chances throwing the ball deep down the field.
“There’s great mixture in this offense,” Pick said. “Not only from the run pass ratio but also from personnel. We can get three tight ends in there at one time or four receivers or three backs. I think it will give defenses tough times.”
— Edited by Michael Holtz
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