Offensive duo shows progress
Even though the offense struggled during spring training, Mangino was pleased with two offensive tackles that will likely play an important role in the 2008 season.
Matt Darton and Jeff Spikes will play in positions that were previously taken by important Kansas players.
By Asher Fusco (Contact)
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008
After watching his team’s usually efficient offense trudge up and down the field against the second-string defense in last week’s spring game, Mark Mangino wasn’t visibly upset. In fact, the Kansas coach seemed fairly pleased with one development: Two starting offensive tackles, freshman Jeff Spikes and senior Matt Darton, may have finally emerged for the Jayhawks.
“I think the way we finished the scrimmage with the blue team, with Spikes at left tackle and Darton at right tackle, protected the quarterback better,” Mangino said. “Certainly with three new faces on the offensive line, we knew that would be a little bit of an issue tonight, but we may have found the right combination, and that’s something that we’re pleased with.”
Photo by Jon Goering
Junior quarterback Todd Reesing drops back while red-shirt freshman offensive lineman Sal Capra blocks during the spring football game March 14 at Memorial Stadium.
Mangino made several adjustments at halftime of the spring scrimmage. He moved Spikes to the first squad and shifted Darton to the right side of the realignment. This helped open up holes for junior running backs Angus Quigley and Jake Sharp and provided time in the pocket for junior quarterback Todd Reesing.
“We’ve used all different type of combinations,” Mangino said. “We’ve moved them around a little bit. We feel really good about Spikes right now at left tackle and Darton at right tackle.”
The new bookends of the Kansas line are faced with the task of replacing two of the most heralded players of the Mark Mangino era. Former left tackle Anthony Collins, who left for the NFL Draft after his junior season, earned unanimous first team All-America honors. Former right tackle Cesar Rodriguez, who graduated, started 28 consecutive games.
Spikes, the projected starter at left tackle, is a 6-foot-6, 314 pound, carbon copy of Collins. The Painesville, Ohio, native earned praise from Mangino for his effort in bowl-season practices, and helped pave the way for the Blue offense’s only touchdown of the spring game early in the fourth quarter.
“He is going to make some mistakes, because he’s a freshman, but he’s competitive,” Mangino said. “He’s a big, strong guy for a guy who’s just a freshman. He will give you everything he has. He’s going to fight and scratch and claw — and that’s part of the tackle position.”
Left tackle
Jeff Spikes, freshman, 6-foot-6, 314
Nathan D’Cunha, junior, 6-foot-6, 307
Left guard
Adrian Mayes, senior, 6-foot-3, 305
Jeremiah Hatch, freshman, 6-foot-3, 311
Right guard
Chet Hartley, senior, 6-foot-4, 310
Carl Wilson, sophomore, 6-foot-4, 286
Right tackle
Matt Darton, senior, 6-foot-6, 310
Ian Wolfe, sophomore, 6-foot-5, 283
Center
Ryan Cantrell, senior, 6-foot-3, 295
Sal Capra, sophomore, 6-foot-3, 290
Darton is a fifth-year senior who started one game last season in place of Collins. The 6-foot-6, 310 pound, San Diego native has steadily worked his way up the depth chart during his time at Kansas, and could finally have a shot at a steady starting job.
“Darton, since he has been here, has worked both sides,” Mangino said. “I think he’s more comfortable at right – I think he belongs there.”
Kansas returns all three starters on the interior of its offensive line. Senior center Ryan Cantrell, who started all of last season, missed spring practices because of a leg injury but should be healthy by fall. Senior guards Adrian Mayes and Chet Hartley each had a starting spot last season and excelled as run-blockers.
—Edited by Patrick De Oliveira
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