LAWRENCE, Kan. — Kansas offensive coordinator Ed Warriner keeps telling incoming running back recruit Jocques Crawford that he needs to be an impact player next season.
After watching Kansas’ annual spring football game Monday night, it’s apparent why. Ideally in a spring game, the starting offense scores a lot of points — at least more than 10. That’s all junior quarterback Todd Reesing and the blue team could muster up in a 17-3 victory against the white team, the second-team defense, in the game.
Crawford, who was named the National Junior College Player of the Year last season at Cisco Junior College in Cisco, Texas, didn’t play in the game because he won’t be enrolled at Kansas until next fall. But he watched from the sidelines and couldn’t help but think of his potential starting position next fall.
"I really like my chances after watching it," Crawford said.
He should. There were more misfires than in a game of Battleship for the Kansas starting offense Monday night. And it started with inefficiency from the running backs.
None of the three candidates to replace last year’s graduated starter, Brandon McAnderson, were particularly impressive.
Junior running back Angus Quigley piled up 63 rushing yards but aside from his two longest attempts, he struggled. Sophomore running back Carmon Boyd-Anderson fumbled the ball inside his own team’s 20-yard line that led to a defensive touchdown. Junior running back Jake Sharp hit holes quickly as usual but only recorded 10 carries. Sharp will be a solid change-of-pace back next year but not durable enough to be the starter — he never had more than 15 carries in a game last season.
Reesing didn’t look the same as the spunky quarterback who rewrote the Kansas record book last year. Like his infamous Orange Bowl celebratory dance, Reesing’s spring game was a solid effort but seriously flawed. He overthrew receivers on numerous occasions, was sacked three times and threw two interceptions.
Reesing even chased down senior strong safety Patrick Resby and sophomore linebacker Drew Dudley after the picks and tackled them, which isn’t something Kansas coach Mark Mangino would have encouraged because of possible injury. But Reesing couldn’t help it.
"I don’t like throwing interceptions and I got pretty pissed," Reesing said. "So if I get a chance to hit you, I’m going to do it."
He also probably doesn’t like dropped passes. The Jayhawks did that, too. Sophomore wide receiver Dezmon Briscoe, who has the potential to be one of Kansas’ most potent offensive threats next season, had two notable drops in the game.
All in all, the Kansas offense looked alarmingly sloppy Monday night. Is it something to be worried about? Probably not. After all, there’s still four months before the season starts. And when it does, Crawford will be on the field.
"Jocques will come in here and compete like every other guy on the team," Mangino said. "But he was recruited because we were hoping he’d have an immediate impact."