Big 12 Spring Review: Kansas

With several positions needing to be filled in Lawrence the biggest position battle for Kansas is who will play quarterback for the Jayhawks this fall. Kerry Meier, Adam Barmann and Todd Reesing all are competing, with a starter expected to be named soon.

“I’m looking forward to seeing what they can do when the pads come on and people start flying at them,” lineman David Ochoa said. “We’ll see, but the first impression is very good.”

Barmann has started 13 games over the past three seasons, but Meier and Reesing are the unknowns.

“They need a lot of repetitions in terms of being able to recognize things,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “I think they just need to improve in all areas of the game. But it’s plain to see that they have some natural abilities you really like at the position.”

On the defensive side of the ball the Jayhawks might have suffered a seroius loss in the secondary after safety Rodney Harris suffered a fluke injury resulting in him having emergency neck surgery. Mangino described the injury as a fluke.
“A very routine tackle,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “He practiced the rest of practice. He happened to stop in the training room after practice and said, ‘Hey, I’m a little sore right here.’”

About 48 hours later, Harris was having neck surgery and now football career is in jeopardy.

“He didn’t even lay on the ground,” Mangino said. “Didn’t say ow. Didn’t do anything.”

With Harris’ future uncertain KU gets even younger at free safety. Jerome Kemp is expected to start at strong safety, but free safety could be between freshman Darrell Stuckey, sophomore Raymond Brown.

2006 Jayhawk Football Schedule
Date Opponent Location
Sept. 2 Northwestern State Lawrence
Sept. 9 Louisiana-Monroe Lawrence
Sept. 16 Toledo Toledo, Ohio
Sept. 23 South Florida Lawrence
Sept. 30 Nebraska Lincoln, Neb.
Oct. 7 Texas A&M Lawrence
Oct. 14 Oklahoma State Lawrence
Oct. 21 Baylor Waco, Texas
Oct. 28 Colorado Lawrence
Nov. 4 Iowa State Ames, Iowa
Nov. 18 Kansas State Lawrence
Nov. 25 Missouri Columbia, Mo.