If, as expected, Adam Barmann makes his debut as a Kansas University quarterback Saturday, he won’t be one up on Kelly Donohoe.

Donohoe has been there, done that.

“It parallels what I did as a freshman,” said Donohoe, head coach at Blue Springs (Mo.) High in suburban Kansas City.

After eight games of the 1986 KU football season, coach Bob Valesente decided the Jayhawks needed to make a change at quarterback.

So Valesente asked Donohoe, a true freshman who hadn’t played a down all season, if he would mind forsaking what was supposed to be a red-shirt year.

Donohoe didn’t hesitate.

“When Val called me into his office on Monday morning, I was really excited,” Donohoe said. “I told him I’d be open to it.”

So in the ninth game of the ’86 season, Donohoe made his collegiate debut in Boulder, Colo. He started, completed 25 of 43 passes for nearly 200 yards, and the Jayhawks nearly upended Colorado. The Buffaloes won, 17-10.

“Colorado was one of the top-rated teams in the country,” Donohoe said. “I remember I was nervous, but I just went out and played, and it was fun.”

Well, not all fun. Donohoe did throw three interceptions and he struggled early.

“I fumbled a couple of exchanges with (center) Paul Oswald,” he said, “and I thought Val might pull me. But he didn’t.”

Now history is about to repeat. Seventeen years later, Barmann is another true freshman quarterback who is about to give up a red-shirt season after the eighth game because starter Bill Whittemore was injured last week at Kansas State.

Also, like Donohoe, Barmann is from a Missouri high school. Donohoe played at Harrisonville (Mo.) High, south of the Kansas City metro area while Barmann is from West Platte High, located north of the K.C. metro area.

Donohoe has witnessed Barmann’s skills, although not in game action. Two summers ago, Missouri’s football staff held a one-day camp in Blue Springs and Barmann was one of the campers.

“I was very impressed with him,” Donohoe said. “He has a strong arm and the Missouri coaches were really excited when he ran the 40. He had one of the best 40 times there, and he’s a real leader, a guy the other players gravitate to.”

Only KU coach Mark Mangino knows for certain if Barmann will start Saturday at Texas A&M, and Mangino isn’t saying.

The coach has declined to name a starting quarterback and has said that he would have Barmann, junior John Nielsen and sophomore Brian Luke prepared to play. During his Thursday night radio show, however, Mangino might have tipped his hand.

“Nobody expects a true freshman in his first start to do well,” Mangino said of Barmann. “So he doesn’t have any pressure on him. It’s not like anybody expects him to throw five touchdown passes. Then again, don’t be surprised if he does some great things.”

No one knows how Barmann will feel when he runs onto the field better than Donohoe.

“You’re too young and too dumb to know any better,” Donohoe said. “You just have to be fearless, go have fun, throw the ball around and make some plays.”

If asked, what advice would Donohoe give him?

“I’d tell him to tune the crowd out and enjoy it,” he said. “There’s no pressure on him at all.”

Once the decision to play Barmann is made it will be irrevocable, and there could be regrets. Donohoe had some, although not until much later.

“The only time I ever looked back and regretted it was after my senior year was over and (Glen) Mason had things going,” he said.

Although Donohoe ranks No. 2 (behind Frank Seurer) on KU’s career passing chart, he never played on a winning team. KU didn’t post a winning season under Mason until 1991, two years after Donohoe’s last game.

Today, however, at the age of 36 Donohoe is one of the most successful high school coaches in the area. His Blue Springs High team is unbeaten at 8-0 and ranked No. 1 among Missouri’s large schools.