Archive for Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Limited production
Opurum’s touches dwindle with Sharp’s return to lineup
Kansas running back Toben Opurum (35) finds some open space in the first half of the Kansas-Kansas State game Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 in Manhattan.
November 10, 2009
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Reesing troubled as Jayhawks continue slide
The Jayhawks lost their fourth straight game Saturday to the Kansas State Wildcats. Quarterback Todd Reesing had a problem turning the ball over in the team's most recent contest. Enlarge video
When Kansas University running back Jake Sharp missed nearly three games with an undisclosed leg injury earlier this season, backup Toben Opurum was handed the keys to the team’s ground attack.
And by most accounts, the true freshman from Plano, Texas, handled the responsibility quite well.
In early-season victories over Duke, Southern Mississippi and Iowa State, Opurum averaged 92 rushing yards per game, scoring five touchdowns in that period and helping to maintain a ground game some figured would suffer when Sharp went down.
Since Sharp has returned, however, Opurum’s carries have steadily declined. He has averaged just 5.8 rushing attempts per game in the team’s past four games — carrying the ball twice for seven yards in last Saturday’s loss to Kansas State — as KU coach Mark Mangino has opted to use Sharp as the team’s primary ground option.
“Jake Sharp’s health is getting better and better, and he’s a key guy for us, a veteran guy that knows the offense in and out,” Mangino said during Monday’s Big 12 coaches teleconference. “And as we progress and the competition level has changed, it becomes more sophisticated and more difficult. And Toben is a guy that’s going to be a heck of a player for us, but right now, he has a lot of learning to do.”
While he does it, Sharp appears poised to garner the majority of the team’s carries, even if he hasn’t fully recovered from an injury that limited his speed and explosiveness.
Since returning against Colorado, the Salina native has rushed 41 times but managed just 128 yards while failing to record more than 50 yards on the ground in a game. In that same period, Kansas has averaged just 51 rushing yards per game during what has become a four-game losing streak.
But the dip in production extends past Sharp.
Playing from behind in recent weeks, the Jayhawks often have been forced to abandon the run late in games, and Mangino has made clear his dissatisfaction with an offensive line that, after a promising start to the season in which Kansas ranked first in the Big 12 in rush offense, has failed to facilitate an adequate ground game in recent weeks.
“It’s hard to get anything going if you’re not going to be able to get a little bit of a run game moving,” Mangino said. “Last week, we were able to run the ball a little bit here or there, but still not consistently.”
Mangino spoke highly of both running backs on Monday.
Kansas running back Jake Sharp is hit by Colorado linebacker Jeff Smart on a late fourth-quarter run Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 at Folsom Field.
While he didn’t indicate whether or not Opurum’s workload might increase this season, he said the freshman likely would figure prominently into the team’s future plans.
“He’s feeling his way, but we’re high on him,” Mangino said. “We think he’s going to be a really good player for us.”
Mangino doesn’t regret decision to pull Reesing
A week and a half after opting to pull quarterback Todd Reesing from the Jayhawks’ 42-21 loss to Texas Tech, Mangino is still fielding questions about the move.
Asked Monday whether he thought the benching, which occurred with more than seven minutes remaining in a two-possession game, might have shaken Reesing’s confidence, Mangino said he didn’t feel it was a factor in the quarterback’s recent struggles.
“Number one, using the term ‘benching’ is quite strong,” said the coach. “I have my reasons why I took him out of the game, and a lot of it had to do with protecting his own health. He threw the ball very well at times against Kansas State and did some really positive things. So it’s not a matter of his confidence. He’s a confident guy. He can handle all that.”
Davis performs ably in return to lineup
After a lengthy layoff, Kansas sophomore cornerback Anthony Davis returned to the field Saturday against Kansas State.
In his first significant action since being pulled from the team’s season-opener after being flagged for three pass-interference calls, Davis finished with a tackle and a pass breakup while coming off the bench to spell starter D.J. Beshears.
“Grading the tape, I don’t think he had any missed assignments,” Mangino said of Davis. “We’re kind of easing him back into things, and that’s a positive, because he is a talented guy. He’s just got to get his confidence back and (start) feeling good about making plays, and I think he is.”
ABC to air KU’s remaining games
KU’s final three regular-season games will be televised on ABC, the Big 12 announced Monday.
The Jayhawks’ Nov. 21 game at Texas will start at either 2:30 or 7 p.m., and the regular-season finale against Missouri on Nov. 28 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., will be at 2:30 p.m.
Saturday’s 2:30 game against visiting Nebraska, meanwhile, also will be televised by the network.
The time for the KU-UT game is expected to be announced before the end of the week.
More like this
- Dugan Arnett’s KU football notebook October 7, 2009
- The next McAnderson? 6 comments / July 22, 2009
- Kansas carrying on 1 comment / September 20, 2009
- KU ‘prepared to play’ September 27, 2009
- FINAL: Reesing's four combined TDs lead KU to 49-3 rout over Northern Colorado September 5, 2009
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10 November 2009
at 4:52 p.m.
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skipper (Anonymous) says…
Sharp may be a tough kid but he has not helped this team since being injured. defense sucked, adjustments were made, offense has sucked for 4 weeks with no adjustment which is the coaches fault. Mangino needs to own up to his failure as a coach. Running between the tackles does not require to much playbook knowledge. Reesing is just an average qb without a running game, 07,08 are proof of that. Operum can't learn or help this team standing on the sideline. Snyder took a good running back and a bunch of scrubs and developed a great running game in 6 weeks. Defenses know our offense better than we do. There was no mention of this team being young at the beginning of the year so don't use that as an excuse, give the team and the fans their moneys worth.
10 November 2009
at 5:35 p.m.
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rgh (Anonymous) says…
They could certainly use both more effectively and still not give away certain plays they are running. They can both block, run, and receive but Opurum can pound out extra yards.
He needs more carries during the game but I also don't get paid enough to make those decisions and thus the reason coaches are hired AND fired. The offensive production has been quite disappointing this year to say the least.
10 November 2009
at 10:55 p.m.
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heybluekc (Anonymous) says…
Reesing in hurt…When was the last 40 yard pass he threw down the field?????
10 November 2009
at 11:45 p.m.
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pigballin (Anonymous) says…
Skipper,,You hit the nail on the head.Who is the coach trying to fool?It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that Opurum probably has played maybe 6 years of pre college football and has been with the team since the summer/fall and the head coach is using a lame duck as an excuse for not playing him more just because it is Big 12 now.
Come on coach..this is a very poor excuse and is a bash against the fans knowledge of football.
Anyone can see that Jake is not that good of a running back.He can't break tackles and can't really change directions on a dime.He has his credits,but not one to establish a running game.
Opurum is the best option right now.Not the future go- to -back ,but is the only one you have.The failure of not recruiting some solid RBs coach ,,lands on you.
The defense has been a really stinker to boot..It is hard as fan to see such confusion and unnecessary time outs on the field.
And the time management in the last drive by the offense Sat.was totally uncalled for.
The Monday conference comments were ones of a coach who has no answers.
11 November 2009
at 12:15 a.m.
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riverdrifter (Anonymous) says…
When Sharp got hurt & Opurum was put in, the offense improved. He should've been left in and given 20-25 touches a game. Mangino was faced with the decision of what to do and he decided to put Jake back in seemingly because “that's what we've always done”.
Should've come out against KSU with Pick & Opurum and a revamped game plan. Instead, same old warmed over stuff which Snyder was ready and waiting for.
Mangino should've known better.
11 November 2009
at 1:56 a.m.
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pigballin (Anonymous) says…
Mangino seems to not adjust very well on offense or defense in the second half if called for.I my guess it lies with the head man's approach in most cases.
I don't see the fire in his belly this year.I think his energy level has decreased,because he sure looks physically larger this year.Hopefully he is in good health.
I can't help thinking he is fighting BP issues and has to stay more calm on the field when things don't go right..Just a guess.
I know the excitement,focus and energy level on the field is not the same this year.
Then what do you ?Practice harder until it soaks in.Like knowing how to fend off blocks and tackle right.
11 November 2009
at 5:26 a.m.
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greenworld (Anonymous) says…
Mangino's loyalty relies on playing his seniors and taking the loss. Obviously Opurum needs to play more and maybe even start. He looks better than Sharp to me and someone needs to recognize this. I think our running game is lame and its time for a change. He made the correct changes on defense so now lets make some on offense. Play who needs to play Fr or Sr.