Kansas quarterback Quinn Mecham looks to throw during practice in this April 12 file photo. Now that Kale Pick is injured, Mecham will be KU’s backup quarterback.

As the youngest male sibling of 13 children, Kansas University junior Quinn Mecham is used to competing for everything in life.

So earlier this week, when Mecham, previously KU’s third-string quarterback, learned he would be elevated to the second team because of a leg injury suffered by backup QB Kale Pick, the junior-college transfer wasn’t quite sure how to handle the news.

“You never want something like this to happen because someone else gets injured,” Mecham said. “But it’s exciting to be able to help the team because that’s what it’s all about.”

Mecham, a 6-foot-2, 207-pound junior from Provo, Utah, has gotten comfortable with his role on this year’s team. He’s spent some time working as the scout team quarterback and as much time as possible in quarterback meetings with offensive coordinator Chuck Long. However, most of his impact — and therefore his growth — has come from the mental reps he takes each day in practice.

Good thing. Coaches and teammates alike have pointed to Mecham’s intelligence as his biggest strength. Last season, at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, Mecham finished the year with a 3.9 grade-point average. That only tells half the story of his intelligence.

“One thing about Quinn, he’s very smart,” Long said. “He’s one of those guys that we don’t think needs a lot of reps to finish the game or whatever the case may be. And I say that, but everybody needs the repetitions. They need that work. He certainly needs the work. But he’s been so good about paying attention and studying the game and paying attention to who’s in there that at least he’s getting that mental rep up. That’ll help.”

Added starting quarterback, Jordan Webb: “Quinn, he’s a really smart guy, he’s smart on the field. He knows where to go with the ball all the time. He’s got a good release, a quick, strong arm. Knowing the offense, knowing the checks and everything, he’s really good at that.”

In addition to making solid grades, Mecham left Snow College with good stats. He finished last season with 3,091 passing yards and 40 touchdowns, evidence that there’s at least some kind of arm behind the mega brain.

“I think he’s probably a little bit similar to Jordan Webb,” KU coach Turner Gill said. “He throws the ball fairly well, probably doesn’t have as strong an arm as Jordan Webb, but obviously he doesn’t have as many reps, so he’s not going to be quite as sharp. But I think if he (gets) the opportunity, he’ll do what he has to do to win the football game.”

Now that’s he’s just one late hit, one low blow or one cheap shot away from being thrust into a position of major importance, many might expect Mecham to change the way he goes about his business. But he’s not planning on it.

“Not really, just because every game that’s how you have to go into it because you never know what could happen,” Mecham said. “So I think just being prepared every game, being prepared every second, that helps.”

Instead of asking Mecham to change his approach, the KU coaching staff plans to amend it. Long, who calls the plays each week, said he would pay extra attention to what part of KU’s offense Mecham was most comfortable with.

“Before every game, I give the gameplans to everybody,” Long said. “Each guy, especially Quinn, because he doesn’t get a lot of repetitions, gives me the plays that he’s comfortable with. So if he gets into the game and he doesn’t circle all the plays — he’ll circle some of the ones that he likes, and I’ll favor those. But this week’s a little different deal, because he’s going to get the repetitions.”