A trigger man who can return Kansas football offense to 21st century

FILE — Washington State quarterback Peyton Bender (6) throws the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in Pullman, Wash. Bender signed with Kansas in December 2016, as a junior college transfer from Itawamba Community College. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

FILE — Washington State quarterback Peyton Bender (6) throws the ball during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Oregon State, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2015, in Pullman, Wash. Bender signed with Kansas in December 2016, as a junior college transfer from Itawamba Community College. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

We’ll know the Kansas football offense has rejoined the 21st century when a quarterback throws for 300 yards on at least a semi-regular basis.

Todd Reesing was the last KU quarterback to do so and junior-college recruit Peyton Bender, enrolling for second semester and competing with Carter Stanley for the starting job in the spring, could become the next.

During Reesing’s three seasons as starting quarterback at Kansas (2007-09), the Jayhawks threw for 300 yards in 20 games. Reesing alone reached the milestone 17 times, including eight in his sophomore season, the Orange Bowl season.

Reesing had more 300-yard passing games as a sophomore than 10 different starting quarterbacks have combined for in the seven seasons since his departure.

Nobody reached the milestone in either 2010 or 2013 and no Ryan Willis is the only quarterback to have done it twice.

The six 300-club entries:

2011: Jordan Webb threw for 316 yards in 70-28 loss to Oklahoma State.

2012: Dayne Crist totaled 303 passing yards in 20-6 loss to TCU.

2014: Michael Cummings led a near-upset with 332 yards in 34-30 loss to TCU.

2015: Ryan Willis threw for 330 yards in 30-20 loss to Texas Tech.

2016: Willis threw for 348 yards in a 24-23 loss to TCU.

2016: Carter Stanley rang up 302 passing yards in 34-19 loss to Kansas State.

Playing for Itawamba Community College in Mississippi, Bender averaged 303.7 passing yards per game. He threw 21 touchdowns and four interceptions and was sacked once.
Bender finished his one-year juco career by throwing for 354 yards and 466 yards in his final two games. His season-high effort of 566 passing yards came in the fourth week of the season.

Bender, whose quick trigger suits him to the Air Raid offense, spent his first year out of high school as a redshirt in Washington State coach Mike Leach’s program and was second on the depth chart as a red-shirt freshman. He grew up in Georgia but played his high school football in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Still not excited about Bender? He stayed loyal to Kansas when Georgia tried to steal him.

Caption this Frank Mason photo

photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas players Frank Mason III, left, LaGerald Vick and Mitch Lightfoot are pictured on a catamaran on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016 at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. The team was given some free time after practice to enjoy the beach.

Kansas point guard Frank Mason and Villanova shooting guard Josh Hart both have strong cases for national player of the year honors. The fact that Mason has a rap song in his honor, written and performed by RedHead, will neither help nor hurt his chances.

Since Mason is that famous, it’s time for a caption-writing contest for the above photo, shot by the Journal-World’s Nick Krug.

I’ll go first:

“Mitch I’m, Mitch I’m Frank Mason.”

Your turn.