The next Todd Reesing? Watch these videos and you be the judge

By Staff     Nov 19, 2016

I called Kale Pick to congratulate him and write [a story about his promotion][1] to head football coach at Fort Scott Community College. I came away with a bonus.

Pick forever will be linked to the great Todd Reesing because he was his successor, although he lasted only three quarters before Turner Gill turned to Jordan Webb.
Now, Pick himself brought up a link to Reesing without any prompting from me. (I have been accused of writing too often about Reesing and just wanted to make it clear it’s Pick’s fault this time).

Pick was Fort Scott’s offensive coordinator this past season and he gives most of the credit for the school’s monumental offensive improvement in one season to freshman quarterback Nathan Rourke, a 6-foot-3, 209-pound scrambler.

“He was one vote shy of player of the year in the Jayhawk Conference, which a lot of people say is the SEC of junior college,” Pick said. “Our offensive line was probably the worst in the conference, our receivers were pretty mediocre and he led every passing category. This kid is special.”

How special?

“I’m the last one to ever make comparisons,” Pick said, which meant he was about to make one, “but if you watch his [HUDL (highlight tape),][2] he reminds me a lot of Todd Reesing.”

Those words made me sit up straight and move to the edge of my recliner.

Tell me more. Tell me more. He told me more, but first, have a look at Rourke’s video.

He really does call to mind Reesing, scrambling in every direction, yet forever keeping his eyes downfield.

Rourke moved from Canada for his senior year of high school, which he spent at Edgewood Academy in Elmore, Ala. Rourke threw 59 touchdown passes and three interceptions for Edgewood. He completed 75 percent of his passes and averaged 15.4 yards per completion.

Pick said that out of high school Rourke received offers from FCS schools, but wanted to gain exposure at a junior college for a year in hopes of landing at an FBS school.
Iowa State and Baylor are interested, according to Pick.
Note the positioning of the field goal posts from his highlight video from his junior season Holy Trinity Catholic High in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

Kansas has strong-armed, former Washington State quarterback and current Mississippi juco standout Peyton Bender in for a visit this weekend. Bender’s a potential game-changer for a KU offense that has been stuck in the mud so long I’m starting to wonder if it’s actually quicksand. I like KU’s chances of landing him, but if not, Rourke is definitely worth a long, hard look. Running for his life, he still managed to throw for 2,367 yards and 18 touchdown passes (13 interceptions).

[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2016/nov/18/former-ku-quarterbackreceiver-kale-pick-new-head-c/
[2]: http://www.hudl.com/video/3/3941701/57d97aa37bddf726e40d2fda

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49807The next Todd Reesing? Watch these videos and you be the judge