“The picture’s starting to clear up a little bit,” KU coach Terry Allen said following Saturday’s 90-minute, 78-play scrimmage at Memorial Stadium.

Although Allen wouldn’t commit one way or the other, it would appear he’s narrowed the field of potential suitors for the starting QB slot to sophomore Zach Dyer and red-shirt freshman Mario Kinsey. Allen conceded Dyer currently is leading the pack the Olathe South product was working with No. 1 unit during Saturday’s scrimmage but added the race hadn’t been won.

“We’re starting to get some questions answered at the quarterback position,” Allen said. “I thought that both Dyer and Kinsey did some good things and they did some bad things. At times they threw the ball well and then we had some drops and made the right reads and did some good things.

“And other times they held on to the football and threw it up for grabs. It’s coming.”

Melissa Lacey/Journal-World Photo

Dyer was 5-of-9 passing for 49 yards all scrimmage bests but also tossed the lone interception. He carried the ball three times for eight yards.

“Sure it’s a positive sign,” Dyer said of working with the No. 1s, “but I’m really just trying to get better every day, to tell you the truth. That’s all I can do really. I’m not trying to worry about 1 or 2. I’m just trying to worry about whether I’m playing the best I can. That’s really what it comes down to.

“I think by playing the best I can, good things will happen.”

The INT came on the first play of the second half on a pass intended for senior wide receiver Termaine Fulton. Actually, Dyer said the play was a Nebraska-like trick play of sorts, with him dashing along the line like he was running the option, then pulling up to pass.

Senior defensive back Andrew Davison made a pretty play for the interception the lone turnover off the day but separated his shoulder when he was tackled. Allen said Davison likely was done for the spring.

Melissa Lacey/Journal-World Photo

For his part, Kinsey was 1-of-8 passing for 15 yards, but was victimized by at least two dropped passes.

“You can’t get aggravated,” Kinsey said of the miscues. “Things are going to happen like that. When you’re going for the starting job I think if you put the ball there and the receiver just drops it and the coach sees you put the ball there I don’t think there’s too much he can say.”

Kinsey also was the second-leading rusher for the Jayhawks, getting loose for 38 yards on six carries. The lone score came on a questionable touchdown run by Kinsey, who scampered 19 yards down the sideline although it appeared the play had been blown dead because hitting quarterbacks is off limits.

Kinsey, whose story is he scored and he’s sticking to it, said he’d prefer to be involved in the live hitting.

“I would. That would make it a lot better,” he said. “They talk a lot of noise, too, the defense. I just want to hush some of them up. I think I’m just hushing ’em up by moving the ball down the field, making the right decisions.”

While splitting time with Kinsey on the second team, red-shirt freshman QB Kevin Long completed three of seven passes for 22 yards and had two carries for five yards.

Sophomore running back Reggie Duncan led all ball carriers with 14 carries for 46 yards. He also was the recipient of Kinsey’s lone completion, which went for 15 yards.

“Actually, there was some good things offensively,” Allen said. “I really thought Reggie showed some things he’s going to be able to do, running and all the different things. Reggie’s had a good spring and I thought he demonstrated that by some of the things he did this morning.”

Senior wideout Roger Ross had two grabs for 27 yards, and junior tight end David Hurst added a pair of catches for 13 yards.

The defensive was sparked by sophomore weakside linebacker Glenn Robinson, who had two stops for losses totaling 12 yards, including one of four sacks. Junior defensive lineman Brandon Lacey also had two tackles behind the line, including a sack. The other two sacks were turned in by junior outside linebackers Greg Cole and Charlie Dennis.

Red-shirt freshman left defensive end Travis Watkins also made a plethora of plays for the Jayhawks.

“It obviously wasn’t very pretty out there, but it’s OK,” Allen said. “We’ve got an awfully lot of coaching going on, new faces, new people and new coaches. But all in all, for the day I got about what I expected.”

Injury update

In addition to losing Davison, KU also saw senior center Jason Stevenson, junior flanker Byron Gasaway and red-shirt freshman running back Tony Stubbs suffer ankle injuries. Allen said the severity of the injuries remained to be seen, adding it could mean missing a practice or up to three practices.

Upcoming

The Jayhawks will be off today before returning to practice on Monday for the eighth of 15 spring practices.