Stop Sproles? Much easier said than done

By Ryan Wood Oct 9, 2004

It seems like an easy game plan for the Kansas University football team: just stop the little 5-foot-7, 180-pound guy who’s holding the football, and know that doing so takes a lot of swagger out of Kansas State’s offense today.

No problem, right?

Ha.

“Darren Sproles is one of the top running backs in the country,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “He can hurt you if you don’t play sound defense in the running game. He’s strong, he’s quick, and he makes a lot of plays. He’s just a phenomenal player.”

With most of K-State’s offensive weapons still nursing growing pains, Sproles’ performance — good or bad — could make the difference today, when KU and KSU clash at 6:20 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.

This year’s Jayhawks know all about Sproles, a KSU senior and perhaps the best prospect ever to come out of talent-rich Olathe North High. He brings breakaway speed, a filthy assortment of jukes and jives and pound-for-pound is one of the strongest running backs in college football.

Some questioned whether Sproles had the size to be a big-time college contributor during his prep days. Those who saw him, though, knew better.

“Everybody that watched him knew he was something special,” said KU’s Jonathan Lamb, another Olathe North product who is a year younger than Sproles. “Our highlight video my sophomore and junior year was all Darren Sproles.”

Yeah, 49 touchdowns in 12 high school games certainly could fill up a highlight tape. Sproles did that in 2000, often sitting out the entire second half of games so the score wasn’t run up too high.

Kickoff: 6:20 tonight.Where: Memorial StadiumLine: KSU by 3.Radio: Jayhawk Radio Network, including 1320 KLWNTelevision: Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 at 10 a.m. SundaySeries: Kansas leads 61-35-5

At K-State, Sproles hasn’t missed a beat. He rushed for 1,986 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior, good enough for All-America honors and a fifth-place finish in the Heisman Trophy voting.

This year hasn’t been quite so successful — he topped 200 yards rushing against Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette, but had a combined 98 yards in losses to Fresno State and Texas A&M.

KSU coach Bill Snyder was quick to call Sproles’ 61-yard, two-fumble performance against the Aggies last week “just a bad day,” and Mangino doesn’t seem to be looking too much deeper than that, either.

“He’s the same great player that he was a year ago,” Mangino said. “He’s awesome. He’s tough to tackle, and he’s a hard-nosed guy. I really admire his play.”

Sproles isn’t K-State’s only weapon, though it can’t be disputed that he’s the No. 1 option.

KSU quarterback Dylan Meier passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another in the Wildcats’ 42-30 loss to Texas A&M, and the sophomore has shown expected improvement leading the offense as the inexperience wears off this season. He attempted just eight passes as a freshman, playing behind Ell Roberson.

“I think Dylan matured a great deal and made some positive choices and decisions,” Snyder said.

Regardless, Kansas State’s success and failures this year seem to hinge on the performance of Darren Sproles. He has 513 yards rushing in the Wildcats’ two victories, and just those 98 in their two defeats.

Stopping him, it seems, should be the key for KU’s defense.

Now if only someone would tell the Jayhawks how the heck they’re supposed to do that.

“He’s an unbelievable running back. That’s all you can say,” KU linebacker Banks Floodman said. “He’s elusive, and he’s hard to tackle. It’s going to be a challenge for us.”