Thad Allender/Journal-World PhotoSteve Kragthorpe has seen the tape, and he knows what Kansas University quarterback Adam Barmann can do.
At least, Kragthorpe thinks he does.
“That guy played great at Texas A&M,” said Kragthorpe, whose Tulsa squad opens the football season against Barmann and the Jayhawks at 6 tonight at Memorial Stadium. “I spent four years at Texas A&M, so I have a real appreciation for the way that guy went in there as true freshman in his first start and threw for 300 yards and four touchdowns against the Aggies. Heck, I’ve seen guys that can’t even take a snap in that environment let alone do what he did.”
Barmann, who had been expected to take a red-shirt season in 2003, made his debut in a 45-33 loss at A&M’s Kyle Field last year in KU’s ninth game after starter Bill Whittemore was injured a week earlier at Kansas State.
Barmann completed 25 of 37 passes and set KU freshman records with 294 yards passing and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 45 yards and another TD.
Journal-World File Photo“If you watch the game film, you’ll see he ran the ball quite a bit in that game,” said Kragthorpe, who worked on R.C. Slocum’s A&M staff from 1997 to 2000, including three seasons as offensive coordinator. “They really didn’t change their game plan from the things that they’d done with Whittemore, so he’s capable of not only being an excellent passer, he can make some plays with his feet. He avoids the rush well, gets outside and makes throws on the run. He’s tremendously accurate with that.
“You have to contend with his athletic ability outside of the pocket being a runner as well as his ability to stay in the pocket and throw the football down the field. He throws a deep ball extremely well. I saw him complete some long throws down the field with great accuracy. He throws the post route well, and throws the ball to the backs and allows them to be runners. I’m very impressed with him.”
Barmann started two more games in place of Whittemore and finished his freshman season with 564 yards passing in four games.
The bad news for Kragthorpe and the Golden Hurricane?
That was last year.
“Adam is good,” said junior receiver Mark Simmons, who tied for the team lead with 769 receiving yards last season. “I can’t wait for everybody to see him. I want everybody else to see how much he’s improved.”
Barmann stepped into a starting role last year and showed glimpses of what he could do. Since then, he’s had an entire offseason to work in the weight room, study film, learn the playbook and put his stamp on an offense in which he is no longer a temporary replacement.
“It’s a position you’re thrown into, and you have to be a leader of the offense, a field general,” said Barmann, who was a standout football, basketball and baseball player at West Platte High in Weston, Mo. “I do feel it’s more my team than it was last year. In high school I started four years in every sport. I’m used to being a leader on the team and having guys look up to me. It’s a position I feel comfortable in.”
Barmann replaces one of the best quarterbacks in Kansas history. Whittemore set a KU single-season record with 18 touchdown passes last year. Though he played only two years at KU, the Fort Scott Community College transfer’s 29 TDs rank third on the school’s career list.
Whittemore also earned the respect of his teammates — and opponents — for his hard-nosed running style and his poise under pressure.
Barmann, on the other hand, turned 20 last Saturday and has played a total of four college games.
“He’s had an excellent two-a-days,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “We’re really excited about what he can do. He played a few games last year, but being young he’s a guy that we’ll go through some growing pains with. But he’s quite a talent, and we’re looking for him to do some big things.”
Mangino said “growing pains” are to be expected, but Barmann was confident he’s a different player than he was a year ago.
“There’s a huge difference,” he said. “I’m a lot more confident now than when I was going to A&M. I didn’t have as good of a grasp of the offense as I do now. I really think I’ve come a long way. … I got thrown into the fire a little bit. I was glad to get to play last year, but I was little wet behind the ears. I think having a year under my belt really helped a lot. … I’m the most comfortable I’ve ever been, especially compared to last year. A lot of times we’d just go out and run a play. Whatever happened happened. Now I understand the defense and what we’re trying to do to the defense.”
KU’s offense won’t change much, but the personnel has. Comparisons to Whittemore seem unavoidable, but Barmann will line up with a much different unit than the one Whittemore led to the Tangerine Bowl last winter.
Air Force transfer Matt Thompson will play his first game as a Jayhawk tonight, stepping in for NFL Draft pick Adrian Jones at left tackle. Sophomore Travis Dambach replaces graduated right tackle Danny Lewis, and sophomore David Ochoa will make his first start at right guard in place of injured senior Tony Coker.
Red-shirt freshman Derek Fine will make his KU debut at tight end. Senior Gary Heaggans will fill the spot vacated by receiver-turned-cornerback Charles Gordon, and Heaggans will be backed up by converted safety Jonathan Lamb.
Barmann wasn’t worried.
“David Ochoa has really stepped in well for us,” Barmann said. “We haven’t missed a beat. It’s tough losing a guy like Tony, but with the way David’s been playing we’re really gelling as an offense.
“As long as I get the ball to our playmakers, I think we’ll be fine. It’s not all on my shoulders. There’s 10 other guys out there with me.”
Barmann still has workhorse running back Clark Green to rely on in the backfield, and he’s confident in his receivers. Simmons and senior Brandon Rideau were two of Whittemore’s top targets a year ago.
“I’m throwing to all of them, and they can all catch,” Barmann said of the receivers. “They do great things for us. Brandon Rideau has really come a long way since last year. As good as he was last year, I think he’s even better this year. Mark Simmons is playing really well. Gary Heaggans is looking good. The new guy Jon Lamb … he’s playing really well for us. With our backs in the backfield, we can run the ball.”
Though he’s young and inexperienced, Barmann’s teammates are eager to follow him.
“We see what he can do,” senior center Joe Vaughn said. “We just want to give him time to work and let him pick people apart.”
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