Lubbock, Texas ? It’s never a good thing when watching a football team play to spend just as much time looking at players on the sideline, wondering why they aren’t in the game.
That’s what it was like watching Kansas University try to move the ball at Jones SBC Stadium against Texas Tech in Saturday night’s Big 12 Conference opener, which the Jayhawks lost, 30-17, in largely ugly fashion.
When in the second quarter Brian Luke threw a pitch all the way into the Texas Tech end zone for a score the other way, and on the next possession threw a bad interception, the eyes went up and down the KU sideline, stopping along the way at various potential replacements.
Adam Barmann? Been there, done that, wasn’t pretty, no need to go back. Yet, back to Barmann the coach went, though not for long. Barmann set up Jon Cornish for the licking of a lifetime, dumping a pass to him on third down, even though a pair of hard-hitting Red Raiders were right there to tag him for a painful four-yard loss.
After that panicky pass, KU coach Mark Mangino had seen enough, and back to Luke he went. And back to the bench the eyes wandered to see where else an upgrade could be lurking. They stopped on No. 10, the kid in the baseball cap from the football family. Kerry Meier makes it through the season without taking a snap and he buys himself a fifth year. Even if Mangino decides it’s worth a shot to see if Meier already is the team’s best quarterback, it’s not a simple matter.
Think about it. The Meier family already has one son in the NFL, injured tight end Shad. They know all about what it takes to make a profession out of the sport. Think it would be easy convincing them Kerry’s best chance lies in playing this season, instead of red-shirting and gaining an extra year of experience and growth? Think again. Mangino ought to try selling the family on the idea anyway. The pitch: Imagine how impressed NFL teams would be with the kid for sacrificing in the team’s time of need, even at the possible expense of being less attractive to the pros at the end of his college career.
This is an offense that needs a new face.
“I don’t think we’re getting good enough consistent play at wide receiver, and, you know, the quarterback can’t continue to make a bunch of bad plays,” Mangino said.
Luke panics at the worst times. Barmann panics often. So the eyes roam the sideline for an upgrade and settle on red-shirt freshman Marcus Herford. He was in for one set of downs and at this point is only a change-of-pace running quarterback to use for a rare spark. So the eyes return to No. 10, and they picture him wearing a helmet instead of a baseball cap. It must drive Meier crazy to watch and believe he can do better. So exploit those feelings and convince him to play.
Sound crazy? Listen to the coach.
“I’m not writing Adam Barmann off,” Mangino said of the junior, who returned to play the final few minutes. “I don’t think we’re in a position to do that.”
Oh, boy.
“Someone’s going to have to take charge here, or we’re going to have some decisions to make,” Mangino said.
Make the decision for him, Kerry Meier. Your school needs you. Now.
