Wilt Chamberlain, Gale Sayers, Danny Manning, John Hadl, Jim Ryun and Lynette Woodard all had decent runs at Kansas University.
None of them in his or her prime could touch Kerry Meier in his, and he hasn’t even taken a college snap.
Not to put any undue pressure on him or anything.
Just kidding about his place in KU history, but the big, strong quarterback with a decisive way about him throws an accurate ball, has an ultra-quick release, tucks it and runs swiftly and has an overall presence that belies his experience level.
It’s a safe assumption he’ll have the quality of bringing out the best in those hanging on his words in the huddle and hanging onto his passes down field.
For one, look for a big season from Derek Fine. A 6-foot-3, 245-pound tight end from Sallisaw, Okla., Fine ranked fifth on the team last year with 22 receptions, averaged 11.1 yards per catch and caught one touchdown pass.
Meier’s ability to throw deep has a chance to open up things in the middle for Fine, who has sure hands, is tough to bring down and runs well for his size.
It pays not to overlook Fine when projecting potential playmakers on offense, where Meier, Jon Cornish and Brian Murph are more obvious choices.
Fine made a leaping catch for a 36-yard touchdown from Meier for the first score of Friday night’s spring game, getting the White team started toward a 28-7 victory over the Blue.
All signs point to Fine’s time at Kansas finishing up much better than it started. He came in as part of Mark Mangino’s first recruiting class, along with Nick Reid, Charles Gordon, Kevin Kane, etc.
Fine was coming off appendicitis when he arrived for summer practices going into what would have been his freshman year. His weight dropped to 195 pounds, but that’s not what resulted in him heading back home while the rest of the team started the school year and the football season.
On the next-to-last day of two-a-day practices, Fine said he felt “really, really bad in the morning practice.”
There was a reason. An infection was working its way through his body.
“There was a piece of the appendix behind my liver that they didn’t get out when I had my appendicitis,” he said. “I had to go in and get that taken out. I was in the hospital a few days.”
He was far behind football-wise and missed the first few days of classes, so when the coaching staff floated the idea of him returning home and protecting the year of eligibility, he took them up on it. He went home and helped a contractor working on his sister’s house.
“In the end, it was a really good experience,” Fine said. “It helped me do some growing up.”
He followed that year with a red-shirt season, which is why he has two remaining seasons.
“I had an all right year last year,” said Fine, who expects to have a better one. “I’ve been able to gain weight and get bigger and faster.”
At the very least, Fine could develop into Meier’s safety valve.
“I’ll do my routes, and whenever he gets in trouble, I’ll try to get somewhere he can see me and dump the ball off to me to get out of trouble,” Fine said.
He played a bigger role than that Friday, catching four balls for 59 yards.
