Given a choice, Jake Sharp would rather play in games than wear a red shirt his freshman year at Kansas University.
“I am not a guy who likes to watch from the sidelines,” said Sharp, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound running back from Salina Central and the most publicized member of KU’s recruiting class of 2006.
“(But) I am pretty open-minded. If I would get a chance, it’d probably be special teams, maybe a chance to play some running back,” Sharp said of his role this season if, as expected, he’s deemed ready for prime time by coach Mark Mangino.
Sharp’s resume is one of an immediate-impact college contributor.
Sharp, Rivals.com’s No. 17-rated all-purpose back, scored a state-record 63 touchdowns last season while gaining 3,304 yards – No. 2 total in state history behind Kipp Connell of Claflin, who rumbled for 3,382 yards in 1998.
Sharp’s 6,524 career rushing yards rank second in prep history behind DeAngelo Evans of Wichita Collegiate, who gained 8,472 from 1992 to ’95.
What would constitute a perfect rookie campaign?
“Just to see the field and help these seniors,” Sharp said. “Maybe go capture the Big 12 for them in their last year – contribute any way I can.”
Sharp, whose nickname is “White Lightning,” turned heads immediately during preseason camp, pretty much making it all but a formality his red shirt would be removed.
“He is fast. That’s the name he got in high school. He got it for a reason,” junior tight end Derek Fine said of Sharp, who won the long jump and placed second in the 100 and 200 and ran on Central’s second-place 400 relay team at the 2006 state track meet.
Sharp – who is not discounting joining KU’s track team someday – already has impressed grid coach Mangino, who has indicated it would be tough to keep Sharp off the field this season.
“He is ready to go. He shows up every day with his game face on,” Mangino said. “He is so serious in practice every day, I’ll be interested to see what he looks like on game day. He has a lot of tenacity. He wants to get in the mix and play. He is certainly competing.”
He also gushed about Sharp in front of all Big 12 Conference media at Media Day activities in Kansas City.
“Sharp’s going to do something,” Mangino said. “I don’t like to talk about freshmen, but this guy is unbelievable in his maturity and his approach. He’s a workaholic. He’s one of the hardest-working freshmen I’ve ever seen. I’d be surprised if he didn’t help us at least on special teams this year.”
As far as the “game face” comment, Sharp said: “I take everything very serious. I guess it’s the way I’ve been taught to play the game of football. It’s not a game for boys. I go out there, and there’s a task at hand. I want to accomplish that as much as possible.”
Because of his work ethic and intangibles and the fact he’s an in-state high school hero, Sharp has a chance to become a big fan favorite at KU.
Remember, he committed to the Jayhawks in June of 2005, before the start of his senior season. He made it official by signing a letter of intent in February of ’06, never wavering on his commitment.
“I was lucky enough to get started early in the recruiting process,” Sharp said. “I found out early they were in need of running backs here. I liked the guys a lot and really liked it here. There are great coaches who have built the program. It’s a great time to be here.”
After committing to KU over Nebraska and Colorado State, other schools continued to try to get him to change his mind before signing day, which is standard procedure in football, where an oral commitment means little.
“I really don’t want to say,” Sharp said, asked which schools tried to steal him. “Mostly Big 12. There were definitely other schools coming in, especially late. I had a good season my senior year. I knew where I wanted to be. I knew I wanted to be here.
“The more in-state guys we can get here, the higher rate of in-state players we can get, the more fanfare we can get,” he added. “By getting the best in-state players, we can take the program to the next level and next level every year.”
This year, Sharp is ready for anything, except sitting the bench if he’s not red-shirting. It has been a long time since he last watched his teammates play the majority of the games.
“It would have been my freshman year, I guess,” Sharp said of the last time he was a sub. “I guess in this stadium in the state championship game against Topeka West. It has been awhile.”
The Mustangs won that game, finishing No. 1 in the state, which happens to be Sharp’s jersey number at KU. He wore No. 33 in high school.
“I found the number was open. I’ve kind of been a fan of the number. It’s a cool number to have,” Sharp said. “I figured, ‘Why not?”‘
Jon Cornish is currently KU’s No. 1 running back and, if Cornish stays healthy, figures to keep that job the entire season. That’s fine with Sharp, of course.
“Jon Cornish is tremendous. I’m trying to learn from the older guys. I have a lot to learn,” Sharp said. “Practice is definitely challenging. It’s nothing like anything I’ve ever done before. I was blessed to have a great high school coach who prepared me and great high school teammates. We worked in the offseason very hard.
“The coaches here take a very serious approach to everything. There is nothing unorganized. Everything down to getting to class on time, our weight room. It’s more difficult here, but I’ve always been taught to work hard and be the best I can be.”
