KU football team used to scrimmages

By Ryan Wood     Apr 13, 2007

Though the thousands of fans in attendance at Sunday’s spring game will be new for Kansas University’s football team, engaging in an intense scrimmage won’t be.

Not by a long shot.

The Jayhawks hoped to accelerate the learning curve this spring by imitating games as much as possible. During roughly half of their spring practices, officials have been brought in, and 11-on-11 football has been played with intensity.

There’s been more physicality on each other, but that’s something the KU coaching staff is OK with.

“We’ve had a lot of contact in the spring, and it’s been very helpful,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “We’re getting better because of it.”

Kansas scrimmages nearly every Wednesday and Saturday, practicing fundamentals and techniques that no drill can teach quite so convincingly.

“We want to make sure we’re sure tacklers and pursuing the ball on defense,” Mangino said, “and on offense you want to have good takeoffs, and you need to play physical football.

“One of the things we’ve set out with this ball club is we want to be a physical football team. That’s one way to do it.”

It’s also an avenue to iron out the new wrinkles in a made-over offense, which is getting some new formations and new plays installed with the hiring of coordinator Ed Warinner.

Learning the plays is one thing. Executing is another.

“With new schemes and stuff being put in,” Meier said, “you have to have extra focus and concentrate on what you’re doing.”

All-out scrimmages in practice is one way to stress it. The Jayhawks scrimmaged again Wednesday, and of course, will have their most glorified one at 3:30 p.m. Sunday that’s open to the public.

But it’s not as if KU players won’t be ready. It’s old hat to them.

“We’ve probably scrimmaged a little bit more than we have in the past,” Mangino said. “Not a major leap but probably a little bit more.

“There’s risk involved, there’s no question. But it’s a contact sport.”

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