Joe Mortensen even let up a little bit. But as Kansas University quarterback Kerry Meier was about to glide out of bounds during the spring game Sunday, Mortensen put a shoulder into him and spun him around almost a full revolution.
Welcome to a full-contact scrimmage – finally.
KU’s spring game, for the first half, was a no-holding-back battle where even the quarterbacks were fair game for a lick or two. Both Meier and Todd Reesing left unscathed, though Mortensen’s shot on Meier could’ve made anyone a little woozy.
The Blue team, primarily projected starters, destroyed the White team, 48-0, at Memorial Stadium.
Meier and Reesing alternated between Blue and White Sunday.
Mortensen, an inside linebacker, stayed on the Blue, and his meeting with Meier near the KU sideline put many of the estimated 8,200 fans in attendance on edge.
“I got a little talk from coach,” Mortensen said with a smile. “It’s weird that quarterbacks are live. We’ve got to be smart, because we need No. 10 out there.”
Adjustment aside, both the defenders and the quarterbacks felt letting the tackling happen is good toward the team’s overall development. Mortensen thought the defense benefited because “it gives us a real look,” while Meier and Reesing agreed that getting as close to game situation as possible can only help.
“The quarterbacks have worn the regular game jerseys during every scrimmage this spring. It wasn’t just today,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “You want to know how they’re going to maintain their poise when they’re going to get popped here and there. There’s always the risk for injury, but that wouldn’t be anything new with our quarterback position.”
Meier’s combined totals on the two teams was 13-of-27 passing for 204 yards and two touchdowns. Reesing had 10 completions in 20 attempts for 171 yards and one touchdown. Only Meier threw an interception.
“Heated competition,” Mangino said when asked of the status of the quarterback race. “And a good one.”
The one’s-versus-two’s format quickly led to a lopsided game. Senior receiver Marcus Henry had no equal lining up against him, hauling in six catches for 150 yards with touchdown receptions of 56, 29 and 38 yards.
Coupled with an interception return for a score by Darrell Stuckey and two rushing scores by Brandon McAnderson, the blue team led 45-0 at halftime.
The clock ran continuously in the second half, and allowed for only a Scott Webb field goal in the third quarter. The game lasted just more than two hours, but it was enough to reach the coaching staff’s goal.
“We wanted to get over 100 snaps, and we did,” Mangino said. “We felt like that would be adequate considering this is our third consecutive day practicing.”
Sunday’s scrimmage was the last of 15 practices for the Jayhawks that started just about a month ago. Individual workouts and summer conditioning will fill the next four months until summer camp opens up.
By then, the quarterbacks might be off-limits completely with the season looming so close. But as it stands now, they’re good for a hit or too – even if the defense remained careful.
“You don’t want to blast your own quarterback,” Stuckey said. “You don’t want to make that highlight. This one’s not going to SportsCenter. This one’s just going to the film room.”
