The Kansas offense did something a bit unexpected Saturday in its home game against TCU.
KU football fans had grown accustomed to seeing the Jayhawks play two quarterbacks, a strategy implemented by head coach David Beaty during the first four games of the season. But no one outside of the Kansas locker room could’ve seen this coming.
On the first play of the second quarter, newly named starting QB Ryan Willis was no where to be found. In his place on the Memorial Stadium turf for a third-and-1 play at KU’s 29-yard line stood a 6-foot-2 freshman wearing a No. 6 jersey.
Much more massive than Willis or backup Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart, 245-pound true freshman Maciah Long faked a handoff to running back Taylor Martin and powered ahead for a one-yard gain, just enough for a first down.
Recruited to KU as a linebacker and listed on the roster as a tight end, Long played QB in high school at Houston’s North Shore, where he led the Mustangs to the Class 6A Division 1 state championship, picking up offensive MVP honors in the title game.
Long only came in for one snap at QB for the Jayhawks (1-4 overall, 0-2 Big 12), and the play did little more than extend the possession ahead of a punt. But it could be a harbinger of more to come.
Beaty said at his Tuesday press conference the offense had been working on using Long “for weeks.” KU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach added he hopes to expand Long’s role going forward.
> “He’s a load, and he’s getting better
> at it, which gives you an extra gap
> for defenses to have to defend,” Beaty
> said of one of the benefits of putting
> Long, a running threat, in at QB.
Leading up to this week’s game at No. 11 Baylor (5-0, 2-0), Beaty mentioned the Bears are able to do the same with their full-time QB Seth Russell (5.2 rushing yards per carry, three touchdowns this season).
Whether Kansas will start turning to Long for more short-yardage or goal-line downs moving forward, Beaty didn’t care to specify.
> “When the situation calls for Maciah,
> we’ll use him as much as we can,” the
> coach said. “We’re not going to
> necessarily tip our hand to how we’re
> going to use him or how much we’re
> going to use him, but I do know this:
> He’s getting well, finally. He was
> hurt for a long time. He’s been
> hobbled for four weeks. That ankle has
> not been healthy. Having him healthy
> now is really helping us with wanting
> to use him more.”
Ranked last in the Big 12 in rushing offense (97.2 yards a game) and ninth in total offense (376.4 yards), KU needs every offensive wrinkle it can create. So more Maciah Long at quarterback doesn’t seem out of the question in the weeks to come.
In fact, perhaps everyone who follows Kansas football should’ve seen this coming. This past winter, at KU’s Class of 2016 signing day press conference, Beaty raved about Long’s versatility and size.
> “We’re going to use him at
> linebacker,” the coach said in
> February. “Don’t be surprised if we
> don’t put him back there and see him
> do some of the stuff you’re going to
> see him do on tape here (running the
> ball as North Shore’s quarterback).
> Built-in short yardage scheme there
> with a guy that weighs 230 to 250
> pounds. I won’t give him up. I think
> he’s somewhere between 230, 250,
> good-looking kid and can run for a kid
> that size.”
So far, Long, who chose KU over Ohio State, UCLA and other more reputable programs, has one carry for one yard. But Kansas sure could use another dynamic option on offense as Beaty and company keep building for the future. In his senior year at North Shore, Long carried the ball 200 times, racking up 984 yards and 20 touchdowns. He also passed for 1,785 yards and 16 touchdowns.
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