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KU combo equals one “superback” By J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH LAWRENCE | Let’s daydream for a moment. Say Kansas had a blue-chip running back. Six feet tall. 215 pounds. Blazing speed. Power. Cuts on a dime. We’ll call him … Jake McSharperson. Through his first three games as KU’s starting back, he’d average 25 carries for 162 yards and two touchdowns. Statistically, that would make him the fourth-best running back in the country, placing him on numerous Heisman Trophy “dark-horse” lists. Sounds pretty good, huh? Yes, if Jake Sharp and Brandon McAnderson were one man, the traditional college tailback who gets 25 totes of the pigskin all to himself, it would be time to go to the mall and pick up your very own McSharperson jersey. Before they run out. But since Sharp and McAnderson are content to share the load, hero worship will be tougher. Sharp, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound jitterbug, has carried 36 times for 265 yards and two touchdowns. McAnderson, a 6-foot, 235-pound tank, has carried 39 times for 222 yards and four scores. Taken apart, they’re role players who do certain things very well. Taken together, they’re putting up All-America-caliber numbers without the pressure that goes along with being All-America. “When you’re the guy,” Sharp said, “you definitely feel a ton of pressure because if you play bad, the team’s going to play bad. Here, you just feel a little more free. It’s not like the whole team is resting on your shoulders.” That must be what former KU running back Jon Cornish felt like last year when he led the Big 12 in rushing with more than 1,400 yards. Cornish couldn’t have done more, yet his team only finished 6-6. The Jayhawks are 3-0 right now, and they’ve got two runners who — for all practical purposes — have played a game and a half. They’re fresh, and they’ll be fresh much longer into the season than one ball carrier could ever be. “You try to see who might have the hot hand or who has the extra burst that day,” KU offensive coordinator Ed Warinner said. “But both of them are going to get their carries. Both of them have a place in our offense, and we want to get a great running game out of two guys. So far, we’ve been able to do that.” Entering the season, the KU coaches knew that they could trust McAnderson, a dependable senior fullback. The wild card was Sharp, a sophomore who was playing in his third offensive system in the last three years. Kansas coach Mark Mangino said that Sharp looked as if his head was spinning during two-a-days in August. “Nobody tries harder than him,” Mangino said. “I think he wants to do well so badly, he wants to make sure it’s perfect. He’s starting to realize that things aren’t going to be perfect all the time.” It seems that getting a chance to play consistently has been all that Sharp needed. “I feel way more relaxed,” Sharp said. “I think that’s evident in my play the last two weeks. I think I’ve settled back into just playing football again.” Sharp carried 13 times for 127 yards against Toledo. The Jayhawks went to him early and often for the first time this season because the Rockets were blitzing often. The KU staff believes Sharp gives them the best chance to take advantage of aggressive defenses. “His true ability is coming out,” Warinner said. Sharp was “the guy” at Salina (Kan.) Central High School, where he set a state record his senior year for touchdowns with 63. He says he is enjoying the competition with McAnderson. “We’re able to joke about it,” Sharp said. “It’s kind of like, ‘How many yards you got? I got about 20 more than you. You better get going.’ ” To reach J. Brady McCollough, Kansas reporter for The Star, send e-mail to jmccollough@kcstar.com |
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J. Brady McCollough - jbrady@coveringsports.com (email) - 816-868-2621 (cell) |
