Sports > Columnists > Bob Lutz

Posted on Mon, Nov. 09, 2009

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Reesing has struggled; rest of Jayhawks have struggled more

It's gloomy outside, but reading this will lift your spirits:

* Get off Todd Reesing's back. And no, I'm not talking to the defensive players at Southern Mississippi, Colorado, Oklahoma, Texas Tech and Kansas State who have sacked Reesing 21 times this season.

I'm talking to the Kansas football fans who are scapegoating Reesing for the Jayhawks' four-game losing streak that could be headed for seven if the Jayhawks aren't careful.

Reesing, who has smashed the record book during his three-plus seasons as a starter, has made blunders in recent games, no doubt about it.

But instead of blaming Reesing, KU fans should be admonishing the coaches for leaving the Jayhawks susceptible to this stretch of bad games.

Reesing might as well be trying to fix health care, education and the war in Afghanistan while he's at it. Never has a player of such small stature been asked to do so much. It only makes sense that leaks have sprung.

Consider: KU has averaged 82.1 yards on the ground in its past seven games and hasn't had a 100-yard rushing game since going for 109 against Iowa State five weeks ago.

Jake Sharp is not himself, obviously, so why did freshman Toben Opurum carry the ball only twice against Kansas State on Saturday?

Consider: Reesing's protection has been woeful. Sticking Reesing behind KU's offensive line is like putting a five-carat diamond behind a sheet of Plexiglas. When Reesing isn't being tossed around, he's being chased as if he just held up a bank, yet his passing numbers have remained comparable to those he compiled in 2007 and 2008.

Consider: KU's defense, while getting better, is nothing like it was in 2007, when the Jayhawks were 12-1 and beat Virginia Tech in the Orange Bowl. That team allowed 317.3 yards and 16.4 points. This season, the Jayhawks are allowing 345 yards and 24.2 points.

Consider: Kansas had a plus-21 turnover margin in 2007. Last season, it was plus-one. This season, it's minus-one. It's a big change and while Reesing is responsible for quite a few of the turnovers, he's not to blame for KU's defense producing so few.

In 2007, Reesing had the lead part in a Broadway play. Now he's too often a one-man show, depended on to make up for so many KU shortcomings.

KU's decline in just two seasons is alarming when you compare it to the slow but steady progression made by Bill Snyder during his first go-around at K-State.

(Note: Of course, it's unfair to compare anyone's accomplishments to those of Snyder's. I get that.)

Snyder took over a disaster in Manhattan and in his fifth season the Wildcats won nine games. They followed that up with 9, 10, 9, 11, 11, 11, 11, 6 and 11 wins before stumbling in 2004 and 2005.

Mangino was able to get KU to double-digit wins in his sixth season and the Jayhawks were in a BCS bowl. But they followed up their 12-win season with eight in 2008, and will struggle to get to that this season.

Instead of building something that would stand the test of time, it's possible KU is a one-hit wonder.

That's not Reesing's fault, though. He's made his share of mistakes during this losing streak, but it's been a failure to surround him with enough high-quality players that has led to KU's fall to earth.

* I wonder whether Larry Johnson will get to be a middle-aged man, look back on his time in Kansas City with the Chiefs and admit to himself that he was a real pain in the you-know-where.

Johnson was released by the Chiefs on Monday, after which a Good Riddance parade was held in downtown Kansas City. Royals outfielder Jose Guillen was invited, but did not show up.

* I was sorry to hear about the death of former National Baseball Congress World Series director of umpires Carl Lewton, 81, who was inducted into the NBC Hall of Fame in 1996.

Lewton, from Carthage, Mo., was an umpire for more than 50 years and was with the NBC from 1971-95. He also was a teacher and principal in the Carthage school system before retiring.

Lewton never seemed like an umpire to me; he was too nice. Not that umpires can't be nice, I suppose.

Lewton worked long hours at the World Series and often caught the wrath of NBC tournament director Larry Davis. But anybody who ever caught Davis' wrath knew it wasn't personal, despite their shaky knees.

* It's a down football season for the Big 12, right?

Yet ESPN's Mel Kiper, in his latest NFL draft projections, has five Big 12 players going among the first six picks: Nebraska tackle Ndamukong Suh, Texas defensive back Eric Berry, Oklahoma defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, OU quarterback Sam Bradford are 1-4, and Oklahoma State offensive tackle Russell Okung is sixth.

* I saw some recent photographs of former Chicago Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa over the weekend and all I can say is: What the heck happened? * Josh Freeman is 1-0 as an NFL starting quarterback after throwing for three touchdowns in Tampa Bay's 38-28 win over Green Bay on Sunday.

But let's not go overboard just yet with the Freeman hype. After all, he completed less than 50 percent of his pass attempts.

It will be interesting to see how Freeman progresses. He looks the part and he'll get a chance to grow without the pressure of having to win right away.

* This is my first year as a full-fledged fantasy football player and to say I'm wrapped up in the process is probably an understatement.

My devotion and diligence to fantasy football, which I spent most of my life avoiding, is alarming. I now tune back and forth to NFL games not because they interest me, but because I have fantasy players involved.

I know millions upon millions of other fantasy players do the same thing. But, honestly, it was never my goal to be like them.

* Bizarre stat alert: Missouri has scored a total of 14 points in the second half of its five Big 12 games.

Which Big 12 team gets your vote as the biggest disappointment: Colorado, KU or Mizzou?

* Wouldn't you be much more interested in a college football national championship game between TCU and Florida or Alabama than you are in a Texas-Florida or Texas-Alabama matchup?

I would.

And given that TCU, Cincinnati and Boise State are 4-5-6 in the BCS rankings, is it time to do away with the six BCS conferences?

College football needs a kick in the pants.

Join Eagle sports columnist Bob Lutz from 1:30-2:30 p.m.. today for a live chat. It's at Kansas.com/sports. Reach him at 316-268-6597 or blutz@wichitaeagle.com.