Kerry Meier

Jimmy Chitwood

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Aug 10, 2005
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Arkansas
it's about time this guy had his own thread ...
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Kerry Meier: a new kind of MVP

It looked like a sure two points for Duke. The Blue Devils had just blocked an extra point attempt and one of their players scooped up the ball. He was headed for the Jayhawks' end zone and no was going to stop him. No one except Kerry Meier.


Meier saved two points for Kansas by chasing down the Duke defender. But it wasn't easy. After holding the ball for kicker Jacob Branstetter, Meier had to spring to his feet and chase the returner for about 60 yards before pushing him out of bounds.


Kerry Meier was the only Kansas player with a chance to make the play. And Kerry Meier got the job done.


Seconds after the play, the student section started the now familiar chant of "KER-RY MEI-ER!"Â as he ran off the field.


Most Kansas fans know the story of the quarterback-turned-receiver who caught 97 passes last season. But few people realize just how much he does for this Kansas team.


The Passer


Most Kansas fans know Kerry Meier was recruited to play quarterback at Kansas. He started as a freshman before Todd Reesing became the starter during his sophomore season.


He threw for 13 touchdowns that year, which set a KU record for freshmen. Coach Mark Mangino tried him out at receiver during his sophomore season, but Mangino did not forget about his arm.


Mangino still occasionally calls on Meier's arm to come up with a big play to surprise opponents. Just two weeks ago, Meier delivered a 56-yard strike to Dezmon Briscoe on a trick play against UTEP that got the Kansas offense going. He's still got it.


The Receiver


It was a big change and probably a bigger disappointment for Kerry Meier to be the backup quarterback. But more than anything, Meier wanted to get on the field and help the team. Mangino gave him a shot at receiver and Meier hasn't looked back.


In a way, it all worked out for Kerry Meier during his sophomore season. When Kansas was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, it was Meier who was shown catching a touchdown pass.


Meier had never played receiver before that year, but he got pretty good in a hurry. Last year, he was as reliable as any receiver in the nation and is now on the radar of many NFL scouts.


The Blocker


When not catching or throwing passes, Meier does a lot to open up lanes for other players. He understands the importance of good blocking on the outside and has become very good at clearing space for Dezmon Briscoe and others to pick up extra yardage.


The Holder


Maybe the most underestimated role Meier plays for the team is being the holder for kicker Jacob Branstetter. Mangino made a great move by having Meier hold for field goals and extra points. It takes a great pair of hands to be an effective holder, and there is no better choice than Meier.


The Tackler


Kerry Meier showed last Saturday that he can play some defense too. It wasn't the hardest hit ever made at Memorial Stadium, but it didn't have to be. Meier chased the Duke returner down the sideline and shoved him out of bounds. The play displayed his speed and athleticism, but most importantly, the hustle he shows on every play for the Jayhawks.


Reesing might still be this team's best player, and Briscoe might still be the most talented, but it will be even tougher to replace Kerry Meier when he graduates this year. He's still the Jayhawks' MVP â€" Most Versatile Player â€" and that can never be taken for granted.
Meier's many talents fill out the field

Certainly, by now, you know senior wide receiver Kerry Meier's story â€" from a highly touted high school quarterback to one of the most productive pass-catchers in the country.


And of course you know about his selflessness and versatility on the field â€" from a backup quarterback, to a holder, to the second-string punter.



But the bet here is you didn't know this: At times during the past two weeks without sophomore tight end Tim Biere, who missed time because he of an illness, Meier lined up at ... tight end?


"It's just a few different schemes coach Warinner threw in there,"Â Meier said, "If something should happen like that, I'll be ready to go. We threw a few little nuances in there."Â


Meier talked about his repetitions at tight end rather nonchalantly, and hinted that it may not be a significant piece of Kansas' future offensive plans.


But the notion alone illustrated two central themes from Meier's time at Kansas: His willingness to adjust and his ability to comprehend football.


"Kerry's just smooth,"Â freshman wide receiver Bradley McDougald said, "People may not see him as the most athletic guy but I just think he's a great, great football player. He just knows the game and he know coverages. He knows where to sit in zones."Â


Meier, who was Kansas' starting quarterback his freshman year and backed up Reesing last season, is currently listed as the third-string quarterback. During practice, he still wears the red jersey and still participates in quarterback meetings.


This season, though, Meier said he spends more time in fine-tuning his abilities at wide receiver now that freshman quarterback Kale Pick has developed into a capable backup.


More of his time is spent with Kansas' other receivers, discussing coverages and studying film of an opposing team's secondary.


"Any time you can turn your complete attention and focus to one thing, you're going to feel a lot better and a lot more comfortable and pick up even more things,"Â Meier said.


Early in the first quarter, with Southern Mississippi defending him with single coverage, Meier slipped past his defender, caught an over-the-shoulder pass from Reesing and bolted into the end zone for a 62-yard touchdown.


The play only foreshadowed the rest of Meier's day.


Throughout the game, Meier found weak spots in Southern Miss' zone defenses and benefited from Kansas' repeated use of quick throws when opting to run its hurry-up offense.


In all, Meier finished with ten catches and a career-high 141 receiving yards.


"Kerry just quietly does that stuff just making play after play,"Â coach Mark Mangino said, "Just a tremendous playmaker for us. He gets open where a lot of receivers struggle in certain situations. He finds a way to get open and get the ball."Â


In the months leading up the season, Meier and senior running back Jake Sharp developed into workout partners, offering the motivation needed to put in the extra work when the season seemed so far away.


And teammates said that extra time is the backing for Meier's success.


After Kansas' victory against Southern Miss, Reesing talked about Meier's work ethic, calling it "next to none on this team or anyone I've been around."Â


Then, in four brief sentences, Reesing perfectly summed up the abilities of Kansas' leading receiver.


"He studies the game and he just makes plays,"Â Reesing said. "You can't coach that or really teach it. A guy has it or he doesn't. He shows up in big games and makes plays when he has to."Â
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