Jake Sharp
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ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
Yeah Jake deserves some time to catch his rythem. He needs better blocking and to be more patient, he is just so fast. He performed well last season and should not be passed on the depth chart by Angus Quigley or Crawford so quickly. I hope Mangino gives him some time, he is the most physically talented back on the team.
ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
Sharp performed the best as far as yards per carry last game, but fat ass Mangino has already made his mind up it seems to go with Quigley and the former "Sex Felon" plea bargainer Crawford. Crawford has done nothing to warrant this from his play, and should have had to work his way up the depth in a fair world being the new guy. Jake Sharp should transfer out of Kansas at the end of this year. There will be a Division IA team that will take him and make him their starter, he has shown enough. He has legit NFL potential..but just needs to work on his vision a bit. Jake get your ass out of Mark Man-gina's crap house now if you're smart! Don't throw a possible NFL career away! Jake would have one year of eligibility left, I think if he transfers.
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
according to Mangino, Sharp hasn't been reading his blocks well and is trying too hard to make a big play every time. but the other rb's are sucking just as bad, or worse.
ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
It's very true that Sharp is outrunning his blockers. I had already commented on that exact thing after watching the first game. Mangino is correct, but Jacques Crawford has done nothing to warrant more carries than Sharp as of right now and Sharp produced well last season sharing the load with McAnderson.
Sharp has run a sub 10.5 100 meters before if I recall and needs to be more patient and work on his cut backs. Bottom line: Sharp deserves more time to see if he can keep the starting job this season, he is the most physically talented RB on the team.
Sharp has run a sub 10.5 100 meters before if I recall and needs to be more patient and work on his cut backs. Bottom line: Sharp deserves more time to see if he can keep the starting job this season, he is the most physically talented RB on the team.
What?, a white boy out running his blockers. "He trying to make something happen". I generally hear this about white running backs: good north-south runner, lacks breakaway speed, has deceptive speed, has a "high motor"....etc. Thus I see the coaches view as a compliment. C"mon Jake, slow down alittle so you get your share of carries.
Gi-15
Mentor
Kansas rallies for win
Kansas rallies for win
BY J. BRADY MCCOLLOUGH
The Wichita Eagle
AMES, Iowa - Mark Mangino didn't tell Jake Sharp last week about his change of heart. For all Sharp knew, he was destined for another frustrating Saturday.
Certainly nothing from the first half against Iowa State would have given Sharp any hope. Through one half of abysmal football, Sharp had one carry -- and the 16th-ranked Jayhawks had no points.
"Me and Jake talk a lot," KU wide receiver Kerry Meier said. "He just kept telling me he wanted a shot. Just one little shot."
Sharp, a junior from Salina Central, was supposed to be a key part of the offense this season. But, through four games, he had carried 26 times for 86 yards and found himself relegated to mop-up duty against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Sam Houston State.
Still, Mangino's instincts had been telling him that Sharp was the guy. But for some reason, he couldn't pull the trigger. Had he waited any longer on Saturday at Trice Stadium, the Jayhawks might have lost a must-win game.
Instead, Sharp breathed life into KU's stagnant offense and escaped from his exile with 186 total yards and two touchdowns in the Jayhawks' 35-33 comeback victory over the Cyclones.
"Today was Jake's day," KU quarterback Todd Reesing said. "I'm proud of the kid."
Sharp wasn't the only player who had fallen from grace as the Jayhawks (4-1, 1-0 in the Big 12) struggled through nonconference play. Mangino questioned the effort of senior linebacker Mike Rivera, one of KU's most dependable players in 2007, and sat him against the Bearkats.
Yet, as the Jayhawks battled back from a 20-0 halftime deficit, there were Sharp and Rivera, right in the thick of it. They had helped elevate the KU program into national prominence, and they weren't going to let all the respect they had gained in 2007 vanish early in 2008. KU was not going to let itself lose to a rebuilding Iowa State program.
"We had to win," Sharp said. "That was the battle cry. We've got to win."
In the first 30 minutes, the Jayhawks looked like a team unprepared for battle. KU went three and out on its first three drives and allowed Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud to complete 15 of 19 passes for 126 yards. The Jayhawks were on their heels, retreating in front of the fast and furious Cyclones.
"It was atrocious," Reesing said. "Worst collective half of football since I've been here."
In the second half, KU went on the offensive -- on both sides of the ball. Sharp led the charge, catching a 67-yard touchdown pass from Reesing to help make the score 20-7. On KU's next play, Sharp took a shovel pass 42 yards. With 8 minutes, 14 seconds to play in the third quarter, Angus Quigley scored on a 1-yard run, and KU trailed just 20-14.
After another defensive stop -- the Jayhawks had made sure to pressure Arnaud by sending more blitzes -- KU embarked on a gutsy drive. The Jayhawks converted two fourth downs, including a fourth-and-7 pass from Reesing to Meier for a 23-yard touchdown.
The Jayhawks kept attacking. Leading 28-26 with 7 minutes remaining, KU pushed for more, going 80 yards in eight plays, building the lead to 35-26.
"In my career," Mangino said, "I've always noticed that when I have tried to sit on (leads), things blow up. When you have that go-get-'em mentality, the kids keep their edge."
Defensively, the Jayhawks would lose their edge in the final three minutes. KU let Arnaud drive the Cyclones for a touchdown in 2 minutes, 17 seconds. Then, Iowa State recovered its onside kick without a Jayhawk even coming close to the ball as it hung in the air.
"I'm not proud of that moment," Mangino said. "We should have been on the attack."
The game ended on four straight Arnaud incompletions -- two coming on bad drops from Iowa State wide receivers. After KU's narrow escape from Ames, the Jayhawks can still think big. A loss would have all but ruled out their pursuit of a Big 12 North title.
Now, the Jayhawks can push forward with the knowledge that Sharp gives them the best chance to win. In addition to Sharp's two long receptions, he carried 19 times for 79 yards -- an average of 4.2 yards per attempt. It was easy for Sharp to describe what had changed.
"Confidence and rhythm," Sharp said. "I actually got tired for once out there. It seems like when I get tired, things slow down."
Mangino seemed to think KU would do well with a tired Jake Sharp the rest of the way.
"He's a prideful guy," Mangino said. "He wants to prove that he can do the job. Everything he did today leads me to believe that he can and he will."
Kansas rallies for win
BY J. BRADY MCCOLLOUGH
The Wichita Eagle
AMES, Iowa - Mark Mangino didn't tell Jake Sharp last week about his change of heart. For all Sharp knew, he was destined for another frustrating Saturday.
Certainly nothing from the first half against Iowa State would have given Sharp any hope. Through one half of abysmal football, Sharp had one carry -- and the 16th-ranked Jayhawks had no points.
"Me and Jake talk a lot," KU wide receiver Kerry Meier said. "He just kept telling me he wanted a shot. Just one little shot."
Sharp, a junior from Salina Central, was supposed to be a key part of the offense this season. But, through four games, he had carried 26 times for 86 yards and found himself relegated to mop-up duty against Football Championship Subdivision opponent Sam Houston State.
Still, Mangino's instincts had been telling him that Sharp was the guy. But for some reason, he couldn't pull the trigger. Had he waited any longer on Saturday at Trice Stadium, the Jayhawks might have lost a must-win game.
Instead, Sharp breathed life into KU's stagnant offense and escaped from his exile with 186 total yards and two touchdowns in the Jayhawks' 35-33 comeback victory over the Cyclones.
"Today was Jake's day," KU quarterback Todd Reesing said. "I'm proud of the kid."
Sharp wasn't the only player who had fallen from grace as the Jayhawks (4-1, 1-0 in the Big 12) struggled through nonconference play. Mangino questioned the effort of senior linebacker Mike Rivera, one of KU's most dependable players in 2007, and sat him against the Bearkats.
Yet, as the Jayhawks battled back from a 20-0 halftime deficit, there were Sharp and Rivera, right in the thick of it. They had helped elevate the KU program into national prominence, and they weren't going to let all the respect they had gained in 2007 vanish early in 2008. KU was not going to let itself lose to a rebuilding Iowa State program.
"We had to win," Sharp said. "That was the battle cry. We've got to win."
In the first 30 minutes, the Jayhawks looked like a team unprepared for battle. KU went three and out on its first three drives and allowed Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud to complete 15 of 19 passes for 126 yards. The Jayhawks were on their heels, retreating in front of the fast and furious Cyclones.
"It was atrocious," Reesing said. "Worst collective half of football since I've been here."
In the second half, KU went on the offensive -- on both sides of the ball. Sharp led the charge, catching a 67-yard touchdown pass from Reesing to help make the score 20-7. On KU's next play, Sharp took a shovel pass 42 yards. With 8 minutes, 14 seconds to play in the third quarter, Angus Quigley scored on a 1-yard run, and KU trailed just 20-14.
After another defensive stop -- the Jayhawks had made sure to pressure Arnaud by sending more blitzes -- KU embarked on a gutsy drive. The Jayhawks converted two fourth downs, including a fourth-and-7 pass from Reesing to Meier for a 23-yard touchdown.
The Jayhawks kept attacking. Leading 28-26 with 7 minutes remaining, KU pushed for more, going 80 yards in eight plays, building the lead to 35-26.
"In my career," Mangino said, "I've always noticed that when I have tried to sit on (leads), things blow up. When you have that go-get-'em mentality, the kids keep their edge."
Defensively, the Jayhawks would lose their edge in the final three minutes. KU let Arnaud drive the Cyclones for a touchdown in 2 minutes, 17 seconds. Then, Iowa State recovered its onside kick without a Jayhawk even coming close to the ball as it hung in the air.
"I'm not proud of that moment," Mangino said. "We should have been on the attack."
The game ended on four straight Arnaud incompletions -- two coming on bad drops from Iowa State wide receivers. After KU's narrow escape from Ames, the Jayhawks can still think big. A loss would have all but ruled out their pursuit of a Big 12 North title.
Now, the Jayhawks can push forward with the knowledge that Sharp gives them the best chance to win. In addition to Sharp's two long receptions, he carried 19 times for 79 yards -- an average of 4.2 yards per attempt. It was easy for Sharp to describe what had changed.
"Confidence and rhythm," Sharp said. "I actually got tired for once out there. It seems like when I get tired, things slow down."
Mangino seemed to think KU would do well with a tired Jake Sharp the rest of the way.
"He's a prideful guy," Mangino said. "He wants to prove that he can do the job. Everything he did today leads me to believe that he can and he will."
Gi-15
Mentor
We threw the big fella under the bus but seems like there is method to his madness, let's hope he keeps playing Jake.
White Power
Mentor
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2007
- Messages
- 931
Jake Sharp is a player, and Kansas is a team worth watching because CASTE busters they are.
What happened this season to cause Mangino to think that Sharp wasn't the guy? He averaged over 7 yds a carry last year and was a big part of their success. I didn't watch the game on Saturday, but in the highlights he looked very impressive and displayed tremendous speed on those long runs. Hopefully Mangino learned his lesson, let Jake play!!
Gi-15
Mentor
where did you got the highlights SteveB? I tried to get them on the internet but couldn't find them, seems like every time a white player have a great game at RB they don't show highlight of that game on espn.com...
See if this link works, Kansas Comeback
Gi-15
Mentor
thanks a lot pal!
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Great link SteveB! Thanks for posting it. Kansas, just by looking at that clip, reminded me of the Ole Miss Rebels from 1968-70, if not by the color of all the players by the way they were playing. A refreshing change from most games you see. I wish I could have seen that one in person. Jake Sharp is one bad cat, and so is Kerry Meier.
Don't you love the quote by Mangino that I highlighted? He never considered a "Kansas high school legend" to be starter material.
Sharp proves doubters wrong
With his game-saving performance at Iowa State on Saturday, Jake Sharp silences his critics with his powerhouse play.
By Case Keefer (Contact)
AMES, Iowa  Maybe everyone was wrong.
Mark Mangino was. The Kansas coach didn't think junior running back Jake Sharp was ready to be his team's primary running back this season, nor did anyone else.
Sharp proved otherwise in a 35-33 victory against Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday. He rushed for 81 yards  the most of any Jayhawk running back this season. He scored two touchdowns and recorded 107 receiving yards.
More importantly, Sharp had a career-high 19 carries. He ran angry. He ran hard.
"I like the way he ran the ball today. I like the way he caught the ball. I liked the way he blocked," Mangino said. "He played his tail off."
Maybe the search was unnecessary. Mangino tried to make a junior college transfer heavy on hype but light on production  junior Jocques Crawford  and a career bottom-of-the-depth chart dweller  junior Angus Quigley  into featured running backs.
All the while, Sharp waited. Sharp, the Kansas high school legend who averaged nearly six yards per carry on 168 carries during his first two years as a Jayhawk, almost felt like an afterthought.
He didn't touch the ball until the final possession in the Jayhawks' last game. He only received one carry in the Jayhawks' disastrous first half Saturday, where the Cyclones jumped out to a 20-0 lead.
Then, it happened. The forgotten Sharp broke out and made sure Kansas didn't leave the Hawkeye State without a victory.
He snuck out of the Kansas backfield and ran a route down the sideline on the Jayhawks' second offensive play of the third quarter. Junior quarterback Todd Reesing saw him and delivered the ball. Not even an actual cyclone could have caught Sharp. He used a jolt of speed to go 67 yards for a touchdown to make the score 20-7.
The Jayhawk offense found its way back onto the field less than two minutes later for more of the same. Reesing dumped Sharp a shovel pass and he exploded through a collapsing hole near the line of scrimmage, broke an arm tackle and went 42 yards downfield  setting up Kansas' next touchdown. 20-14.
Sharp, however, showed more than quickness in the game. He used pure power to thrust himself into the end zone from the two yard line to make the score 28-20 with nine minutes remaining.
He flexed both of his arms and yelled after the touchdown. Sharp was only green skin and dirty teeth away from becoming the Incredible Hulk.
And this guy supposedly wasn't capable of running the ball enough to be Kansas' starting running back? Sharp said he never thought that way.
"I never shy away from carrying the football as many times as I can get it," Sharp said. "I don't think any running back would. I don't think my teammates or my coaches really doubted my toughness."
But they did. Sharp has to truly know they did. From moments after the spring football game in April when Crawford declared he "liked his chances" to get carries at Kansas to a few weeks ago when Mangino said Sharp couldn't carry the load  he had internal doubters.
Sharp denied it, but perhaps he should have listened to Mangino's post-game press conference when he detailed his thoughts.
"We never, ever intended him to be a guy to carry the load here," Mangino said. "He's a guy that's supposed to get 10 carries a game, throw him a couple of passes  he's a changeup guy."
Mangino said he has since changed his mind. How could he not after Sharp's performance against Iowa State? He kept the Jayhawks from getting off to a disastrous start in conference play.
Maybe Sharp was the right guy all along.
"He wants to prove he can do the job," Mangino said, "and everything he did today leads me to believe he can."
 Edited by Rachel Burchfield
[url]http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/oct/06/Football_Column/?s ports[/url]
Sharp proves doubters wrong
With his game-saving performance at Iowa State on Saturday, Jake Sharp silences his critics with his powerhouse play.
By Case Keefer (Contact)
AMES, Iowa  Maybe everyone was wrong.
Mark Mangino was. The Kansas coach didn't think junior running back Jake Sharp was ready to be his team's primary running back this season, nor did anyone else.
Sharp proved otherwise in a 35-33 victory against Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium Saturday. He rushed for 81 yards  the most of any Jayhawk running back this season. He scored two touchdowns and recorded 107 receiving yards.
More importantly, Sharp had a career-high 19 carries. He ran angry. He ran hard.
"I like the way he ran the ball today. I like the way he caught the ball. I liked the way he blocked," Mangino said. "He played his tail off."
Maybe the search was unnecessary. Mangino tried to make a junior college transfer heavy on hype but light on production  junior Jocques Crawford  and a career bottom-of-the-depth chart dweller  junior Angus Quigley  into featured running backs.
All the while, Sharp waited. Sharp, the Kansas high school legend who averaged nearly six yards per carry on 168 carries during his first two years as a Jayhawk, almost felt like an afterthought.
He didn't touch the ball until the final possession in the Jayhawks' last game. He only received one carry in the Jayhawks' disastrous first half Saturday, where the Cyclones jumped out to a 20-0 lead.
Then, it happened. The forgotten Sharp broke out and made sure Kansas didn't leave the Hawkeye State without a victory.
He snuck out of the Kansas backfield and ran a route down the sideline on the Jayhawks' second offensive play of the third quarter. Junior quarterback Todd Reesing saw him and delivered the ball. Not even an actual cyclone could have caught Sharp. He used a jolt of speed to go 67 yards for a touchdown to make the score 20-7.
The Jayhawk offense found its way back onto the field less than two minutes later for more of the same. Reesing dumped Sharp a shovel pass and he exploded through a collapsing hole near the line of scrimmage, broke an arm tackle and went 42 yards downfield  setting up Kansas' next touchdown. 20-14.
Sharp, however, showed more than quickness in the game. He used pure power to thrust himself into the end zone from the two yard line to make the score 28-20 with nine minutes remaining.
He flexed both of his arms and yelled after the touchdown. Sharp was only green skin and dirty teeth away from becoming the Incredible Hulk.
And this guy supposedly wasn't capable of running the ball enough to be Kansas' starting running back? Sharp said he never thought that way.
"I never shy away from carrying the football as many times as I can get it," Sharp said. "I don't think any running back would. I don't think my teammates or my coaches really doubted my toughness."
But they did. Sharp has to truly know they did. From moments after the spring football game in April when Crawford declared he "liked his chances" to get carries at Kansas to a few weeks ago when Mangino said Sharp couldn't carry the load  he had internal doubters.
Sharp denied it, but perhaps he should have listened to Mangino's post-game press conference when he detailed his thoughts.
"We never, ever intended him to be a guy to carry the load here," Mangino said. "He's a guy that's supposed to get 10 carries a game, throw him a couple of passes  he's a changeup guy."
Mangino said he has since changed his mind. How could he not after Sharp's performance against Iowa State? He kept the Jayhawks from getting off to a disastrous start in conference play.
Maybe Sharp was the right guy all along.
"He wants to prove he can do the job," Mangino said, "and everything he did today leads me to believe he can."
 Edited by Rachel Burchfield
[url]http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/oct/06/Football_Column/?s ports[/url]
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
Mangino is a landlocked walrus. He's basically admitting he intended to screw Jake royally while at KU.
ToughJ.Riggins
Hall of Famer
Sharp earned the right to see more carries than he did early in the season, especially with ex-con transfer Crawford struggling just as much as Sharp. What the hell had Crawford done to get more carries than Sharp who truly earned a bigger role from last season's play?
Sharp just needed to get a rythem.
Quigly has played decent when used this year, but Crawford deserves none of the featured role he has gotten. Crawford seems to be just the type of guy that commits crimes (former sex crime rep) and complains. I guess that's what Africano Div. IA football wants in a player. As long as he's black he's good enough.
Sharp just needed to get a rythem.
Quigly has played decent when used this year, but Crawford deserves none of the featured role he has gotten. Crawford seems to be just the type of guy that commits crimes (former sex crime rep) and complains. I guess that's what Africano Div. IA football wants in a player. As long as he's black he's good enough.
Gi-15
Mentor
Is Jake Sharp the cure to Kansas' struggling running game?
Sharp posts the most receiving yards ever by a Jayhawk running back in Kansas' remarkable comeback victory against Iowa State last Saturday.
By B.J. Rains (Contact)
Coach Mark Mangino isn't exactly sure when it happened, but he's glad it did.
After struggling through watching Jocques Crawford and Angus Quigley fail to grab control of the running back position, he realized during practice last week that even though Mangino didn't want to do it, Jake Sharp had to be the guy.
"I kind of felt that way for the past week or so, that he is the guy that is best suited right now to be our main running back," Mangino said. "I never told him, and we didn't start him because we didn't want to put any extra pressure on him. That is something that's been in the back of my mind. I went with my instincts and I am glad that I did."
Sharp started the first three games of the season but played sparingly and rushed for only 62 yards on 21 carries in those three games. His only appearance in the Jayhawks' fourth game against Sam Houston State came on the last possession of the game when the backups were in to run out the clock.
"We never, ever intended him to be a guy to carry the load here," Mangino said. "He is a guy that is supossed to get 10 carries a game, throw him a couple passes, be a changeup guy. But he has been forced to be the guy."
Sharp had only nine yards rushing in the first half, but almost single-handedly jumpstarted the Kansas comeback in the second half. Sharp rushed for a season-high 79 yards and had 107 receiving yards, the most ever by a Kansas running back.
"It was great just getting out there and getting tired," Sharp said. "I actually got tired for once. It seems like when I get tired, the game slows down and I just feel comfortable. Things just seem smoother."
Looking for any kind of spark they could find, offensive coordinator Ed Warinner noticed a hole in the Iowa State defense and took a chance. On the Jayhawks' first offensive play of the second half, Sharp took off down the left sideline and remained uncovered. Todd Reesing found him and Sharp took the pass 67 yards into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Jayhawks some much needed momentum.
"We've run that play at least 100 times in practice," Sharp said. "We noticed that they werent really paying a lot of attention to our running backs out there in the flat and coach Warinner made a great call and Todd made a great throw and it came together. I was just saying, 'Don't drop it, don't drop it.'"
Sharp then took a shovel pass from Reesing for 43 yards to set a one yard Quigley run that made it 20-14. Kansas steamrolled from there, completing the third greatest comeback in school history.
"It boosts my confidence," Sharp said. "I definitely think I'm a guy who can make big plays for our team, and I was called on to do it today. I think when I'm called on to do it, I'll do it."
After hoping that Sharp wouldn't be forced into this role, Mangino now believes he's the perfect man to turn around the struggling Kansas running game.
"He's a tenacious guy," Mangino said. "He's not a big guy but he has a lot of fight in him. He played his tail off. He is a prideful guy. He wants to prove that he can do the job and everything he did today leads me to believe that he can and he will."
 Edited by Rachel Burchfield
http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/oct/07/jake_sharp/?sports
I don't know what to think of the big mangino.... I'm pretty dissapointed to see he never intended to give Jake a chance to be the feature guy...
Well, at least it looks like it will be all Jake from now on...
Sharp posts the most receiving yards ever by a Jayhawk running back in Kansas' remarkable comeback victory against Iowa State last Saturday.
By B.J. Rains (Contact)
Coach Mark Mangino isn't exactly sure when it happened, but he's glad it did.
After struggling through watching Jocques Crawford and Angus Quigley fail to grab control of the running back position, he realized during practice last week that even though Mangino didn't want to do it, Jake Sharp had to be the guy.
"I kind of felt that way for the past week or so, that he is the guy that is best suited right now to be our main running back," Mangino said. "I never told him, and we didn't start him because we didn't want to put any extra pressure on him. That is something that's been in the back of my mind. I went with my instincts and I am glad that I did."
Sharp started the first three games of the season but played sparingly and rushed for only 62 yards on 21 carries in those three games. His only appearance in the Jayhawks' fourth game against Sam Houston State came on the last possession of the game when the backups were in to run out the clock.
"We never, ever intended him to be a guy to carry the load here," Mangino said. "He is a guy that is supossed to get 10 carries a game, throw him a couple passes, be a changeup guy. But he has been forced to be the guy."
Sharp had only nine yards rushing in the first half, but almost single-handedly jumpstarted the Kansas comeback in the second half. Sharp rushed for a season-high 79 yards and had 107 receiving yards, the most ever by a Kansas running back.
"It was great just getting out there and getting tired," Sharp said. "I actually got tired for once. It seems like when I get tired, the game slows down and I just feel comfortable. Things just seem smoother."
Looking for any kind of spark they could find, offensive coordinator Ed Warinner noticed a hole in the Iowa State defense and took a chance. On the Jayhawks' first offensive play of the second half, Sharp took off down the left sideline and remained uncovered. Todd Reesing found him and Sharp took the pass 67 yards into the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Jayhawks some much needed momentum.
"We've run that play at least 100 times in practice," Sharp said. "We noticed that they werent really paying a lot of attention to our running backs out there in the flat and coach Warinner made a great call and Todd made a great throw and it came together. I was just saying, 'Don't drop it, don't drop it.'"
Sharp then took a shovel pass from Reesing for 43 yards to set a one yard Quigley run that made it 20-14. Kansas steamrolled from there, completing the third greatest comeback in school history.
"It boosts my confidence," Sharp said. "I definitely think I'm a guy who can make big plays for our team, and I was called on to do it today. I think when I'm called on to do it, I'll do it."
After hoping that Sharp wouldn't be forced into this role, Mangino now believes he's the perfect man to turn around the struggling Kansas running game.
"He's a tenacious guy," Mangino said. "He's not a big guy but he has a lot of fight in him. He played his tail off. He is a prideful guy. He wants to prove that he can do the job and everything he did today leads me to believe that he can and he will."
 Edited by Rachel Burchfield
http://www.kansan.com/stories/2008/oct/07/jake_sharp/?sports
I don't know what to think of the big mangino.... I'm pretty dissapointed to see he never intended to give Jake a chance to be the feature guy...
Well, at least it looks like it will be all Jake from now on...
Jimmy Chitwood
Hall of Famer
the questions the reporter didn't ask, that should have been asked are:
"Why didn't you want to start Sharp? Why in your mind was he only supposed to get limited opportunities to touch the ball?"
methinks the answers are only skin deep. Edited by: Jimmy Chitwood
"Why didn't you want to start Sharp? Why in your mind was he only supposed to get limited opportunities to touch the ball?"
methinks the answers are only skin deep. Edited by: Jimmy Chitwood
Colonel_Reb
Hall of Famer
11 runs for 42 yards and a TD in the middle of the second quarter.
PhillyBirds
Mentor
Jake finishes with an absolutely eye-openeing performance against Colorado. His final line:
CAR YDS AVG TD LG
J. Sharp 31 118 3.8 3 21
CAR YDS AVG TD LG
J. Sharp 31 118 3.8 3 21
Gi-15
Mentor
Sharp carries Kansas to victory
By BJ Rains
Noticing their buddy was a little down in the dumps, quarterback Todd Reesing and wide receiver Kerry Meier decided to pull running back Jake Sharp aside from practice a few weeks ago for a chat.
The three are close friends off the field and the two encouraged Sharp to stay positive. They promised him that his time would soon come.
View highlights from KU's victory Saturday over Colorado.
It came on Saturday. Making his first start in almost a month, Sharp looked more like the player who had 821 yards rushing as a backup last year than the one who had only 62 yards rushing in the first three games of the season.
Sharp had a career high 31 carries, rushing for 118 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 16 Kansas to a 30-14 victory over Colorado on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
"He's really come to life," said coach Mark Mangino. "He's really comfortable, and we're really pleased with his performance. He's a guy that plays well based on sheer determination. He has a lot of heart, and we all respect that."
Kansas battled poor field position for much of the first quarter and fell behind 7-0 for the second straight game. But that's when Sharp went to work, rushing five times for 37 yards on the Jayhawks next drive including a 1-yard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7 with 8:56 left in the second quarter.
"I just told Jake that he has to keep his head up and keep fighting," Reesing said. "We kind of had a round robin thing going at running back and were trying to find someone with that consistency. Jake's a hard working kid. He kept his chin up and continued to learn and it's paid off for him. He's had two good games and he just needs to keep going in that direction."
Sharp's 31 carries were the most for a Kansas running back since Jon Cornish in 2006 and his 118 yards rushing were the most by a Jayhawk since Brandon McAnderson rushed for 132 yards against Oklahoma State last season.
Junior Tailback Jake Sharp blocks a Colorado player while another Jayhawk player tries to rush through the first quarter of Saturday's game.
Kansas vs. Colorado
"I guess for anyone who has ever doubted the fact that I can't do that, there you go," Sharp said. "If you keep working hard and plugging away it usually comes back to you. And it did."
Kansas led 9-7 halftime but could have trailed if not for a strong performance from the KU defense. Kendrick Harper and Darrell Stuckey both had an interception and Jake Laptad sacked Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins in the end zone for a safety, the first KU safety since Maxwell Onyegbule had a sack against Southeastern Louisiana last season.
"The defense bailed out the special teams," Mangino said.
The special teams unit struggled to say the least, having problems in almost every phase. Daymond Patterson and Dexton Fields both fumbled punt returns, Jacob Branstetter missed a 39-yard field goal, and Marcus Herford averaged just 13 yards on two kick returns against the worst kickoff coverage team in the nation in Colorado.
The Jayhawks average starting field position on the first five drives was their own 16-yard line with their best start in that span being just the 24-yard line.
"I'll make sure that we get that corrected," Mangino said. "That is my No. 1 priority going into practice this week."
Reesing completed 27 of 34 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown, a five-yard strike to Dezmon Briscoe that capped a 12 play, 78 yard drive that made it 16-7 Kansas late in the third quarter. Reesing now needs just six completions to move past Frank Seuer for the school record.
Sharp, who had just 21 carries his entire freshman season in 2006, added touchdown runs of seven and eight yards in the fourth quarter as the Jayhawks pulled away for the 16-point victory.
Kansas now travels to Oklahoma for a nationally televised ABC matchup on Saturday against the Oklahoma Sooners, who had been the No. 1 team in the nation before losing 45-35 to Texas on Saturday.
After opening the season 5-1 and 2-0 in conference play, Kansas will now play four top-10 teams in a span of seven weeks.
"I see a great opportunity," Mangino said. "I see an opportunity for our football program to make a statement."
Great to see that the 3 whites stars on Kansas are hanging together and encouraging each others.
By BJ Rains
Noticing their buddy was a little down in the dumps, quarterback Todd Reesing and wide receiver Kerry Meier decided to pull running back Jake Sharp aside from practice a few weeks ago for a chat.
The three are close friends off the field and the two encouraged Sharp to stay positive. They promised him that his time would soon come.
View highlights from KU's victory Saturday over Colorado.
It came on Saturday. Making his first start in almost a month, Sharp looked more like the player who had 821 yards rushing as a backup last year than the one who had only 62 yards rushing in the first three games of the season.
Sharp had a career high 31 carries, rushing for 118 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 16 Kansas to a 30-14 victory over Colorado on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
"He's really come to life," said coach Mark Mangino. "He's really comfortable, and we're really pleased with his performance. He's a guy that plays well based on sheer determination. He has a lot of heart, and we all respect that."
Kansas battled poor field position for much of the first quarter and fell behind 7-0 for the second straight game. But that's when Sharp went to work, rushing five times for 37 yards on the Jayhawks next drive including a 1-yard touchdown run that tied the game 7-7 with 8:56 left in the second quarter.
"I just told Jake that he has to keep his head up and keep fighting," Reesing said. "We kind of had a round robin thing going at running back and were trying to find someone with that consistency. Jake's a hard working kid. He kept his chin up and continued to learn and it's paid off for him. He's had two good games and he just needs to keep going in that direction."
Sharp's 31 carries were the most for a Kansas running back since Jon Cornish in 2006 and his 118 yards rushing were the most by a Jayhawk since Brandon McAnderson rushed for 132 yards against Oklahoma State last season.
Junior Tailback Jake Sharp blocks a Colorado player while another Jayhawk player tries to rush through the first quarter of Saturday's game.
Kansas vs. Colorado
"I guess for anyone who has ever doubted the fact that I can't do that, there you go," Sharp said. "If you keep working hard and plugging away it usually comes back to you. And it did."
Kansas led 9-7 halftime but could have trailed if not for a strong performance from the KU defense. Kendrick Harper and Darrell Stuckey both had an interception and Jake Laptad sacked Colorado quarterback Cody Hawkins in the end zone for a safety, the first KU safety since Maxwell Onyegbule had a sack against Southeastern Louisiana last season.
"The defense bailed out the special teams," Mangino said.
The special teams unit struggled to say the least, having problems in almost every phase. Daymond Patterson and Dexton Fields both fumbled punt returns, Jacob Branstetter missed a 39-yard field goal, and Marcus Herford averaged just 13 yards on two kick returns against the worst kickoff coverage team in the nation in Colorado.
The Jayhawks average starting field position on the first five drives was their own 16-yard line with their best start in that span being just the 24-yard line.
"I'll make sure that we get that corrected," Mangino said. "That is my No. 1 priority going into practice this week."
Reesing completed 27 of 34 passes for 256 yards and one touchdown, a five-yard strike to Dezmon Briscoe that capped a 12 play, 78 yard drive that made it 16-7 Kansas late in the third quarter. Reesing now needs just six completions to move past Frank Seuer for the school record.
Sharp, who had just 21 carries his entire freshman season in 2006, added touchdown runs of seven and eight yards in the fourth quarter as the Jayhawks pulled away for the 16-point victory.
Kansas now travels to Oklahoma for a nationally televised ABC matchup on Saturday against the Oklahoma Sooners, who had been the No. 1 team in the nation before losing 45-35 to Texas on Saturday.
After opening the season 5-1 and 2-0 in conference play, Kansas will now play four top-10 teams in a span of seven weeks.
"I see a great opportunity," Mangino said. "I see an opportunity for our football program to make a statement."
Great to see that the 3 whites stars on Kansas are hanging together and encouraging each others.
celticdb15
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Quick note Kerry Meir does all his work at receiver without wearing gloves! That makes his performances all the more impressive to me. It is rare to see a kid not wear gloves at any skill position nowadays.