Reesing Leads Blue Team to 20-7 Victory over White Team at Kansas Football Spring Game

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April 11, 2009

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LAWRENCE, Kan. – Senior quarterback Todd Reesing engineered three scoring drives to lead the Blue Team to a 20-7 victory against the White Team at the Kansas football Spring Game on a sunny Saturday afternoon at Kivisto Field at Memorial Stadium.

An approximate crowd of 17,000 saw Reesing complete his first seven passes on the afternoon and lead the Blue Team to scores on its first three possessions. Reesing’s favorite target on the afternoon was junior Jonathan Wilson who caught six passes for 101 yards and one touchdown in the first half, Reesing’s only time on the field for the day. Reesing went 16-for-22 for 221 yards and one touchdown. Wilson ended the day with seven catches for 133 yards and one score.

Defensively, senior linebacker Jake Schermer ended the day with eight tackles, including seven solo stops for the Blue Team. Safety Chris Harris had six stops and one sack for the scrimmage. Freshman Greg Brown paced the White Team with eight tackles, while freshman Lubbock Smith had six stops.

On the first drive of the day, Reesing guided the Blue Team 69 yards in six plays, capping the drive with a 10-yard touchdown strike over the middle to Wilson. Reesing went 4-for-4 passing on the drive, including a 36-yard connection to Wilson setting up the first score.

On its next possession, the Blue Team took a 10-0 lead on a 44-yard field goal by junior Jacob Branstetter, completing an eight-play, 53-yard drive. Reesing kept his momentum from the opening drive completing three straight before the drive stalled at the 27-yard line.

Senior running back Jake Sharp put the Blue Team up 17-0 with a one-yard plunge culminating a five-play, 67-yard drive. The Salina, Kan., senior highlighted the drive on a 40-yard run down to the one-yard line. Sharp averaged nine yards per rush for the day with 63 yards on seven attempts and one touchdown.

Late in the first quarter, White Team quarterback Kale Pick scrambled and heaved a desperation pass that was intercepted by Blue Team safety Darrell Stuckey and returned seven yards.

Just before halftime, Pick hit senior wide receiver Raimond Pendleton on a 15-yard fade route for a touchdown to narrow the score to 17-7. Pick went 4-for-5 through the air on the 11-play, 70-yard drive.

The Blue Team took a 20-7 lead on a Branstetter 31-yard field goal at the start of the fourth quarter. Senior wide receiver/quarterback Kerry Meier was under center for the Blue squad in the second half. The Pittsburg, Kan., native drove the Blue Team down to the four-yard line in the third quarter and later guided the 63-yard drive to set up Branstetter field goal.

Pick took over the Blue Team quarterback duties in the fourth quarter and drove the ball down to the White Team one yard line, highlighted by a 42-yard catch and run by sophomore running back Rell Lewis. The White Team defense mounted a goal line stand shutting down the Blue squad on four straight running plays.

KU will wrap up spring football next week. The Jayhawks open the 2009 season against Northern Colorado on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Kivisto Field at Memorial Stadium. KU will play six home games in 2009, including contests against Big 12 foes Iowa State, Oklahoma and Nebraska. KU will once again conclude its regular season against Border Showdown rival Missouri at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., on Nov. 28.