April 16, 2005

Statistics | Photo Gallery

Lawrence, Kan. – The University of Kansas football team competed in its Annual Spring Game on Saturday as the Blue Team defeated the White Team 24-6, in front of the Memorial Stadium fans. Junior Brian Murph led the Blue Team with seven catches for 110 yards and a score.

The Bue Team got on the board in the first quarter thanks to a 47-yard field goal by sophomore Scott Webb. At the end of one quarter, the Blue Team led 3-0.

The Blue Team scored three times in the second quarter. Sophomore Marcus Henry scored the game’s first touchdown, as he caught a 16-yard pass in the back of the endzone from junior Adam Barmann to give Blue a 10-0 lead. On the ensuing possession, senior linebacker Nick Reid picked off a Jason Swanson pass and returned it 38 yards for a score.

Swanson switched jerseys and tossed a 53-yard score to Murph with 5:55 remaining in the first half to give Blue a commanding 24-0 lead.

Sophomore Kyle Tucker got the White Team on the board with a 33-yard field goal with 3:06 remaining in the half. At the break the Blue Team led 24-3.

The second half featured 12 minute quarters with a running clock in the fourth quarter. The only score in the second half came when Tucker connected on a 24-yard field goal in the third quarter.

Barmann connected on 14-of-29 passes for 124 yards, one score and one interception. Senior Brian Luke completed 13-of-32 passes for 88 yards for the White Team, while Swanson connected on 11-of-20 passes for 110 yards and a score.

Junior Jon Cornish led all rushers with 57 yards on 11 carries. Freshman Gary Green finished with 18 yards on 11 carries.

Freshman linebacker Mike Rivera led the White team with nine total tackles, including a quarterback sack. Senior linebacker Kevin Kane recorded a team-leading eight tackles for the Blue Team.

Coach Mark Mangino was pleased with the teams’ overall performance, especially on defense. “I thought we accomplished alot today offensively and defensively,” he said. “We covered well and we were sharp in our assignments and execution.”

The Jayhawks will open the 2005 season at home on September 3, 2005, when they take on Florida Atlantic.

Post Game Quotes:

Head Coach Mark Mangino:<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>

“We did well today. I was really pleased with the scrimmage. I thought we accomplished alot today, both offensively and defensively. I liked the way our defense performed. We covered well, and we were sharp on our assignments and execution. We now have a little bit of depth on the defense.

One of our goals was to try to get depth on the team and we are well on our way to accomplishing that on defense. On the offense side of the ball, we have some playmakers. We have some young receivers who I was really pleased with. Our quarterbacks were sharp at times. We still need a little more consistency and we had some bad plays at times. In the run game, we were stuck in a tough position because Clark Green went down in the first series and it has never been our intention to have Gary Green play that many repetitions. Overall, I am pleased. It was a clean game, the kids were where they were supposed to be, they were assignment sound and the game went really smooth. It was a good day. I am very pleased and we leave spring on a high note.”

Junior Quarterback Adam Barmann

On the team’s quarterback situation:

“Coach Mangino makes all the final decisions on the who the quarterback is. I am just going to go out there and play the best that I can.”

On spring practices:

“I feel like we made strides this spring and our offense is really coming around. We started out slow, but I think we finished off well today.”

On the game:

“I thought it went well. We just tried to get out there and execute our game plan.”

On Brian Murph:

“Murph is incredible. When he first came in, he was raw and did not know what he was doing. You could just throw the ball up and tell him to go and get it. He is just an incredible athlete.”

Junior Wide Receiver Brian Murph

On the team’s quarterbacks:

“All of our quarterbacks are good, all are capable of starting and leading the team.”

On playing in junior college:

“Butler County is one of the best junior colleges in the country. I was blessed to play on two national championship teams. It helped because the coaches there are a lot like the coaches at Kansas.”