Bleacher Report - Articles by TJ Huston

Reesing To Lead Jayhawks To Big 12 North Title

TJ Huston — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:59:28 -0400

When previewing the upcoming Big Twelve football season, it appears that Kansas coach Mark Mangino will finally lead his team to the title game, and anything can happen in a single game.

I'm not ready to say that Kansas will win it's first Big Twelve championship. There are too many questions to be answered at Kansas and for every other team in the conference still.

If I were a betting man, I would have to give Kansas the nod over Nebraska in the North division. Kansas is playing the Huskers in Lawrence, and they believe they have something to prove after their lousy showing in Lincoln last year.

The schedule is worth mentioning, but the real reason that Kansas will prevail is the leadership of quarterback Todd Reesing.

Some people will think I'm crazy for writing this, and based on statistics I wouldn't argue with them. But Todd Reesing is the best quarterback in the Big Twelve.

Yes, I know that the 2008 Heisman Trophy winner will be taking the snaps down in Norman, but Florida made him look pretty ordinary. I know that Colt McCoy, who I thought should have won the Heisman last year, will be back at Texas. He's a close second to Reesing, in my opinion.

There's also Zac Robinson at Oklahoma State who deserves national recognition as well; and don't forget Baylor's Robert Griffin, the best pure athlete of all of them.

Each of these quarterbacks deserve plenty of mention as being among the best in the country. No doubt, the conference is once again, loaded with talented signal callers, but this is why I say Reesing is the best.

There's not a quarterback in the country that can make something out of nothing as well as Todd Reesing. The guy has built a career out of avoiding sacks and passing for huge plays.

He can also run if he has to, but unlike most quarterbacks he won't unless he absolutely has to. He will buy time, and buy time, and buy more time, and then put the ball into the hands of a KU receiver.

Kansas has two of the best receivers in the country in Dezmon Briscoe and Kerry Meier. They've also got plenty of depth, good running backs, and plenty of experience on the line.

The defense will be better in the secondary and on the line, with the biggest questions being at linebacker where they replace the strength of last year's defense.

No other player in the country in recent years can do what Reesing does. He's a great leader and his team will run through fire for him.

The difference will be those two or three plays that he makes each game, that will demoralize a defense and help Kansas to a season that has the potential of topping their 2007 Orange Bowl run.

I'm not about to predict the number of wins. There are some tough games at Lubbock and Austin, and home games against Oklahoma and Nebraska.

However, with a little luck staying away from injuries, I do believe that Todd Reesing will get recognized nationally as the best quarterback in the conference and get the Jayhawks an opportunity to win a conference title.

Two Reasons Jayhawks Will Be 2010 Champions

TJ Huston — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:22:26 -0400

At the University of Kansas men's basketball banquet this past Monday night, guard Sherron Collins and center Cole Aldrich both announced that they would not be going to the NBA just yet. The two can legitimately claim to be the best returning players in the NCAA at their respective positions, and after exceeding this year's expectations with one of the youngest teams in the country, there is only one more goal to reach.

The 2009-2010 season can only end with another national championship for the Jayhawks if the ever increasingly spoiled KU fans are to be happy a year from now. From every indication, Collins and Aldrich plan to win their second national title in three years.

Do not discount the fact that these two players and this staff have already won a championship. While Aldrich was a role player on the 2008 squad, Collins was as crucial to that championship run as any player on that team, even though he was not a starter. They both have rings and the experience left them wanting to lead their own team to the top.

In his first year as a significant player, Aldrich was consistent, efficient offensively, and at times, dominant defensively. Collins, while learning to trust his teammates more as the season progressed, is closer to becoming the complete package at point guard for coach Bill Self.

The most recently named National Coach of the Year, Self, and his staff will make this team better and tougher. Don't forget just how good the young Jayhawks were this year. Kansas controlled most of the Sweet 16 game against this year's runner-up, Michigan State, before some poor decisions down the stretch ended a remarkable season.

The maturity is coming. Freshmen, Tyshawn Taylor, Markieff Morris, Marcus Morris,all played significant minutes throughout the year.

Marcus Morris and Taylor were starters for most of the year. Another freshman, Travis Releford, also proved he can be counted on to provide some valuable minutes.

Sophomore Brady Morningstar, second on the team in minutes played and possibly the best Jayhawk defender, and sophomore Tyrel Reed both showed the ability to hit big, three-point shots, but will probably not have the pressure of playing so many minutes due to incoming freshman talent.

Normally, the largest leaps in improvement for college athletes come between the freshman and sophomore years. Expect all of the rookie Jayhawks to become stronger and more confident in the off-season. And based on what assistant coach Danny Manning has shown he can do with big men that are willing to work and learn, I would be shocked if we did not see major improvement from Aldrich as well.

Also, don't forget that for depth, KU has added Arizona transfer, Jeff Withey, a 6'11" athletic center that will be able to start play after first semester, and will help take pressure off of Aldrich.

And now the exciting news...

The incoming freshmen are athletic point guard, Elijah Johnson, and Thomas Robinson, a physical forward that has a reputation as a relentless rebounder. Both are highly touted and have an opportunity to play significant minutes next season.

That's what we know for sure. The recent defection from Memphis by coach John Calipari has left open the possibility for several high profile recruits to end up in Lawrence.

They include Xavier Henry (previously committed to Memphis) and his brother, CJ (who would most likely have to sit out a year after transferring from Memphis), Lance Stephenson, and Daniel Orton, a 6'10", 260 lbs. center who is rethinking his commitment to Kentucky. Both Xavier Henry and Stephenson are 6'6", athletic guards, with Henry being a big time shooter.

My take is that the Henry brothers are coming, and that Stephenson will go to St. John's. I don't think Orton will end up at Kansas since Aldrich is coming back. Since little used Tyrone Appleton and Quintrell Thomas have both decided to transfer, there are scholarships available.

The worst-case scenario is that Stephenson gets impatient and commits to St. Johns, and the Henry brothers choose Kentucky. But even if that were to happen, KU is coming back stronger and hungrier with veterans, depth, and more athletic ability.

Name another school with an All-American point guard and a future NBA lottery pick as a true center? I didn't think so. Yep, the pieces are in place for Collins and Aldrich to lead the Jayhawks to Indianapolis next April, and I fully expect that they will be cutting down the nets on April, 5, 2010.

Bob Knight and Bill Self; Friends of Mine

TJ Huston — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:36:48 -0400

Last night I had the strangest dream. Well, maybe the dream itself wasn't that strange, but the part where Bobby Knight picked me up for work in a white, Toyota Corolla was very strange.

Yes, I am referring to coach Robert Montgomery Knight here, the General, the Hall of Fame basketball coach. And in my opinion, from my observations this past college basketball season, one of the most enjoyable color commentators covering sports events on TV today.

Anyway, after my mind cleared and I realized that Bob and me really aren't good friends, and that if we were, he probably still wouldn't be picking me up in a Corolla, I got to thinking about a recent run-in that I actually had with one of my favorite coaches.

Just a few weeks ago I was traveling through Lawrence, Kansas on business and coach Bill Self's weekly show, "Hawk Talk", was on the radio. After realizing what a unique opportunity I had since I now live near Nashville, TN, I drove on over to Salty Iguana, the restaurant hosting the show, and settled in at the bar for the last thirty minutes.

Just as the cheese enchiladas that I'd ordered were served to me, Self made his way over to some fans sitting next to me that he obviously knew and with whom he felt obligated to give a little time.

His eyes met mine, he gave me a nod, and I thought about asking if he could get me some silverware, but I lacked the courage. It was akin to trying to make the move to ask a girl to dance at a junior high school dance; I was nervous.

It seemed as though he thought he could pacify me by patting me on the back a couple of times as he walked right past me, I'm sure intent on getting back to the office or maybe home to his wife and kids before leaving for their game in Lubbock, TX the next day, but his touch gave me confidence and I was now fully engaged like a lion waiting for it's prey to make a negligent move.

As he turned to leave, he was trying hard not to slow down or make eye contact, but it really doesn't seem to fit his nature to just leave such a needy person hanging. No, he's not like the ship captain that flees his sinking ship, leaving the passengers to fend for themselves.

In fact, I liken him more to Captain Chesley `Sully' Sullenberger III, the pilot that recently crash-landed his commercial jet safely in the Hudson River, and made sure that he was the last one off of his plane. Bill's conscience got the best of him, he gave me the slightest acknowledgement, and I pounced.

I said, "Coach", and he reached out his hand to shake mine, still trying to keep his momentum toward the door, but I had him like a constrictor and he caved. I proceeded to tell him where I was from, and that we had met before in South Carolina, and that I watch every game, and that I was proud of him and the team, and I wished him good luck with the rest of the season.

He listened intently and smiled appreciatively. We could have went on for hours, if only he hadn't wrestled away from my death grip and ran toward the door.

As he was slipping a way, the euphoria started to wear off, and I found myself not only elated, but a bit sad as well. Sort of like this morning when I started to understand that my good friend Bobby wasn't going to be driving me to work today, or any other day for that matter.

I started to come to the realization that Self will probably never remember me, even if I see him again and remind him of our previous times together.

But the fact that he gets what joy he brings the faithful, idiot fans like me just by being himself and offering simple acknowledgements of our existence, is enough for me to share my own feelings of embarrassment for my adulation toward the captain of our ship.