Reesing Helps Power KU Past UNC, 49-3

LAWRENCE, Kan. - To get the Jayhawks' 2009 season off on the right foot, senior quarterback Todd Reesing took matters into his own hands - and feet.

Before a record crowd of 53,530, Todd Reesing rushed for KU's first two scores and threw a pair of second quarter touchdown passes to give the 25th-ranked Jayhawks a 49-3 triumph over visiting Northern Colorado in the season-opener at Kivisto Field at Memorial Stadium Saturday evening.
 
The Jayhawks win their season-opener for the sixth-straight season, while the Bears fall to 0-1.
 
The senior quarterback accounted for 287 of KU's 543 yards in the game, carrying the ball 13 times for 79 yards and throwing for 208.
 
On the Jayhawks' first play from scrimmage, Reesing hit fellow senior Kerry Meier on a slant pattern for 30 yards, which set the tone for the KU offense. Reesing capped the drive with a one-yard scamper around the left end in which he juked his way through a group of would-be tacklers to give KU a 7-0 lead.

The senior quarterback really turned things on in the second quarter. Reesing capped another long drive with a 13-yard run early in the quarter and then threw touchdown passes to Jake Sharp on a shovel pass and Tertavi Ingram to give Kansas a 28-0 lead heading into the halftime break.
 
Reesing led Kansas on one more scoring drive, a seven-play, 64-yard march, before giving way to backup quarterback Kale Pick early in the fourth quarter. Sharp capped this drive with a one-yard plunge, his second touchdown of the night.
 
The senior tailback finished the game with 123 yards on 21 carries. Meier led the Kansas receiving corps with five catches for 115 yards, including a 71-yard catch and run to set up KU's first touchdown of the fourth quarter.
 
Late in the game, KU freshman tailback Toben Opurum got into the act, scoring a pair of touchdowns and gaining 79 yards on eight carries in his Jayhawk debut.
 
Kansas ran for 328 yards, compared to just 74 on the ground for Northern Colorado.
 
As impressive as the Jayhawk offense was, the defense might have been better. Kansas held the Bears to 246 yards of total offense, including 95 in the first half. Northern Colorado penetrated the Jayhawk 20-yardline just twice in the contest, with both drives ending with field goal tries.
 
Senior cornerback Justin Thornton led the defense with nine total tackles, while junior linebacker Drew Dudley added seven tackles including the only sack by either team.
 
KU will travel to UTEP for its second game of the season next Saturday. The contest is scheduled for a 6:30 p.m. kickoff, with CBS College Sports providing national television coverage.

Story courtesy:  KUAC