Five quarterbacks wearing red jerseys stood on Kansas’ practice fields Wednesday afternoon, and each practiced handing off to a running back.
But 10 yards away, with a football spinning in his hands, stood another player wearing red — the established color for quarterbacks during practices.
A 6-foot-5 guard on coach Bill Self’s basketball team, Conner Teahan practiced for the first time Wednesday in an attempt to join the football team as a quarterback. Coach Turner Gill said the decision came from Teahan and then was approved by Self.
Teahan will have three years of football eligibility.
“Coach Self gave him his blessing, and I was willing to give him an opportunity,” Gill said. “Obviously it’s a long shot starting from all over. Even right now, we’re two days in, and he’s catching up on terminology.”
Teahan starred as a two-sport athlete at Rockhurst High School in Kansas City, Mo., and drew interest from Division I teams in both sports. Still, he hasn’t played organized football since his senior year of high school.
Mark Nusbaum, Rockhurst’s basketball coach, said Teahan could’ve received more recruiting attention in football, but he alerted suitors early that his athletic interests rested on the basketball court.
Used as a reserve guard on Kansas’ basketball team, Teahan played in 19 games this season.
“I’m biased, but I think he’s a good enough athlete to play Division I football or basketball,” Nusbaum said. “But at the Big 12 level, I guess we’re about to find out.”
During the 15 minutes when media members were allowed to watch Wednesday’s practice, Teahan completed basic passing drills with the rest of the quarterbacks.
He wore the No. 9 jersey and blue shorts, but did not wear pads with the rest of the Jayhawks. He threw only short distances at the beginning of practice, but his passes spiraled tightly and generally appeared on target.
“You just get him in throwing drills to begin with,” offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Chuck Long said. “You don’t put him in any team drills at this point. Just some throwing one-on-one drills.”
Teahan enters the football program at a time when every player truly has a fresh start. With the departures of quarterback Todd Reesing and one-time backup Kerry Meier, the Jayhawks enter the spring with an unproven cast.
Reesing’s backup, freshman Kale Pick, will return as well as freshmen Jordan Webb and Christian Matthews and junior Jacob Morse.
Teahan will also compete with junior college transfer Quinn Mecham.
“We’re going to get him out here to see him throw and do things of that nature,” Gill said. “Then at the end of spring football practice, can he be at the top of the list as far as challenging for a starting job?”
Injury updates
Before the start of Wednesday’s practice, Gill announced that three players were saddled with injuries while one more wouldn’t participate in any drills this spring.
Gill said that freshman defensive end D.J. Marshall wouldn’t compete during spring practices. Marshall was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma last season. He attended Wednesday’s practice in his jersey.
Gill said that junior defensive end Jake Laptad, freshman defensive tackle John Williams and junior linebacker Drew Dudley were battling shoulder injuries.
All three started at times last season.
“Those guys will be limited,” Gill said. “They probably won’t participate in any full and live scrimmages, but they will be participating in practice.”