Kasparek Column

[Captain Kangaroo]

PG West: Kasparek relaxes as starter at Akron

Thursday, August 04, 2005

By Rich Emert, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

This summer has been less stressful for Kris Kasparek. It has nothing to do with doing well in the class he was taking at the University of Akron.

The reason Kasparek has been able to relax more is he hasn't had to worry about his place on the Zips depth chart. He enters training camp as the starter at tight end.

"Just knowing you've got a starting job going in makes it easier," said Kasparek, a New Brighton High School graduate. "When you're not the starter and you have a little injury that's bothering you, you don't say anything and keep going because you don't what the coaches thinking you don't want to play.

"When you're the starter and you've got something, the coaches will let you to take a little time off because they know what you can do. You don't stop trying hard or anything like that, it's just a different way you're looked at."

A redshirt sophomore, Kasparek moved into the starting lineup midway through last season. He ended up starting 6 of 11 games and catching 11 passes for 134 yards and a touchdown.

His first start was against Middle Tennessee State and he hauled in a 40-yard pass.

"What happened is, I hurt my leg in camp last year and that's set me back a little bit," Kasparek said. "Before that, I was in the running for the starting spot."

When he finally did get an opportunity to play on the first team he didn't drop the ball.

What makes Kasparek effective is his knowledge of the plays. He said that's what got him noticed.

"The best and fastest way to get on the field is to know the plays. If the coaches have confidence that you know what you're supposed to do they'll give you a chance," he said. "I studied hard to know all the plays and I think that came through in practice."

It doesn't hurt that Kasparek has the size, -- he stands 6 feet 8 and weighs 268 pounds -- speed and soft hands coaches love in a tight end. A big target, he had two catches that went for 30 yards in a 35-23 victory against Ball State. His score came on a 2-yard toss against Central Florida.

This season he hopes to see the football come his way more often and has been working out with former Steel Valley High School quarterback Luke Getsy. A transfer from Pitt, Getsy is in the running to be Akron's starter.

"It's all of matter of the quarterback having faith in you," Kasparek said. "If he knows you're going to catch the ball he's going to throw it to you more often."

The toughest part of the transition from high school star -- Kasparek was a three-year starter at tight end and defensive end at New Brighton -- to college player was learning how to block.

He said he struggled with that in his red-shirt season in 2003.

"It was hard because of the technique you need to learn," he said. "In high school, I was 225 or 230 and I could pretty much handle everybody, plus it was just block the guy in front of you.

"But here, you're dealing with defensive ends or linebackers who are super-quick."

The game is much quicker at the Division I-A level. Kasparek said things that used to happen in five seconds in high school now happen in less than two.

"That's why it's important to know the plays," he said. "If you don't and are unsure and hesitate, that's it."

Akron players are encouraged to set goals for themselves at the end of spring ball. Last year, one of Kasparek's was to be able to start as a redshirt freshman and be a part of the game plan.

This year, he wants to be an All-Mid-American Conference player and grade out on blocking assignments at 80 percent or better each game. Of course, there are also team goals.

In a preseason coaches poll, Akron, which was 6-5 last year, was picked to finish in a fourth-place tie with Can't State in the MAC East behind Bowling Green, Miami and Ohio.

Akron opened at Penn State last year and will play at Purdue Sept. 10.

"Playing in front of a big crowd at Purdue ... it should be exciting," Kasparek said. "I think we're going to surprise some people this season."

He is looking forward to building on what he did last year in six games as a starter. He hopes it will lead to bigger and better things.

"You always want to take things to the next level," he said. "I've always had getting to the NFL as a goal."

[InTheZone]

Kasparek's a solid college player, but I've watched him block and him ever thinking he can play in the NFL is a joke. He'll have a good year recieving this year but I'll think he'll be replaced in the starting lineup by a more complete tight end from this year's freshman class before he graduates.

[Buckzip]

He is only a Sophomore. He will imporve.

[Captain Kangaroo]

He is only a Sophomore. He will imporve.

He's excellent right now. If he's healthy, and not the best TE we've got during the next 3 years...then we're in REALLY good shape at TE.