JayhawkSlant.com - Opurum enters the spotlight

September 25, 2009

Bryan Cisler

There had to be a few things going through Randall Dent's head last June when he met his roommate Toben Opurum for the first time. The first thought had to simple: Dent had landed in a goldmine. Like any freshmen dorm room in any college around the country, there are two kinds of roommates. The roommate who brings all the goods, and the roommate who puts it all to good use. So before Dent knew it, Opurum was lining their Jayhawk Towers living room with a 36-inch flat screen TV, an X-Box with all the latest games, and much more. Yeah, this was going to be a good year.

The next thought was a little different as he looked at the 6-foot-2, 235-pound Opurum. This was our running back of the future?

"I thought he was going to be a linebacker or something," Dent said.

Opurum has been getting that his entire life. During the recruiting process, it was always the same. Sort of like a used car dealer leading you away from the Mustang to take another look at the broken down Volvo, coaches from around the country told Opurum stories about how he could be the perfect blocking fullback for their offensive system. Blocking fullback? Opurum knew what he wanted, and it wasn't that. No, he wanted the works, he wanted the prized car on the lot with all the options. He wanted to be a feature back.

Kansas was one of the few schools to offer him that chance. There was something else about the school that he liked.

"I saw that my opportunity to play right away was a good chance here," Opurum said.

He knew he could play early, but this early? With starting running back Jake Sharp sidelined with an injury, Opurum took most of the carries against Duke. He ran for 70 yards on 17 carries. Not exactly stats that will make SportsCenter. Still, with the freshman's bruising running style, to some people he evoked images of other great, big, powerful running backs.

After the game, a reporter asked Kansas coach Mark Mangino if Opurum reminded him of former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. Mangino noted that the comparison, you know, was maybe a little premature. Bettis played 13 seasons in the NFL. He will be in the Hall of Fame. He is currently fifth on the NFL's all-time rushing list. Opurum has played in three college football games.

"You are ahead of the train on that one buddy," Mangino said.

"[Opurum] has a lot to learn. I keep saying that, and I don't mean to put a disclaimer on him. With a true freshman like him, there are so many things that come with that position. When he learns those little nuances, he will be even better."

Whether or not Opurum is playing at adequate pad level hasn't stopped students from approaching Opurum around campus and offering their support. Dent says his roommate has taken it all in stride. So what do they do for fun now that Opurum has gained a moderate level of local fame?

"Uh?homework?" Dent says with a smile.

Sure. Last Sunday though the roommates spent the evening in, watching their Dallas Cowboys - they are both from north Texas - blow a late-game lead to the New York Giants. As they watched the game, they both came to the same conclusion.

"We want to play in that stadium," Dent said.

That stadium is the new state-of-the-art Cowboys Stadium, the home of this year's Big 12 Championship Game. If Kansas makes it to Dallas, that game of course won't be played until December, and Opurum doesn't know when his time with the first team will be up. Sharp is supposed to return any week now. Until then, Opurum will keep getting the carries, and the attention.

"Our coaches always tell us that you don't know when your number is going to be called, but I feel like if I am the starter, I will be ready to play."

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