Casey catches game-winning pass in OT as KU upsets the Longhorns

When you mention the name, Jared Casey, Mid-Continent League sports fans immediately know him as a multi-sport, standout athlete at Plainville High School. After Kansas University’s win over Texas last Saturday night, Jayhawk fans — and Longhorn fans — will also know who you are talking about as it was Casey who caught the game-winning pass on the twopoint conversion which gave KU the thrilling, 57-56 victory in overtime. Not only did the win snap the Jayhawks’ eight game losing streak this season, but it also gave KU its first-ever win in Austin…and made Jared Casey a Jayhawk hero.

Casey, a 6’0”, 254-lb. redshirt freshman, made the most of his “next man up” opportunity, when he caught the pass in the end zone from quarterback Jalon Daniels. Casey, who is listed as a fullback, has played on special teams this season, serving as one of the personal protectors on the punt team, and also playing on the kickoff return unit. The two-point conversion was his first play on offense as a Jayhawk, filling in at tight end for Mason Fairchild, who was injured earlier in the game. Jared had already moved up on the depth chart when fullback Spencer Roe suffered a season-ending injury in practice on November 4th. With the injuries at the fullback/tight end position, Casey will actually get the start this Saturday when the Jayhawks travel to Fort Worth to take on the TCU Horned Frogs.

Jared, the son of Jerry and Karen Casey of Plainville, has been a Jayhawk fan since he was a young kid, and that is part of the reason why he passed up several offers from successful junior colleges and Division II schools to accept an offer from the University of Kansas as a preferred walk-on. According to Jerry, their oldest daughter graduated from KU, so Jared had the opportunity to attend several games throughout the years. When his senior year rolled around and he was trying to decide where to attend college, Jared told his parents, “I really want to play Division I football, and I think I have what it takes.” He added, “I realize I will have to work my tail off and improve in several areas, but I am willing to do it.” His parents agreed. They, too, believed in him, his skills and his work ethic, and encouraged him to follow his dream.

Casey, the youngest of seven children in a family loaded with athletic talent, was a three-sport athlete, excelling at football, basketball and track. He was named First Team All-League all four years in football, had over 2,000 rushing yards during two seasons at running back, and scored 30 touchdowns. On defense he recorded 425 tackles and nine interceptions over his high school career. His accolades on the field earned him First Team All-State honors three times, and he was nominated as Player of the Year two seasons.

On the basketball court, Jared scored over 1,500 points in his career, and helped lead his team to two state tournament appearances. Casey was also a three-year First Team All-League selection, as well as a First Team All-State selection for three years. Again, he was nominated twice for Player of the Year. He also had a successful career in track, earning honors.

The fact he could catch a football is not news to anyone who has watched Casey play, with his teammates at KU saying he has some of the best hands on the team. When asked, in a postgame interview if that was true, Jared just laughed and said “I think I have decent hands, but I’ll leave that debate up to them.” Casey noted in high school he caught a lot of passes, and as a college athlete he gets reps in practice so he can be prepared when his number is called…and when he got the call, he was ready. Jerry said, “They are coached to always be ready (“next man up”), so when Mason got hurt, Jared knew there was a possibility he might be asked to go in, as they run a lot of tight end sets.” Sure enough, it happened. Casey said making the catch was “a surreal moment,” adding that it felt like it (the football) took a while to get there, but when it did I secured it… and then got rocked by #14, I think it was.”

He stated one of his favorite memories of KU football when he was growing up was “when Kerry Meier caught that touchdown against Mizzou.” “I was actually in my parents’ van, listening to it full-blast, pumping my fist. I remember exactly when it happened,” Jared added. Many Jayhawk fans can remember Meier catching that touchdown pass from Todd Reesing with 27 seconds left which helped KU upset 12th-ranked Missouri in the 2008 Border Showdown…just like they’ll always remember the catch by Casey from Daniels, earning the Jayhawks the upset victory over Texas.

After celebrating the win for a bit on the field with his teammates, Jared did “the 100-yard trot” down to the other end of the stadium to join his parents, who had driven 11 ½ hours to the game. While being interviewed, he gave a special “shoutout” to them saying they never miss a game, no matter where it is being played, and that included Coastal Carolina, Duke… and Austin.

Yes, Mom and Dad were happy they got to witness the overtime victory in person. During the timeout which was called prior to the final play, the excitement and anticipation of the outcome got the best of the Caseys. “My wife and I were both praying. She was so nervous she was about to throw up. To help calm her nerves, she decided she would pull out her phone and record the last play of the game.” “Meanwhile, I was thinking about this young boy (approximately seven years old) who we had seen prior to the game when out visiting with other parents. The boy, who was wearing a Texas shirt, said to us, ‘Just believe…you gotta believe… just believe,’” Jerry added. So, the Caseys were doing just that… believing…and praying.

Once the Jayhawks took the field, Karen got her phone in place to record, having no idea her son was even on the field for the two-point conversion. Jerry, however, saw his son flanked out to the left, but wasn’t immediately aware that he was the one who actually caught the pass. “From the angle we were seeing it, the ball covered up the number of the player, so at first I wasn’t sure it was 47 who caught the ball,” Jerry stated. “That’s why I was yelling, ‘Was it Jared? Was it Jared?’”Once it was confirmed that it was their son who made the game-winning catch, you can imagine just how excited they were for him and the other members of the KU football team.

And what about the video Karen recorded, you ask? Well, needless to say, it has gone viral being viewed hundreds of thousands of times around the globe, and many comments have been shared about the catch on social media including:

“A fullback won the game for Kansas. This man is a hero.”

“Jared Casey is forever a Lawrence legend after that catch.”

“Kansas beat Texas with a freshman fullback from Plainville, Kansas. You could not script it better.”

“Jared Casey, from Plainville, Kansas, with one of the biggest catches in Jayhawk football history.”

Since all this happened, it has been a “whirlwind” for the Casey family. “I never would have imagined it getting to this level. Despite the technology we have today, I was shocked at how fast the news spread,” said Jerry. “It didn’t even enter my mind that we’d be getting calls for interviews, etc.; it’s definitely been a whirlwind.” The Caseys are a little out of their comfort zone with all of this.“We are very low-key people and not into getting a lot of publicity,” stated Jerry. “I just want people to know this is not about Jared, but about KU football. It took 60 minutes of football from everyone on the team to put us in the position of winning it with a two-point conversion,” he added.

The win over Texas improved KU’s record to 2-8 on the season, while the Longhorns fell to 4-6. The Jayhawks led 14-0 after the first quarter, and were up 35-14 at halftime. With just under nine minutes left in the third period KU was leading 42-21, but by the end of the quarter Texas was within a touchdown, 42-35.

The Jayhawks added another TD in the fourth period to go up 49-35, but with :22 left in the game, the Longhorns tied the game on a three-play, 34- yard drive, followed by a successful kick, sending it into overtime.

Texas got the ball first in OT, and scored on third down to take their first lead (56-49) in the game. KU’s turn from the 25-yard line also resulted in a touchdown when Devin Neal ran it in from two yards out on fourth down. Knowing if his team scored he would go for two, Lance Leipold, head coach of the Jayhawks, stuck with that aggressive decision — and the rest is history — with Casey catching the pass in the end zone from a scrambling Daniels to clinch the 57-56 win.

On the successful twopoint conversion play, Jared lined up on the left side of the line of scrimmage and crossed the field to the right. The play was designed to go to one of the outside receivers, but they were both covered. Sensing he was open, Jared raised his arms hoping to get the attention of his quarterback who was under duress from the rushing Texas defenders. After rolling out to the right, Daniels spotted his tight end in the end zone, and fired the pass which “just popped” in Casey’s hands. Jared was then able to secure it before getting hit by a Longhorn defender…and just seconds later by his teammates who dog-piled on him in celebration of their win. “When you have a walk-on step up and make a catch like that, it’s, you know, a pretty neat deal,” said Coach Leipold.

Not only did the 31-point-underdog Jayhawks snap their losing streak, but it was their first win of the season against an FBS opponent, and it snapped the program’s 56- game losing streak on the road to its Big 12 opponents. Saturday’s win was the largest spread upset in Big 12 history, and was KU’s first conference road win since they defeated Iowa State in 2008 up in Ames.

Jared’s dedication to improving his skills — whether it is through lifting, running sprints or doing agility exercises whenever he has the chance — certainly has paid off for him and the Jayhawks. This success comes as no surprise to his parents. “They know I have it in me,” Casey said, and “I do, too.” The people from his hometown of Plainville, his former teammates, the athletes he competed against in the MCL, and the fans who have been privileged to watch him and his athletic skills through the years would agree. Jerry noted there are times when Jared is home for break that he will get together with a couple of his former high school teammates, Ryan Junkermeier and Jordan Finnesy, who are playing football for Bethel College and Washburn University, respectively, and they will all work out together.

Casey’s parents were quick to tell him that they loved him and were so proud of him…not only as an athlete, but as a person. Jared’s dad described him as “a quiet, young man who is kind, considerate and humble.” He also added with a chuckle, that although he is reserved most of the time, he has his moments when he “lets his hair down around his friends.” “As parents, we are so proud of him and his strong faith in God; he attends Mass every Sunday. He is also a very team-oriented person, who is always thinking of others,” said Jerry. Those attributes lend themselves to someone you’d like to have on your team…and Jared’s comments to his coach only solidify that. “I appreciate you giving me the opportunity; I’m not going to let you down when I get in there.”

With Coach Leipold saying in a postgame interview that “we have been underutilizing him (Jared) all year” and from this point on he expects him “to get more touches,” there is not much doubt there will be more fun times ahead for Jared Casey and the KU Jayhawks. Stay tuned!

The Caseys would like to thank the Rooks County community,and beyond, for their support of Jared and the KU football team. “We appreciate all of you and wish the Jayhawks the best of luck,” said Jerry.

The link to Jared and “The Catch” can be found at: https://youtu.be/vC-F6uaEp-M4

The video his mother, Karen, recorded and has since gone viral, can be found at: https://twitter.com/i/status/1459877819467669505