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Friday, February 9, 2007

Size not a problem for new Jayhawk linemen

Staff has no worries about beefing up incoming hogs Hartley, Hatch and Spikes

By Ryan Wood

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It wasn't too long ago that David Ochoa and Cesar Rodriguez showed up on campus looking like linebackers - not exactly desirable size for an offensive lineman.

A red-shirt year for each focused on a massive weight-gaining mission. It worked, too - each got up to around 280 pounds and were starters on the Kansas University offensive line the last three years.

That's proof that KU's staff can bulk up these incoming offensive linemen if they need to.

But they can take a break this year.

The Jayhawks have signed three offensive linemen in this year's recruiting class who come in heralded - and big as boats. Chet Hartley weighs in at 305 pounds coming out of Butler Community College. High school star Jeremiah Hatch already is 311, and fellow prepster Jeff Spikes is a massive 6-foot-6, 315 pounds.

Hartley, a Kingman native, showed up as a mid-year transfer and already is blending in. He's expected to compete for one of the starting guard spots, speculation that KU coach Mark Mangino confirmed Wednesday.

"He's really looked good in the winter workouts. We really have high regard for him," Mangino said. "We think he's going to have an impact immediately. In fact, we know he will."

Hartley played two years as Butler Community College's left tackle, though he moved around in practice. His recruiting came down to Kansas, Florida State and Illinois. Another happy twist for Hartley is that Illinois' lead recruiter for Hartley was Ed Warinner. Right after Hartley went to Kansas, Warinner was hired as KU's offensive coordinator.

Big boys

Incoming KU linemen and their weights:

¢ Chet Hartley, 305 pounds.

¢ Jeremiah Hatch, 311.

¢ Jeff Spikes, 315.

While Hartley could see the field immediately, Hatch and Spikes probably won't. Spikes already has told reporters that he's going to red-shirt this fall, as most true-freshman linemen do.

Spikes was a late addition to the recruiting class who may have gotten more attention if injuries didn't plague his high-school career. He's had stress fractures in both feet, which derailed a promising prep career before it really got going. He didn't play extensively until his senior season.

"He was a little bit gimped up going into his senior year," Mangino said. "But you watch him on tape, and you meet him in person, he is as impressive an offensive lineman as we've recruited here, period, and for me personally, for a long time.

"He has some growing to do and maturing and those things, but he's every bit of 6-6. He's about 315 pounds. He's a yes-sir no-sir guy. He's averaging double-doubles on his basketball team. He's the prototype of what we're looking for on offensive tackles."

photo

Nathan Hunsinger/AP Photo

Jeremiah Hatch, second from right, waits with, from left, his grandmother Ruth Ann Hatch; mother, Shannon McNeal; and grandmother Ardell McNeal for his name to be called for signing day Wednesday at Ellis Davis Fieldhouse in Dallas. Hatch, a Carter High product, signed with Kansas University, making himself one of three 300-plus pound offensive linemen to ink with the Jayhawks in this year's KU class.

Then there's Hatch, a Dallas Carter High senior who will come to Lawrence already having an advantage over most highly recruited linemen - he has loads of experience snapping the football.

"It is tough to find true centers out of high school," Rivals.com analyst Jon Kirby said.

The expected impact for all three linemen vary wildly. But KU's new trio may be more ready than past Jayhawks for one simple reason - physically, they're right where they need to be.

"When you see them in person, they look the part," Mangino said. "And they play the part."

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Comments

FlaHawk (anonymous) says...

Nice to see KU get with the size program on the O-line. Size does matter like they say! Just look at the Top 10 teams and the NFL!

February 9, 2007 at 8:22 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

TrueBlue92 (anonymous) says...

The best part about this recruiting class is we (finally) don't HAVE to have any of them play next year!

way to go, coaches!!

February 9, 2007 at 9:44 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

Although it is encouraging that the Hawks signed so many solid players, they are still a couple of years away from really competing for serious bowls (and conference titles).

I read that, of the top 20 prospects in Kansas, KU signed a mere four (K-State signed 7!). Further, of the top 4 prospects in the state, three went out of state (to Nebraska, Iowa and Notre Dame). If KU is going to be a serious national threat, they can't allow the talented homegrown players to escape. This isn't Florida, Texas, California or Ohio, where for every D-1 player that leaves, there are 2 more that stay. We must keep our top rated players. Congrats to Mangino and staff for landing another upgraded class, but lets not sit on our laurels. We must win recruiting battles next year, especially in state.

February 9, 2007 at 11:04 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

truefan (anonymous) says...

I agree with you completely, justanotherfan. Mangino is doing what he can to keep the recruits here, but this years recruiting class wasn't going to be our biggest or our best for a lot of reasons. There weren't a lot of players leaving and now that we aren't the biggest joke in football we have had solid recruiting classes every year which means there isn't much room for immediate playing time for incoming players. K-State on the other hand needed as many players as they could get their hands on and they had a lot of openninngs for instant impact players to fill. They had a lot of playing time to sell and that got them a few more in-staters than we got. Once we do start competing in bigger bowls, the in-state players will start to look here first and Nebraska second.

February 9, 2007 at 12:41 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fabio (anonymous) says...

Apparently, a few of those top 20 prospects might have missed the whoopin we put on K-State in November.
Baby steps. Anyone that saw the Snyder turnaround at K-State knows this aint gonna happen over night.

February 9, 2007 at 2:56 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

justanotherfan (anonymous) says...

What I said isn't a criticism of Mangino and his staff. They are on the right track. It was just a way of pointing out the next step. After all, how will KU ultimately convince top rated talent from places like Florida and Texas and California to come here if they can't convince a kid from Lawrence or the KC area to come? That's the next step.

February 9, 2007 at 3:17 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fabio (anonymous) says...

Good point-that was frustrating when we lost that Lawrence recruit to Iowa a couple months back.

February 9, 2007 at 5:03 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sevenyearhawk (anonymous) says...

I don't think Kansas can ever be a contender by solely relying on in-state talent ...

for one KU/KSU will always divide the pool. Mizzou and Nebraska don't have that issue! Hopefully Mo State will grow in stature to affect MU. Not likely under Terry Allen, sadly ...

KU will continue to have to import talent, just from sheer numbers. There are more people living in the three counties around Miami/Ft Lauderdale/West Palm, than in the ENTIRE state of Kansas, that was just 5 years ago ...

I'd like to see a continued Canadian trend after Cornish's success, that seems to be a bit of an untapped resource!

February 10, 2007 at 6:09 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

OwenJarvisIII (anonymous) says...

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but as long as Mangino is running the show at KU, you're going to continue to see middle of the road talent with one gem snuck in here and there.

Last year was a huge blow because it could have done wonders for this year's recruiting class. But what kid is going to seriously consider KU when you might lose your redshirt 9 games into the season - and see crap time the last three games?

And as far as the comparison to Snyder and the turnaround, yeah, he was rollin' by year five with the first of eight consecutive 9-win seasons. Hell, we can't even get past six in a year where the schedule said we should've at least won Eight...

You want top notch or at least top 30 talent at KU? Bring in somebody else. Lew wants the football program to start making money? Get a big name coach. North Carolina brought in Butch Davis... Chris Petersen in '08.

February 10, 2007 at 6:26 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

fabio (anonymous) says...

Thats a good point about Snyder's 5th year being more successfull than Mangino. However, over the first five years Mangino numbers are not that far off of Snyders. Snyder had 27 wins, Mangino 25. Snyder had 1 bowl appearance, Mangino 2. Though admittedly bowls arent as hard to come by today. Both programs were equally as bad to start with.
I guess my point is Mangino may or may not be the next Snyder, but even if he isnt that dosent mean he needs to be replaced. Snyder is responsible for the greatest turn around ever and it might not be fair for me to be comparing Mangino to him.

February 12, 2007 at 1:18 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

bobsarobot (anonymous) says...

yeah, let's run mangino out of town for winning and turning the program around. there will be a line going down the block of high quality coaches applying to be the head coach at Kansas. mangino is a very good coach, a handful of plays last year prevented KU from being a 9 win team. this is a new season, try to not hang mangino on Mass street if KU doesn't make the orange bowl.

April 17, 2007 at 4:23 p.m. ( | suggest removal )