Posted on August 27 at 9:04 a.m.

Joc has the physical build to be a good blocker. Whether that will make him a dynamic blocker or not, I do not know.

I will predict, however, that if he stays healthy, Jocques will replace Jake as the starter once the conference season rolls around. Jake is fast, so I get the feeling he'd be a little more effective if was a change of pace back, running wide more so he was one on one rather than trying to pound it up the middle, which you need to do in the spread to keep the defense honest about how they defend you.

On Bold statement

Posted on August 27 at 8:51 a.m.

Kenny Lofton was a D-1 player (Arizona I think). So was Tony Gwynn (San Diego St?). I'm not sure many guys were drafted by both, but several guys have been D-1 level players in both baseball and basketball. The overlap of the seasons makes it hard to pursue both long term.

As for CJ and Xavier...

Xavier is the type of player that could make us a contender for a national title next year. Even if he is a one and done, he could be the explosive scorer that takes us from solid team, Sweet Sixteen level to the Final Four, championship contender level.

On C.J. Henry commits to Memphis, says brother still undecided

Posted on August 26 at 4:23 p.m.

I understand the wait and see approach, but I'd hate to burn a redshirt because of midseason injuries (and only get half a season out of a guy) when you could just play him from the start if he has the ability, giving him the full season of game action to develop.

Besides, I'd rather have a true freshman's first action be at home in a blowout against Florida International than on the road in a tight game against Oklahoma due to injuries.

On Five freshmen could forego red shirts

Posted on August 26 at 4:20 p.m.

I don't know about moving a HS LB to safety in college. Without having seen him play, can he react to the deep ball? does he turn his hips fast? is he good one on one in space? Those are huge questions for a safety that he may not address at LB. How quick does he accelerate? Again, I haven't seen him play, so I don't know if he is lightning quick, but plays at LB because he's such a sure tackler or what. Also, its my understanding that both Harvey and Kelly are safeties in high school.

I'm guessing Mangino has tabbed him at LB, wants to bring him in, redshirt him, add about 15 pounds and some explosiveness, then move him into the lineup from there. Which is fine. But I'd have loved to have kept Bird and Musil out of OU's hands.

On LB Tharp commits

Posted on August 26 at 10:18 a.m.

I understand your sentiments okjhok, and that would probably be ok, except for the fact that it would probably be fairly easy to spot them, seeing as they are usually tall and African American (how many 6-10 black guys do you see at KU that don't play basketball?), and if they were attending classes without paying, that could get us in trouble with the NCAA. Unfortunate as it is, I think waiting on the eligibility thing is the only option, lest we open up another problem with the NCAA.

On KU guard Reed finally takes a much-needed break

Posted on August 26 at 9:48 a.m.

I decided to answer my own question.

1. Bryce Brown (RB) Wichita East - committed to Miami
2. Darian Kelly (DB) Girard - committed to KU
3. Jaydan Bird (LB) Conway Springs - committed to Oklahoma
4. Marshall Musil (ATH) Lacrosse - committed to Oklahoma
5. Kevin Young (DE) Olathe North - committed to KU
6. Ian Knight (DE) Wichita Heights - Colorado State, Duke, Illinois, Iowa State, KU, K-State, Tulsa, Vanderbilt
7. Tharp (LB) - committed to KU

Tharp is the last of the three stars in Kansas. Brown was the lone five star. There are no four stars currently. The rest of these guys are two stars.

8. Riley Spencer (OL) Hesston - committed to KU
9. Tanner Pope (TE) Girard - KU, K-State, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State
10. Darron Harvey (DB) Shawnee Mission West - Army, Colorado State, KU, K-State, Missouri, Wyoming (missed most of last year with an injury, could get more stars with a strong senior year).
11. Duone Maxwell (RB) KC Washington - Air Force, Iowa, Navy, Wyoming, KU, K-State. A bit smallish, but fast (200 meter state champ, runs a 10.6 100).
12. Jake Morin (OL) St. Thomas Aquinas - still lists about 10 schools, including KU
13. Colby Duranleau (OL) Wichita Northwest - favors K-State, but also lists KU and others. May move up after suffering an injury as a soph.
14. Alex Schooler (OL) Wichita Collegiate - still lists 9 schools, including KU
15. Justin Aumen (OL) Junction City - does not list KU.

The success of our instate recruiting kind of hinges on two things. 1) getting Ian Knight. We can't afford to lose another top prospect from inside our own borders. 2) finding 1 or 2 more guys that can contribute in that bottom list. Whether it is bringing in a couple of those linemen to develop, grabbing the two most athletic guys there (Harvey and Maxwell) or mixing and matching, if we can nail down seven instate guys, that would be a huge coup for us, although I'd like to see us quit losing in-state guys to conference foes. That's a killer.

On LB Tharp commits

Posted on August 26 at 9:17 a.m.

I think the class situation is as follows:

Being on athletic scholarship, their classes are paid for by the athletics department. Unfortunately, until they are cleared, they can't received their athletics scholarships, so their classes aren't paid for.

They could go to class, but they would have to pay out of their own pocket, or get a loan (I think somebody mentioned this the other day). They can't even have someone else pay for their classes, and refund them after they are cleared (booster issues).

So unless the twins or their families have a few grand laying around, or can get access to a pretty big loan on short notice, they probably won't be attending any class until the eligibility situation is cleared up and they can accept their scholarships, thereby paying for their classes.

On KU guard Reed finally takes a much-needed break

Posted on August 26 at 9:05 a.m.

I like the speed. Hopefully it is still there after he recovers. He needs a little more bulk to play LB at the D-1 level, though. At 208, he will get owned by the TE's FB's and occassional OL's he has to face off with.

I also like that he is in-state. I noticed the article said he was the #7 player in Kansas. Since I know we are going to lose out on the #1 guy (Arthur Brown's little brother, who is following him to Miami), where do we stand on #2-6?

On LB Tharp commits

Posted on August 26 at 8:58 a.m.

Don't we use a three tight set on some goalline formations? Or have we done away with that since going to the spread? If we have a three tight formation, I could see Biere getting some time, since we don't have many other TE's. Also, if anything happens to either Dedeaux or Steward, we would be down to only 1 TE if we redshirt Biere.

I am glad to see that we have at least a handful of recruits talented enough to come in and contribute immediately. That's a testament to the upgrade in recruiting that we have experienced.

On Five freshmen could forego red shirts

Posted on August 25 at 4:31 p.m.

KU depth at guard right now.

Tyshawn Taylor, Tyrone Appleton, Mario Little, Sherron Collins, Travis Releford, Tyrel Reed, Brady Morningstar.

Let's assume now that Brady has improved to a level that he has jumped over Tyrel on the depth chart, and that Sherron ends up in the doghouse for a lack of work ethic. He's still fifth on the depth chart! Appleton and Little both have proven themselves at the juco level. Both Taylor and Releford come in highly recruited. Sherron is a better player when healthy. Tyrel has also shown that he is a better player.

I'm sorry, but I have been to the mountaintop, and I looked over. I did not see more playing time for Brady there. He'll get plenty of minutes early in the season, probably even hit some threes against Yale or Ohio or whoever it is that we beat up on in the early season blowouts. But once January rolls around, he will be doing about the same as he was doing this year - watching. Brady may be able to reprise the Jeremy Case roll in another year or two, but until then, I just don't see him getting a ton of minutes.

Brady's a great guy and had a stud high school career. But the game is bigger and faster and better than he is. That's just how it breaks sometimes.

On Guard a wily veteran