Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoOn Saturday afternoon at the Kansas University football practice fields, the sun was shining, there was a cold breeze blowing out of the north and the sound of pads popping filled the air.
Spring had arrived.
The Jayhawks donned pads Saturday for the first time this spring. It was the third day of their 15-practice spring session.
For many of the players, the padded practice was worth the wait.
“It was pretty intense,” KU senior middle linebacker Marcus Rogers said. “Everybody was moving around pretty good. The main thing was, ‘Everybody hustle to the ball.'”
Richard Gwin/Journal-World PhotoDuring defensive drills, first-year defensive coordinator Tom Hayes has instructed his players to swarm to the ball carrier before the play is blown dead.
As expected, the defense appears to be ahead of the offense.
“The enthusiasm and the effort have been there the last three days,” KU coach Terry Allen said. “The execution was far from what you want. That’s to be expected.”
Northern Iowa reportedly is close to hiring a new head coach. Among the candidates are KU assistants Mark Farley and Bill Salmon, who are two of the five finalists.
A decision is expected in the next couple of days.
Allen already has endured a turbulent offseason of hiring and firing, adding four new coaches to his staff and promoting a fifth to full-time status.
“If you lose a guy that’s of the caliber to be a head coach at a I-AA program, it concerns you,” said Allen, who came to KU from UNI in 1997. “But also you want that opportunity for them.”
Kansas concluded its annual coaches’ clinic on Saturday. The clinic attracted about 110 participants from around the region.
“We had a heck of a clinic,” Allen said. “We didn’t have the great numbers we wanted, but we had some excellent speakers.”
One of the orators was Rex Ryan, the defensive line coach of the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. Ryan’s father, Buddy, designed the “4-6” defense.
“Rex is a smart individual,” Allen said. “He knows that when you have the best players it helps. But he’s a football coach. He coaches them up and he’s very proud of his heritage. His daddy’s got himself a successful son.”
During practice Saturday, a defensive back wearing No. 10 got tangled up with a wideout and injured his knee. No, the DB wasn’t junior quarterback Jonas Weatherbie, who also wears No. 10, but was freshman walk-on Vel Robinson. The extent on the injury was unknown.
Shortly after Robinson was helped off the field, red-shirt junior offensive guard Tony Damiani suffered a right shoulder sprain. Damiani, who’s listed as the starting right guard on the spring depth chart, said the shoulder was fine.
The Jayhawks won’t practice today, but will return to the field for practices Monday and Tuesday before taking Wednesday off.
