In a poll taken last spring, Kansas University’s football players voted Brandon Wier the Jayhawk “most likely to run for political office.”
“They must think I’m full of hot air or something,” says Wier, a senior reserve defensive back/special teams standout from Olathe North High. “Every year I (also) get voted most likely to coach.”
Wier won’t completely discount politics, but KU’s Rhodes Scholar candidate isn’t planning on following in the footsteps of his father Gene Wier, who has led Olathe North to a 43-2 record and three Class 6A state championships in the past four seasons.
“I think I’d be a very good coach and would enjoy coaching a lot,” Brandon Wier said, “but I think I’ll pursue something in the academic field.”
This school year Wier will begin taking classes for his Masters in Business Administration. His plan is to work as a stock analyst after he earns his advanced degree.
A Rhodes appointment to study in England would slow his plans to tackle Wall Street.
“It would delay my career a couple years, but after that my career would be on the hot path,” Wier said. “I’d definitely be interested in going to Oxford. It’d put me in a job category a lot higher than what I’m probably going to get into after an MBA.”
The eight-time Jayhawk Scholar has recorded seven consecutive semesters of 4.0 GPA. He received Bs in English and Spanish the first semester of his freshman year despite recording the highest overall grades in each class.
“I tried to protest but it didn’t work,” he said. “I didn’t mind those (Bs) at all. It made me work hard and wake up. I’m glad my GPA is not sitting at 4.0. It’s close enough.”
Wier, who helped Olathe North to a 30-2 overall record in his three years as a quarterback, receiver and defensive back, has mostly made his mark on special teams at KU.
He had a career-best 10 tackles last season, which isn’t bad for a guy who suffered a right ACL tear his sophomore season.
“The doctors said there was a 70 percent chance it’d be a career-ending injury,” Wier explained. “They said I had one of the fastest recoveries they’d seen from that type of injury, so I can’t complain. I attacked the injury like everything else.”
Still the knee injury has limited Wier.
“As far as being a position player, it made him lose a step he didn’t have to lose,” KU special teams coach Clint Bowen said. “But there is always a spot on any team for a Brandon Wier. If we named a special teams captain, it’d be him. He’s on all of them and knows everything we’re doing. You tell him something once and he knows what to do.
“He actually knows what he’s supposed to do before you tell him.”
Wier’s most valuable contribution might come as holder for kicks.
“You’ve got to watch what you say with the kickers,” Wier said. “You’ve got to make sure they think you believe in them. You’ve got to calm them down and let them know they can do it. They need a little reassurance sometimes.”
Wier wants to reassure fans that things will be different this year. The Jayhawks have had four straight losing seasons under coach Terry Allen.
“Everything is definitely good,” Wier said. “The new coaches are great. We’ve got some talented players here. We haven’t had a winning season since I’ve been here. I think it can happen this year.”
Upcoming: After getting the weekend off, KU returns to the practice field today in preparation for Saturday’s season opener against Southwest Missouri State. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
Assistant sports editor Gary Bedore can be reached at 832-7186.
