Kansas University’s football coaching staff could be close to full strength for the first time since last November.
Travis Jones, who coached linebackers and was recruiting coordinator the last three seasons at NCAA Div. I-AA Appalachian State, appears to be headed to KU as defensive line coach.
“We just heard this week that he was headed to Kansas,” said Geoff Wiswell, ASU’s football sports information director.
Jones did not return calls to the Journal-World on Wednesday, and KU head coach Terry Allen was out of town and unavailable for comment.
Jones is a 1994 graduate of Georgia who was a defensive line assistant at his alma mater in 1997, when the team went 10-2, was ranked 10th and won the Outback Bowl.
A two-year starter and defensive captain as a senior, Jones played in two bowl games at Georgia. He was drafted by the Baltimore Stallions of the CFL in 1995 and played the ’96 season with the Florida Bobcats of the Arena League.
His apparent hiring would complete Allen’s staff. Allen dismissed two coaches in late November and lost a third when Todd Middleton left to pursue other opportunities. A fourth aide, Darrell Wyatt, quit to become an assistant coach at Oklahoma State.
Jones would make the fourth replacement coach hired, joining Tom Hayes (defensive coordinator), Sam Pittman (offensive line) and Clarence James (wide receivers).
