Monroe Weekley was noticeably cautious when talking to reporters at Kansas University’s football Media Day Friday.
Weekley dodged questions, became more nervous as the media crowd grew bigger and obviously longed for the moment he could escape the pen-pushers and microphone-wielders.
Media attention comes with the territory for most Division One football players, but Weekley doesn’t appear to care much for it. He wants his work on the field to fill the newspaper columns and the airwaves — not his words off it.
“I just work hard,” he said, carefully measuring every word, “and pray to get through everything.”
Weekley’s past is hazy, and his future uncertain. But for now, Weekley is indeed getting through everything.
An obvious talent, the sophomore defensive end has been given another crack at D-I football after being booted from the team at Pittsburgh in the spring of 2002 for “behavior unbecoming of the program.”
A little more than a year later, Weekley isn’t about to go into detail about what happened at Pittsburgh. And he doesn’t want it following him to Lawrence.
“I don’t like to talk about it,” he said. “I’m glad I could learn from mistakes. Thank God I’m here.”
Weekley (6-foot-4, 250-pounds) will see his share of playing time at defensive end if he receives academic certification this week. Out of high school in Aliquippa, Pa., Weekley was an All-American linebacker, receiving scholarship offers from big-time programs such as Miami, Notre Dame and Michigan.
He chose Pittsburgh, just down the road from his high school, but his stay didn’t last long. After red-shirting in 2001, Weekley was dismissed the following spring, and headed to Arizona Western Community College. He had a solid junior college season, his first as a defensive lineman, and embarked to Lawrence for a return to D-I.
Now, he’s earning praises from the KU coaching staff, relishing his second chance at big-time college football.
“I’m very impressed with him so far,” said Bill Young, KU’s defensive coordinator. “He’s intelligent and, from a football standpoint, he really has an understanding of what we’re trying to do. We’re excited about him.”
Weekley was a linebacker in high school and at Pitt, but his size made it logical to move him to defensive end. He has no complaints about the position change, either.
“I plan on doing whatever coach needs me to do,” he said.
KU coach Mark Mangino needs impact players on the defensive line. He joked about how he “handed out bazookas to each guy” on the line in an effort to stop the tremendous offensive talent they’ll see every week in the Big 12 Conference. Last year, KU opponents averaged a whopping 472 yards a game.
The lopsided losses week after week forced Mangino and his staff to hit the junior-college ranks hard in search of immediate help from experienced players.
Among those they found was Weekley, a player looking for a second chance. It seemed a perfect match.
“You learn from mistakes,” Weekley said again, as if reading it off of his palm. “I just thank God that I’m here.”
