KU football notebook: Gill reflects on social media troubles at OU

By Jesse Newell     Sep 30, 2010

On Wednesday, Oklahoma receiver Jaz Reynolds was suspended indefinitely after posting a pair of insensitive remarks on his Twitter account about the recent shooting on the University of Texas campus.

Kansas coach Turner Gill said that he’d had previous conversations with his own players about being smart with social media.

“We talk about it … anything that they do, anything they say, anything they put on the social network, that it is subject to be seen for the public. Just trying to be careful,” Gill said. “We can’t sit here and monitor every single guy and watch what they do and say and all those things. We just try to remind them occasionally on what they’re doing.”

Omigie could see more time

Gill indicated Wednesday that red-shirt freshman receiver Chris Omigie was pushing for additional playing time.

Gill recruited Omigie when he was still the coach at Buffalo.

“He is a talented guy; if he doesn’t play as much, it’s because we feel good about our guys we have,” Gill said. “But we’re not ashamed to put him in there, and he’s shown some good skills. I think before the season’s over with, he’s going to show some good things here in a game or two.”

RB Quigley doubtful

Gill said Wednesday that running back Angus Quigley was doubtful for Saturday’s game against Baylor with a hamstring injury.

Keegan guest speaker today

Journal-World sports editor Tom Keegan is guest speaker today at the weekly KU Quarterback Club meeting at Buffalo Wild Wings. It begins at 5 p.m. and leads into “Hawk Talk with Coach Turner Gill,” which airs live at 6.

On the road again

KU’s first showing on the road in the Gill era did not go as well as anyone in the program had hoped. The Jayhawks were pushed around by Southern Miss and fell, 31-16.

Earlier this week Gill said he believed the Jayhawks’ second road outing — 11 a.m. Saturday at Baylor in Waco, Texas — would go much smoother.

“I think (now) they understand how the environment is,” Gill said. “… We had about 20 guys who it was their first time going on a road trip. That’s part of the process, part of the growth and I think we will be better off having played a road game before.”

Receiver Daymond Patterson, one of the more experienced players on this year’s team, agreed with his head coach and said there’s no better feeling than heading home after a victory.

“I think whenever you play on the road, you’re going up against a lot,” Patterson said. “The other team is going to be excited to play in front of their fans and their fans are going to be trying to get at you and holler and scream at us. But when you can go out on the road and get a win, it brings home a lot of confidence.”

Zlatnik to get more action

Gill said the extra action given to sophomore lineman Duane Zlatnik was no mistake and that the 6-foot-4, 326-pound guard from Rossville would continue to play more snaps.

“Duane is doing well,” Gill said. “He’s probably the one guy, if you go back from the spring to where we’re at today, he’s probably the one guy who’s made the most improvement. He’s definitely in mix of getting more playing time. I can say he will get more playing time, whether he starts or not, we’ll still go through that process.”

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