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Originally published January 4, 2011 at 10:54a.m., updated January 5, 2011 at 12:47a.m.
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Three months away from the start of spring football practices, the Kansas University quarterback position became a little more crowded Tuesday, as the Jayhawks received a signed financial-aid agreement from Highlands Ranch, Colo., QB Brock Berglund.
Berglund, a three-star prospect from Valor Christian High, is ranked as the 13th-best dual-threat quarterback in the country. He’ll sign a national letter of intent in February and already is one of the prize gems of KU coach Turner Gill’s second recruiting class.
Though the depth of Berglund’s impact on KU remains to be seen, the 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback has received high praise from his new coach.
“Brock is the ideal student-athlete we want in our program,” Gill said Tuesday. “He has proven that he is a winner. He not only has great football skills, but he possesses great vision and tremendous leadership abilities.”
Berglund plans to arrive in Lawrence on Jan. 19 and will begin classes Jan. 21. Doing so will allow him to participate in spring drills, where he’ll compete with a handful of KU quarterbacks — including 2010 starters Jordan Webb and Quinn Mecham — for the right to lead the Jayhawks on the field this fall.
Though Berglund will be the most inexperienced member of KU’s crop of QBs, he has a couple of advantages that most incoming freshmen would not. For starters, his physical measurements place him at the top of the list, as he’s the tallest and most solid QB in the bunch. Beyond that, his high school ran a version of KU’s offense, something Valor Christian took from KU offensive coordinator Chuck Long’s days as an assistant at Oklahoma.
“Talking to coach Long, we can already have a conversation about the Kansas offense,” Berglund said. “It is like learning a whole new language, but it’s just putting a name with a name instead of learning a whole new scheme.”
Berglund expanded by saying an offensive set known as Bulldog by his high school team may be called Pit Bull at KU.
“Exactly,” Berglund said. “Bulldog is Pit Bull. That’s it. It’s studying vocabulary for your English test. It’s not that much different.”
Berglund said he would love to be KU’s starting QB next season but emphasized that he’ll compete as hard as he can and trust that things will work out the way they’re supposed to.
“I believe in my abilities and what God has blessed me with,” he said. “If I’m the first-string guy then I’m the first-string guy. If I’m a back-up, I’m a back-up. Wherever I land is where I land. But I’m gonna put everything out there, I’m gonna give it all I have.”
As for when next season’s starting quarterback might be revealed, Gill said in November that he would aim to settle the QB situation sooner than he did in 2010.
“I would hope so,” Gill said. “Again, you gotta go with what you see and make the best decision you can. I know that we’ll have great competition again and we want a guy that can rise up and raise the level of play of the offense and, hopefully, our whole football team.”
Comments
100 11 years, 7 months ago
Brock Chalk Jayhawk!!!!!!
hawk316 11 years, 7 months ago
Brock, we're excited to have you in the program. KU football is soon going to ascend, and very possibly. you will be part of the ride. Welcome aboard!
jhawkfan1981 11 years, 7 months ago
good get by gill
Ludwig Supraphonic 11 years, 7 months ago
Great choice Brock! I look forward to watching you play.
speckleddog 11 years, 7 months ago
Congratulations, Coach Gill! This is something to get excited about.
Sam Brockert 11 years, 7 months ago
FINALLY some GOOD news coming out of the football program.
danmoore 11 years, 7 months ago
Always nice to get it in writing.
ahpersecoachingexperience 11 years, 7 months ago
how long before he transfers?. . .ok, ok, ok, homers you can have this one. kid looks good on paper.
Dale Kroening 11 years, 7 months ago
How long before you transfer ?
Scott Black 11 years, 7 months ago
+1
Dan Harris 11 years, 7 months ago
+2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10!
waywardJay 11 years, 7 months ago
Let me guess.... He's transferring because Wyatt's not going to coach up our receivers....
ahpersecoachingexperience 11 years, 7 months ago
Ya-ooh-ga! I give a complement and still get slammed!
John Beck 11 years, 7 months ago
You have no shot at being taken seriously with all your other negative BS and non amusing musings.
Gary Wirsig 11 years, 7 months ago
OK, I'll give you credit, but when you call everyone else homers in the same sentence, it kind of takes away from the sincerity of your comment.
Don Everett 11 years, 7 months ago
How long until you die?
tpatt 11 years, 7 months ago
I hope that he does well. Unfortunetly the whole offense will be freshmen next season. I'll bet there will be some pretty good seats available come select-a-seat day
notigers4me 11 years, 7 months ago
This program is definitely heading in the right direction and it is a good thing to have a whole bunch of freshmen. In a year or two these guys will mature into a darn good football team. Good job Coach Gill and welcome to Kansas Brock we are glad that are are here. The playing field is definitely level on a Turner Gill field so go for it.
Michael Maris 11 years, 7 months ago
Since, Gill is now looking for a WR Coach. How about pursuing Tony Dews at the new WR Coach @ KU (since Rich Rodriguez has been fired at Michigan). Tony Dews seems to be able to recruit some pretty talented kids
Dirk Medema 11 years, 7 months ago
Tony had a great year in 2009, and a good year in 2010, but not much in the way of commitments on record before or since then. Interesting thought.
Name Pos Stars Ht Wt 40-yard Visit Video Hometown 2011 No Commitments 2010 Johnathon Hankins DT 6-3 326 5.1 12/4/2009 Detroit, MI Sean Parker DB 5-10 185 4.55 12/4/2009 Harbor City, CA Blake Sims ATH 6-0 180 4.5 Gainesville, GA 2009 William Campbell DT 6-5 317 12/5/2008 Detroit, MI Cameron Gordon WR 6-2 211 Inkster, MI Thomas Gordon ATH 5-10 199 4.6 Detroit, MI Teric Jones RB 5-8 186 4.47 Detroit, MI Taylor Lewan OL 6-7 272 4.72 12/12/2008 Scottsdale, AZ Craig Roh DE 6-5 230 4.75 8/29/2008 Scottsdale, AZ 2008 Boubacar Cissoko DB 5-8 171 1/18/2008 Detroit, MI 2007 or earlier No record of any commitments / Rivals
RockCaCO3 11 years, 7 months ago
Welcome to KU Brock!
RCJHGKU!
waywardJay 11 years, 7 months ago
B- Squared. Welcome aboard.
Dyrk Dugan 11 years, 7 months ago
it's great that he'll go thru spring ball....we have some smart kids coming in....it's great. Welcome Brock!
Matt Bowers 11 years, 7 months ago
True. Looking forward to watching these recruits on the field.
Rock Chalk
actorman 11 years, 7 months ago
"Brock Chalk Jayhawk!!!!!!"
I like it, 100!
Can anyone else remember a time when we had three high school players enroll early? In fact, can anyone remember even one? I know it happens fairly often with juco players, but how great is that, to have three freshmen that have a whole spring semester to get adjusted to school and practice?
Hawkman021 11 years, 7 months ago
Todd came in January but I cant think if we have ever had 3 true freshman
texashawk10 11 years, 7 months ago
Now that he'll get to go through the off-season conditioning and spring practice, I would expect BB to become the starting QB next season. I still think this is about a 3-5 win team next next season, but I would expect KU to a lot more competitive,
BCRavenJHawkfan 11 years, 7 months ago
Well, it certainly sounds cool to have a QB named BROCK.
Jeff Coffman 11 years, 7 months ago
Maybe the only thing good about the president...of course his second name is Hussein, so not much for the president.
100 11 years, 7 months ago
ESPN has Brock as a 4 star. Looking at his tapes @ his level of preparation to go along with his vision, he's not all that far from a 5 star.
Take a look at his state tapes & watch him slice the gaps. He's going to give opposing D's major headaches much like Turmer Gill used to with his big ole early-mid 80's Cornhusker line....
Keep in mind the improvement made between Sophmore & Senior years can lead to rankings that aren't quite telling the current story.
Tack on that he gets to attend school a semester early with two of his legitimate über-star freshly minted Kansas teammates who decided to pass on the Big 10 (and in fact left Iowa & Nebraska to be here), and you have a driven group, eager to watch film together, lift weights together & prepare for the 2011 season together.
Add in his study of film with his incredible improvement his senior year & he may as well be a 5 star.
This kid is the real deal boys....
Welcome Brock!
Mike Ardis 11 years, 7 months ago
I hope Brock does well but ESPN has him closer to a 3-star as opposed to a 5-star. Brock is listed at "79" and 4-stars are 79.5-84.9 and 5-stars are 85-100.
Dale Kroening 11 years, 7 months ago
Another expert here..............................
jayhawkintx73 11 years, 7 months ago
ESPN has him as a 4 star.
I can respect that you want to get in state Talent from Gardner and I do understand he played on the top rated team in the State of Kansas. Brock is the better of the two, and we got another legitimate dual threat QB already committed.
Eric Williams 11 years, 7 months ago
Starling narrowed his choices down (months ago) to Nebraska and Notre Dame for 2 reasons.
Both have football programs in the public eye.
Both have very, very good BASEBALL programs.
I guess he could have gone to KU to be close to home, but KU would hinder his baseball growth, which is where many believe his highest potential lies.
KU, MU, KSU and a whole bunch of other schools never had a chance at Starling.
jayhawkintx73 11 years, 7 months ago
I don't think that is why he chose Nebraska. When you're talking about football, the three teams you listed as not having a chance have had more success recently than Nebraska with the exception of the last two years in football, that is Nebraska had two in a row. Notre Dame, not so successful.
Baseball, None of the three teams you listed have unrecognizable baseball programs. They all compete well.
It is pretty clear, he won't be QB at Nebraska. What he plays in baseball I do not know, but the reasons you posted don't tell the reason he didn't go to KU.
KU already had commits, including a legitimate dual threat QB whose videos are on ESPN recruiting pages and he looks very good. Berglund, I saw his videos and from the highlights that were shown he's accurate, big, and has a great big upside. Utah and Boise State were after him.
Mike Gammill 11 years, 7 months ago
financial aid? you mean salary! :D
danmoore 11 years, 7 months ago
And Blaine Gabbert is leaving mizwho.
jayhawkintx73 11 years, 7 months ago
This is a potential All -American Signing!
rwhawk 11 years, 7 months ago
I just can't wait until he gets a number, until then he's just another name.
ahpersecoachingexperience 11 years, 7 months ago
Awsome
Don Everett 11 years, 7 months ago
Even more awesome grammar from ah..............................
KU_FanSince75 11 years, 7 months ago
This is good to have his signing in writing. Lay out the red carpet for this guy. He seems like he is the "real deal." Welcome to Lawrence, Brock!
kranny 11 years, 7 months ago
Thought he decommitted from CU to go to KU. Clarification please, are we missing something?
ahpersecoachingexperience 11 years, 7 months ago
Absolutly think he should stop and stay in Hays when he travels to and from CO.
kranny 11 years, 7 months ago
Hell Yeah!, most beer consumption per capita of any town in the US of A and the only University that calls off school for Octoberfest(nobody went to class anyway).
ahpersecoachingexperience 11 years, 7 months ago
"most beer consumption per capita of any town in the US of A"
NICE!
Brandon Avey 11 years, 7 months ago
Dude, isn't it past your curfew?
Yakihawk 11 years, 7 months ago
New drinking game : Every time Apherse or Jayhawkinnebr post a negative comment about Gill or related football news, take a shot.
Whoever has to go on dialysis first wins. Winner will most likely be crowned by the end of the month.
Note - Probably best to read the threads after work.
Jim Darnall 11 years, 7 months ago
We will be looking forward to seeing you . Welcome aboard. Hopefully we will shore up the offensive line to help him out..
F_N_Genius 11 years, 7 months ago
I'm so excited to have a 3 star QB on our squad that noone else was going after...........
danmoore 11 years, 7 months ago
Boise State, Colorado, Colorado State, Duke, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, San Diego State, Tulsa, UCLA, Utah, Washington State, and Wyoming offered scholarships. He may of gotten more interest but he made his intentions known from the beginning that he wanted to go to Colorado. CU was the only school he visited.
movethechains 11 years, 7 months ago
He also visited Minnesota, UCLA 2x, Kansas State en route to the KU 7/7 last summer, and Utah when Valor played in their 7/7 last summer.
Kenneth Hillman 11 years, 7 months ago
Sign your commitment to your team boy! (Dazed and Confused)
Welcome Brock, time to get to work...there's a starting QB position up for grabs. You want it?
Rock Chalk
Ben Kliewer 11 years, 7 months ago
So now Harbaugh is leaving Stanford after 1 year to coach in the NFL. Boy, we sure dodged a bullet by not hiring him. Let's see, who was it that was convinced that Harbaugh was the best choice for Kansas? Boy, we'd be up the creek in that case. At least we will have a second year head coach next year instead of looking again, to have a third new system being put in place in as many years...
Ben Kliewer 11 years, 7 months ago
Correction, I meant to imply he would've been at KU for 1 year. Got to typing too fast.
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