Quarterback U? Perhaps.
Monday night, Kansas University’s football team received its fourth commitment from the Class of 2013 when Shawnee Mission East prospect Jordan Darling orally committed to the Jayhawks.
Darling, 6-foot-4, 226 pounds, is the second quarterback in the class to pick KU — Bishop Miege High QB Montell Cozart committed in March — and the fifth QB brought to town by new head coach Charlie Weis since he took the job last December.
According to Rivals.com, Darling committed to Weis in person Monday with his mother and father there with him.
“I told coach Weis I wanted to commit to them because they believed in me to offer early,” Darling told Jon Kirby. “And I believe in them. I remember being at the junior day when coach Weis told all of the recruits in the room they could be part of something special. I wanted to be a part of it.”
Quarterbacks coach Ron Powlus also played an integral part in landing the three-star prospect.
“He’s a great coach,” Darling told Kirby. “He’s been through the recruiting and knows what it takes. It will be nice to play for a guy that has done it and is successful.”
Darling joins Cozart, Basehor-Linwood High tight end Ben Johnson and St. Louis linebacker Kellen Ash as KU’s commitments from the Class of 2013 so far.
Record-setting spring
The KU football program had a record-setting spring in the classroom, the university announced Monday evening.
KU’s team grade-point average of 3.0 for the spring semester was the program’s all-time best for a semester and a drastic improvement from the 2.46 GPA the team recorded during the fall semester.
“I am delighted,” Weis said. “That mark exceeded my expectations by a wide margin. To be able to jump more than half a letter grade in one semester, and exceeding the best GPA ever by a quarter-grade merits my congratulations to the entire team. Good things happen when you go to class, go on time and use academic support.”
Four football players recorded 4.0 GPAs this spring and 32 others topped the 3.0 mark.
“When we hired Charlie Weis, he and I agreed that performance in the classroom was a top priority,” KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger said. “What this achievement indicates is that coach Weis and his team fully embraced that goal and delivered.
“This is clearly a family priority as well,” Zenger added, “since Charlie Weis, Jr., also achieved a 4.0. Coach Weis obviously holds his family to as high a standard as he holds his team.”
Kansas football was one of nine KU programs to eclipse the 3.0 mark during the spring semester. Volleyball led the way with a 3.44 mark, followed by soccer (3.32), softball (3.25), swimming & diving (3.25), men’s golf (3.14), women’s golf (3.11), tennis (3.05) and women’s track & field (3.0).
Farley to transfer
Jake Farley, a 6-1, 220-pound sophomore linebacker from Cedar Falls, Iowa, will transfer to Northern Iowa, where he will finish his career playing for his father, Mark, Weis announced Monday.
“Jake met with me on Friday and told me he would like to finish his career playing for his dad,” Weis said in a press release. “How could I debate that one? On behalf of the KU program, I wish Jake success and happiness as he returns home to be with his family.”
Farley red-shirted during the 2010 season and did not play during 2011.