With the Kansas University football team set to make the transition into summer workouts Monday, the anticipation surrounding the next crop of new arrivals seems to grow by the day.
In all, 19 scholarship players in the Class of 2013 have yet to report to campus and a good chunk of those players are expected to arrive during the next few days.
“Half will be here the first week in June,” KU coach Charlie Weis said. “And then there’ll be that trickle-down effect because some of their classes don’t end until the middle of June and that doesn’t necessarily fit perfectly with our schedule. You have to plug ’em in when it fits academically with our schedule.”
It has become somewhat routine for people inside the KU program to hold their breath and cross their fingers about the prospects of getting all of the signees to report on time and in good academic standing. During each of the past several seasons it seemed as if at least one or two players carried question marks into the summer. But Weis recently said he did not foresee that kind of stress this time around.
“I’m not expecting any surprises,” he said. “I’d be very surprised if they’re not here.”
Those who report to campus this weekend will move into their dorm rooms immediately and begin summer school and workouts with strength coach Scott Holsopple and teammates on Monday. Typically, the newcomers’ first official act comes in the form of a team meeting, which likely will take place tonight or first thing Monday.
Here’s a quick update on several of the newest Jayhawks:
OL Joey Bloomfield: Ballard High grad is one of the smartest athletes in the class and he’ll have no problem reporting on time.
DL Marquel Combs: Things went well in the classroom and weight room for ESPN.com’s No. 1 ranked juco prospect. Not only did Combs take care of business with the three classes he took during the spring semester, he also got after it in the gym. He recently reported on Twitter that he was down from 305 to 296 pounds, a good sign for KU fans wondering if he’ll report in good shape.
QB Montell Cozart: Former Bishop Miege quarterback will be coming to campus as soon as possible. Cozart is expected to report to campus today and said recently that he could not wait. He will room with fellow-Miege grad and KU sophomore-to-be Tre’ Parmalee.
QB Jordan Darling: Former Shawnee Mission East quarterback confirmed via a Twitter exchange with New Jersey wide receiver Ishmael Hyman that he would be on campus next week, in time for the first session of summer school.
LB Samson Faifili: Outside linebacker with a high motor said he planned to arrive in Lawrence on Saturday and is ready to go.
WR Ishmael Hyman: Dynamic wideout who was the MVP of the Chesapeake Bowl said he would arrive on campus today.
LB Marcus Jenkins-Moore: Jenkins-Moore is shooting for a Monday arrival but said it’s a 50/50 proposition whether he’ll make it by then. From the sound of things his landing date is not dependent upon whether or not he’ll pass his classes or be eligible but rather when his final grades will be posted.
DB Isaiah Johnson: Johnson, a player many hope can step right in as a big-time contributor at safety, said he was on pace to report in July for the second session of KU’s summer school. When asked how hard it would be to wait one more month and be one of the last to arrive, Johnson simply said, “Extremely. I’ve wanted to be there since the spring.”
DB Kevin Short: A recent Twitter exchange between Short and fellow-juco transfer Cassius Sendish, who reported to campus in January and went through spring drills, indicated that Short is in good shape academically. He told the Journal-World recently that he would arrive on campus on July 26.
CB Brandon Hollomon: This late addition to KU’s 2013 recruiting class and teammate of Marquel Combs and Marcus Jenkins-Moore at Pierce CC said he was hoping to arrive in time for the first session of summer school, which would land him in Lawrence sometime in early June. Hollomon committed to KU in late March and has been called “a steal” by Combs.
WR Nick Harwell: Until his eligibility concerns are cleared up, the Miami (Ohio) wideout transfer’s arrival date remains a question.
RB Darrian Miller: The most recent addition to the KU program will get his reunion tour started today.
Other signees KU is still waiting for include: high school graduates Kellen Ash (LB), Colton Goeas (LB) and Ben Johnson (TE), as well as juco transfers Andrew Bolton (DE), Rodriguez Coleman (WR), Zach Fondal (OL) and Mark Thomas (WR).