Tom Keegan: Kansas receiver outlook improving

By Tom Keegan     May 18, 2016

Nick Krug
Team wide receiver LaQuvionte Gonzalez (1) tears down the field for a touchdown during the Spring Game on Saturday, April 9, 2016 at Memorial Stadium.

Aqib Talib provided so many huge plays at cornerback during his career at Kansas University, capped by his interception return for a touchdown in the Orange Bowl, that it’s easy to forget former coach Mark Mangino also picked his spots using Talib as a wide receiver during his senior season.

Talib only was used often enough to make eight receptions during the 2007 season, but that was time enough for him to total more touchdown receptions (four) than every KU wide receiver combined for in a two-season stretch (zero in 2012, three in 2013).

Charlie Weis temporarily patched the position well enough that Kansas rebounded with eight touchdowns from players lined up at wide receiver in 2014. All eight were from transfers from four-year schools: Nick Harwell had five, Justin McCay two and Nigel King one. Not great production, especially when compared to KU’s 30 wide-receiver TD catches in 2007 and 31 in 2008, but not so embarrassing as to make national headlines any longer.

Sure, other factors were at play during the wideout scoring droughts. The line had trouble protecting the quarterbacks, and the quarterbacks had difficulty throwing accurately, but a lack of talent at wideout also played a huge role.

Tre’ Parmalee, who led KU with three TD catches last season, is gone, but four receivers who combined for seven scores are back. Darious Crawley, Tyler Patrick and Steven Sims had two apiece, Bobby Hartzog and Shakiem Barbel one. Jeremiah Booker didn’t find the end zone as a true freshman but showed some talent and caught 23 passes in eight games after missing the first four games because of an injury.

That’s a solid group of receivers, even if it lacks a big-play threat who keeps defensive coordinators awake at night trying to figure out how to keep the ball out of his hands. That’s where LaQuvionte Gonzalez comes in. The Texas A&M transfer who has two remaining years of eligibility is the loudest talent on KU’s offense, maybe the entire roster.

His 61-yard touchdown sprint after catching a pass on a slant pattern put some electricity into an otherwise dull spring exhibition.

David Beaty’s desire for an ultra-fast-paced Air Raid offense demands a deep stable of wide receivers.

Depth at the position grew in rapid-fire fashion when Reggie Roberson of Dallas and Takulve Williams of New Orleans, the second Louisiana recruit in the Class of 2017, orally committed Tuesday, pushing the number of commitments to six, not bad considering it’s only May.

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