Kansas’ reserve linebackers at the “Hawk” position have made an impression on their coaches not only on the field but, so it seems, in the dining room.
Head coach Lance Leipold told reporters on Aug. 12 that on the evening of KU’s first night practice of the month — which happened to be Jayson Gilliom’s birthday, Aug. 4 — he found Gilliom in the eating area, surrounded by waters and Gatorades for hydration, poring over his notes as he gets acclimated to his new role as a linebacker.
“He’s passionate about what he’s doing,” Leipold said, “he’s learning a new position and also we know his special teams contribution is going to be a lot as well.”
A week later, defensive coordinator Brian Borland made a similar comment about the diligence of the talented freshman Logan Brantley.
“I walked in eating breakfast today, and he’s got all his notes spread out at the table, studying his notes and things like that, so I think he’s taken that to heart as well,” Borland said. “Looking forward to guys like that, young guys, starting to really hopefully develop this year and blossom and see where they can fit in.”
KU demands a lot from its Hawks, who must combine the coverage and agility of a safety with the strength of a linebacker.
“Those guys will definitely get some extra weight room stuff to keep them bulky and what they need to do to be able to play in that front seven,” strength coach Matt Gildersleeve said, “but we spend a lot more time with those particular positions so that they can do things.”
Current starter Craig Young is a converted safety like Gilliom; Brantley is fresh off playing a similar position to the Hawk at Cherry Creek High in Colorado. In the cafeteria and beyond, the group is coming into its own, as Brantley gets acclimated to the pace and rigor of college football and Gilliom returns from suffering an injury in the spring of 2022 and missing all of last season.
“We’re just trying to work on just being the tone-setters of practice, being the anchor for our defense,” Brantley said of the linebacker group at KU’s media day on Aug. 16.
Linebacker Logan Brantley during fall camp in Lawrence on Aug. 13, 2023.
Young has made it his mission to facilitate that process.
“This being my last year, you always want to find a couple young guys, just to give them things that you didn’t do,” Young said. “A lot of people won’t know what that means, but what I’d say about that is, this being my last year, you just want to leave it better than you found it. You just want to leave something behind that when you come back in a few years, you just see like ‘Dang, I taught him that,’ or ‘I showed him that way, and now he’s doing it.'”
He has clearly already made an impression on the young Brantley, who said he has already taught him a lot about technique, but has gone above and beyond in creating an “older brother feeling” in the room.
“When I got here the first time, Craig actually came up to me with open arms,” Brantley said, “just saying ‘If you ever need anything…’ — not even about football-based (stuff), just saying if you ever need anything that I can talk to him.”
Brantley said he’s enjoyed camp and that the coaches haven’t chosen “to kind of flip the switch and change on you” like he might have expected. It’s clearly been a smooth transition for the freshman, at least in the eyes of his teammates. Gilliom said, “He’s a high-energy kid, great work ethic, and he has definitely opened up a lot of eyes here since he got on campus,” and fellow linebacker Cornell Wheeler said, “He’s willing to get better each and every day to be the best person he can be.”
Young said that adding a player with Brantley’s athleticism and coverage skills has made the rest of the linebackers step up their game.
Gilliom’s reintegration hasn’t been quite as tidy as he works his way back into competition. Borland said the staff has finally figured out the right number of reps to give him on a regular basis and it “finally got to the point where he’s not limping around anymore.”
“It’s definitely been ups and downs and battles with that,” Gilliom said. “Some days it feels great some days it doesn’t. It’s just finding that little good niche to where my body feels good, I’m not in pain and stuff.”
Gilliom said he’s working on understanding the whole playbook better. While he was injured, he sat in on defensive line, linebacker and safety meetings.
Young said that on Gilliom’s first day of rehab, he was the first one in the building and the last one out.
“For him to show that relentlessness is crazy,” Young said. “I’m really happy for him, honestly.”
Gilliom isn’t likely to receive much playing time at Hawk right away, and KU has quality backups at the other linebacker spots in Wheeler and JB Brown. But Young and Leipold both expect him to make an immediate impact on special teams.
“That guy, he’s learning fast,” Young said. “Since his injury, he came back and just went all gas.”
Jayson Gilliom takes on running back Jack Schneider during fall camp in Lawrence on Aug. 16, 2023.
Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics
Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics
Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics