**Update: 4:45 p.m. – By Matt Tait**
We’ll obviously hear and learn a lot more about KU’s new-look offense under first-year offensive coordinator John Reagan in the coming weeks, but we learned this much about it today — the players like it.
Nick Harwell said he loves the versatility the offense brings and how it allows him to make plays and put pressure on the defense in a number of different ways. Jimmay Mundine said he loves the tempo, the room to work and how it better takes advantage of KU’s strengths, not just in terms of running game or passing game, but even more detailed in that Mundine is now blocking Sam linebacker and nickelbacks instead of offensive linemen.
He thinks that will make the whole attack more dangerous and give sophomore QB Montell Cozart more time to make plays himself.
Mundine spoke a lot about the responsibility of the seniors taking up some of the slack so the young QB doesn’t feel like it’s all on him.
As for Charlie Weis, he emphasized that the offense is Reagan’s to run. He’ll have input when he sees fit and he’ll be there for him as a sounding board, should Reagan need one, but, for the most part, Weis will stay out of the way. Most of his input will come in the game plan stages early in the week and Reagan will handle the rest. Weis said he would not be involved much at all on game days.
What’s more, the whole thing sounds a lot simpler, which we’ve heard before. Mundine gave an example of a play call from last year that had like 8-10 different words in it (see video below in the blog, from previous update). And that was for a basic run to the right. As he said, “That’s a lot to process before you even think about how you’re going to execute it.” This year, though, that same play has been condensed into three words, which makes it easier to process, so that by the time you line up, you’re thinking about HOW you’re going to do something instead of WHAT you’re going to do.
Subtle change, but pretty significant from the sound of it.
**Update: 3:50 p.m. – By Benton Smith**
KU senior wide receiver Nick Harwell might be new to the team, but he played three seasons at Miami (Ohio), where he caught 229 passes and 23 touchdowns in three seasons. He is an experienced veteran who knows the game.
Other than him personally looking forward to the season opener on Sept. 6 vs. Southeast Missouri State (because he had to sit out 2013 as a transfer), a couple of games on the 2014 schedule stood out for Harwell.
The receiver realizes the Jayhawks’ second game of the season — at Duke (10-4 in 2013) — will be a challenging one. And the Sunflower Showdown will, of course, hold significant meaning for KU, after the Wildcats won by three touchdowns at KU in last year’s regular-season finale.
Here’s what Harwell had to say on the matter:
**Update: 3:25 p.m. – By Matt Tait**
Just finished up with interviews here at Big 12 media days and we probably have enough stuff to fill an entire section every day from now until camp starts on Aug. 8.
As I go through the tape and jot down the most impressive bits, I’ll be sure to fill you up with a few that stood out right here. Like this one from senior TE Jimmay Mundine, who talked about facing his drops head on in the offseason and did not shy away from using the miscues as an opportunity to get better.
“(Tight ends) coach (Jeff) Blasko and I talk all the time about how if I just caught half of the balls I dropped, I would’ve had a completely different season,” Mundine said.
To that end, the coach and the veteran pass catcher watched tape of every drop and tried to analyze exactly what went wrong. Most often it was simply a case of Mundine trying too hard to make a big play when the simple and safe play would have been just fine.
That, he said, was his biggest takeaway from the exercise and he’s hoping it serves him well during his senior season.
“It sucked,” Mundine said. “It hit me in the stomach, but it definitely motivated me. Now I’m just trying to focus on making the basic paly and not trying to do too much.”
**Update: 2:50 p.m. – By Benton Smith**
After a morning full of Big 12 coaches, the players had their time with the media this afternoon at the Omni Dallas Hotel. KU brought seniors Ben Heeney, Nick Harwell, Cassius Sendish and Jimmay Mundine to media days.
Weis was back on the floor, too, so we bounced around from table to table to talk with all the Jayhawks. You get the sense from speaking with the guys that they are both realistic about how far the program has to go and looking forward to trying to be the team that gets KU out of its slump.
The man, the myth, the beard. Captain Heeney speaks with reporters at Big 12 media days in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/6m6NesHqC6
— Benton Smith (@BentonASmith) July 21, 2014
We’ll post more throughout the afternoon, but for now, here’s senior tight end Mundine talking about some of the reasons he prefers new offensive coordinator John Reagan’s system to what KU ran in 2013.
**Update: 11:20 a.m. – By Benton Smith**
Every time someone at Big 12 media days starts talking about Kansas football, some variation of the following phrase inevitably is uttered:
KU needs to win some games.
Entering his third season with the Jayhawks, coach Charlie Weis spoke about some of the things that will make that possible while fielding questions at his morning press conference. Here are some of the highlights:
• Senior tight end Jimmay Mundine didn’t arrive at Kansas ready to contribute to his full potential. He was far better as a receiver than a blocker. This season, he should be an integral part of KU’s offense.
• There are expectations for sophomore quarterback Montell Cozart. “I’m glad I made the decision halfway through his freshman year to play him,” Weis said. Now KU’s coaches knows what they’re getting and don’t have to worry about jitters in Cozart’s sophomore campaign. The 6-foot-2 195-pound QB has athleticism and can stand in the pocket and deliver. That gives KU a better chance to score more points.
• With senior Nick Harwell, a transfer from Miami (Ohio), Kansas is plugging in a No. 1 receiver who already has three years of big production on his resume. Adding a valuable senior leader like Harwell makes everybody around him play better.
• Each year more focus goes toward addressing less contact taking place for football players. In the concussion discussion, there are a lot of talks at length about minimizing the helmet-to-helmet type of contact. Still, Weis said teams need live tackling to be able to practice fundamentals and techniques. Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen will demonstrate proper form to all of his players. KU will only have two days a week of contact. And as the season goes on, it will have to be cut down even more.
• KU’s offense has to stay on the field and suffer far less three-and-outs. When you have a mobile quarterback (which didn’t happen for KU last year until Cozart began playing), “you’re playing 11-on-10 football,” Weis said. The QB carrying the ball puts much more stress on the defense.
• One reporter asked Weis if he could put a number on what would make 2014 a successful season for Kansas — as in, how many games do you need to win? Weis said it is Important that his team’s expectation be clearly defined. But he didn’t want to definite it for the media. But he emphasized the players know the expectations, while adding: “We haven’t done a thing in the two years I’ve been here.”
• KU’s new spread offense is all coordinator John Reagan’s. Weis will only be involved on offense during the week, not on game day. “I’m gonna let the offensive staff run the offense. I’m more of an advisor right now.” The head coach said he will be a resource to Reagan.
• More on monitoring contact: No one pounds the guys at practice that play every week in games all the time. The “gray area” is getting the young players ready to play if they’re not getting real in-game reps.
• On incoming freshman Jacob Bragg — He’s “one of the best pure centers in the nation. Weis told Bragg the same thing he tells every recruit: Don’t come in expecting to red shirt. Come in with the goal of beating everybody out for a spot.
• Weis was asked if cheating is widespread on campuses across the country. “Maybe I’m oblivious,” he said, adding he hasn’t seen it, but hears about it “all the time.”
• Andrew Bolton, Kevin Short and Marcus Jenkins-Moore are players KU wants to see on the field. Bolton came in banged up and he is glad they didn’t play him. Short in the secondary gives the Jayhawks a chance to keep up with the Big 12’s offenses, which throw it around and play in space.
• For KU’s Sept. 6 opener vs. Southeast Missouri State, the first female member of a Big 12 officiating crew, Cat Conti, will be on the field at Memorial Stadium. Weis, calling himself old-fashioned, said: “I’ll try to watch my language.” He added that It’s great that women are being put on equal footing with men.
• Senior linebacker Ben Heeney is probably one of the more under-appreciated defensive players, if not players, in this league, according to Weid. Heeney reminds him a lot of former all-pro Zach Thomas — short but plays sideline to sideline with a vengeance.
• The QB situation at KU has been troubling the past couple of seasons, under Weis. The coach said true drop-back quarterbacks have gotten exposed. That’s why they changed what they’re doing, offensively at KU. The only offensive position that has been Big 12 caliber the past two years was running back, with James Sims. Players were marginal at other skill positions.
• In closing — The bottom line: If we don’t score more points, we’re not going to win more games.
*– Hear complete audio from the press conference: [Charlie Weis at Big 12 football media days][1]*
**Update: 10:22 a.m. – By Matt Tait**
Baylor coach Art Briles kicked things off for the coaches at the podium today by talking a lot about defending the Bears’ 2013 Big 12 title.
It doesn’t seem like he’s all that worried about his team’s chances in 2014.
Briles said, among other things, that the Bears would not try for a bunt or a single this season. They’re swinging for the fences.
In addition, he said the whole notion of defending last year’s title was a little crazy because “how can you defend something that can’t be taken away?” Decent point.
KU coach Charlie Weis is up next. The 2013 KU highlight video is playing now…
**Original post: 9:00 a.m. – By Matt Tait**
Generally speaking, Kansas University football doesn’t make many headlines during the annual Big 12 media days in Dallas, which begin today and wrap up Tuesday.
When you’ve won just two conference games in the past four seasons (33 tries), it becomes more and more difficult for the other Big 12 media members to care too much about the outlook for the Jayhawks in the fall.
That all changed last year, though, when KU coach Charlie Weis stole the show with his “pile of crap” line that was both bold and honest and remains misinterpreted by many to this day.
If I’ve learned one thing about Weis in his three years in Lawrence it’s that he tells it like it is. No sugar coating, no dancing around the subject, just his real opinion — like it or not — regarding just about anything he’s asked.
That’s a great trait for a coach to have for a guy covering his program and it helps make the Jayhawks relevant at this two-day football kickoff event. When everyone else is talking about national title chances, Heisman hopefuls or the league race, the Jayhawks stay in the conversation because of Weis — both his resume and his reputation.
I can’t tell you how many other media members who cover the Big 12 have mentioned to me in the past couple of years how awesome it is to listen to a guy who actually says something. That’s not a knock on the other coaches in the conference. There are several incredible coaches in the Big 12, but there’s a lot of coach speak, as well. Not with Weis.
I’m sure we’ll learn a thing or two about the state of the KU program in the next couple of days — who’s healthy and who’s not, who’s in jeopardy academically, who might no longer be on the roster, etc. — and we’ll definitely learn a lot more about when camp opens Aug. 8. But the always intriguing question of “What’s Weis gonna say next?” will be one of the biggest topics of the week down here and even though I’ve gotten used to the way the guy does business, I have to admit, I’m curious, too.
Stay logged on right here throughout the day today and Tuesday as Benton Smith and I will scoop up all the KU and Big 12 tidbits about the upcoming football season you’d care to read about.
Weis is scheduled to hit the podium at 10:30 this morning and he’ll field questions for 20 minutes before returning to the ballroom around 1:30 for the breakouts. He’ll be joined by seniors Nick Harwell (WR), Ben Heeney (LB), Jimmay Mundine (TE) and Cassius Sendish (S) and, between the two of us, we’ll spend plenty of time with all five of them to get the latest update on where the Jayhawks stand heading into Year 3 of the Charlie Weis era.
Stay tuned…
[1]: http://www2.kusports.com/podcasts/press_conferences_postgame_interviews/2014/jul/21/charlie-weis-big-12-football-media-days/
