Thread by @BryBryStrick

Complete #kufball spring updates below ⬇️

I've spoken with about five sources over the past week and here's a hodge podge of what they said.

#Hawksby17

The first thing EVERYONE says is how different this Spring practice is. Everything is more serious. Everything is more up tempo. The coaches are HEAVILY pushing an agenda that last season doesn't matter and means absolutely nothing if we don't build on it. The difference has

been described as night and day by some. I've heard from sources close to a few players as well and they've told me that the players feel they're being pushed harder than ever before. Team goal is 9-3, accept nothing less.

There is a huge focus this spring on getting everyone

reps. Whether you're 4th string or a starter, if you're healthy, you're getting reps. A source familiar with coaching decisions told me that they are really trying to figure out who can/will make an impact for this team this fall and want those players to be ready. It's also

~helpful~ that a few of the 'guaranteed' starters are out for the spring allowing their backups to get more reps with the 1s than normal.

On the note of injuries, sounds like RB room in a similar situation to normal. Dylan McDuffie the transfer RB has been getting a majority of

the reps with the 1s. I've heard pretty positive things about his ability to make an impact this year. One source specified they believe the running back room is only missing a real burner type and there is hope/optimism that freshman Johnny Thompson Jr can be that guy.

The QB situation is about as stale as it gets. BREAKING: Jalon Daniels is going to be QB1 haha. I do however have bigger news on that front.

Everyone has asked for it for so long, Jason Bean is being tried in other positions. I'm not going to go into detail about what Im hearing

on that front because people from opposing schools follow me but let's say it includes EVERY possibility and I mean literally every (except OL). They want to get his speed utilized in any capacity they can and the coaching staff has been creative testing things out there.

I will say on the QBs that when asked, everyone I spoke to said turnovers are down and they're down a TON this year.

The TE room it sounds like might be the most impressive room on the entire team. Everybody on that room is continuing to take strides forward. I heard last week

that Coach Leipold literally shouted out Will Huggins as someone that has had an incredible mental and physical attitude shift. I can imagine if he can continue to take steps forward that we can find a way to utilize a 6'7 245 TE 😎.

Offensive line... Mike Novitsky is out for

Spring so it's imo actually good that we are getting reps to others because we do have a future post-Mike to worry about. The current OL 2 deep reads like this per a source very close to the situation.

Bryce Puni Ford Armaj Baynes
Dorion Gorczyca Krause/Baker Lovell Brown

This same source made this projection for what the starting OL will look like on Day 1.
Bryce Puni Novitsky Lovell Brown

Obviously a lot could change there and OL isn't my specialty so that's all i got there lmfao.

WR tandem is looking like a very interchangeable mix of

LJ, Grimm, Skinner, Terry, Emilien, Tanaka & Trevor Wilson (currently recovering from offseason surgery).

Someone told me they could see KU looking for a speed threat in the portal here. We will see what the post-spring portal looks like.

Moving over to defense. DE has been Robinson and Hatcher but Westmoreland has been getting in there a lot and would expect that to continue transfer Austin Booker and Joyner has been getting in the mix as well. Joyner has missed most of spring so far.

DT group is looking like

Tommy Dunne and transfer Devin Phillpis with Gage Keys and Withers behind. I've heard Tony Terry has looked really good in his reps fwiw against the lower string teams.

Linebacker is still gonna be scary I think LOL. Miller/Berryhill/Young still looking like the starters and it

sounds like transfer JB Brown has shown a lot. He sounds like the type of player that can shore up some of our weak areas as he doesn't really miss tackles but he does struggle in coverage a bit. It sounds like LB Alex Raich has almost the inverse where his size is lacking but

he appears to be a solid 3rd down/passing situation LB. It sounds like Coach Simpson has been one of the most active coaches this spring and I expect him to do what he can to get that group ready to play in any capacity.

CB group is gonna be mello, cobee, mcghee and gervin. I've

heard very good things about the development there with Jordan Peterson taking over that group. Jacobee bryant is NOTICEABLY better this year and been able to stick w/ receivers more rather than being a route jumping guy. I've also heard really good things about transfer

Damarius Mcghee. Heard he's been really solid in 1on1 drills. He does not have much of a frame to him so Gildersleeve will have to get in the LAB.

With Kenny Logan AND Marvin Grant out for spring, OJ and Jalen Dye have been getting the reps there. I think this is something that

could prove to be really massive come fall with those two having a ton of game reps.

All-in-all, it sounds like the Defense is still going to be the group that decides how far this team can go this season. The sky is the limit and this coaching staff and team believe.

Special Teams: Sounds like Seth Keller is going to win the kicking job. Heard he's been very solid and consistent.

Optimism is very high around the AFL punter we signed. I think the coaching staff thinks he can be a massive asset to this team.

Last note again is circling back to the coaches. I've heard time and time again how much they're on the players asses. No complacency. No standing around. Holding everyone accountable and just getting down to work. Last year means absolutely nothing if they dont build on it.

The Jayhawks Are Coming.

#Hawksby17 #kufball