2 Kansas Football Players Arrested for Robbery: Latest Details and Reaction
Feb 22, 2016
LAWRENCE, KS - OCTOBER 11: A Kansas Jayhawks football logo is seen on a piece of the team's equipment chest during a game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Memorial Stadium on October 11, 2014 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Two members of the Kansas Jayhawks football team found themselves in trouble with the law on Monday.
According to Conrad Swanson of the Lawrence Journal-World, cornerback Eric Rivers and linebacker Kendall Duckworth “were arrested on Monday after police said another KU student was robbed.”
Police reportedly responded to the robbery report early Saturday morning. The players were not armed, and the man robbed was not injured, according to Swanson.
“Rivers and Duckworth were released from the Douglas County Jail Monday afternoon, according to the jail's booking log,” Swanson noted. “Rivers was also being held Monday on suspicion of sexual battery and criminal restraint, stemming from an alleged incident at Jayhawker Towers on the following day.”
As a result, Kansas head coach David Beaty said the following in a statement, per Swanson: “I am aware of the situation and am in the process of gathering all of the facts. Eric Rivers has been dismissed from the program for a violation of team rules. For the time being, Kendall Duckworth has been suspended from all team activities.”
Neither defender played a significant role on the field for the Jayhawks in 2015. Rivers transferred to the program from a junior college before the campaign started and redshirted, while Duckworth notched three total tackles as a freshman last year.
Considering Duckworth wasn't a notable contributor last year and sat behind players such as Marcquis Roberts and Joe Dineen on the depth chart before getting into trouble off the field, the young linebacker may struggle for playing time regardless of whether he returns from the suspension next year.
Kansas LB Ben Heeney Overcoming 'Misconceptions,' Challenges Entering NFL Draft
Mar 7, 2015
Anyone who paid attention to the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine knows that Ben Heeney is a great athlete.
The Kansas linebacker’s times topped the charts among all linebackers in Indianapolis in each of the combine’s three measurable agility drills. Heeney completed the three-cone drill in 6.68 seconds, the 20-yard shuttle in four seconds flat and the 60-yard shuttle in 11.06 seconds.
Heeney utilized that athleticism to rack up 335 total tackles, including 35.5 tackles for loss, in his four-year Kansas career. He was a first-team all-Big 12 selection in 2014, and a second-team all-Big 12 player in 2013 and 2012.
Yet even with his production and accolades, Heeney was not widely recognized as a great athlete until he proved it by running fast times—also including a 4.59-second 40-yard dash—in Under Armour and shorts at Lucas Oil Stadium.
“He’s just a lot better pure athlete than people have ever given him credit for,” Kansas assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Clint Bowen said in an interview with Bleacher Report. “I sang that song all season. Everyone was trying to say that he was a old-school, throwback Mike linebacker and I was like ‘No, he’s not.’ He’s a modern-day, fast, athletic linebacker, and everyone wanted to compare him to something that he wasn’t.”
Heeney, like his coach, believes that “there’s been a big misconception” about his ability to move.
“I don’t know what the reason behind it is, but I think hopefully [my combine performance] just shows scouts I’m athletic, I’ve got good burst and change-of-direction,” Heeney told B/R. “My numbers speak for themselves: I’m very quick, I’m explosive, I’m a sideline-to-sideline guy.”
Matt Miller, Bleacher Report’s NFL Draft Lead Writer, agrees that Heeney is a “great athlete.”
“Really fluid moving laterally and can chase down quarterbacks and running backs,” Miller said of Heeney’s game. “He's even agile enough to drop into a Cover 2 in my opinion.”
“Heeney is the best version of a sideline-to-sideline player I've seen in this draft, perhaps aside from [UCLA linebacker] Eric Kendricks,” Riddle said. “Incredible closing speed.”
It might not have been recognized before, but it’s certainly agreed upon now that Heeney has the speed and all-around movement skills that NFL teams covet at the linebacker position.
In spite of his athletic exploits, it’s no guarantee that Heeney will be selected before the late rounds of this year’s draft. Even after the combine, Heeney is continuing to fly under the radar—perhaps, in part, because he played on a team that didn’t get much national attention during his collegiate career.
The Best Player on a Bad Team
It’s a good thing for Heeney that linebackers (unlike quarterbacks) are not frequently linked with their teams’ records as prospects. During Heeney’s four years in Lawrence, the Jayhawks just won nine of the 48 games they played.
As a result, Heeney’s play never got much recognition outside the Big 12. In fact, the most attention Kansas and its defense got in his senior season came when Oklahoma freshman running back Samaje Perine went for 427 rushing yards—the most ever in a Football Bowl Subdivision game—in an embarrassing afternoon for the Jayhawks.
Playing on a bad unit—one that ranked 109th in the FBS in total defense and 106th in scoring defense in 2014—has not helped Heeney in terms of his perception as he stacks up with the other linebackers vying for selections in the 2015 NFL draft.
The defense’s struggles as a whole, however, are not necessarily a reflection on Heeney.
Bowen, who served as Kansas’ interim head coach for the final eight games of this past season, said Heeney brought a different attitude to the field than many of his teammates.
“There’s a lot of kids that, and a lot of people, that will accept losing,” Bowen said. “And when you’re losing, the guys that are on the edge, it pushes them over the edge to where losing is OK and excuse-making becomes OK, whereas you have a handful of guys like Ben Heeney that they’re never going to accept that. They’re never going to accept getting beat and they’re a rare breed, but it’s extremely difficult.”
It has not helped the Jayhawks’ cause that they have had regular turnover on their coaching staff since Mark Mangino resigned in 2009. Heeney, in his time at Kansas, had three different head coaches: Turner Gill in his freshman year, then Charlie Weis until he was fired four games into last season and replaced by Bowen.
“I had three head coaches in my four years here, I had three defensive coordinators, I had three different position coaches,” Heeney said. “None of the circumstances that I was playing with were beneficial.”
When dealing with changes to the coaching staff and subsequently the team’s defensive system, “you never really get comfortable,” Heeney said.
“I love the school, I love my teammates and all that stuff, but I didn’t really reap many benefits from my success personally while being here just because our team struggled so much,” Heeney admitted. “I wouldn’t trade my time here for anything, I love my teammates and everyone I’ve met down here, but I’m definitely ready to take the next step in my career.”
Notwithstanding the tumult within the Kansas program, Heeney still had a great collegiate career, by any measure, at least from an individual standpoint. Heeney’s ability to do so, overcoming adversity, “goes back to what’s inside of him,” according to Bowen.
“Ben truly is a guy that when things go bad, for him or his team, he legitimately gets pissed off,” Bowen said.
Bowen compared Heeney’s desire to win to that of an all-time sports great.
“You read the story [of] Michael Jordan not wanting to lose a card game, well that’s what Ben does,” Bowen said. “He doesn’t want to lose. So regardless of what was going on around him, when he stepped on the field, it was time to go.”
A two-year team captain, according to Kansas’ official website, Heeney is a competitor who lets his play do the talking, according to Bowen.
“He brings it every single day,” Bowen said of Heeney. “He’s not a rah-rah, vocal leader type guy. He doesn’t have a problem communicating with guys to voice what needs to get done, but his leadership style is based on the guy shows up and practices as hard as anybody in our program practices, every single day. He is a true live wire every day and I think the other guys on the team see that, when you’re in a practice and the best player on the team is also the guy playing the hardest on the team.”
Heeney’s competitive desire, in conjunction with his athleticism, should give him a chance to make his mark in the NFL, where he will be surrounded by significantly more talent than he had around him at Kansas. That said, there are still some concerns that teams might have about projecting him to be a core player on an NFL defense.
Can Heeney Be an NFL Starting Linebacker?
A staple on special teams at Kansas, and also when he went to this year’s East-West Shrine Game, Heeney’s most immediate opportunity to make a name for himself in the NFL will likely be on kickoff and punt coverage units.
“I think that’s where I’m probably most likely going to start is special teams, at least at the very beginning,” Heeney said. “There’s a lot of guys that don’t want to be on special teams, but for me, I welcome it and I want to make plays on special teams.”
But while some scouts might foresee Heeney as a special teams contributor only, and not as a player who will be a regular factor on defense, Heeney believes that is another misconception about his skill set.
“A lot of people think I will only be a special teams guy. And that’s not my goal, that’s not my aspiration, I want to be the guy, I want to be a starter, I want to contribute on defense, which I think I’m going to do,” Heeney said.
Riddle, who recently included Heeney on his list of mid-round prospects with Pro Bowl potential, thinks that Heeney ”has the potential to become one of the best non-rush LBs in this draft class.”
“He is solid in coverage (from what I saw) and certainly has the athleticism to stay in the hip pocket of some of the best athletes the NFL has to offer,” Riddle said. “Any situation where you turn him loose and allow him to chase down ball carriers, he will succeed.”
Heeney thinks he can play numerous positions—”whatever a coach wants me to play”—in any defensive scheme.
But while Heeney played middle linebacker at Kansas, Bowen acknowledged that Heeney’s size limitations, at 6’0” and 231 pounds, could make him a poor fit for that position in the NFL.
“I hate to say it, but I think he’s probably more of a Will linebacker on a 4-3 team that can line up behind the 3-technique and get protected a little bit, because he’s not a big guy, and he’s not a long guy.” Bowen said.
It’s evident, even at the collegiate level, that Heeney can be enveloped by bigger blockers.
Miller, who ranked Heeney 185th on his post-combine big board, has some other concerns with the prospect’s game.
“The issue I saw with him was a lot of missed tackles and some bad angles to the ball,” Miller said. “He'll get tied up by blockers and sometimes still create the play, but he's not a finisher.”
According to a scouting report by NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, Heeney was “the college football leader in missed tackles in 2014.”
For Heeney to make good upon his objective of becoming an NFL starting linebacker, he will have to capitalize upon all the playmaking opportunities he can get.
To do so, Bowen thinks Heeney, given his ability to fly around the field, “just needs to slow down a little bit.”
“He is an ultra-aggressive guy so sometimes he’ll get a little too jumpy and go somewhere a little too fast and has a tendency to maybe get himself out of position,” Bowen said. “He’s a heat-and-feet-type guy, he wanted to see and go get it, and sometimes, he would run himself out of things.”
Like most draft prospects, Heeney is a player with strengths and weaknesses who is likely to have a varied range of grades from NFL teams. He could end up being a surprise early-round draft pick, given his athletic traits and collegiate production, but he could also end up falling into the draft’s later rounds because of the areas in which he must improve to be a regular contributor at linebacker.
What should be widely expected of “Captain Heeney,” who was labeled as a superhero during his years at Kansas, is that he is a motivated, self-confident player who will give his all in his effort to not only make the roster of his NFL team, but to be a difference-maker.
“I like to see myself as a playmaker,” Heeney said. “I go on the field and I make plays. I’ve got a motor that doesn’t stop, I’m going to give 100 percent on every play and I’m just a really hard worker and a good leader.”
All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. All NFL Scouting Combine results were found at NFL.com.
Dan Hope is an NFL/NFL Draft Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report.
David Beaty to Kansas: Latest Contract Details, Comments, Reaction
Dec 5, 2014
Kansas has chosen Texas A&M wide receivers coach David Beaty to fill the program's vacant head coaching position. He previously had brief stints with the Jayhawks as co-offensive coordinator in 2011 and receivers coach in 2008-09.
This will mark his first head coaching gig at the collegiate level. He takes over for Clint Bowen, who filled in on an interim basis for the final eight games after the dismissal of Charlie Weis.
While it may take some time for Beaty to establish his coaching identity, the one area where he's made an impact is on the recruiting trail. He spent the past two seasons as the coordinator of that effort for the Aggies.
Being able to attract top-end talent has been an issue for the Jayhawks in recent years. That helps explain why they haven't had a winning season since 2008. It's an area in which the program should see rapid improvement under Beaty.
His main focus at the outset will probably be on offense. As his bio on Texas A&M's official athletic site notes, he had success helping develop players on that side of the ball while at Kansas in the past:
While at KU, he helped receivers Kerry Meier and Dezmon Briscoe develop into NFL caliber players. Meier received All-Big 12 accolades in 2008 and 2009, while Briscoe was an All-American and first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2009. In 2008 five different KU players produced a total of 15 100-yard receiving games. Among the school records set by KU wide receivers in 2008 were season receptions, game receptions, season yards, game yards, and season touchdowns.
Kansas needed a new direction after the failed stays of Turner Gill and Weis. Beaty should be able to create a new identity for Jayhawks football by excelling in the recruiting battles they have otherwise lost recently.
Risk comes with his lack of head coaching experience at this level, but the program is in a position where it can afford to swing for the fences—a major boost is needed after an extended stretch of lackluster performances.
Kansas Head Coach Search: Latest News and Rumors on Position
Dec 3, 2014
NORMAN, OK - NOVEMBER 22: Quarterback Michael Cummings #14 of the Kansas Jayhawks looks to throw against the Oklahoma Sooners November 22, 2014 at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners defeated the Jayhawks 44-7. (Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images)
In the wake of Charlie Weis' firing and an uninspiring 1-7 stint from interim coach Clint Bowen, the Kansas Jayhawks are seeking a new leader for their floundering football program.
Continue for updates.
Friday, Dec. 5
TAMU Assistant David Beaty Reportedly Gets Job
FOX Sports' Bruce Feldman has the latest news on the Kansas coaching vacancy:
BREAKING #TAMU assistant David Beaty has been told he's getting the #KU head coaching job, source tells @FoxSports.
Warinner Rumored to Have Interviewed For Head Coaching Job at Kansas
Rather than moving in a completely new direction, Kansas is hoping to land at least one candidate who has roamed the sidelines before in Lawrence as a prominent assistant and had success.
Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports has the latest on a potential return to Kansas for current Ohio State co-offensive coordinator Ed Warinner:
#OhioState co-OC Ed Warinner interviewed for the #Kansas head coaching job via phone this week, source tells @FoxSports.
As a member of ex-Jayhawks coach Mark Mangino's staff, Warinner served various, concurrent roles from 2007 to 2009 as Kansas' offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and associate head coach.
Warinner also worked for the Jayhawks as the offensive line coach and running game coordinator in 2003 and 2004. That familiarity factor has to work in Kansas' favor to lure Warinner back, and it's an obvious choice for Warinner should he tackle his first head coaching gig at the highest level of college football.
Here is what Warinner has to say on his official Ohio State profile, which also contains his coaching history:
I've always strived to coach in positions where I have a lot of responsibility. Serving as a coordinator goes beyond just coaching what my guys are doing. It is a thought process of attacking and moving the ball, and strategies and reading plays. There is a big picture as a coordinator that I am into and really enjoy, and it's a position from where I think I can make a significant contribution to the success of a team.
The Jayhawks would have to be thrilled to welcome Warinner once again, as they're fresh off of a sixth straight losing season, with a 3-9 overall mark and a 1-8 record in conference play.
Warinner offers hope, considering the work he's done with the Buckeyes in 2014. Ohio State has overcome the loss of star quarterback Braxton Miller, and Warinner helped mold J.T. Barrett into a Heisman Trophy contender.
Recruiting top-tier talent will be critical to rescue Kansas from Big 12 oblivion. The good news is that Warinner can draw on his local knowledge of Lawrence, along with the recent proof that he can direct an explosive offense that unexpectedly lost its first-string QB, to entice prospects to come play for him.
Kansas Football: Program Is in Shambles, and It's Going to Be Hard to Get out
Oct 1, 2014
Sep 13, 2014; Durham, NC, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Charlie Weis on the sidelines against the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
The Kansas Jayhawks football team has been hapless for a few years now, prompting most fans to assume that it has always been like that. But actually, it hasn’t.
Only six years ago, in early 2008, the Jayhawks beat Virginia Tech to win the Orange Bowl. That year they went 12-1, Mark Mangino won national coach of the year and the Kansas program looked toward the future with promise.
But then the university administrators made their first big mistake. They ousted Mangino amid reports that he had mistreated his players. One specific report claimed he grabbed a player and put his finger in his chest, and some former players called Mangino insensitive and said he made embarrassing remarks about them during games or practice.
Is it that serious of an issue?
Personally, I don’t think it is. The kid was probably being disrespectful and causing a disturbance, and Mangino got angry. But the way our society has changed, it is understandable that so much emphasis was put on that type of infraction.
Should Mangino have been fired?
No way. He did a fine job of turning things around in Lawrence, and he had a plan firmly in place for more future success.
However, Kansas made their decision. I think it was the wrong move, but they could have easily made up for it by hiring a better coach. They then hired Turner Gill, a former Nebraska quarterback. He could never get anything going, and he was canned after two terrible seasons.
Still, they had a chance to get it right. They had a host of names on the market to replace Gill.
Then-Houston coach Kevin Sumlin and former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn were reportedly the top targets according to ESPN, but Kansas went a different direction.
Instead of hiring an up-and-coming star to pace the sidelines, they opted to go with someone who did nothing but lose in his prior college coaching stop. Kansas handed the reins to Charlie Weis, who somehow found a way to lose at Notre Dame despite having abundant talent at his disposal.
Weis was revered as a terrific offensive mind during his tenure as an NFL offensive coordinator, winning four Super Bowls in the process, but the Jayhawks were never able to move the ball in his tenure. Weis only won six games in two-and-a-half seasons, including a horrid 1-18 record in Big 12 play.
And after a 23-0 loss to Texas where the offense once again was hapless, Weis was fired.
Now, Kansas is back to where they were in 2009 when they fired Mangino. Except this time, it is worse.
Then, at least they were coming off some winning seasons and there was some talent on the roster for the new coach to inherit. Now, the team is in absolute shambles.
Meanwhile, the batch of coaches whom Kansas could have had is thriving. Sumlin has Texas A&M as one of the premier teams in the SEC, while Malzahn resurrected the Auburn program into a championship contender.
It is ludicrous to think that the Kansas athletic department picked Charlie Weis over those hot names, but then again, there is a reason why Kansas has been really bad for so long.
Not surprising, the list of potential replacements is not nearly as favorable as it was three years ago. Former Ole Miss head coach and USC interim coach Ed Orgeron, Clemson defensive coordinator Brent Venables and Nebraska offensive coordinator Tim Beck are rumored to be in the conversation according to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, but they all have their negatives.
Keep in mind that Kansas is not exactly a place that everyone wants to go. For a young coach, it is probably not very high on any list of dream destinations.
It is out in the middle of nowhere, the program has been awful recently and the Big 12 is loaded with solid teams, meaning it is going to be a long road to becoming even bowl-eligible. Also, Kansas is known as a basketball school, so anything that happens on the gridiron will always be overshadowed by what happens on the hardwood.
KU defensive coordinator Clint Bowen will take over as the interim head coach, but once this regular season is in the books, it will be time to make a decision regarding the next coach.
Nobody knows who they will decide to hire, but their track record does not bode well for future success. The athletic department has come up empty on its last two hires, so they are either due to find a gem this time around or are doomed for another bad one.
I think they need to branch out a bit in their search. There are a huge crop of coaches who need to be in the conversation. Clemson offensive coordinator Chad Morris is one of the best around, Baylor offensive coordinator Philip Montgomery has overseen one of the best collegiate offenses in history and knows how to exploit Big 12 defenses. Whether or not those two would even be interested in to be determined, but they should at least get an interview.
Either way, Kansas might currently be the hardest job in America. Things can’t get any worse in Lawrence, but the university and its fans are going to need a ton of patience if they ever want to see a competitive team again.
Kansas has made bad decision after bad decision, and whomever they name as the new coach is going to feel the burden of all those mistakes.
And after every loss, check box scores from around the country, because chances are Kevin Sumlin and Gus Malzahn led their respective teams to victory.
Pressure Looms on Kansas Coach Charlie Weis Going into Big 12 Play for 2014
Sep 20, 2014
Kansas head coach Charlie Weis argues with an official after a penalty was called on his team during a game against Southeast Missouri State in the second quarter of an NCAA football game Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)
The Kansas Jayhawks captured their second win of the season, improving to 2-1 on the season after picking up a 24-10 victory over Central Michigan. Kansas coach Charlie Weis earned his sixth win since taking the reins in Lawrence, passing Turner Gill for most career wins as the head coach of the Jayhawks.
It has not been a pretty two years at Kansas for Weis, who is getting ready for his third year to coach the Jayhawks in conference games after a 2-1 nonconference record for 2014.
Through Kansas’ nine nonconference games under Weis, the Jayhawks went 5-4, barely inching above .500. KU’s gone 1-17 through two years of Big 12 games as its only conference win came late in 2013 against West Virginia, a team which won only four games last year.
The Jayhawks begin conference play at home next week when the Texas Longhorns come to Memorial Stadium. Weis certainly wants to improve the team in many ways and has a chance to do that through the next nine games.
But it is easier said than done.
Weis has not shown any encouraging signs of moving Kansas in the right direction. In each of his two years with the Jayhawks, he’s changed quarterbacks midway through the season as the depth chart has gone through notable changes every single week.
Kansas has suffered 13 blowout losses under Weis as the program is seeking its first road win in more than five years, trying to snap a 25 road-game losing streak, excluding neutral-site games.
Weis is making $2.5 million per year at Kansas. It is no secret to anyone that $2.5 million is a lot for a coach who’s only won four games in two years. The response to that would be Weis has to dig the program out of Gill’s mess.
Here we are in the third year of the Weis era. Gill should be a long-distant memory at this point. For a coach earning $2.5 million annually, he should be good enough to dig a program out of the mess created by the previous regime.
Weis is on the hot seat right now. This is his make-or-break year. By guiding KU to .500 or above at the end of 2014, Weis will show he has made significant progress at Kansas.
If Kansas sees little improvement by the end of the season, athletic director Dr. Sheahon Zenger must pull the trigger and seek a new head coach for the program. If Weis struggles to make Kansas competitive, Zenger has to come to the understanding $7.5 million in three years is way too much for a coach who has underperformed.
Projections say Weis and his Jayhawks will finish in the basement of the Big 12 once again. There is no doubt Zenger is keeping a close eye on the football team’s progress. If he doesn’t see any, the discussions about Weis parting ways will begin and Zenger will need to seek a coach who can turn this program around.
Kansas Football: Can Jayhawks Become Bowl Eligible in 2014?
Jun 6, 2014
Kansas quarterback Jake Heaps (9) passes to a teammate during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2013. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Kansas football has not been bowling since the 2008 season, and it feels like decades ago since that year's Insight Bowl victory over Minnesota.
The Jayhawks' 27-game conference losing streak was widely publicized and the brunt of many jokes in Big 12 country, but other mind-boggling numbers include the following:
Last road win: September 12, 2009 at UTEP.
Last road Big 12 win: October 4, 2008 at Iowa State.
The Jayhawks have gone just 9-46 since starting 5-0 in 2009—only three more victories than what is required to become bowl eligible in just one season.
A quick and novice review of Kansas' 2014 schedule reveals a chance, albeit very slim, of reaching six wins for the first time since 2008.
A loss to Southeast Missouri State in the season opener would be more shocking than Turner Gill's ingloriously pathetic debut loss to North Dakota State in 2010. A second victory should come when a mediocre Central Michigan team arrives in Lawrence two weeks later, but the assumed wins stop there.
Those nonconference games are sandwiched with an unexpectedly difficult road test against a suddenly fired up Duke program. But is it winnable? Yes. Especially with some roster turnover and changes on Dave Cutcliffe's Duke coaching staff among unrealistic expectations for their second straight upper-tier bowl appearance.
The Blue Devils will enter as a double-digit favorite, but an upset victory is certainly feasible.
However, Kansas will not win at Baylor or Oklahoma in 2014, and, therefore, there is no sense in wasting our time in analyzing those matchups.
The winnable conference games include home dates with Iowa State and TCU along with a road game at West Virginia—a team that graciously snapped KU's infamous 27-game Big 12 drought in 2013. Improved QB play and responsible defensive decision-making makes the Jayhawks competitive in each of those three games. A 2-1 record would be ideal—leaving Charlie Weis at four wins if we count out Duke.
Kansas outplayed Texas for 59 minutes at Memorial Stadium in 2012 before an odd meltdown (triggered by a blown 4th down on defense and an odd use of timeouts) gave the Longhorns an unimpressive victory.
Expectations remain cloudy for Charlie Strong's first year in Austin, but coaching changes routinely bring a baffling egg or two during the first campaign. A tired Jayhawks fanbase needs to hope Strong lays the first egg in Lawrence during the Big 12 opener on September 27.
This leaves us sitting at four-to-five wins with a home date versus Oklahoma State and road games at Texas Tech and Kansas State.
Kansas will undoubtedly enter each of those contests as heavy underdogs (likely double-digit spreads), but one victory could spell B-O-W-L for Charlie Weis if they wiggle an upset against Texas.
Charlie Weis Naming Himself the New Kansas WR Coach Is Very Bold
Feb 11, 2014
Kansas head coach Charlie Weis gets dowsed during the final seconds of an NCAA college football game against West Virginia at Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kan., Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013. Kansas defeated West Virginia 31-19. It was the first conference win for Weis. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)
Kansas head coach Charlie Weis has a five-year plan to fix the Jayhawks. However, Year 3 may be a crucial determinant in whether there's even going to be a Year 4.
A major goal for Weis this season: Fix the wide receiver unit.
To help, Weis is calling on, well, Weis.
As part of a staff "readjustment," Weis will oversee the wide receivers directly. Rob Ianello, who was the team's receivers coach, will move to a new position as director of research.
"I have decided to adjust our staff," said Weis in a statement from KU. "Rob Ianello will move to an off-field position as director of research, spending most of his time on recruiting. [Offensive coordinator] Coach [John] Reagan and I discussed several alternatives and have decided to have me handle the wide receiver position at this time."
Coaching the receivers isn't as demanding as acting as offensive coordinator, which Weis did the past two seasons. Still, he is showing a willingness to be involved with day-to-day coaching.
It's a bold move. It could be that Weis wanted a new receivers coach, but for whatever reason, things didn't work out. But by appointing himself, Weis is essentially saying that he is taking responsibility for a unit that hasn't produced lately. As a position coach, Weis will be directly accountable for how much or how little that group improves—and there's a lot of room to improve.
Nick Harwell
Kansas' passing game has been practically nonexistent over the past two years. To say the receivers underperformed doesn't quite do the situation justice, either. Tony Pierson—technically a running back, though he often splits out as a receiver—led Kansas with 333 receiving yards in 2013. Pierson's 24 receptions were second on the team to fellow running back James Sims, who had 25 receptions.
The leading wide receiver for the Jayhawks in '13? Rodriguez Coleman, with eight receptions for 208 yards and a score.
That was technically an improvement, too. In '12, not a single Kansas receiver caught a touchdown.
The term "overhaul" may be a bit much, but Kansas' wide receiver unit should have a new look in '14. Weis began putting his fingerprints on the receiver group late last season, which according to Matt Tait of KUSports.com yielded some noticeable, albeit minor, results:
As for Weis taking over wide receiver duties, the third-year KU coach worked very closely with KU's receivers toward the end of the 2013 season in an effort to pull some production out of a group that struggled mightily with drops, getting open and making plays in the passing game. Although the statistics did not show dramatic improvement following Weis' more hands-on approach with the position, several KU receivers said Weis' presence made them better receivers and added that he taught them a lot about how to play the position, particularly about running proper routes.
Expect some new faces at receiver, too. With so little production, Weis won't be afraid to hold an open competition. That should give incoming freshmen like Corey Avery, Derrick Neal and Tyler Patrick a chance to see the field early. Miami (OH) transfer Nick Harwell, who redshirted last season, projects to be in the rotation as well.
"I’ve got some special plans here for the wide receiver position," Weis said on signing day, via Jesse Newell of the Topeka Capital-Journal. "I like the good young talent and depth that we have here."
In a way, coaching up that young talent will reflect whether Weis can really get it done at Kansas. For the first time in quite a few years, there's real potential at receiver. Can Weis get the most out of that potential?
Weis' future doesn't specifically ride on it, but an improvement in the passing game is a must if the Jayhawks want to think about making the next step toward bowl eligibility.
And that is what could save Weis' job.
Ben Kercheval is the lead writer for Big 12 football. All quotes obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.
Kansas Wasn't a Quick Fix, but Passing Game Is Unacceptable Under Charlie Weis
Nov 5, 2013
It's been practically three years to the day since Kansas won a Big 12 game (against Colorado, 52-45, in 2010). That hapless streak should continue for another week as the Jayhawks travel to Oklahoma State.
The turnaround of Kansas football, which hasn't had a winning season since 2008 under former coach Mark Mangino, was going to take time. That much was known when Charlie Weis was hired to replace Turner Gill in 2011.
Weis knew the cupboard was empty too, evident by his "pile of crap" comment, so he relied on a JUCO-heavy recruiting class to provide an immediate boost in 2013. That route is working in some areas. The Jayhawks defense is improved and a few new faces, including defensive back Isaiah Johnson, have made an immediate impact.
But the offense is still lagging behind, basically to the point of hindrance.
"We've been fairly efficient in running the football," Weis said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference. "We've hurt ourselves more than anything else in the passing game, even though I think the passing game is finally starting to improve."
Weis may believe that—or want us to believe it—but that's a hard sell.
The Jayhawks hit an all-time low in 2012 when no wide receivers caught a touchdown pass. Technically, stats alone would say KU is improving in the passing game this year. Quarterbacks Jake Heaps and Michael Cummings have thrown for eight touchdowns (Cummings and Dayne Crist combined for seven all of last year), three of which have gone to wide receivers.
But significant improvement in the passing game? It feels like that's been as hard to come by in Lawrence as a conference victory.
There are myriad answers for the question of why KU's passing game has been so lackluster under Weis. Part of it is as simple as playing to your strength, and Kansas' (relative) strength is running the ball.
Another reason is offensive line chemistry.
"It all starts up front," Weis said. "We try to establish some chemistry, get the same guys playing together all the time.
"We haven’t made personnel changes in quite some time but this week we will change that and adjust some people around.”
And then there's performance. Heaps has improved his accuracy over the past couple of weeks, according to Weis, but he's still only completing about 50 percent of his passes. Receiver Rodriguez Coleman, one of Weis' JUCO recruits, has made a couple big catches over the past two games, but Oklahoma transfer Justin McCay only has one catch since the first game of the year.
These are Weis' players, brought in to boost the offense. And Weis' identity as a coach is that of an offensive guru from his time as the offensive coordinator with the New England Patriots, and, briefly, as the head coach of Notre Dame. His bio page on the Notre Dame athletics website lauded him as the "architect in '05 and '06 of the two most prolific passing seasons in Notre Dame football history..."
Weis obviously doesn't have Tom Brady at Kansas, or even Brady Quinn, but 15 passing touchdowns in nearly two seasons to go along with zero conference wins in 14 attempts probably isn't exactly what KU had in mind when it hired Weis.
Yet, Florida's offense wasn't statistically great either when Weis served as the Gators' OC for one season in 2011, just before taking over the Jayhawks program. Florida ranked 89th in passing offense and 105th in total offense that year.
Changes in coaching staffs and playbooks take time and can have a lot of bumps along the way. What's happening at Kansas, though, shouldn't be considered acceptable by any program that doesn't run the triple option.
Weis may not get the offense turned around this year. Winning even a single conference game would alleviate some of that pressure, however. 2014 will be different, though. It has to change under Weis, who will be in his third season. The offense has to get better, the wins have to come.
Otherwise, what was he brought in to do?
Ben Kercheval is the lead writer for Big 12 football. All quotes and information obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise. You can follow Ben on Twitter @BenKercheval.
How Is Kansas' JUCO/Transfer-Heavy Recruiting Class Working Out?
Oct 18, 2013
No Big 12 program needed a quick fix like Kansas, so head coach Charlie Weis invested heavily in junior college and Division 1 transfers for the 2013 season.
Weis brought in more than 20 players who would be able to play in '13. But how many of them have actually panned out?
Through the first half of the season, 14 have seen at least some playing time with a handful being key contributors. A few have already left the program while others are redshirting for various reasons.
Below is a closer look at how each transfer is performing for the Jayhawks.
(All recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.)
Andrew Bolton, DE (Hinds College)
Bolton, recovering from a knee injury, is redshirting this season and will battle for a starting job in 2014.
Rodriguez Coleman, WR (Garden City College)
A 3-star JUCO prospect, Coleman was brought in to boost the Jayhawks' struggling passing game. He has three receptions for 39 yards on the season.
Marquel Combs, DT (Pierce College)
Combs was the prize 4-star recruit in Weis' 2013 class and played an instrumental role in bringing other JUCO players to Lawrence. However, he never cracked the starting lineup and didn't travel to the Sept. 14 game against Rice. He transferred from Kansas less than two weeks later and has since landed at Southeastern Louisiana.
Samson Faifili, LB (American River College)
Faifili started the first four games of the season at weak side linebacker for Kansas. He has eight tackles.
Zach Fondal, OL (Navarro College)
Fondal was a 3-star lineman who has played as a backup at left tackle this season.
Ahongalu Fusimalohi, OL (City College of San Francisco)
A 2013 member of the Big 12 All-Name Team, Fusimalohi has started all five games at left guard for Kansas this season.
Nick Harwell, WR (Miami)
Harwell joined the Jayhawks after an impressive career at Miami (OH). However, he was dismissed from Miami last spring for an off-the-field incident and thus was not able to complete the mandatory coursework to transfer with immediate eligibility.
Jake Heaps, QB (BYU)
Heaps is the starting quarterback for Kansas after sitting out the 2012 season. The passing game has yet to fully take off with Heaps; the junior has thrown for 887 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions through five games.
Brandon Holloman, DB (Pierce College)
Holloman has appeared in two games with five tackles as a backup corner this season.
Marcus Jenkins-Moore, LB (Pierce College)
Jenkins-Moore was closely tied to Combs in the '13 class having also come from Pierce College. However, a knee injury over the summer ended the season for Jenkins-Moore.
Isaiah Johnson, DB (Iowa Western College)
Johnson has been one of the best additions for Kansas in 2013. A starter in all five games, Johnson is second on the team with 40 tackles. He's also tied for first on the team with two interceptions.
Tedarian Johnson, DT (Hinds College)
Johnson provided depth at the defensive tackle spot for Kansas and has five tackles on the season as well as a sack.
Chris Martin, DE (City College of San Francisco)
Martin was one of the most talented members of Kansas' 2013 class, but came to the Jayhawks with plenty of baggage. He signed with Cal in 2010, but transferred to Florida five months later. However, he later left the Gators program after being arrested for marijuana possession.
McDonald actually began his career with the Jayhawks under former coach Turner Gill. He appeared in seven games as a redshirt freshman in 2011 before academic problems cost him a spot on KU's roster. He has had a lot of success since returning to KU with 12 tackles, eight pass breakups and an interception.
Justin McCay, WR (Oklahoma)
McCay was an unproven, but highly regarded, wide receiver transfer who sat out the 2012 season. He began the 2013 season with two receptions and a touchdown against South Dakota, but has not caught a pass since.
Millweard, a redshirt freshman, transferred to Kansas from UCLA prior to the start of the 2013 season in order to be closer to home. He must sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules.
Trevor Pardula, P (De Anza College)
Pardula is in charge of kickoff and punting duties for Kansas. He has 13 touchbacks on 20 kickoffs and averages 47 yards a punt.
Cassius Sendish, DB (Arizona Western College)
Sendish has had an immediate impact for Kansas, having played in all five games. His 25 tackles are good for fifth-best on the team. A 3-star prospect, Sendish previously played at Arizona Western and College of the Canyons.
Kevin Short, DB (For Scott College)
Short was a highly regarded 3-star prospect who was expected to compete for a starting job. However, he was ruled academically ineligible last month. He will spend the 2013 season redshirting and concentrating on school work. He'll have two years of eligibility remaining.
Pearce Slater, OL (El Camino College)
Slater is one of the more intriguing JUCO players to sign with the Jayhawks. He enrolled at Kansas in July, but left shortly before the start of the season to attend to what was reported to be a “family medical emergency.” Around that time, rumors emerged that Slater was set to join Oklahoma's roster, but the Oklahoman later debunked that rumor. He is no longer on the Jayhawks' online roster.
Mike Smithburg, OL (Iowa Western College)
Smithburg has made an immediate impact for the Jayhawks at right guard. The junior from Fairfield, Iowa, will start his sixth straight game for Kansas against Oklahoma.
Mark Thomas, WR (Nassau College)
Thomas was a 3-star JUCO recruit, but couldn't crack the two-deep. He is redshirting the 2013 season.
Ben Kercheval is the lead writer for Big 12 football. You can follow Ben on Twitter @BenKercheval.
