Big 12 Blog Media

Big 12 Resource Page

Hawkdigest.com has added a page for the most critical blogs of the Big 12. The link is on the left or you can also get there from here:

http://hawkdigest.squarespace.com/big-12-blogs/

Jake Sharp Getting Bigger

Add the Weight, But Keep the Speed

The recent reports on the lightning quick Jake Sharp are intriguing. Evidently, he's putting on a little bit of weight to withstand the rigors of the D1 game. Obviously, the staff knows what they're doing, but I do hope they alter that plan if Sharp even loses a millisecond of his speed. His cut and acceleration are his game and I don't want to see that diminished from both a competitive and entertainment standpoint. I think we've learned from experience though as Clark Green was allowed to bulk up too much in the middle of his career. Do not let Sharp make that mistake.

The early feedback is that it's paying off. He's already becoming a good pass blocker and that means he'll be on the field more. Also, his body fat is still at 7.5%. Looking forward to watching #1 in the spring game next Sunday.

Story Link: http://www.topix.net/content/kri/4185963869369407963035468383183988921121

KU Football Open Practice Articles

QB Battle Plus Position Changes

Ryan Wood's Notebook today mentions that Justin Thornton was working strictly as a wide receiver and Bradley Dedeaux was working with the d-line. Both moves do make some sense, but I am a little surprised about Thornton, considering our need for depth in the secondary. He does have a good frame for wideout though, so I'm anxious to see the results of this experiment during the spring game.

In another LJW article, the competition at QB is discussed. I found this quote on Todd Reesing to be interesting:

"Reesing, meanwhile, is just 5-11 and 190 pounds and doesn’t have the running ability Meier has. Reesing’s best moments in 2006, though, came when he was flushed out of the pocket and was forced to improvise. Instead of tucking and running, Reesing kept his head up and found receivers for big gains multiple times."

I guess I would agree that Reesing continues to look for a receiver, but I think he's a pretty good runner. I would describe him as having a few open field moves where as Meier is more straight up speed. I also see Reesing making guys in the backfield miss him, whereas Meier needs a few steps to get going.

Downtown Lawrence: Move Forward

City Continues To Live in the Past

I haven't even finished the LJW World anti-Arrowhead article yet, but this caught my eye and I had to post it right away ...

"That money — which would have gone for everything from bratwurst for barbecues to beer in bars and holiday gifts to be purchased on Massachusetts Street — will be spent in Missouri instead, said David Darling, a retired Kansas State University economist hired by the newspaper to assess the effects of shifting the game to Arrowhead Stadium."

I'll have more on this later.

Update on Sunday, April 1, 2007 at 10:51AM by DJ Goodwin

Get On Board

The whole attitude adopted by the Lawrence City Merchants provides a concrete example of the cynicism that tends to hold back Kansas athletics. First off, my stance has always been that I enjoy the game and the atmosphere at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence. I had no interest in a move to Arrowhead. However, Lew Perkin's and crew have taken a look at this game and identified it as possibility to advance the program to the next level. With the steps taken thus far, I have no reason to question that judgement. Plus, consider that we are competing with well-entrenched football programs like Texas, Texas A&M, OU and Nebraska with the expectation to rise to the top. So, the decision has been made and I'm on board and in no way does it take a genius to understand the potential that this opportunity presents for both KU and Lawrence. Of course, it's immediately a financial win for the program, but for the city of Lawrence it is more of a long-term proposition.

Unfortunately, the Lawrence merchants have set an expectation of failure for our football team. Try to understand the possibity of KU getting just two hard fought wins on the road against a few mediocre Big 12 squads. Of course, we expect to win every game at Memorial Stadium. So maybe the Hawks head into Arrowhead with a 9-2 record. Maybe the Tigers are playing the same and the game will decide the north representative in the Big 12 title game. Maybe 45k KU fans show up and MU brings 35k to make a huge atmosphere and ABC is televising game and the entire midwest is tuned in along with a good part of the nation. And of course, KU will win.

The game is a monster success and Lawrence loses the Border War forever. How does this benefit downtown Lawrence? Let's try this:

• KU averaged 44k in 2006. If the Arrowhead game goes big-time, the fanbase grows and KU is easily on it's way to playing seven home games per year at full capacity. At seven times 6k, you've pretty much added an additional game worth of attendance to the equation.
• Go even farther -- the track/lower field equation is ironed out and the new configuration gives us a capacity of 60k. The potential for another 70,000 in attendance. It's not out of the question. The appetite for sports in the region is massive. We average 16k for basketball and there is no reason to believe that is possible based on the population in the region. Build a winner and the fans will come.

Questions

The LJW World financed the study for the one-year impact. What was the cost of that? Did they study future years and account for the possible success scenario portrayed above? If not, it's questionable whether or not the paper invested that money wisely.

Consideration

This has been noted before, but again envision the game as big-time national level rivalry. In two years, does Blake Lawrence chose Nebraska over playing in the game? How many area football prospects will be able to pass on playing in the big game at Arrowhead?

Doubters

They say that the KU/MU rivalry can't reach that Army/Navy, Texas/OU or Ohio State/Michigan level. Maybe it can't, but it should be tested. There is a reality out there and that is that a lot of KU fans do not like to visit Columbia for the game. The same is true for MU fans and Lawrence. Both sides may be more comfortable at a neutral site. We know the rivalry is passionate, but can KU and MU fans work together to rightfully place the Border War among the major college football rivalries. It seems very possible and it benefits both schools. When you look at those big games like Ohio State/Michigan, as fierce the rivalry is, you can tell that fans take pride in the actual game itself. KU and MU fans need to tap into that pride for the Border War and expect to take the national stage.

In the News: Henry, McClinton and the New O

Marcus Henry Is The X-Man

Ryan Wood's been busy over at the Journal World this week. Linkage and quotes:

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/30/receiver_henry_hassle_defend/?football

“He has good foot speed. That’s his biggest threat,” Stuckey said. “But he can break down and come back (toward the quarterback), too.”

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/29/ryan_woods_ku_football_notebook/?football

“I’d say probably no more than 50 percent of it is new stuff,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “There’s a lot of stuff we retained. It’s not a completely overhauled offense.”

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/29/mcclinton_hopes_prove_he_has_game/?football
  
“James has done a good job,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “We don’t ask our inside guys to be sack guys, but stop the run, push the pocket up, get your hands up and take away some throwing lanes. We’re OK in that situation with James.”

NHL Playoffs Are Coming Soon

To Good To Pass Up

Okay, this will be my first non-KU football related post. I just couldn't pass it up. This scene from Swingers will get you in the mood for the Stanley Cup Playoff Wars if you're an ice fan:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=owk4S0GGDbU

In addition, I've opened up a KC hockey site at www.kchockeylink.com. Still developmental, but definitely functioning. And yes, don't worry, KC will get an NHL team.

Playoff Talk Gains Momentum

CBS Reports Progress On Four-Team Plan

It looks like the coaches are on board. I favor an eight or ten team playoff that includes the six BCS champions, but I think this would move things in that direction. Make it so.

"I hear more and more coaches talk more favorably of the plus one. I don't think there are coaches looking for an eight or 16 (-team playoff)."

--Tommy Tuberville

The CBS link: http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/10091824/2

Phog.net discussion on the proposal: http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?S=172&F=2485&T=313701&P=1#S=172&F=2485&T=316209

Preview 2007: Secondary

Aqib Talib and KU secondary could explode in 2007 | photo: www.annependleton.com

Shell-Shocked or Experienced?

How can a secondary with Aqib Talib manning one corner finish dead last in pass defense in the Big 12? It's quite a riddle, but it starts with the loss of leader Charles Gordon. Add to that a graduation here, an injury there and maybe an academic casualty and all of the sudden you've got a true freshman starting at corner and major inexperience spread across the unit. Sure Jerome Kemp was a senior, but he played with some injuries and never really became the leader we expected. So, the result was a brutal year for the secondary and a lot of fourth quarter losses. Now the question is whether or not guys like Justin Thornton and Anthony Webb learned from the trial-by-fire campaign.

My guess is that Webb will turn out to be a first-rate corner by the time he is done at KU. By the end of the 2006 season, his fundamental play was showing a steady improvement. Thornton actually showed pretty good coverage in a lot of situations last year. He needs to improve on making the tackle after catch and playing the ball in the air. Darrell Stuckey is a solid safety and was really missed after going down with the injury in August. If he can have a healthy year, that alone will get the unit going in the right direction.

What can you say about Aqib Talib? With all due respect to the previous #3, Aqib is the best DB of the Mangino era. He's got the size, speed and most importantly instinct. Oh and throw in some major swagger. Aqib will play on Sunday and you could predict about 13 picks for Talib in 2007, but I suspect teams will finally stop throwing in his direction. Oddly though, teams still tested him all through 2006. Please continue that trend.

That pretty much takes care of the known commodities, but another reason to expect some improvement is that KU is throwing a lot of bodies into the unit. Former LB Arist Wright is now listed as a safety and the word is that Gary Green II is a corner (although today's LJW article confuses the issue mentioning him at RB during Friday's practice). Senior safety Sadiq Muhammed got some playing time last year and should provide depth. Phillip Strozier was a highly-touted recruit who could also figure into the mix.

KU went hard after DB's on the recruiting trail and the experts say they landed a couple of good ones. Rivals is projecting that corner Kendrick Harper will take Anthony Webb's job. I think Webb will beat him out, but I expect Harper to get plenty of playing time. Safety Patrick Resby on the other hand does look like a shoe-in to start at one of the safety positions. He was rated as a four-star recruit by Scout.com.

With all of the competition on the unit, it looks like we should get some improved play. The other factor is the promise of a better pass rush for 2007. A little more pressure on opposing QBs early in the season could help the secondary build some needed confidence before they head into the Big 12 wars.

One note -- both JUCO corner recruits from 2006 are no longer with the team: Blake Bueltel and Mike McCoy.

In House

Cornerbacks

3 Aqib Talib Jr. 6-2/195 Richardson, TX (Berkner HS)
Recruited: 2004 ** 4.5
 
20 Anthony Webb So. 6-0/175 Dallas, TX (South Oak Cliff HS)
Recruited: 2006 **** 4.5

4 Gary Green II Jr. 5-9/175 San Antonio, TX (James Madison HS)
Recruited: 2004 *** 4.4

14 Maurice Henry Fr. 5-8/175 Lawton, OK (Eisenhower)

45 Stanley Redwine Jr. RS 5-10/175 Lawrence, KS (Free State HS)

Safeties

25 Darrell Stuckey So. 16-1/202 Kansas City, KS (Washington HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.49

46 Justin Thornton So. 6-0/185 St. Joseph, MO (Central HS)
Recruited: 2005 *** 4.78
 
41 Arist Wright So. 5-10/205 Houston, TX (Alief Taylor HS)
Recruited: 2005 ** 4.4 

26 Phillip Strozier Fr. RS 6-0/200 Kansas City, MO (Rockhurst HS)
Recruited: 2006 *** 4.55 

27 Sadiq Muhammed Sr. 6-0/190 Kansas City, MO (Hickman Mills HS)

28 Chris Clawson Fr. 5-10/180 Montgomery, TX (Montgomery HS)

19 Brian Seymour Sr. 6-1/190 Lawrence, KS (Lawrence HS)

Incoming

*** Anthony Davis DB -- 5-11/184/4.5 -- Tulsa, OK
*** Kendrick Harper DB -- 5-10/187/4.45 -- El Dorado, KS
*** Patrick Resby DB  -- 6-2/195 -- Corsicana, TX
** Isiah  Barfield ATH -- 6-0/175 --Haven, KS
** Chris Harris ATH  6-0 180 4.4 5.2  Bixby, OK
 

                                      |-----------Tackles--------------| |--Pass Def--|
2006 Secondary Stats  GP Solo  Ast Total   TFL/Yds  Int-Yds BrUp
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 Kemp, Jerome          12   53     29     82     3-12           .       4  
46 Thornton, Justin       12   35     11     46     1-3          1-0      4  
3  Talib, Aqib                 10   35       7     42     2-5          6-82    22  
20 Webb, Anthony        12   35       7     42      .             3-45     6  
25 Stuckey, Darrell          7   19     13    32     1-1              .       3  
41 Wright, Arist             12   15     12     27     1-2         1-28     2  
23 Bueltel, Blake              5   15      2     17      .                 .       4  
27 Muhammed, Sadiq     10   12     4     16      .               1-2      1  
30 Roux, Dominic           12    6      6     12      .                  .       2  
38 Brown, Raymond      12   10     1     11      .                  .       1   

Hoops Adopts the BCS System

Changing the Madness to March Stupidity

This article from the LA Times is a total crack-up and really shows the absurdity of the BCS.

"The Rose Basket, which lost No. 1 Ohio State to the title game, gets to replace its Big Ten anchor with Wisconsin. The Badgers will meet Oregon, which clinched the Rose bid by winning last weekend's Pacific 10 Conference tournament.

'We're thrilled to keep our traditional and geographical matchup,' Rose Basket chief executive Mitch Dorger said."

Kansas Starts Spring Practice

KU Football News: Spring Previews

http://www.kmov.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D8NRGSUG0.html
"We've had some quarterbacks back there who had time to read the newspaper and have a cup of coffee before throwing the ball," he said. "I think we need improvement in the secondary. Don't get me wrong. But the best pass defense is a good pass rush."
--Agreed. Set the dogs loose.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/14/retooling_begins_spring_practices/?football
“We have simplified some progressions and reads,” Mangino said. “We’re going to just put him in a situation where he has a couple of quick reads and an outlet. We won’t get into progression three, four or five. It’s futile. It doesn’t fit our personnel. It doesn’t fit my way of thinking, and it doesn’t fit Ed Warinner’s way of thinking.”
--I'll be interested to see how this and the route teaching method works out. Wide receiver play at KU has been solid, but never really All-Big 12 calibur.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2007/mar/14/kansas_football_notebook/?football
Perhaps to most intriguing is Maxwell Onyegbule, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound freshman moving from linebacker to defensive end.
“He has really looked good at that position, based on a few practices we had prior to bowl selection,” Mangino said.
--Other moves include Olaitan Oguntodu from  safety to linebacker, Sal Capra from linebacker to offensive guard and Raymond Brown from cornerback to wide receiver. Running back D’Marcus Lang and cornerback Mike McCoy are no longer are on KU’s roster.

KU Football: You Gotta Believe

Is It Time to Order Up Some Kegs of Kool-Aid?

The unbridled negativism that sifts into this thread makes me wonder how much the cynical KU football fans' attitude impacts results on the field. And let me first say that I'm a total hypocrite. I'm there with the cynics. I've been at the games and I understand there are good reasons why Kansas football fans are cynical. When OSU pulled off the onside kick, I said to myself, "We're in trouble."

When we missed the two-point conversion against Tech in 2004, I knew that would haunt us. I knew VY would pull it out at the end during the 2004 Texas game. I knew the game had changed when Kerry Meier went out against Baylor this year. I never could envision us getting a road win against Toledo on the road with a green QB and eight new starters on defense. And hey, that's just the recent history. I also know there are a lot of the 40k fan base that think like me.

Maybe road games are different, but at Memorial is it possible that that cynicism from the crowd is passed on to the players. I've always loved the atmosphere of the stadium crowd and the emotion involved. I mean you can pretty much feel it running all through your chest. The ups and downs -- you can always feel the tone of the crowd in the air. In fact, some games I can remember where it just seemed to be the will of the crowd that KU won (2003 Missouri, 2004 KSU, 2005 NU). On those days, I just knew we were going to win and a lot of people felt that way. I couldn't explain why, but a lot of KU fans felt that way and a lot of people outside of Lawrence didn't feel that way.

I've seen it work against us as well. The only logical reason for that KSU win over us in Manhattan in 2005 was the will of their student section. I was there and they wanted it and they never let up on the noise. And they won.

We've witnessed some crazy losses. And by crazy, I mean there are some games that defy all logic. The fans point the finger at Mark Mangino and staff for "bad play calling" and "poor strategy." Of course, wrong plays are called and sometimes you do get out game-planned, but it really feels like thats the easy answer -- blame the coach. There's the thought that Mangino has taken us as far as he can -- he's not a big game coach. That doesn't feel right to me. The improvement has been so vast since 2001 that it would defy logic that it would not continue until the final level is achieved.

It feels like we are percentage points away from where we need to be to achieve that 8-9 game win level each year (check the scores for a less subjective evidence). Obviously, the player's attitude/confidence level is a big key in the equation. As a fan base, how do we factor in on that remaining percentage that pushes us to the next level? How are we affecting the players' attitudes? Order me  a Kool-Aid. It can't hurt to look at the world through crimson and blue glasses, right?

This guy has the right idea.

KU Football Speed News

A Quick Rundown Of Recent Kansas Football News

Steve Tovar will coach the linebackers
A good thread on Phog provided some background on Tovar

Charlton Keith is Now an Oakland Raider
Moran Norris Re-signs with the San Francisco 49ers
Brian Luke signs with an ArenaFootball2 team in Fresno, California
LJW Story Link To Alll Three Items

Former KU Linebacker Don Davis Retires
LJW Story Link