Kansas Crimson

New defensive lineman for 2023, Marcus Calvin. KC Star article about todays first practice....Itching for the first game. Need to put in a PTO request so I can start tailgating early.

I know it probably means nothing. But I absolutely LOVE that Leipold and his crew practice early in the morning all year. It's when the players are most alert and ready to learn. Then they can focus on classes in the late morning and early afternoon. Film study, meetings and dinner then studying at the dorm or home. Then back at it again the next day.

NewtonHawk11 wrote: ↑Tue Aug 02, 2022 2:19 pm I know it probably means nothing. But I absolutely LOVE that Leipold and his crew practice early in the morning all year. It's when the players are most alert and ready to learn. Then they can focus on classes in the late morning and early afternoon. Film study, meetings and dinner then studying at the dorm or home. Then back at it again the next day.

Maybe it means nothing, but I think if there is one thing about the way Leipold runs the show, it's that everything they do is intentional and optimized to get the most out of every little thing they do. They appear to be meticulous down to every detail and that hasn't been the norm around Lawrence since Mangino.

Did want to point out one interesting thing Gildersleeve mentioned this morning from practice. He said last year Devin Neal took a lot of hits for a power 5 running back playing his freshman year at 195 pounds. Apparently weighed in to start fall practice at 217. Dude is going to be a load to try to bring down and has serious talent to where he doesn't have to take quite as many carries.

UnholyLivingDead wrote: ↑Tue Aug 02, 2022 4:26 pm Did want to point out one interesting thing Gildersleeve mentioned this morning from practice. He said last year Devin Neal took a lot of hits for a power 5 running back playing his freshman year at 195 pounds. Apparently weighed in to start fall practice at 217. Dude is going to be a load to try to bring down and has serious talent to where he doesn't have to take quite as many carries.

Yeah he did a video clip today. He is definitely chunky. 217 is a lot for a RB. But I'm also not a P5 S&C Coordinator.

Linebackers up next!

Kind of went from a position of weakness to a position of strength.

Key Returners:
Rich Miller, Gavin Potter, Taiwan Berryhill

Guys who are still working to get through:
Cornell Wheeler (Former Michigan player) Tristian Fletcher, Donovan Gaines and Krishawn Brown.

Transfers coming in:
Craig Young from Ohio State. Was a hybrid S/LB there. Will probably be a versatile player on this defense.
Eriq Gilyard from UCF. Played in 4 games last year and had 23 tackles in those games. Had 59 tackles in 9 games in 2021. Just a ballplayer. In the middle and ready to tackle.

Projected starters
Craig Young, Eriq Gilyard and Rich Miller
Backups
Gavin Potter, Taiwan Berryhill and Cornell Wheeler

A good, average unit. Depth is key here. Can afford to give guys less snaps to keep fresh or absorb any injuries that are bound to happen at that position.

Position Grade:
C+

Probably bottom half of Big 12 as it stands now. Lot depends on Gilyard and Young. If they can do some good things, the middle of the defense will be really good.

Good overview of a position where improvement is critical in order for the defense to get better as a whole. I'd like to a pose a question to you. You graded the position a C+. We are still waiting for Lorenzo McCaskill to join the team. Word is he has been admitted to KU but is still waiting for some kind of final clearance to join the team and is expected to start practicing in the coming days. Right now, since he's not enrolled in any classes, Leipold isn't allowed to comment on him or the situation. If everything goes according to plan and we add McCaskill to the group, does that move your grade at all? Even just to a B-?

Yes. Since he's not on the roster, and I'm a KU football fan, I'm not counting any eggs until they show up on campus and start playing.

But he had something like 90 tackles last year. That's really good. He'll definitely move the needle.

NewtonHawk11 wrote: ↑Wed Aug 03, 2022 9:28 am Yes. Since he's not on the roster, and I'm a KU football fan, I'm not counting any eggs until they show up on campus and start playing.

But he had something like 90 tackles last year. That's really good. He'll definitely move the needle.

Haha the smart approach, I agree.

OC Andy Kotelnicki is such a good quote.

Last year focus was eliminating bad football. That's what they said all year. Said this morning the expectation is shifting from eliminating bad football to executing good football.

Said last year at this point, his voice was shot because of yelling at players and telling them what to do. This year, he's got his voice and practices much smoother because everyone knows what they are supposed to do.

This is why running the football and controlling the clock is so important for this upcoming season. While the defense line is better than average the linebacking core and secondary are below average. We can’t get into shootouts and hope to win games.

Lorenzo McCaskill graduated last week. He couldn’t move in until all the paperwork was official so he’ll be at practice Friday-Sunday the latest. We got a lot of transfers on defense that are going to be in the two deep. I could see six of them starting.

Right on cue.

B-

And he moves to starter over Rich Miller.

Position Breakdown
Corners

Blah...

A really weak room.

Returning:
Jacobee Bryant, Ramello Dotson, Shaad Dabney, Kwinton Lassiter, Jaden Robinson (didn't play)

Transfers:
Kalon Gervin from Michigan State, Monte' McGary,

Incoming Freshman:
Brian Dilworth 3 star out of Florida. Picked KU over Auburn, Arkansas and some others.

This room is pretty crummy and not a lot of players.

Bryant had a pick 6 last year. Dotson had a pick at Duke and was chased down by their QB.

Projected starters
Bryant and Gervin. Dotson and McGary probably next two and Dabney will play as well.

Don't know what to think of this group. Pretty thin overall. Need some depth and some players to step up. The good thing is, Bryant, Dotson, Gervin and Dabney will all be back next year provided they don't transfer. Nice for continuity.

Position Grade:
D+

Lots of unknowns. But it's also just a bad position group. Bottom third unit in Big 12.

Now this is the position group on defense that makes my stomach drop. Our CBs have not been good for a long time. And it takes every other defensive group to play out of their minds to cover up for their deficiencies. We haven't had good enough pass rush to help make their lives easier. The front 7 has been so poor against the run that we've had no shot versus run or pass. Now maybe this year those groups improve and our safeties could actually be a strength to where it takes some pressure off the CBs. That's probably a pretty optimistic look at it though. As you said, this group is just bad. I am excited to see Gervin though, he could be a bright spot.

WR and DBs are the worst position groups on the the team and it's not that close.

NewtonHawk11 wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:02 am WR and DBs are the worst position groups on the the team and it's not that close.

Agreed. I also don't remember the last time I actually had any confidence in our kicking/punting situation.

UnholyLivingDead wrote: ↑Thu Aug 04, 2022 9:32 am Now this is the position group on defense that makes my stomach drop. Our CBs have not been good for a long time. And it takes every other defensive group to play out of their minds to cover up for their deficiencies. We haven't had good enough pass rush to help make their lives easier. The front 7 has been so poor against the run that we've had no shot versus run or pass. Now maybe this year those groups improve and our safeties could actually be a strength to where it takes some pressure off the CBs. That's probably a pretty optimistic look at it though. As you said, this group is just bad. I am excited to see Gervin though, he could be a bright spot.

Exactly front seven needs to stop the run. The DL has a good two deep depth and with the three transfers at LB we have something. We actually have some good safeties. I am kinda wait and see on this defense. First four games are huge.

Part of the problem last year was the switch from Les "The Mad Hatter" 3-4 defense to our new 4-3 defense. The personnel was not a good fit.

Safeties up next...

Decent room. Kenny Logan is one of the faces of the program. On watch lists and All Big 12 teams.

Returners of note:
Kenny Logan Jr, OJ Burroughs, Jayson Gilliom, Edwin White-Schultz

Transfers:
Marvin Grant from Purdue. Player who was 2nd on their team in tackles. Should be the starter alongside Logan.

Freshmen:
Mason Ellis from Mulvane, KS and Kaleb Purdy from Missouri. Both will likely redshirt.

Overall picture:
Not a bad room. Logan and Grant are the 2 clear leaders. Burroughs and Gilliom both played a lot last year. Gilliom recovering from an injury. He may be sitting to start the year and could be a redshirt candidate. Edwin White-Schultz is a sophomore that they like who played a lot as a true freshman. Got him over Tennessee, Miss State, Ole Miss and others. There's 5 really good options. Don't forget that in heavier situations, Craig Young could move to a hybrid LB/S role and they could bring in an extra LB since he has that experience playing both.

Position Grade:
B-. Still don't know what we'll get in Grant. Logan is good and the group is young. 3 guys who all played as true freshmen last year. Average unit in the Big 12. They'll need to provide a ton of help to the corners.