Quick Take: I really think the waiting game and being patient paid off for KU. Jaden Nickens had a lot of offers and interest early and I believe the fact he wanted to play both sports helped the Jayhawks.

Some schools weren’t willing to give him that chance and KU welcomed the opportunity. Nickens told me both staffs were open and worked together to get him to KU. He liked Terry Samuel a lot and I know Samuel spent a lot of time recruiting him.

In the end it came down to KU and Arizona State from everything I hear. He was supposed to take an official to ASU this month but that was canceled and opened the door for Samuel to close the deal.

Nickens committed to Oklahoma last year but opened his recruiting last March. After transferring high schools in Oklahoma, he decided to play his senior year at Sierra Canyon in California. He told me he has family in the LA area, and it was a good fit. They have an elite football and basketball program.

In a rare move, Nickens gave his verbal commitment without taking a visit to KU. He has yet to be on campus but will take an official for the Colorado game.


Breakdown: I have talked with people who have seen him play both sports. There is not much film on him. Those who have watched him say he is a raw athlete who has upside in football. They believe his best days are ahead of him.

One source told me, “I think he is a more polished basketball player. I thought he was a better basketball prospect and when KU told him he could do both it was over.”

He doesn’t have much film at Sierra Canyon where there are several high-level prospects at the position. He didn’t show up until the summer, so he was still learning the playbook and the offense.


What this means: The receiver position is still open, and I expect to see more spots be filled. They just offered Larry Porter as a high school recruit, and I think they will look to 2-3 in the portal as well.

They like to keep 10 WR on the board and right now they have eight with Locklin. They lose six after this season. If the numbers play out they currently have Emilien, Kubecka, and Sample expected to return. That means they could take up to seven WR in the class.

In a perfect world I can see them getting Porter and going for two in the portal.

Who are some guys that you think were generational athletes? I'll start off with...

Brock Lesnar
Wilt Chamberlain
Bo Jackson
Jim Thorpe

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The consensus No. 3 recruit in the nation, standout guard Darryn Peterson has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Kansas, KU head coach Bill Self announced today. Peterson will be a freshman at KU for the 2025-26 season.

A 6-foot-5, 195-pound combo guard from Canton, Ohio, Peterson is ranked No. 3 by Rivals, 247Sports.com, ESPN100 and On3.com in the 2025 recruiting class.

“This is one of the best recruiting moments that Kansas basketball has had in decades,” Self said. “Darryn is an all-around guard that scores at all levels and is also a terrific facilitator and defender. He has been well drilled and has a toughness about him being raised in a family where his brother is a successful football player at Wisconsin.

“Darryn was as important as any recruit we have recruited in recent memory. Coach (Kurtis) Townsend did a great job as the lead recruiter. Darryn can be a catalyst to also draw other players to our program.”

Peterson is playing his senior prep season at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, in 2024-25. He played his first two years of high school basketball at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Cuyahoga, Ohio. He then transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia in 2023-24 before moving on to Prolific Prep.

Peterson plays club basketball for Adidas 3Stripes Select where he averaged 28.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 4.2 steals and 3.0 blocked shot per game this past summer.

In 2023, Peterson won a gold medal with USA Basketball at the FIBA Under-16 Americas Championship in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. At the championship, Peterson averaged 16.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 3.3 steals in earning all-tournament honors.

JK or anyone else. I’ve watched Seaman Topeka play a few times this year and this kid stood out every game. I looked to see if I could find a recruiting profile for him but only found a baseball one. Is this a name you’ve heard?

Kid has good size, seemingly runs by kids with ease, and catches everything thrown his way. I think they had another receiver go to Nebraska last year and this kid is better in my opinion.

At Colorado in 95? Any others?

@shay or anyone else, how many guys will KU look to sign in this class? When looking at the roster we are going to need to fill some spots. Will it be a heavy portal class?

Such sad news

The Mazda3 I’ve had for 14 years isn’t cutting it anymore. I want something bigger so my two kids can sit comfortably behind me. (I’m 6’4”).

We already have a minivan, so we don’t want another. Thinking mid-sized SUV.

Wife wants to look at the CRV, Rav 4, and Santa Fe, but I think those might be a touch too small.

I really like the look of the Bronco but I’m not vain enough to buy it just for looks if it’s a POS.

Anyone have any experience with it? Or recommend some other midsize SUV that isn’t a million dollars? Will probably buy lightly used vs new.

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Congrats to Devin and your family. As proud as we all are of him, can only imagine how you feel. What a great Jayhawk…and we ain’t dead yet!

Have a pair available for the Oakland game on Sat. 11/6. Section 15, Row 21 (baseline). $50 each. Email if interested (brianb4ku@gmail.com)

Both looking really good for this early in the year.
Excited for us in another month or so when Griffen and Storr gel and Shak Moore available.

Devommitted from Arizona. I hope we stayed in touch.

“When you're looking at it, it's impossible to be better than 3-0 right now for us,” said Dickinson. “Can't be better than 3-0. We beat a top-ten team in the country. We beat a Michigan State team that probably will end up in the top 25. Obviously, they're not there right now, but they're a really good team.

“Playing a Coach Izzo team, he's going to have them prepared for the No. 1 team in the country,” he added. “We knew coming in we weren't going to be able to blow them out. They play really hard. They execute their stuff. He's a Hall of Fame coach, too. He's going to get his guys ready. It was a great win for us on a neutral site. Like I said earlier, you can't be better than 3-0 right now.”

Said Jerene Robinson has been consistent and never played poorly. Played well last week.

Made him feel good to see Ron McGee make a play. Most guys in his shoes may have packed it in. Has worked hard in practice.

The sideline erupted when he got the sack. Mello pick six was key because Iowa State was starting to make things happen. He's made a lot of those plays.

BYU presents a lot of different things with option and QB designed runs. They have put a lot of emphasis on the option.

They are good at everything and solid in everything they do. They've been able to put it together at end of games.

It will take everything they have. But they are confident.

They run the ball better and more physical than last year.

KANSAS

We were able to attend our first game of the season against ISU. Wife thought I was nuts watching the replay tonight.

Man, after that ISU first drive for a TD, we dominated them for the remainder of the first half through much of the third quarter. I didn’t realize how well our lines played on both sides of the ball until I watched the replay. That really stuck out to me.

We were a well oiled machine on offense. Grimes called a great game. As JK said, Grimes knitted a clown suit around the ISU DC.

Big play by Brown in preventing the ISU runner from getting a first down on the fourth down play in KU territory . That play was up there with Dotson’s pick six.

Watching Cure drop the pass made me sick again as I was at the game when it happened. Sick for him. I hope he gets another opportunity soon to make a big play.

We are now seeing the team we thought we had at the start of the season. Just keep grinding one game at a time.

Really like our chances in every game here on out. RCJH!

Zeke Mayo is a pure BB player. Likely not the fastest or most athletic, but can play his game effectively against those who are.
Something rarely seen today. Just understands the game, has good anticipation and can shoot in the basket from any range.