It isn't a big group of seniors, and there may not be a lot of cumulative wins with this group, but this group is quietly setting some great examples that I hope the underclassmen really take to heart and learn from.
1.) Playing Hard Non-Stop Can Make Up For Lack Of Talent And Get You On The Field
See TJ Semke. Look at our DE group - there is guys like Ben Goodman, Damani Mosby, Anthony Olobia, Josh Ehambe, and Dorance Armstrong. That's a lot of talent. Yet Semke finds himself in the two deep right now. The reason? He plays hard all of the time. Now the kid is strong as an ox, but I remember Beaty mentioning recently he may not look the part. He isn't playing because he is the most talented guy...he is playing because he pays harder more consistently than other guys
2.) If You Lose Your Starting Spot, You Can Get It Back
See Keyon Haughton. I think this battle has gone a little bit under the radar. Haughton started last year, but lost his spot to Joe Gibson. Haughton did get some snaps this offseason because of an injury to Gibson, but he has held on to that spot so far and that's pretty significant. Just goes to show that losing your job isn't always a permanent move
3.) Patience Can Pay Off
See Bryan Peters. I think too many times, myself included, that if a guy isn't starting by his sophomore or even junior year, we will write the guy off as a guy that will never be a starter. I can say I didn't think Peters would end up being a starter after the past couple of years, but I did really like the kid coming out of HS. Sometimes it just takes a little bit longer for a guy to get an opportunity. I hope underclassmen look at Peters as an example to just keeping grinding and it eventually can pay off
4.) Don't Listen To Fans/Media/Etc - Just Do You
See Tre Parmalee. I remember when KU offered Parmalee, I was kind of hoping we would move him to CB. I wasn't convinced he would play at WR ever, let alone as a true freshman. Now he hasn't really put up big numbers, but he has been in the two deep for the past three years. There really isn't a lot of talk or expectations for him. I think there is a chance he ends this season as the top playmaker on the team, but you wouldn't really know that if you based your opinion on preseason talk about the kid. Just goes to show that nobody is perfect, so these underclassmen should look to him as an example as a guy that just went about his business every year regardless of what fans/media/etc have said (or didn't say) about a player
1.) Playing Hard Non-Stop Can Make Up For Lack Of Talent And Get You On The Field
See TJ Semke. Look at our DE group - there is guys like Ben Goodman, Damani Mosby, Anthony Olobia, Josh Ehambe, and Dorance Armstrong. That's a lot of talent. Yet Semke finds himself in the two deep right now. The reason? He plays hard all of the time. Now the kid is strong as an ox, but I remember Beaty mentioning recently he may not look the part. He isn't playing because he is the most talented guy...he is playing because he pays harder more consistently than other guys
2.) If You Lose Your Starting Spot, You Can Get It Back
See Keyon Haughton. I think this battle has gone a little bit under the radar. Haughton started last year, but lost his spot to Joe Gibson. Haughton did get some snaps this offseason because of an injury to Gibson, but he has held on to that spot so far and that's pretty significant. Just goes to show that losing your job isn't always a permanent move
3.) Patience Can Pay Off
See Bryan Peters. I think too many times, myself included, that if a guy isn't starting by his sophomore or even junior year, we will write the guy off as a guy that will never be a starter. I can say I didn't think Peters would end up being a starter after the past couple of years, but I did really like the kid coming out of HS. Sometimes it just takes a little bit longer for a guy to get an opportunity. I hope underclassmen look at Peters as an example to just keeping grinding and it eventually can pay off
4.) Don't Listen To Fans/Media/Etc - Just Do You
See Tre Parmalee. I remember when KU offered Parmalee, I was kind of hoping we would move him to CB. I wasn't convinced he would play at WR ever, let alone as a true freshman. Now he hasn't really put up big numbers, but he has been in the two deep for the past three years. There really isn't a lot of talk or expectations for him. I think there is a chance he ends this season as the top playmaker on the team, but you wouldn't really know that if you based your opinion on preseason talk about the kid. Just goes to show that nobody is perfect, so these underclassmen should look to him as an example as a guy that just went about his business every year regardless of what fans/media/etc have said (or didn't say) about a player
