Quick Thoughts: I have said this since NIL started… I am a fan when staffs bring in players they are familiar with.
Case in point Leipold bringing in players from Buffalo where he knows everything about them. One thing I have heard from all of the transfers from Buffalo they are very good in the locker room and have good attitudes. The coaches have an inside edge because they know the players, which is the biggest hurdle in the portal.
Coaches spend countless hours doing background checks and finding out whether a player will be a good fit.
I would take Deondre Doiron any day of the week. He’s started D1 football games as a freshman and has been through Leipold’s system before.
“Playing at my previous school helped me tremendously,” he said. “Having gone and played in front of 89,000 people in Nebraska taught me how real this game can get. I learned a lot about things on the field, how things really flow during a game and when certain techniques work verse others. Almost more importantly, I learned what it takes to play through a season. How your body feels, how to maintain weight, how to game prep and watch film. These are the things that often go unnoticed but are the edge on Saturdays.”
Doiron has four years to develop and three years on the field to play. He is really closer to a high school recruit than an older portal or junior college player.
Mike Ford never started a game at KU and left Buffalo. He will be a four-year starter. I think Doiron has the ability to do the same.
Breakdown: The biggest takeaway I have with Doiron is he gives Fuchs a lot of flexibility on the line.
He played right tackle, but I don’t know where his future will be. Mainly in part because he told me when he was at Buffalo with Fuchs he got work at every position.
“When I was with them, I played all five spots, so they know I'm pretty versatile,” he said. “I can snap. I can play both guard spots, both tackle spots. Right now, the biggest thing for me is just I got to go get there, get to work, put on weight and get my strength up to play in a conference like that and for a team like that. Other than that, I'm not too worried about which spot I'm playing. With a depth chart I don’t worry because those things are earned.”
The fact Fuchs had him snapping at Buffalo tells you how athletic he is and there is a reason KU offered him the day he went in the portal.
What it means: I still don’t think the staff is done at OL. The fact the 25-man limit can go away means there could be a lot of ways they can handle recruiting.
If the limits go away then the staff will be open to take any OL they can find.
Case in point Leipold bringing in players from Buffalo where he knows everything about them. One thing I have heard from all of the transfers from Buffalo they are very good in the locker room and have good attitudes. The coaches have an inside edge because they know the players, which is the biggest hurdle in the portal.
Coaches spend countless hours doing background checks and finding out whether a player will be a good fit.
I would take Deondre Doiron any day of the week. He’s started D1 football games as a freshman and has been through Leipold’s system before.
“Playing at my previous school helped me tremendously,” he said. “Having gone and played in front of 89,000 people in Nebraska taught me how real this game can get. I learned a lot about things on the field, how things really flow during a game and when certain techniques work verse others. Almost more importantly, I learned what it takes to play through a season. How your body feels, how to maintain weight, how to game prep and watch film. These are the things that often go unnoticed but are the edge on Saturdays.”
Doiron has four years to develop and three years on the field to play. He is really closer to a high school recruit than an older portal or junior college player.
Mike Ford never started a game at KU and left Buffalo. He will be a four-year starter. I think Doiron has the ability to do the same.
Breakdown: The biggest takeaway I have with Doiron is he gives Fuchs a lot of flexibility on the line.
He played right tackle, but I don’t know where his future will be. Mainly in part because he told me when he was at Buffalo with Fuchs he got work at every position.
“When I was with them, I played all five spots, so they know I'm pretty versatile,” he said. “I can snap. I can play both guard spots, both tackle spots. Right now, the biggest thing for me is just I got to go get there, get to work, put on weight and get my strength up to play in a conference like that and for a team like that. Other than that, I'm not too worried about which spot I'm playing. With a depth chart I don’t worry because those things are earned.”
The fact Fuchs had him snapping at Buffalo tells you how athletic he is and there is a reason KU offered him the day he went in the portal.
What it means: I still don’t think the staff is done at OL. The fact the 25-man limit can go away means there could be a lot of ways they can handle recruiting.
If the limits go away then the staff will be open to take any OL they can find.
