There are only five fall practices left and then the team will move into game week prep. They will have a week off before game week, but the schedules will be different with a Thursday night game.
I said this would be a boring fall camp and for the most part I was right. But there are positions that might not be as easy to predict as I thought. There have been some twists and turns along the way.
For starters that begins with the offensive line. Someone asked on the board if all the mixing around is an issue. I don’t see if that way. I think it is a combination of taking the cross-training that Fuchs used and moving forward with that and also having the hand forced.
Logan Brown missed a few practices because of a funeral. Mike Ford has been banged up a little. Bryce Foster is still learning the system. Those are three players I had penciled in to start before camp. But things come up and you have to be ready.
This is what I have seen from practice so far and heard.
Much like the past they are going to play their best eight or so OL. And that could mean multiple positions. Take left tackle where in the last week Nolan Gorczyca, Bryce Cabeldue, Logan Brown and Calvin Clements all had reps. Brown played left tackle at Wisconsin and told me he moved to right his last year there. In the spring he said it is like riding a bike and he was catching back on with it.
Agpalsa is trying a lot of different combinations. I have heard Darrell Simmons is putting together a good camp. I know the staff likes Kobe Baynes. Shane Bumgardner has been a surprise after a slow spring.
The bottom line is you have enough quality bodies to build a solid unit. From things I hear I am encouraged by how deep the competition is. And also, the fact you have players who can slide into positions.
I have heard Gorczyca has really turned a corner and can give them snaps at tackle or guard. That first depth chart is going to be interesting.
The other position I am starting to believe will be a strength is defensive tackle. It has been a long time that KU has fielded two straight teams where the defensive line held its own. I heard Caleb Taylor has been very good in fall camp. And DJ Withers and Tommy Dunn are on his heels. Throw in Javier Derritt and a mix of Kenean Caldwell, Blake Herold and Marcus Calvin and I am liking it. I feel confident in that group.
At the defensive end things are looking better than I would have thought after the first few days. I am told Bai Jobe is back to a full participant and was looking good before his hand/arm injury. He is one that looked good early on. DJ Warner has really come on from things I hear. Add in Dean Miller and there are some options to play. I have not heard much about Brinkley.
It starts in the trenches, and I have a good feeling about both sides of the ball.
Over the last few days, I have heard some names that have stood out in camp:
Mason Ellis- He has the tools and being in the system things are starting to click. The talk has been who will be on the two-deep at safety and Ellis is making a move.
Tristan Fletcher- Coming out of spring all I heard was he would be a special teams player. But that could change after what I have been hearing.
Nolan Gorczyca- He could prove to be a valuable asset on the line this season and next. He can move between guard and tackle, which can be difficult. He has had a good fall camp.
This can always change but Luke Grimm and Trevor Wilson are near the top. Skinner and Sevion Morrison have also been getting touches at KO return among other players.
I said this would be a boring fall camp and for the most part I was right. But there are positions that might not be as easy to predict as I thought. There have been some twists and turns along the way.
For starters that begins with the offensive line. Someone asked on the board if all the mixing around is an issue. I don’t see if that way. I think it is a combination of taking the cross-training that Fuchs used and moving forward with that and also having the hand forced.
Logan Brown missed a few practices because of a funeral. Mike Ford has been banged up a little. Bryce Foster is still learning the system. Those are three players I had penciled in to start before camp. But things come up and you have to be ready.
This is what I have seen from practice so far and heard.
Much like the past they are going to play their best eight or so OL. And that could mean multiple positions. Take left tackle where in the last week Nolan Gorczyca, Bryce Cabeldue, Logan Brown and Calvin Clements all had reps. Brown played left tackle at Wisconsin and told me he moved to right his last year there. In the spring he said it is like riding a bike and he was catching back on with it.
Agpalsa is trying a lot of different combinations. I have heard Darrell Simmons is putting together a good camp. I know the staff likes Kobe Baynes. Shane Bumgardner has been a surprise after a slow spring.
The bottom line is you have enough quality bodies to build a solid unit. From things I hear I am encouraged by how deep the competition is. And also, the fact you have players who can slide into positions.
I have heard Gorczyca has really turned a corner and can give them snaps at tackle or guard. That first depth chart is going to be interesting.
The other position I am starting to believe will be a strength is defensive tackle. It has been a long time that KU has fielded two straight teams where the defensive line held its own. I heard Caleb Taylor has been very good in fall camp. And DJ Withers and Tommy Dunn are on his heels. Throw in Javier Derritt and a mix of Kenean Caldwell, Blake Herold and Marcus Calvin and I am liking it. I feel confident in that group.
At the defensive end things are looking better than I would have thought after the first few days. I am told Bai Jobe is back to a full participant and was looking good before his hand/arm injury. He is one that looked good early on. DJ Warner has really come on from things I hear. Add in Dean Miller and there are some options to play. I have not heard much about Brinkley.
It starts in the trenches, and I have a good feeling about both sides of the ball.
Over the last few days, I have heard some names that have stood out in camp:
Mason Ellis- He has the tools and being in the system things are starting to click. The talk has been who will be on the two-deep at safety and Ellis is making a move.
Tristan Fletcher- Coming out of spring all I heard was he would be a special teams player. But that could change after what I have been hearing.
Nolan Gorczyca- He could prove to be a valuable asset on the line this season and next. He can move between guard and tackle, which can be difficult. He has had a good fall camp.
This can always change but Luke Grimm and Trevor Wilson are near the top. Skinner and Sevion Morrison have also been getting touches at KO return among other players.
