2020 Kansas Jayhawks

[Red Raider]

Since 2005, Kansas has started 10, 9, 9, 12, 11, 10, 7, 9, 5, 4, 4, 6, 5, 5, and 2 white starters. In 2020 they look to be at 2 or 3 depending on how the QB situation turns out.

Absolutely pathetic team except some LB depth. Hopefully MacVittie can be the starting QB, if not then this team is not one to watch at all. The FB position is not used too much so Sam Burt is the only real important starter at the moment, hopefully he can have a nice season in the middle of the trenches. LB Gavin Potter is one to watch because he was thrown into the action last year after an injury to a guy ahead of him so expect to see him on the field. Backup LB Jay Dineen is the younger brother of former KU stud Joe (who should’ve been given an NFL opportunity). Absolutely nothing here at any of the skill positions, but hopefully with a couple white receivers coming in soon that could change.

Players to watch:
TE Mason Fairchild, FB Spencer Roe, OG Jack Werner, OT Bryce Cabeldue, C Garrett Jones, LB Hayden Hatcher, LB Gavin Potter, LB Jay Dineen

OFFENSE
*QB Thomas MacVittie (SR)
FB Ben Miles (JR)


DEFENSE
NT Sam Burt (JR)

 

[Leonardfan]

Les Miles is pathetic.

 

[Freethinker]

If you look back at the seasons where they started 9-12 White starters on average, those were the only times in recent memory that they were relevant. Marc Mangino turned the program around, on the backs of White talent like RB Jake Sharp and WR Kerry Meier. They peaked at #2 in the country. Of course, because of his gruff demeanor the university forced him out. Now with these hardcore Caste Teams, a .500 record would be considered a huge achievement.

 

[Shadowlight]

Oh man. Illustrates that the "go caste =winning" theory is based on shaky evidence. But the mention of RB Jake Sharp triggered big memories. Among my favorite all time white RBs Sharp was electric. And his exit from Kansas is a bit mysterious. He graduated in 2009 but prepared for the draft in 2010. Maybe because of an injury? At 5'10" 190 with dazzling moves Sharp was a true speedster too. In 2007 his sophomore year Jake had a 147-821-7 stat line. His junior year he gained 860 yards plus caught 25 passes. For some reason his senior production was down with a 112-429-4 stat line but he did catch 33 passes. I think he was banged up a bit.

I thought he had NFL talent and at his 2010 pro day Jake blistered a 4.34 40 yard dash. Interestingly at that same workout QB Todd Reesing ran a 4.43 40. And QB turned WR Kerry Meier had huge stat lines his final two years (97-1048-8, 102-985-8).

Sharp was never drafted and that was the last I heard from him.

Two other running backs I was crazy about were Indiana's Alex Smith (6'0" 208) who had a ridiculous freshman stat line of 265-1475-10 in 1994. I thought he was NFL bound. He got banged up his sophomore year but came back big his junior year with a 292-1248-8 stat line. Another player who fell off the map come NFL time although he was invited to the combine. Again not sure what happened to him after his junior year? Must have skipped his senior year but his combine year was one year after his junior year?

And a third RB I was a huge fan of was Auburn's Tre Smith. Going off on a tangent far away from Kansas football here but Smith was another freshman wonder who had a 79-454 stat line. Strangely the next season he only had 37 carries but was their punt returner and proved dynamic in that area. In 2004 he carried the ball 56 times and by his senior year he was seen more as a punt returner. Some hyped up black dude had taken over the RB duties.

A 100M champ in high school I always figured Smith ran in the 4.3 plus range. After such a promising freshman season it seems Auburn never gave him a full chance to blossom? The NFL never came calling.

Strange circumstances surround all three of these players especially when it comes to their draft process. I follow so many sports my memory gets hazy on certain details. I know all three of these players were mentioned in caste football posts from the past though.