Kansas adds defensive back, walk-on quarterback

Kansas University has added a walk-on quarterback and scholarship defensive back to its recruiting class.

Sophomore quarterback John Nielsen has transferred from Palomar College in San Marcos, Calif., and enrolled for the spring semester at KU, Palomar coach Joe Early said Thursday in a telephone interview with Sunflower Broadband Channel 6.

He will walk on KU’s team.

Meanwhile, Markeith Childress, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound, defensive back from Long Beach City College, has committed and will be part of the Jayhawks’ official recruiting class. Childress told Jon Kirby of rivals.com he chose KU over Washington State and Colorado State.

Nielsen had a 3.81 grade-point average at Palomar and was a J.C. Gridwire Academic All-American.

“The first thing that stands out about John is his field presence,” Early said. “He just doesn’t get rattled. John’s got a great work ethic, is an intelligent player and really coachable.”

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Californian started the season opener for the Comets, but was kicked in the thumb as a holder on special teams and spent much of the year as a backup to Ryan Ybarra, who signed with Idaho State.

The Comets finished 10-1, won the Mission Conference title and ranked fourth in the nation in the final poll.

Nielsen completed 53.3 percent of his passes. He’s also a threat to run the ball, Early said.

“John’s got deceptive speed,” he said. “He’s 6-4, but he can get out and move. His arm strength is pretty good and should get better once he gets more repetitions.”

KU also has a verbal commitment from quarterback Adam Barmann (6-3, 195) of West Platte High School in Weston, Mo.

  • Mangino adds aide: Mitch Running, a former Kansas State receiver, has joined KU’s coaching staff as a graduate assistant.

KU head coach Mark Mangino was an assistant coach at Kansas State during Running’s playing career (1991-95).

Running ranks fourth in K-State history with 133 career receptions and sixth in school history with 1,821 receiving yards. A native of Decorah, Iowa, he earned a bachelor’s degree in social science in 1996 from Kansas State.

He played two years in the National Football League, with the Carolina Panthers and the Indianapolis Colts, before he moved to the Canadian Football League, where he played with the Winnipeg Bombers and Toronto Argonauts.