Joe Mortensen liked a lot of things about last week’s visit to Kansas University, including the campus, coaches and Memorial Stadium.

One thing stood out about Jayhawk football.

“I went to one of their workouts, and they work damn hard,” said Mortensen, an all-state linebacker from Concord, Calif., who signed a letter of intent Saturday. “I like that. Kansas has a great facility.”

It was no surprise to Clayton Valley High’s coaches that Mortensen was enamored of KU’s Anderson Strength and Conditioning Center.

“The guy is a weight-room fanatic,” Clayton Valley coach Herc Pardi said. “He’ll get in there and excel.”

Mortensen already can bench press 350 pounds and squats more than 500.

“He’s pretty strong,” Clayton Valley defensive coordinator Jerry Coakley said. “His work ethic has been very good. He’s really improved himself in the last year.”

Mortensen showed that improvement before his senior season when he was the top-rated linebacker prospect at Nike’s Stanford camp. He also was MVP of a camp at Nebraska.

He set a school record last fall with 171 tackles and also made 13 sacks, forced four fumbles and two interceptions. The 6-foot-2, 235-pounder also earned all-league honors on offense. The tight end/fullback caught 28 passes for 650 yards and eight touchdowns and rushed for 400 yards and two TDs.

Mortensen, however, was out of options Feb. 4 when Nebraska didn’t come through with the scholarship he was expecting on national signing day. He had offers from several other schools during the season, including Washington and Colorado State, but by the time things fell apart with NU, those schools had moved on to other prospects.

“It was pretty scary when Nebraska backed out, and there weren’t many schools left,” he said.

Mortensen read on the Internet that Miami Edison linebacker Brouce Mompremier had backed out of his oral commitment to KU and instead signed with South Florida.

Mortensen, who was determined to play in the Big 12, wasted no time contacting Kansas coaches.

“He deserves a scholarship,” said Pardi, who’s been coaching since 1972. “I’ve been in coaching a number of years, and he’s been our hardest worker. He deserves to be in the best conference in the country. He can definitely handle himself in a college game. This is a legitimate prospect.”

Coakley said he had high expectations for Mortensen, a three-time all-league selection who also set school records in the bench press, power clean and squat.

“I think you got a good one,” Coakley said. “You’ll like him. He’s going to work hard for you, and he’s very demanding of the kids he plays with. He’s a physical leader just with his presence. It’s just the way he is. He’s a hulk.”

Mortensen, who already has earned an NCAA qualifying test score, said he would graduate June 12 and report to KU June 15.

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Mangino to speak: KU coach Mark Mangino will be the speaker at Big Blue Monday at 7 p.m. Monday at Fieldhouse Sports Cafe in Overland Park.