Kansas announces new D-line coach

As expected, the Kansas University football team announced Thursday that Tom Sims, a 12-year college coaching veteran, would be taking over as the Jayhawks’ defensive line coach.

Sims, who spent the past four seasons in the same position at the University of Illinois, replaces Kerry Locklin, who served less than a month on the Kansas staff before leaving recently for a job with the NFL’s New York Jets.

“We are glad to have Tom on our coaching staff,” KU coach Mark Mangino said. “He brings great experience as a coach and as a former NFL defensive lineman.”

In 2007, the Illini defensive line performed ably, recording a school-record 40 sacks — including 28.5 by Sims’ linemen — and followed that performance up with 32 sacks in ’08, just two shy of the Big Ten conference lead.

Sims, a Detroit native and graduate of Pittsburgh, played seven seasons as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and Minnesota Vikings.

Four recruits already on campus

Four of Kansas’ 24 signees were already on campus as of Wednesday’s National Signing Day.

Running back Deshaun Sands (Sunrise, Fla.), quarterback Jordan Webb (Union, Mo.) and defensive end Kevin Young (Olathe) are each participating in winter workouts after graduating from high school early, while junior college transfer Calvin Rubles, a cornerback out of Tyler (Texas) Junior College, is also present.

The rest of the team’s players are expected to arrive for summer workouts in June.

Two recruits not yet eligible

Mangino said Wednesday that two members of his 24-player recruiting class have not yet qualified, although he declined to specify which players hadn’t yet been cleared.

“We anticipate that those two will qualify,” he said.