Freshman QB Berglund won’t participate in spring drills

Change in class schedule means prize recruit won't join Jayhawks until August

Kansas University freshman quarterback Brock Berglund’s path to becoming the starter for the Jayhawks this fall hit a snag on Wednesday.

KU coach Turner Gill announced that Berglund, a three-star, dual-threat gem from Valor Christian High in Highlands Rach, Colo., would not participate in spring drills and instead would join the program this summer with the rest of the Class of 2011.

“Brock Berglund has decided to change to modified class scheduling this semester,” Gill said. “This change will allow him to still be eligible this fall. Due to personal circumstances, we have decided it is in his best interest to come in (during) the summer with the rest of the outstanding 2011 recruiting class. Brock is committed to being a student-athlete at the University of Kansas.”

Berglund, 6-foot-4, 205 pounds, graduated early from Valor Christian and enrolled in classes at KU for the spring semester. He has been on campus since late-January and has been taking classes. However, the personal matter that Berglund is dealing with will take him away from Lawrence this spring and therefore he won’t be around to participate in spring drills. He has graduated from high school, he is eligible, he just won’t be around to participate. KU officials said that Berglund has made arrangements to continue to take KU classes on-line while he’s out of town.

KU officials also said that Berglund would be eligible to join the team at any spring drills remaining should the personal matter be cleared up before the end of April. If he does not return until May or June, he would then still be able to participate with teammates in any conditioning and offseason workout programs.

Although this news comes as a blow to Berglund’s chances of becoming KU’s starting quarterback for the 2011 season, it has not done anything to change his desire to play for Gill and the Jayhawks.

“I am committed to being a part of the Kansas football program and am excited to join my teammates this summer,” Berglund said in a release.

Spring practices are scheduled to begin at KU on April 1, with the annual spring game set for April 30. Berglund will not participate in any of the 15 spring practices or the game.