Ryan Cantrell as a player — raising his helmet in tribute to Kansas University fans at the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona — and, now, as KU assistant director of football operations.

Ryan Cantrell as a player — raising his helmet in tribute to Kansas University fans at the 2008 Insight Bowl in Tempe, Arizona — and, now, as KU assistant director of football operations.

The last time Kansas University assistant director of football operations Ryan Cantrell was walking the sidelines at KU, he was an offensive lineman in the program and a guy who expected the Jayhawks to go to bowl games.

And he had good reason to expect regular postseason appearances.

During Cantrell’s five seasons in crimson and blue, KU won all three bowl games for which it qualified, including the 2008 Orange Bowl.

That fact, along with his personality, work ethic and years of service under new offensive coordinator John Reagan as a quality-control coach at Rice, was a huge reason Reagan wanted to bring Cantrell back to Kansas when the opportunity presented itself last spring.

“When you walk in the building (Anderson Family Football Complex) and know that he was here when that was done and know that he was an integral part of that and part of the big wins and the big losses, you can’t help but learn from it,” Reagan said. “I think he’ll bring a lot back to KU.”

As the assistant director of operations, Cantrell will not have the same hands-on approach as Reagan, but that should not prevent him from being a resource for the players who are determined to get KU back on the winning track.

“He’s a very good young person to be in the coaching business and to have around the program,” Reagan said, “especially at his alma mater. He’ll do a great job as an ambassador for the university, as well.”

Beyond Cantrell’s knowledge of and passion for the game, Reagan believes his toughness will be an asset for KU’s latest rebuilding project.

As a player, Cantrell started his career as a center and moved to guard almost immediately because it gave him the best shot at playing time. He started five games as a true freshman, played in three games as a sophomore and then returned to his spot at center during the Orange Bowl season in a game at Colorado. From that point until the end of his career in late 2008 — 25 consecutive games — no other player handled the snaps on offense.

“He was tough. He was hard-nosed. He played his junior year, the Orange Bowl year, with a broken foot,” recalled Reagan, who was Cantrell’s position coach at Kansas. “He was just a tough kid and knew how to work. He knew that you just work and work and work. When things go good, you keep working, and when things go bad, you keep working.”

Today, Cantrell will be asked to work in a different manner, and Reagan seems to be looking forward to that just as much.

“I’m obviously excited about Ryan being here,” Reagan said, “for a lot of reasons. He was here when it was built (under Mark Mangino) and knows how things were done and what it takes and knows the ins and outs.”