photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas wide receiver Tyler Patrick (4) catches a deep pass before being pulled down by Kansas State defensive back Kendall Adams (21) during the first quarter on Saturday, Oct. 28, 2017 at Memorial Stadium.

Based on height, weight, speed, reach and other factors, receivers generally end up better suited to play either outside or in the slot.

That may be true for the passing targets within the Kansas football team’s offense, too. But first-year receivers coach Justin “Juice” Johnson wants to make sure the Jayhawks learning from him know how to line up and execute from every possible spot.

A former receiver at the University of Houston, where he registered 1,229 yards and 12 touchdowns on 87 receptions as a senior, in 2011, Johnson spent this past spring seeking not only to impart some wisdom to his new pupils but also to mold them into more versatile and knowledgable route-runners.

“Coach Juice has all the receivers kind of switching it up,” redshirt senior receiver Tyler Patrick shared during a recent appearance on 1320 KLWN’s Rock Chalk Sports Talk, with Nick Schwerdt. “He really wants us to learn the offense as a scheme, so we’re learning outside, inside — he’s mixing us up. It kind of helps us not be one-dimensional.”

According to Patrick, KU receivers benefited from repetitions that allowed them to see and experience various plays and alignments from positions and angles that were new to them. He said doing so allowed them to really grasp the entire concept of each play call.

A couple of years back, Patrick related, a given receiver might not have totally understood how much a teammate lined up near him would benefit from, for example, him winning a go route at the line of scrimmage.

“So now we get the whole play, so we’re like, ‘OK. If I’m gonna have to clear this, I really need to run and try to win, so (Steven Sims Jr.) can get open,'” Patrick explained.

Torneden comfortable at nickelback

After beginning his sophomore season as a safety in KU’s secondary, Bryce Torneden moved over to nickelback four games into the 2017 campaign.

Reflecting on the switch now, Torneden is grateful for it, because of the different assignments the position entails. The 5-foot-10, 197-pound defensive back from Lawrence enjoys how playing nickelback incorporates him into the run defense, making him feel more like a combination linebacker and safety of sorts.

“I like that. Filling gaps,” Torneden said. “Still in the open field, so I feel like I can make more plays like that, just roaming around.”

Improving secondary?

Over the course of 15 spring practices, KU quarterback Carter Stanley observed improvements from the defensive backs he tried to beat through the air with his throws.

“Definitely some play-makers back there,” Stanley said. “From the day he showed up last year, Hasan Defense, he always pops out to me. He brings it every day. Definitely one of the most physical guys on our team.”

Along with junior cornerback Defense, Stanley also identified Torneden, junior safety Mike Lee and true freshman corner Corione Harris as standouts.

“Dude’s supposed to be in high school right now,” Stanley said a few months back of the early enrollee Harris, “and he’s out there doing some great things for us.”