Most crucial Jayhawks 2015: No. 16 – LB Courtney Arnick
photo by: Nick Krug
Kansas defenders Courtney Arnick (28) and Michael Reynolds (55) try to bring down Texas Tech running back DeAndre Washington during the third quarter on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014 at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas.
Back-to-back linebackers in the middle of the list, as today’s entry follows up South Carolina transfer Marcquis Roberts.
Both guys figure to have important roles on this year’s defense, where they will be asked not only to replace fifth-round NFL draft pick Ben Heeney, but also would-be senior Jake Love, who stepped away from football with one year of eligibility remaining due to medical issues.
Heeney and Love provided the Jayhawks with that classic linebacker mentality and a ton of toughness and play-making ability.
Is there another Jayhawk waiting in the wings who can do the same?
Here’s a look at No. 16:
16. Courtney Arnick, 6-foot-2, 207-pound Jr. Linebacker
The Dallas native has spent most of his KU career under the radar but that’s about to change.
Arguably the most talented and productive returning player at a very thin position, Arnick’s importance to this year’s team cannot be overlooked. He might not be the kind of guy who can step in by himself and replace the production of departed middle linebacker Ben Heeney, but don’t tell him that. Arnick is an incredibly confident guy who has gotten better each year and just now seems to be figuring out how to use his strengths to his advantage.
Perhaps his biggest strength is his speed. Toward the end of the 2014 season Arnick consistently flew to the football and used his wheels to make plays or help clean up tackles started by other guys.
At just a touch over 200 pounds, he’s never going to be a guy who knocks running backs on their butts or lowers a boom heard ’round the world. But that doesn’t stop him from being productive and it also does not mean he’s afraid to hit.
Last season, Arnick finished sixth on the team with 45 tackles — 34 solo — and added four tackles for loss and a sack. He got better as the season moved on — as his 10-tackle performance in the second-to-last game of the season at OU showed — and started five games while playing in all 12.
At this point, Arnick seems a little like one of those guys from whom the Jayhawks know what they’re going to get. But that does not make his role any less vital. The KU roster has a handful of bodies to choose from when the coaches go to fill out their linebacker rotation this season. But the unit is going to need a lead dog and it could be Arnick’s turn to slide into that spot, both statistically speaking and as a leader.
In talking to him, it seems as if he’s up for the challenge. Now he just has to show it.
Most Crucial Jayhawks 2015: