Most Crucial Jayhawks 2016: No. 8 – OL Clyde McCauley
photo by: Nick Krug
Kansas linemen Clyde McCauley III (74) and D'Andre Banks run through drills during practice, Thursday, April 7, 2016 at Memorial Stadium.
As we continue to climb toward the top spot in this year’s Most Crucial Jayhawks for the 2016 college football season, we run into the fourth offensive lineman on our list so far at No. 8.
KU’s offensive line, which OL coach Zach Yenser said back in June was starting to play with that mean streak that all good offensive lines need to have, will be under the microscope again for this young offense in 2016.
Regardless of who’s taking the snaps, running the ball or catching the passes, the offense figures only to go as far as the offensive line will take it. That’s why so many linemen have shown up on this list already and that’s why entry No. 8 figures to have an important role no matter where he plays or how often.
Reminder: This is not a list of the 25 best players on this year’s team. That would be much easier to pinpoint and, although still key, would not exactly demonstrate the full value that each player has in regard to the 2016 season.
This is a list of the 25 players who need to have strong seasons in order for the Jayhawks to have a chance to compete.
Tom Keegan and I came up with the list by each making our own list of 25 and then combining the results. We did the same thing for the last two years, but the amount of fresh faces made this list much tougher to put together.
Track the list every weekday at KUsports.com, where we’ll unveil the list one-by-one in reverse order. And, in case you miss some, be sure to check the links at the bottom of each entry for an up-to-date look at the list of 25.
8. Clyde McCauley, Soph. Offensive Tackle
Whether he wins the job at left tackle, where he is battling returning starter Jordan Shelley-Smith, or is beaten out, the second-year Jayhawk will have a huge role on this team in 2016 — and beyond.
Last season McCauley made three starts along the O-Line and played in six games as a true freshman, giving him the valuable experience that sometimes does not arrive until a player’s second or third year on campus.
Not all of McCauley’s time on the field was memorable or even mentionable, but he held up well enough to keep trotting back out there.
There’s no doubt that what he experienced while facing some of the bigger, stronger pass rushers in the conference, along with what was taught to him by his coaches and teammates helped McCauley make it through his first season of college football, and he almost certainly used that information this offseason to better prepare himself for Year 2.
KU coach David Beaty recently said that McCauley and Shelley-Smith were in a too-close-to-call type of battle for that starting spot. But, with preseason camp yet to begin, it’s what they will do in the next few weeks that will determine who starts and who does not.
Even if he does not get the nod, McCauley will have value on this team as a swing tackle, joining Larry Hughes in providing depth behind Shelley-Smith and new right tackle D’Andre Banks.
If McCauley, 6-foot-5, 307 pounds, is like most of his teammates and transformed that freshman frame into a leaner and meaner version in the offseason, both his footwork and stamina should be improved, giving him a chance to be more explosive both in the run game and pass protection.
The Jayhawks absolutely need their offensive line to hold up this season if they hope to be competitive or push for a couple of victories. And while McCauley’s most exciting days might still be down the road, he will be given every opportunity to be a part of that line again in 2016, a year older and wiser than he was during his first try.
Top 25 Most Crucial Jayhawks of 2016: