by Matt Tait

6:13 p.m. Update:

Still waiting on that video... should be up shortly. It's been a busy day for all of us so some of this follow-up stuff is going to have to shift to tomorrow. Oh well, more signing day fun for everyone then!!!

That includes our podcast with Rivals.com's Jon Kirby. You can't imagine how many radio interviews that guy's done today. He just called back and tried to squeeze us in tonight, but I thought it'd be better to have something fresh tomorrow, so check that out sometime tomorrow afternoon.

Also, if you haven't already seen it, be sure to check out the transcript of the Live Chat we did earlier today with Bishop Miege offensive lineman Phil Ford. Ford was fantastic and was a terrific spokesman for the entire class.

It really seems like a great group. They're talented, good-character guys with excellent leadership and academic qualities. It's going to be a blast to watch them develop.

Thanks to all of you for checking us out today. Having readers/commenters like you makes all the hard work worth doing. More tomorrow.

I have to run over to the KU women's basketball game now. See ya tomorrow.

4:09 p.m. Update:

Just got back from Coach Gill's press conference and he had a lot of good things to say about this class. He didn't really address all 27 guys individually but he did go position by position. Asked which position he thought he improved the most with this class, Gill said all of them.

"I think at every position we did that," Gill said. "And that's why it's so exciting to me, because now I truly believe that we have guys who can compete for a job at every position. I'm excited over every last one of them."

Here are a few more notes and nuggets from Gill's 30-minute meeting with the media:

• On just his second day on the job, new KU athletic director Sheahon Zenger made it to Gill's news conference, despite being delayed in Lubbock, Tex., with the men's basketball team.

• Gill notes that last year was somewhat odd in that only three true freshman played. This year, of the 27 guys that signed today, Gill anticipates that nearly half of them will play this fall in some capacity. The reason? Speed. They all have it and that immediately makes them viable candidates for playing time at every position.

• One big advantage that Gill gave it up to was the Kansas basketball program and Allen Fieldhouse. "One thing that's great for us, there's no doubt about it, is going to a basketball game (with these recruits)," Gill said. He also noted that people in all areas of the university from other sports to academic counselors to professors and students lent a hand in helping to land this class.

"This is a great class," Gill said. "And it's great because each one of the guys we signed has great speed and character and believes academics is important."

• Already committed to saying that half of the class will play, Gill was asked more directly about the quarterback position. "Would you feel comfortable playing a true freshman at quarterback," he was asked. The answer: Yes, sir. Absolutely." That's not to say Brock Berglund is going to be the starter, but he's clearly going to have a legitimate opportunity to earn the job.

• Quickly, here are some facts and figures about the Class of 2011.

• 26 of the 27 players signed were high school seniors
• The class spanned 11 different states, with Texas (9) and Kansas (7) having the most
• The class includes two sets of teammates, Ben Goodman and Collin Garrett, of West Brook High in Beaumont, Tex., and Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons, of Olathe North
• 14 members of the class played in and won state championship games last fall
• 23 of the 27 members played in high school playoff games in each of the past 2 seasons
• The class includes 13 on offense, 13 on defense and 1 special teams player
• The position with the most signees was offensive line (6), followed by linebacker (5).

More to come. Be sure to check out the ongoing live chat with Phil Ford and check back soon for our podcast with Jon Kirby of Rivals.com.

1:27 p.m. Update:

Preparing to start the journey over to campus for this afternoon's press conference. I'll get there a little early and give myself plenty of time to navigate the roads.

Check back later, though, for reaction from Coach Gill in this blog, as well as via video footage that we'll put together.

Reminder about the 3:45 p.m. Live Chat with Bishop Miege offensive lineman Phil Ford. If you haven't done so already, submit your questions now and be sure to log on then to see what Big Phil has to say.

After that, I'm hoping to line up Rivals.com's Jon Kirby for a podcast. He said Monday that he's in, we just have to check on the weather and his availability. But look for that at some point later today, as our non-stop coverage of Signing Day 2011 continues.

12:14 p.m. Update:

Just saw this on ESPN.com. Before you get too excited, it's merely a list of the biggest classes so far, which is why KU ranks 4th overall, with 27 signed. Still, it's nice to see the Jayhawks up there with some of college football's heavy hitters.

More to come....

11:40 a.m. Update:

Just got done with a little shoveling and came in to find this gem... Malcolm Walker, an outside linebacker at Navarro Junior College, which won the juco national championship last season, has decided to join the Jayhawks as a walk-on...

Jon Kirby, of Rivals.com, is reporting that Walker chose KU over other schools because that's the place he felt the most comfortable.

"I decided to go to Kansas because that's where I fit in," Walker told Kirby. "They said they might run some more 3-4 defense and that plays to my game. That's what I do best. The coaches told me they like how I get to the quarterback and how I can cover the inside receiver when he goes in motion."

At 6-2, 215, Walker sounds like a linebacker. But added bulk this offseason could inspire him to slide to defensive end, especially with all that talk of getting after the quarterback. Of course, if KU does play more 3-4, that leaves room for 4 LBs on the field at one time and, unlike last year when KU had very little depth behind it's front three, this year's group of linebackers is going to be very deep and very talented.

Kirby calls this the steal of the class, largely because he's coming as a walk-on. Huge get for KU and coach Gill, making a great day even better. Could this be the player that pushes KU into the Top 30?

More to come...

10:31 a.m. Update:

It's 10:30 and all the letters are in. KU's complete class has signed and faxed the letters to campus. Everyone who was expected to join the Jayhawks today did just that, making this one of the most successful — not to mention smooth —  Signing Days in quite some time.

KU missed out on DT Terry Redden, who chose Memphis instead, but that opened up an official spot for DE Javonte Daniel, who quickly took advantage of that opportunity and signed right away.

Others who joined the part in the last half hour include, Wichita RB Dreamius Smith, Texas OL Damon Martin, Oklahoma LB Jake Love, Olathe North DB Adonis Saunders and California OL Bryan Peters. Here are a couple of tidbits from those guys:

by Matt Tait

Damon Martin, 6-5, 265, made no secret about his goal for next season: "My goal is to start," Martin said, adding, "I was impressed with the athleticism (Coach Gill brought in)."

Dreamius Smith, of Wichita Heights, talked about nothing more than working hard when he gets to town: "My goals are to come in and work hard everyday and earn playing time," he said. "And the 2011 class is a great class to get... (I) know there will be a lot of competing going on."

More to come throughout the day so stay tuned in to KUSports.com.

Here's the final list of guys whose letters of intent have been faxed to KU.

• Luke Luhrsen
• Chris Robinson
• Jason Hensley
• Phil Ford
• Michael Reynolds
• Ben Goodman
• Collin Garrett
• Michael Cummings
• Travis Bodenstein
• Victor Simmons
• Ben Heeney
• JaCorey Shepherd
• Alex Matlock
• Alex Mueller
• Anthony Pierson
• Damon Martin
• Tunde Bakare
• Bryan Peters
• Adonis Saunders
• Jake Love
• Dreamius Smith
• Javonte Daniel
• Marquis Jackson

Add to this list, the following players, who already have signed and are on campus:

• Brock Berglund
• Dylan Admire
• Darrian Miller
• Julius Green

For more on the entire class, keep it right here all day and be sure to check out our recruiting capsules at KUSports.com.

10:09 a.m. Update:

It looks like the LaGrange, Ga., prospect Javonte Daniel will be a member of the Class of 2011 after all.

Jon Kirby, of Rivals.com, is reporting that Daniel has signed his letter of intent to join the Jayhawks. And just in the nick of time, too. It seems that Daniel's mom was wanting him to take a guaranteed offer from Marhsall instead of waiting for KU to sort things out. Daniel wanted to be a Jayhawk, but also wanted to please his mother. So, as he walked down the hall of his school on the way to sign with Marshall, the AD came running into the hall, yelling that the letter from KU had arrived.

Daniel quickly shifted gears, signed with Kansas and is expected to be here in August.

by Matt Tait

This, in a nutshell, is what signing day's all about and it's the reason people wake up before 6 a.m. to start following this stuff. Great work by Kirby, as always, and even better work by the KU coaching staff to snag Daniel before he got away.

More to come...

9:57 a.m. Update:

KU just released its first "official" signee list. It includes 17 names. Those that we have that aren't on there include: Anthony Pierson, Damon Martin, Tunde Bakare and Phil Ford.

Not to worry. Sometimes things on campus just move a little slower.

9:52 a.m. Update:

Here's the story about DE Javonte Daniel... He is in the high school Class of 2011 but may not wind up in this recruiting class. That's still up in the air.

I think a lot of it depends on who else KU signs and what the total number from the day is. If it's fewer than expected — even by just one or two — then Daniel may get his scholly and be ready to come to town in August. If it's the number we expect, or perhaps even one or two more, then Daniel may wind up grayshirting, which means he'd sit out this fall, work out and/or take classes at a juco and then come to KU in January as a part of the Class of 2012. Sort of like what KU did with Julius Green this year.

I know Daniel wants to be a Jayhawk and I know the coaches want him. All we're waiting on now is the numbers game to play out.

Stay tuned...

9:32 a.m. Update:

Let's update the list. Just about everybody in already and it's only 9:30 a.m. With the weather being a factor and KU coming off a 3-9 season, it's awesome to see that so many talented players were so excited to join the Jayhawks.

I can only imagine how happy Coach Gill and crew are right now. Luckily, I won't have to imagine that for long. Coach Gill has a news conference scheduled for 3 p.m. today to talk about the class.

Here's the updated list:

• Luke Luhrsen
• Chris Robinson
• Jason Hensley
• Phil Ford
• Michael Reynolds
• Ben Goodman
• Collin Garrett
• Michael Cummings
• Travis Bodenstein
• Victor Simmons
• Ben Heeney
• JaCorey Shepherd
• Alex Matlock
• Alex Mueller
• Anthony Pierson
• Damon Martin
• Tunde Bakare

Add to this list, the following players, who already have signed and are on campus:

• Brock Berglund
• Dylan Admire
• Darrian Miller
• Julius Green

9:23 a.m. Update:

Quick story about Highland linebacker Tunde Bakare, who has now sent his letter of intent to the KU coaching staff.

by Matt Tait

Originally from Virginia, Bakare was recruited heavily by Maryland out of high school. He almost ended up there but wound up going the juco route instead. From the moment he arrived at Highland, Bakare always figured he'd go back south to play Div. I ball. Then he got hooked up with the Kansas coaches and he never looked back.

When talking to Bakare the other day, he told me it was "meant to be" for him to wind up at Kansas and that he was real excited about the opportunity to join the Jayhawks. I'll have more on Bakare, who's name is Nigerian and means "Child of God," in the next couple of days.

And believe me, you'll be hearing plenty from this guy in 2011. He should be a candidate to start at LB and, with a motor like his, should be involved in tons of plays.

More to come...

8:57 a.m. Update:

Jon Kirby, of Rivals.com, is reporting that DT Terry Redden will pass on Kansas to sign with Memphis.

Not a huge surprise here, but it was looking like KU was making a serious move to add Redden's services.

Would've been nice to land a DT like Redden, but this news should not in any way dampen the mood today. KU is already well into hauling in one of its best classes in a long time.

More to come.

8:51 a.m. Update:

by Matt Tait

Don't forget the kicker... Just received word that Alex Mueller, a place kicker from Grapevine, Tex., has faxed his letter into the KU football offices.

Mueller told me earlier this week that he hoped to step in right away and contribute to the team in some manner. With former kicker Jacob Branstetter graduating, Mueller figures to at least get the opportunity to compete with Ron Doherty for kicking duties.

Like several of his future teammates, Mueller also has been impressed with how close the Class of 2011 already has become.

"The amount of talent that is coming in, and how all the guys are wanting to become a family (is incredible)," he said. "A few guys have messaged me on Facebook already, and I got to talk to a few on the recruiting trip. It will be a great group of guys."

More to come.

8:33 a.m. Update:

Add Hutch LB Ben Heeney's name to the list. Heeney just faxed his letter in, making it 15 from the Class of 2011 already official. Talk about a bunch of kids who were eager to sign. This is outstanding news for KU.

I talked with Heeney earlier this week and he said he wasn't sure when he would sign because of the weather. Looks like it didn't hurt him too bad. Heeney gets his letter in by 8:30 a.m. and officially joins former teammate Josh Smith (a walk-on RB in 2010) and the Jayhawks.

Here's what Heeney had to say about his hopes for 2011 and the rest of the class he's coming in with.

"My goal for next year is to get some playing time," he said. "The thing that impresses me the most is how I've gotten along with all the other guys in my recruiting class."

Not only are the players KU is signing a talented group, they're also already teammates. Just a great sign for the future of KU football.

8:27 a.m. Update:

This from Coach Gill via Twitter just a few minutes ago:

"This phone is ringin off the hook! Get ready Jayhawk nation"

8:17 a.m. Update:

by Matt Tait

No more questions about whether Wichita defensive end, Michael Reynolds, is coming to Kansas. He's signed and is ready to make an impact.

"Since I have a chance to play early, I want to start and become a role player on the squad," Reynolds told me last weekend. "I also expect for us to go bowling this year."

Big goals go hand-in-hand with a big-time class. And it looks more and more each day like KU has just landed a big-time class.

More to come as the letters keep rolling in.

8:08 a.m. Update:

Here's this from QB Michael Cummings, of Killeen, Tex., a dual-threat prospect who injured his knee midway through his senior season and currently is rehabbing.

Asked what his goals for his first year at Kansas were, Cummings said: "First, get healthy and be a good teammate and learn the offense as well as be a reliable man for my coaches and team."

As for the one area of his game that he'd like to improve the most: "I would say decision making."

8:02 a.m. Update:

Here's the latest update of letters that have arrived at KU:

• Luke Luhrsen
• Chris Robinson
• Jason Hensley
• Phil Ford
• Michael Reynolds
• Ben Goodman
• Collin Garrett
• Michael Cummings
• Travis Bodenstein
• Victor Simmons

Add to this list, the following players, who already have signed and are on campus:

• Brock Berglund
• Dylan Admire
• Darrian Miller
• Julius Green

7:45 a.m. Update:

Here's more from a couple of Jayhawks who made it official between 7:30 and 7:45 a.m. today...

Linebacker Jason Hensley, of Alma, Ark., had this to say about what he's expecting next season:

"My goal is to work as hard as I can, and hopefully to play," said Hensley, 6-2, 222.

As for his strengths and what he'd like to improve the most between now and then: "I would have to say I go 100 percent each play and I need to work on my footwork."

by Matt Tait

Ben Goodman, a 6-3, 225 pound DE from West Brook High in Beaumont, Tex., outlined some rather lofty goals for his first season at KU:

"Play as a true freshman and be a freshman all-american and big 12 defensive freshman of the year."

He continued: "We are getting good players in and they all seem like winners but the two boys from Beaumont, Tex., (Goodman and LB Collin Garrett) we're born winners, it's in our heart and the programs we've been in have been winning since the 7th grade and I don't expect to lose a KU either."

It's not hard to see that the duo from West Brook High in Beaumont, Tex., is extremely confident. Here's what Collin Garrett had to say about his goals for 2011:

"My goals are to get on the field and be the Big 12 defensive player of the year."

Wow. Gotta like that if you're a Kansas fan.

7:42 a.m. Update:

More from Facebook...

"Officially just became a member of the kansas jayhawks," - Ben Goodman, 7:27 a.m.

And this from juco linebacker Tunde Bakare at 7:38 a.m.: "Getting ready 2 sign these papers, big chapter in my life. all can say is thank you God Tune in to ESPN at 9 and watch ya boy's name go across that screen aint gunna cry lol."

7:37 a.m. Update:

Here's the updated list of 2011 recruits who have officially signed their letters of intent:

• Luke Luhrsen
• Chris Robinson
• Jason Hensley
• Phil Ford
• Michael Reynolds
• Ben Goodman

For more on the entire class, keep it right here all day and be sure to check out our recruiting capsules at KUSports.com.

7:30 a.m. Update

Next, our attention turns to nearby Olathe North High, where defensive backs Victor Simmons and Adonis Saunders were expected to sign at 7:30 a.m.

One problem: There’s no school today and that means there’s no signing at the school. Simmons and Saunders both said Tuesday, though, that even if the weather causes a problem (I’d say 8-10 inches of snow and frigid temperatures qualifies) they’d still find a way to get their letters of intent signed early and sent off to KU. Talk about dedication.

by Matt Tait

Here’s what Saunders and Simmons, teammates who also made up a wide receiver-quarterback duo at O-North, had to say about their goals for their rookie seasons at KU.

“My goal for KU is to come in and make an impact on the team and help build them back up,” said Saunders, a 5-11, 185-pound D-Back. “(Coach Gill) has brought in guys from wining teams who have that leadership that teams need (to be successful).”

Added Simmons, a 6-1, 185-pound safety: “Work hard and be successful on and off the field.”

As for the Class of 2011’s camaraderie, Simmons said that was already taking shape: “Everyone is easy to get along with. Every recruit i met, we became friends almost instantly.”

by Matt Tait

7:21 a.m. Update:

This is from Luke Luhrsen's Facebook page... "I believe this means that now I am a Jayhawk. Officially."

That letter must be signed and sent. One down. 25 to go.

7:01 a.m. Update

You really can’t take a break for a second here on signing day. Not long after tracking Love’s progress down in Oklahoma, we turn our attention to Wheaton, Ill., where offensive lineman, Luke Luhrsen, 6-5, 265, is expected to sign at 7:01 a.m.

I also caught up with Luhrsen this weekend, who’s goals for his first year with the Jayhawks focused a lot on individual improvement.

“I would really like to get stronger and learn better technique so that I can be all I can be when the time comes for me to take the field,” said Luhrsen, who hails from the same hometown as KU offensive coordinator, Chuck Long. “I expect to get a lot bigger and hopefully a lot stronger, physically and mentally.”

One of six offensive linemen in KU’s Class of 2011, Luhrsen was not at all intimidated by the large number of players at his position.

“As an offensive lineman, I was thrilled to see that there were five other skilled lineman who I know I will be able to rely on in the future,” he said.

7:00 a.m. Update

Next up, our attention turns to Tonkawa, Okla., where linebacker Jake Love plans to sign his national letter of intent at Tonkawa High at 7 a.m... weather-permitting, of course.

I caught up with Love last weekend, and he was not shy about sharing his hopes for his first year in Lawrence.

“(I’d like to) find a way on the field, whether its special teams or outside linebacker,” said Love, a 6-foot, 195-pound outside linebacker. “I just want to help the team in any way possible.”

Also included among Love’s goals for next year are: “Beat OU and OSU, help the team get to a bowl game and improve every day.”

Original Post, 6 a.m.

Good morning, and welcome to KUSports.com’s coverage of Signing Day 2011.

There are a few reasons that Signing Day figures to be a little different around here this year. For starters, signing day itself has become a much bigger deal in the past several years, with ESPN increasing its coverage, newspapers and web sites throughout the country have stepped up their game to follow suit.

What's more, KU coach Turner Gill and his staff appear to be living up to their billing as big-time recruiters, which has brought an extra dose of excitement to this year's big day.

Seeing how this is my first official signing day as a college football beat writer, I have to admit I’m pretty jacked up about the whole experience. I plan to be here throughout the day, bringing you the latest on the KU signings from what appears to be a pretty stacked class. Rivals.com has KU’s Class of 2011 ranked as the 33rd best class in the country and, as our sports editor, Tom Keegan, likes to say, for a school like KU with an unproven and inconsistent football program, that’s actually more like 23rd. His reasoning goes like this: Because it’s Kansas, a football school that, historically speaking, has yet to fully turn the corner, analysts don’t give the Jayhawks the benefit of the doubt like they do with other, more proven football schools.

Anyway, back to our plans for the day. In addition to live updates throughout the morning on this blog, you can also follow me on Twitter (@mctait) for the latest tidbits of information regarding KU’s latest class.

We’re also planning to have a live chat with offensive lineman, Phil Ford, a 6-foot-6, 320-pound standout from nearby Bishop Miege High. The chat with Ford is scheduled to begin at 3:45 p.m., but you can submit your questions now.

As of midnight, the KU coaching staff still had a few irons in the fire out there and at least one more scholarship to hand out, so there’s a decent chance that we might get a surprise or two as the day moves along. Keep it right here for all of that information and much, much more.

Remember, three players from the Class of 2011 — QB Brock Berglund, RB Darrian Miller and OL Dylan Admire — already have signed and are enrolled in classes at KU while preparing for spring ball.

KU’s first signing of the day is expected to take place on the East Coast, where Lake Mary, Fla., cornerback, Chris Robinson, is slated to sign just after 7 a.m. local time — 6 a.m. central time — which gives him the jump on so many of KU’s 2011 recruits who call the Midwest home.

Robinson told Jon Kirby, of Rivals.com, that his father, who is in the military and has just been deployed, will listen to the ceremony via telephone, as will his brother, Michael, who attends college in North Carolina. Several other family members will be at Lake Mary High to watch the three-star cornerback join the Jayhawks. Included among them are his mother, his maternal grandmother and his grandfather, who is ill with cancer.

by Matt Tait

We’ll leave it there for now, but check back often throughout the morning as I’ll have updates on most of the day’s signings as they happen.

Later today, we’ll wrap up our Signing Day sprint with coverage from KU coach Turner Gill’s 3 p.m. news conference in which he unveils the full class and talks about his latest crop of Jayhawks.

While you’re waiting for the next signing update, or sometime later today, be sure to check out the collection of video highlights from KU’s latest class that our own Jesse Newell threw together.

More to come...

Signing Day 2011 is now just six days away, and if you look at the Big 12’s team rankings page on Rivals.com’s web site for the Class of 2011, you’ll notice a couple of things right off the bat.

Being KU fans, you’ll probably see that Kansas’ current recruiting class is ranked sixth in the conference, which actually puts the Jayhawks fifth since Nebraska, which is in fourth, won’t be in the conference next year.

You’ll also probably notice that the rankings are broken down in a couple of different ways. First, you see the total number of commitments. For KU, at least as of this morning, that number was 26. In the next three columns, you’ll see five-star commitments (none for Kansas), four-star commitments (two for Kansas) and three-star commitments (21 for Kansas). The final column you’ll see winds up being the average of all of that school’s recruits. In this case, the average for KU is 2.96, which means that, on the whole, KU’s Class of 2011 is a three-star class.

Here’s the catch. We all know that four-star guys don’t always play like four-star guys and two-star guys occasionally turn into studs. The other thing that makes ranking classes so difficult is the fact that these sites and rankings rarely take into account the needs of each particular team.

Here’s an example. His name is Kyle Crofoot and, according to Rivals.com, he’s a no-star guy. That’s not to say he’s no good. It’s just that based on who’s recruiting him and the position he plays, there’s not enough info or film to give him any stars.

But the special teams star from Orlando is on KU’s radar and, if he decides to come to Kansas, he could play a bigger role on next year’s team than any recruit they’ve already landed.

Here’s why. Crofoot, all 6-4, 240 pounds of him, is one of the best long-snappers in the country. He’s so good that Auburn is inviting him to walk on and, after a visit to Kansas this weekend, he’s scheduled to check out Florida next week. For those who may have forgotten, Auburn won the national title this past season and Florida, well, they’ve won two titles in the past few years.

The beautiful thing about Crofoot’s trip to Kansas is the fact that there’s an actual scholarship offer attached to it. Because of the crazy success KU coach Turner Gill and Co. have had in the past couple of weeks with landing some late and talented commitments, there’s not a lot of scholarships left for the Jayhawks to hand out. Offering one to Crofoot shows how important the position is. Jayhawk fans who watched with horror last year as KU had three punts blocked, also know all too well.

This is not a knock on last year’s long snapper, Justin Carnes. Like so many of his teammates, Carnes, just a red-shirt freshman in 2010, was young, inexperienced and not quite accustomed to what it took to succeed at the college level. Like most do, Carnes undoubtedly will get better and will be a solid option for the Jayhawks if he’s needed.

If Crofoot, whose three older brothers played in the SEC, decides to take KU up on its offer to pay for his schooling, he’ll have a great chance to step right in and hold down the long-snapping duties for the next four years. Many outlets have him ranked in the top three in the nation among long snappers, and, special teams or not, when you get a guy ranked in the top three in the country to come to your school, you play him.

This thing is far from a done deal. Crofoot first has to visit, meet the coaches and players and then decide if coming to the rebuilding project at Kansas is worth passing on proven SEC powers and perennial national-title contenders.

Who knows? For him, it might be. One thing we do know, though, is even if Crofoot picks Kansas, his addition won’t make near the impact on KU’s recruiting rankings as it will to the product on the field.

Here’s a couple more stories on Crofoot, for those wanting to read more:

This feature is from Chris Hays at the Orlando Sentinel.

And this update comes from Jon Kirby of Rivals.com.

by Matt Tait

After spending three days in Normal, Illinois, I’ve come to the conclusion that Sheahon Zenger is not going to need much time at all to adjust to his new surroundings in Lawrence.

For one, Zenger’s a Kansan by birth and figures to feel right at home at KU. In addition, Zenger’s coming from a place that reminds me an awful lot of Lawrence, right down to some of the some of the craziest and quirkiest coincidences.

Look no farther than an Uptown Normal apparel store known as “Campustown Supply” for proof. Shortly after meeting with Illinois State University men’s basketball coach Tim Jankovich (a former Jayhawk) and ISU’s interim AD, Larry Lyons, I strolled the streets around ISU’s campus to soak up the feel of where Zenger is coming from.

Called into Campustown Supply by the hypnotic effect of the vibrant red clothing lining the store’s window, I walked in and was astonished by what I saw. There, in the front of the store, on the very first rack I saw was a red shirt that red, “Buck Fradley.” Apparently that whole “Muck Fizzou” thing isn’t the only clever creation of its kind.

Bradley, as far as I can tell, is ISU’s chief rival and the one game a year that the fans here get geared up for in every sport, every season. But my random encounter with an awesome T-Shirt was not the only thing that reminded me of Lawrence, and KU, while I was in Normal.

Like Kansas, Illinois State also has a historic-looking fieldhouse on campus. This one, named Horton Field House, was home to the ISU basketball programs for years and reminds me a lot of K-State’s Ahearn Field House or the old Hoch Auditorium. It’s similar to Allen Fieldhouse, too, although far smaller and no longer functioning as a basketball facility.

by Matt Tait

Too bad, too. Horton was home to some of ISU’s most memorable games, including several played by ISU alum Doug Collins, a former NBA player and coach who is honored here with his jersey hanging in the rafters and a statue outside of the north entrance to Redbird Arena.

The people here go crazy for Collins, and one ISU athletic department staffer told me that dozens of ISU alums claim to have been (1) best friends and/or (2) roommates with Collins during their college days.

I met the real thing in the form of ISU alum, Don Franke, a local developer who is one of the school’s biggest backers and biggest fans. Great guy. Great family.

by Matt Tait

I had no idea what to expect when I came up here Monday. Everyone I told about my trip said I should expect next to nothing. Maybe they were here too long ago to remember or maybe they’re guilty of what so many others around here are — taking this town for granted. The Normal I encountered was a charming

Because I have next to no shot of getting all of my great experiences into my Sunday story (look for that one on the front page of Sunday’s Journal-World), I’ll wrap up this blog with a few quick-hitters that stood out during my stay in a town that I’ll always remember fondly.

Enjoy! And in case you missed my blog entries from Day 1 or Day 2, feel free to check those out, too. Thanks to all the fine folks at ISU, and in Normal, who made my stay so enjoyable.

Best story I heard: This one was easy and it came from Franke, who was answering my question about whether Sheahon Zenger was “tough enough” to tackle the job at Kansas.

“At a basketball game two years ago, I looked a couple aisles over and saw Sheahon squatted down talking to the president of ISU, Al Bowman,” Franke said. “Sheahon’s easy to pick out in a crowd, he’s got that blue suit on, that red tie, white shirt, dark hair. I noticed the usher had come down and said something to him and then walked back up to the top. About two minutes later the usher came down and said something to him again. I didn’t know what was going on.

Halftime came a couple minutes later and I walked over to Sheahon and said, ‘You better get a stronger drink than that Sierra Mist you have,’ and he looked at me and said, ‘I’m so frickin’ mad right now I can’t see straight.’ I said, ‘What’s the matter?’ That usher came down there and told him he had to find a seat. So Sheahon said OK. When the usher came down again, he said, ‘Sir, I’m sorry but you’re gonna have to find a seat.’ At that point, Sheahon showed him his badge. A couple minutes later he came down and said, ‘I’m gonna remove you from here,’ or whatever words were said, and then halftime came.

Well, that guy was gone at halftime and they brought a new usher in for the second half. I’d never seen that side of Sheahon. He used to be a football coach, you know. So he can be tough.”

Best place I ate: With all due respect to the legendary, Pub II, a college bar and grill just off the ISU campus, the nod here goes to Destihl, a local brew house with excellent food, outstanding beer and exceptional service. Read more about it in my Day 2 blog.

Best surprise: It has to be the fact that I couldn’t find a single person — and I talked to dozens — who would say so much as a luke-warm thing about Zenger. The people here love him and they always will. I’m sure it was tough for him to leave this place, but I think someday very soon Kansas fans will be glad that he did.

If it’s not that, it’s Redbird Arena. What a cool place. Don’t get me wrong, it can’t hold a candle to Allen Fieldhouse, but for what it is and for the size of school it serves, it’s a pretty neat venue.

by Matt Tait

Best thing I did: My visit with Jankovich was pretty cool. We talked a lot about KU hoops and mutual friends and I thought it was really cool to see how much he still cares about Kansas. To be fair, though, I enjoyed every single person I interviewed and/or interacted with. Everybody was beyond friendly.

Worst thing I did: Monday night, after pulling into town after a foggy and wet drive, I cruised around a little to get my bearings for the next day. As I was driving around, I found myself facing the wrong way on College Avenue.

It didn’t take me long to figure it out — thanks to the guy who flashed his brights to alert me — and, luckily, it was late enough that there wasn’t much traffic. Seriously, though, why are there so many one-way roads in Normal?

by Matt Tait

2:33 p.m. Update:

One of the things that has amazed me most about doing this story is all of the connections that exist between Illinois State and Kansas. I'm sure it's like this a lot of places and with a lot of different universities, but, even knowing that, this one seems extreme.

Here's a quick look:

• Former KU athletic director Bob Frederick was the AD at ISU before heading to Kansas in 1987.

• Former KU chancellor Gene Budig was the Illinois State president from 1973-77 and, three years later, wound up at Kansas.

• Former KU assistant men's basketball coach Kevin Stallings (who coached under Roy Williams and is now at Vanderbilt) left Kansas to become the head coach at ISU. Several years later, former KU assistant men's basketball coach Tim Jankovich (who coached under Bill Self) left KU for ISU and Jankovich currently is in his fourth season in charge of the Redbirds.

• KU women's basketball coach Bonnie Henrickson and first-year ISU women's basketball coach Stephanie Glance go back a couple of decades. Glance, by the way, coached under NC-State legend Kay Yow for 15 years and, last season, worked for Pat Summitt at Tennessee.

• ISU football coach Brock Spack coached with former KU assistant coach Pat Henderson at Purdue, under Joe Tiller.

• And then, of course, there's Zenger, who was born and raised in Kansas — including Lawrence — and now will be going back home.

One man who has seen most of that list come through Normal, Ill., is Larry Lyons, who currently holds the title of interim athletic director. Lyons originally came to Illinois State several years ago when Dr. Frederick inquired about hiring him to be the athletic department's business manager. During the hiring process, Frederick left for Kansas and the new guy wound up actually hiring Lyons. But Frederick got the ball rolling and Lyons said he's still indebted to Frederick for being where he is.

Throughout the years, Lyons has worked for four athletic directors, a couple more interim ADs and has seen ISU experience ups and downs and downs and ups. Since Zenger arrived six years ago, however, Lyons said the university has been on a steady path forward.

Lyons, who has worked closely with Zenger throughout the past six years — especially on the renovation of the baseball facility in 2009 that turned Duffy Bass Field from something you'd see at Holcom in Lawrence to one that would stand up well in most major conferences — said he's been impressed by so many things that Zenger has done. But few have been as impressive to him as the man's ability to motivate.

Twice a year the athletic department conducts what's known as the Walk of Champions, where the athletic department educates incoming student-athletes about what ISU stands for, believes in and is all about. Zenger, as he loves to do, stands in front of the entire student-athlete population and delivers his message, his philosophy, which he shared so eloquently during his introductory press conference at Kansas. Being "assignment correct, fundamentally sound and mentally tough on the field of play, in the classroom and in our personal lives each and every day," is the foundation of the philosophy the message and it's one that's not just shared with the student-athletes.

"We have one every year, too," Lyons said. "We watch a video and listen to him talk and hear the message. If he's really on, it's 'throw open the locker room doors, here we go' to start the season."

In the short time I've been here and through the hours of information I've learned about Zenger, that seems to be the one thing that has stood out the most. Not only is what he preaches real and from the heart, it's also something he's willing to back up with action.

As Lyons says, "So much of what he does is (because of) where he's from."

With that in mind, doing it at Kansas shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

by Matt Tait

12:49 p.m. Update:

Please note, I did not take the above photo. Got it from Carlos T. Miranda of The Pantagraph newspaper's web site, www.pantagraph.com.

Had two more interviews at ISU this morning and both were awesome.

The first was with Jankovich, who got home late last night after losing to Drake by eight on the road. The Redbirds are just 8-11 this year, including 0-8 in the Missouri Valley Conference, but they're also the 23rd youngest team in the nation so Jank's taking it all in stride.

Visiting with him was great. For starters, he, like everyone else, had nothing but amazing things to say about Sheahon Zenger. Zenger hired Jankovich and he did so because he was the right fit for Illinois State.

* Sidenote: I'm sure most of you know but in case you forgot, Jank's the second former KU assistant to take over at ISU. Kevin Stallings (now at Vandy) left KU several years ago to lead the Redbirds. *

The two have worked together wonderfully for the past four years and Jankovich said he can't imagine having a better boss than Zenger.

He also talked fondly about his time at Kansas, which he said he thinks about constantly. Being a K-State alum, Jankovich understands the draw to the Sunflower State and he thinks Zenger will do a fantastic job.

When I asked him what made him think Zenger could handle stepping up to the BCS level, Jankovich laughed and said, "A lot of people think that's a big question mark with Sheahon, but that just makes me laugh because I actually think it's one of his strengths."

He pointed to Zenger's time at other BCS schools, as a coach and assistant administrator, as one of the reasons he thinks he's ready for the job at Kansas.

When I'm finished with this Zenger story, I'll knock out an update on Jankovich. He had so many great things to say about KU, Lawrence, Coach Self and the whole KU family. He really loved his time there and has done his best to bring elements of Kansas to ISU.

I'm heading back to Redbird Arena this afternoon to watch practice. Should be fun.

More to come before then, though, so check back soon.

Original Post, 6 a.m.:

by Matt Tait

Tuesday was an incredibly productive day for me in Normal, Illinois. If nothing else, I learned that this place is not normal at all. It’s extraordinary.

One minute it’s a sleepy college town with an intimate and inviting campus. The next it’s a bustling business center with corporate headquarters to two of the world’s largest insurance agencies — State Farm and Country Financial — at its core. That rare blend — as Illinois State associate AD Aaron Leetch put it, “It’s not a college town, it’s a town with a college in it” — makes Normal an interesting place to investigate.

After spending most of my day on campus, from Redbird Arena and the offices that sit just off the gym’s concourse, to Horton Field House and the office of the president, it’s safe to say I got my Redbird fix. Everywhere I turned, I saw the vibrant Redbird logo, raring its head in one direction or another, popping off of whatever surface it was on with great pride.

With hours of taped interviews, a variety of videos and plenty of still photographs, I decided to take a break from my 12-hour extravaganza with a nice meal before I dove into sorting through everything.

Leetch, one of two outstanding tour guides who gave me first-class treatment on Tuesday, recommended that I check out Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works, a local joint that reminded me of a perfect blend between Free State Brewery and Teller’s. What a great call.

Not only was my meal sensational (spinach and goat cheese salad with salmon and mashed potatoes) but the service was exceptional, as well. As I arrived, an older lady, in a handicapped space, was attempting to scrape the ice off her windows. Because my car was equipped with an ice scraper and my jacket packed with gloves, I decided to do the noble thing, the Midwest thing, and scrape the ice for her. It only took a couple of minutes and, naturally, the lady was very appreciative. As I chipped the ice away from the rear window, an employee from the restaurant approached me with two gift cards. Ryan was his name, and he said, “Sir, we saw you being a gentleman and we wanted to give you these. Enjoy.”

Unreal. Although I would’ve done the same thing any time and any place, I couldn’t help but see the connection between my gesture and the one extended to me by the fine folks at Destihl as some sort of coincidental connection between ISU athletic director Sheahon Zenger and the whole reason I was in town in the first place. Apparently people are just that nice here and the vibe tends to rub off on everyone around. I’m sure Zenger’s not responsible for all of it, but, after what I learned on Tuesday, I’m thinking he’s had something to do with it.

The stellar service continued as I went into the restaurant. The hostess, Katie, an ISU student, was as sweet as could be, even going as far as to look up how often Zenger had eaten at Destihl. Turns out he was a fan, though he wasn’t there Tuesday night. At my table, Christina, the waitress, was equally as pleasant, affording me plenty of time and space to make my choices and enjoy my meal while also offering up a few nuggets of info about Normal, too.

Needless to say, whenever I’m in town again, I’ll be returning to Destihl. I’d recommend it to any of you, as well.

So, what does any of this have to do with Zenger and the Kansas Jayhawks? Good question. Not much, really. But it was the perfect capper for my perfect day and, in some small way, I think visiting Destihl, further helped me capture the spirit of Normal.

While I rode around town and checked out all of the hot spots, I kept thinking to myself, “I see why Sheahon loved it here. And I see why he’s coming to Lawrence.”

By all accounts, this is not a man who operates like the big business boss that many in his same position across the country choose to do. Sheahon Zenger is a man. Like you or me. With a family, good friends, favorite restaurants and a smile for everyone.

As today moves on and I meet up with some more folks from my Zenger File — a visit with ISU men’s basketball coach, Tim Jankovich, is on tap, along with a trip to see Hank the barber and a quick bite with Art, the owner of Times Past Inn, a breakfast hot spot not far from ISU — I imagine I’ll hear more great stories about KU’s next athletic director and I’ll be sure to bring them to you.

So check back with this blog throughout the day and lemme know if there’s anything you’d like me to check into while I’m up here. I can’t promise I’ll find the answer, but I’ll try.

by Matt Tait

5:43 p.m. Update:

Just finished up with interviews for the day. Some six hours of tape and about 10 actual interviews and not a single negative word about Zenger. In fact, none of the people I talked to today had even heard anyone utter a negative thought about the ISU athletic director, who will take over at Kansas on Feb. 1.

Here are some interesting things I learned about Zenger today:

• Despite not being a big guy, the guy's a big eater. According to ISU football coach Brock Spack, Zenger's favorite meal is anything that starts with the letter "f" ends with the letter "d" and has two "o's" in the middle. Associate AD Aaron Leetch backed Spack's claim, saying simply, "He's never met a meal he didn't like."

Because of this, Zenger doesn't necessarily have a favorite restaurant. He likes them all. I was told to see a man named Art for breakfast in the morning at a popular diner in town. I'm told Art will have some great Zenger stories.

• Leetch also told a tale of Zenger spearheading a seating chart overhaul at the basketball arena, in which donors were repositioned according to the amount of money they donated. Instead of doing this overnight, Zenger gave each donor a clear indication of where they stood and then gave them three years to get up to speed before being moved. Leetch said this method was received very well by the ISU community, many of whom did up their donations and some who chose not to worry about it but were not outraged when they were moved. Reminded me a little of the reorganization of Allen Fieldhouse that Lew Perkins and Co., did a few years back. Good to see Zenger has experience in that area.

• Speaking of experience, Zenger appears to be a master fund-raiser. Though the money is not nearly what he'll be dealing with in Lawrence, it's still impressive on a relative scale. During Zenger's first year in Normal, donor gifts totaled approximately $650,000 for the year. Six years later, in 2010, that number nearly doubled as donations totaled more than $1.2 million. That's just annual gifts. That doesn't include money donated for upgrades at numerous facilities, including the baseball field, which received a major overhaul and is now among the nicest in the Missouri Valley Conference. Said ISU donor and Zenger friend, Don Franke, "It's just really hard to say "no" to Sheahon."

• ISU president Dr. Al Bowman told me that, when he hired Zenger in 2004, Zenger was one of three finalists and was not ISU's first choice. Sound familiar? The reason Zenger wound up with the job: "He hit a home run in his interview and I was impressed with him right away," Bowman said.

There's plenty more where that came from, as I talked to several other colleagues and a few student-athletes. Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to meet with ISU men's basketball coach and former KU assistant, Tim Jankovich.... After breakfast with Art, of course.

Check back tomorrow for more.

For now, here are a few more photos from today. Enjoy!

by Matt Tait

by Matt Tait

by Matt Tait

12:47 p.m. Update:

by Matt Tait

Just ate lunch at a place called "Pub II" apparently, it's the place to go in Normal for grub, beers and all things sports.

Pretty much what you'd expect from a college-town bar and grill. Bears, Cubs, Blackhawks and ISU banners and jerseys dominate the decor and meals for $5 or less dominate the menu. Good stuff.

Heading off to do some more interviews now....

12:04 p.m. Update:

So far today, I've done four interviews and met dozens of different people employed by Illinois State. Not one of them has had anything less than sensational words to say about Sheahon Zenger.

My first stop took me to the athletic department to meet Mike Williams, the SID for football, who acted as my tour guide today. Poor guy.

He's been great, driving me here and there and taking me to all of my interviews. Mike was born and raised in Normal and seems, no surprise, to be a pretty normal guy. I'm not sure if this is just the way people are here or if this is an indication of the culture that Zenger helped create but Mike has gone out of his way to make my stay pleasant.

So, too, have all the people I've met, which, so far, includes ISU football coach Brock Spack, who was hired by Zenger, ISU president Al Bowman, ISU vice president of student affairs, Steve Adams, and women's basketball coach Stephanie Glance, who started last April and also was hired by Zenger.

All four had incredible things to say about Zenger and what he's done in this town. They talk about his integrity, his geuineness and his generosity. They talk about his passion for ISU athletics, for the student-athletes themselves and how important it was for him to be accepted by this quaint little community.

This afternoon I'll meet a couple of donors and ISU's associate AD for external affairs and I'll also get a chance to hit the town and tour a few of Zenger's hot spots.

I'll have much more then, so check back soon. So far, though, I can tell you that all of that positivity and good will that surrounded Zenger's hiring was not a facade. The people here love him and they're certain that Jayhawk fans will, too.

Check back in a bit...

Original Post, 6 a.m.

by Matt Tait

Good morning and welcome to Normal, Illinois.

For the next three days, I’ll be based here, learning the ins and outs of the city that is home to Illinois State University, from where Kansas University recently plucked its newest athletic director, Sheahon Zenger.

by Matt Tait

Zenger won’t officially join the Jayhawks until Feb. 1 but we’re not going to wait that long. For the next few days, I’ll talk to the people Zenger worked with, the people who worked for him and the people around town who knew him best. All in an attempt to find out just who the new guy in charge of Kansas Athletics really is.

by Matt Tait

Thanks to Redbirds sports information director, Todd Kober, I’ve got an awesome lineup of interviews for the next couple of days. I’ll talk with ISU coaches, I’ll talk with alums and donors and I’ll talk with senior administrators who worked side-by-side with Zenger for the past six years.

It’s my hope that things won’t stop there. I plan to check out restaurants, barber shops, insurance offices and grocery stores. So far, we’ve heard nothing but great things about Dr. Zenger and I’m looking forward to hearing more.

by Matt Tait

Check back often in the next few days as I plan to update this blog throughout each day, while stockpiling the really good stuff for a complete print and online package upon my return to Lawrence.

I’m heading up to campus in about an hour. For now, here are a few facts I dug up about the city that, upon driving into it, reminded me a lot of a smaller-scale Topeka. We’ll start there, and, as we peel back the layers, I’m sure I’ll discover a lot more. Enjoy!

-- FACTS ABOUT NORMAL, ILLINOIS (courtesy of www.normal.org) --

• Population: 52,750

• Number of parks: 17

• Number of golf courses: 1

• Number of libraries: 1 (books in library, 187,660)

by Matt Tait

• Normal was home to the first Steak ‘n Shake Restaurant in the world. It was located at Main and Virginia streets, south of Illinois State University.

• ISU educated, among others, actors John Malkovich, Gary Cole ("The Brady Bunch movie"), Sean Hayes (”Will and Grace”) and actresses Laurie Metcalf (”Roseanne”), Judith Ivey (”The Five Mrs. Buchanans”, “Designing Women”).

• Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America, Inc., is one of the most technologically advanced automotive manufacturing facilities in the world and has a production capacity of 240,000 vehicles annually. It is designed to accommodate several different models intermixed on one assembly line.

• Stand on the top floor of ISU's Watterson Towers and you are at the highest point in Illinois between Chicago and St. Louis.

• Although not widely known, ISU was founded 10 years before the University of Illinois and is the oldest public university in Illinois.

• Illinois State used to field teams nicknamed the Cardinals, but a Pantagraph newspaper sports editor changed the nickname to Redbirds so collegiate teams would not be confused in headlines with the St. Louis Cardinals.

by Matt Tait

• The farmland around Bloomington-Normal ranks among the top three areas in all the world for corn and soybean production. Ironically, the Twin Cities have seven streets named after fruits (Cherry, Apple, Bayberry, etc.) but none after vegetables.

With Bowl Season 2010 officially under way, it’s time for a quick look at those KU opponents who will be playing in the postseason.

In all, eight teams responsible for making the Jayhawks 3-9 last season will play in a bowl game during the next few weeks, including two of the four non-conference opponents and six Big 12 foes. (Oklahoma and Texas Tech also qualified for bowl games, but KU did not play either team in 2010).

Southern Miss (8-4) will kick things off at 7 tonight when they play Louisville (6-6) in the St. Petersburg Bowl.

Southern Miss is a 2.5-point favorite in Vegas in this one, but several people seem to be picking the Cardinals, who have a deep and talented senior class that is eager to let loose in its first bowl game.

Even though Southern Miss handled KU pretty easily, I wasn’t that impressed. I’m leaning toward picking The Ville in this one, as well.

I said before the season began that the Southern Miss game was the most important on KU’s schedule in 2010. Though my reasoning (a win at USM would’ve given KU three non-con wins and made the prospects of winning three games in the Big 12 a little more realistic) seemed to be sound, it probably wouldn’t have made that much difference in the long run. At most, KU could have won four or five games had they beaten USM. Reaching a bowl in 2010 was probably pretty unrealistic from the jump.

Having said that, there aren’t that many teams out there who faced a schedule packed with nine teams that reached a bowl game, so, in some small way, that helps lessen the blow of KU’s 3-9 season.

Here’s a quick look at the rest of the bowl games that feature KU’s 2010 opponents:

• Dec. 27, Independence Bowl, Air Force (8-4) vs. Georgia Tech (6-6): The loss to KU in Week 2 almost cost the Yellow Jackets a chance at bowl eligibility. However, Paul Johnson and Co. were able to get things turned around and find themselves taking on a tough Air Force team in Shreveport, La. My pick: Air Force.

• Dec. 28, Insight Bowl, Missouri (10-2) vs. Iowa (7-5): I really liked Iowa all season and, when the bowls were announced, this was one of my favorite matchups. However, now that several key Hawkeyes have been hit with legal trouble, I don’t think this will be much of a game. Missouri QB Blaine Gabbert rides high in his MU swan song. My pick: Mizzou.

• Dec. 29, Texas Bowl, Illinois (6-6) vs. Baylor (7-5): The Bears were the story of the conference through four weeks of play. But a tougher schedule and declining play cost them late. Still, Art Briles got the Bears to their first bowl in years and I think the feel-good season ends on a positive note. My pick: Baylor.

• Dec. 29, Alamo Bowl, Oklahoma State (10-2) vs. Arizona (7-5): This is another great match-up, despite what the records say, but I think Brandon Weeden and Justin Blackmon will be far too much for the Wildcats to handle. ’Zona plays tough defense and has a ton of energy offensively. But I’m not sure they’re ready for this kind of a shootout. My pick: Oklahoma State.

• Dec. 30, Pinstripe Bowl, Kansas State (7-5) vs. Syracuse (7-5): It’s basically a home game for the ’Cuse but I really don’t think that will matter. K-State played in the better conference and has better talent, including the best player in the game in running back Daniel Thomas. The KSU fans will be outnumbered 3-1 in the stands, but the Orange will probably be outnumbered by that same margin on the scoreboard. My pick: K-State.

• Dec. 30, Holiday Bowl, Nebraska (10-3) vs. Washington (6-6): Yaaawwwnn. We already saw this game once this year and the Huskers rolled. It’ll be closer this time, but not much. My pick: Nebraska.

• Jan. 7, Cotton Bowl, LSU (10-2) vs. Texas A&M (9-3): The Aggies were awful until they finally got things rolling. I’m afraid the season is going to end the way it started for Mike Sherman’s club. LSU was strong all year and should be able to out-physical A&M in this one. It’s another great match-up, though, and playing in Texas certainly won’t hurt A&M’s chances. My pick: LSU.

Real quick, here’s one final note of interest for those looking ahead to 2011: Nine teams on KU’s 2011 schedule are playing in bowl games this season. The only teams that aren’t? McNeese State, Iowa State and Texas.

Happy Holidays, everyone. Enjoy the bowls!

Kansas head coach Turner Gill watches his players warm up at the start of practice Wednesday. by Nick Krug

With job openings at attractive football schools such as Miami, Florida and Pitt, every program in America has to take a look at its coach and wonder if he might be interested in bolted or persuaded to leave his current situation if given the chance.

Consider Kansas University to be among the few schools that don’t have much to worry about.

With KU coach Turner Gill just one year into his time at Kansas, it’s highly unlikely that the former Nebraska quarterback who led a remarkable turnaround at Buffalo before coming to Lawrence would be interested in leaving anytime soon. Gill’s under contract for four more years and he’s talked openly and often about his desire to turn KU into a consistent winner, even uttering the words “winning dynasty” on more than a couple of occasions.

Still, the football coaching community is an odd one and deals between friends and past relationships often weigh heavily into deciding all of this stuff.

While Gill isn’t a serious candidate at Miami or Florida, he might be at Pitt, where former Nebraska AD Steve Pederson is currently in charge. Bob Pompeani, of KDKA in Pittsburgh, is reporting that Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin and Gill are at the top of Pederson’s wish list in finding a replacement for Dave Wannstedt, who resigned earlier this week.

In fact, Pompeani’s report indicated that Pederson pushed hard for Wannstedt to hire Gill as his offensive coordinator when Gill was still at Buffalo.

Having been through a coaching search recently, those of us around here know how these things go. The hiring is preceded by a ton of rumors and speculation that make for interesting conversation but have very little merit.

That may be all this is, but a couple of different message board threads on PantherDigest.com have popped up about Gill being a good fit for Pitt.

Something to keep in mind is that with the rising pressure for schools to interview minority candidates for coaching positions, Gill’s name might get thrown around a lot over the next few years. That doesn’t mean he’s leaving and it doesn’t mean he’ll even listen.

One other thing you have to keep in mind here is that whoever fills the jobs at Florida, Miami, Pitt and elsewhere, likely will be leaving other openings behind. Nebraska’s Bo Pelini has been linked to a couple of these jobs and, although he’s probably not going to take them, you all know what kind of wild scene Pelini leaving Nebraska would create around here.

Anyway, with all that said, I don’t think there’s any chance that Gill leaves Kansas any time soon.

Here’s a quick list of reasons why.

1. There are bigger fish in the sea. Despite the turnaround at Buffalo and Gill’s excellent reputation as a player and person of great character, he’s simply not a big enough name (yet?) to get ADs and fan bases at those schools fired up.

2. Why start over again? 2010 was rough, and there’s no way that Gill — or anyone else, for that matter — would want to go through it again. First years can be incredibly difficult no matter who the coach or what the school. Now, moving on to Florida or “The U” or even Pitt would probably make for a smoother transition than Gill experienced in Year 1 at Kansas. But there are no guarantees in that department and I can’t see it being worth the gamble.

3. Loyalty. Gill pledged to do a job here at Kansas. He has a plan. He stuck to that plan throughout an entire season and remained committed to it, even when the easy answer would’ve been to deviate a little in order to have a better chance at success right away. Because of his belief in his plan, in addition to all of the work he’s done in recruiting and developing relationships with his players and the community, I just can’t see Gill giving all that up. He loves his coaching staff. He loves his players. He’s got more on the way. He believes in what he’s doing here and doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would be OK with not seeing that through.

4. Family. Don’t forget about the role family plays in all of this. One of the things that made Gill most excited about landing the job at Kansas was the chance to be closer to his oldest daughter, Jordan, a student at KU. In addition, Gill already relocated his wife and youngest daughter from Buffalo to Lawrence. I can’t imagine he’d put them through that again.

5. Money. Gill’s making $2 million a year at KU. I can’t imagine he’d make more than that anywhere else nor does money seem to be the driving force behind why Gill is in the coaching business to begin with.

Kansas players gather after warm ups before kicking off against Nebraska, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. by Nick Krug

Now that a few days have gone by and the 2010 season is behind us, it’s time to look back at the season that was for Kansas football.

This season wasn’t memorable enough to merit weeks upon weeks of these sort of retrospective pieces, but the job would not be complete without them.

So read it if you like, skim it if you’d rather or sound off below with your own grades in any or all of the categories.

Once we get past this stuff, we’ll start looking ahead to 2011, which has to be better than 2010.

Doesn’t it?

KU's James Sims (29) tries working his way through Missouri defenders. Kansas and Missouri met at Arrowhead Stadium Saturday for the 119th game in the rivalry series. by Richard Gwin

OFFENSE: C-

Quarterback — D — This team never truly had a starter as three different guys held down the job during the course of the season. None of them separated from the rest and that made life hard for the offense all season long. Kale Pick never got a real chance to show what he could do. Jordan Webb had his moments but they were too few and far between and Quinn Mecham, the best of the bunch in my opinion, was too often asked to manage games instead of winning them.

Running Back — B — Freshman running back James Sims was one of the true bright spots for the Jayhawks this fall. He ran for 742 yards and nine TDs and often was the team’s best player on offense. He alone is responsible for the running back position getting the best grade on the team this season.

Wide Receivers — C — There’s a lot of talent here but because of KU’s struggles at quarterback (and in protecting the quarterback) the receivers were never given the chance to shine. Daymond Patterson was the most consistent of the bunch, Johnathan Wilson made a couple of plays and Erick McGriff and Chris Omigie came on late. But none of them did enough to earn higher than a C.

Offensive Line — C- — Injuries hurt this unit was much as any and that made for a tough season in the trenches. So, too, did the switch from a spread offense, which put these guys in pass-block situations most of the time, to a running offense, which wanted to grind it out. Duane Zlatnik was a pleasant surprise, Jeremiah Hatch has to be commended for playing hurt and Tanner Hawkinson, Brad Thorson and Sal Capra each gave it his all throughout the season. It just never consistently clicked up front.

Tight End — C+ — Tim Biere was poised for a breakout year and, with a more stable situation at quarterback, he may have had it. Still, the junior led the team in touchdown receptions, with four, and often ran good enough routes to get open, whether he was rewarded or not.

Kansas defenders Justin Springer (45) and Jake Laptad (91) look to wrap up Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (22) during the fourth quarter, Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. by Nick Krug

DEFENSE: C+

Defensive Line — C- — Halfway through the season, this probably would’ve been an F. But that was before Toben Opurum was moved to defensive end and Jake Laptad came on strong. Both defensive ends finished with fire and Opurum looks like a real player at the DE spot. With their improved play came more consistent play from defensive tackles Patrick Dorsey and Richard Johnson Jr. This was still one of the weakest defensive lines in the conference but their improvement and persistence earned them a passing grade.

Linebacker — B- — Steven Johnson, Justin Springer and Drew Dudley. When the season began the big question was whether these guys could stay healthy all year. They did and, because of it, they played nearly every snap at linebacker for the Jayhawks in 2010. That alone earns them a B. The fact that all three made plays and poured their heart and soul into every game only solidifies their strong grade.

Cornerback — C- — Tyler Patmon’s a star in the making. Greg Brown was starting to become a player in the final few weeks of the season. And Isiah Barfield showed improvement and strong tackling late in the season. Beyond that, KU didn’t have much to brag about at cornerback, especially once Chris Harris moved over to safety. Calvin Rubles and Anthony Davis both had a couple of good moments, but nothing consistent nor worth noting.

Safety — C — Olaitan Oguntodu was solid against the run. Keeston Terry was a stud when he was in there. And Chris Harris finally looked as if he had found a home again. Add to that the impressive play of Bradley McDougald late and you’d have to say that this unit was at least average in 2010. They have to get better against the pass but they were good against the run and they should get some help in the offseason when Gill’s first full recruiting class arrives on campus.

Kansas receiver D.J. Beshears escapes a tackle by Colorado cornerback Derrick Webb during the fourth quarter, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010 at Kivisto Field. by Nick Krug

SPECIAL TEAMS: D

Punt Unit — D- — The Jayhawks had three punts blocked and too often went to that rugby style of punting, turning all-conference weapon Alonso Rojas into a player without much confidence.

Kickoff Unit — B — Both Ron Doherty and Jacob Branstetter did a pretty good job of getting the ball deep this season and the coverage unit rarely was burned for a big return.

Field Goal Unit — C- — Branstetter was 8-of-14 this season, including a 6-for-6 mark inside of 40 yards. The total included two blocked field goals and one miss from 52 yards. The senior wasn’t as good this season as he had been in the past but he also didn’t get as many opportunities. In addition, during a four-game stretch in the middle of the season, Branstetter hit 6 of 7 field goals and, at times, was KU’s best offensive weapon.

Kickoff Return — B- — Sophomore D.J. Beshears always seemed to be just a step or two away from taking it the distance. That kind of explosiveness was a big boost for an offense that struggled to consistently move the ball. Beshears set a school record for kickoff return yars (922 yards on 36 returns) and also took one kick to the house, a 96-yarder against New Mexico State in Week 4.

Punt Return — F — There had to be one F and this easily was it. For the season, KU finished with just 57 punt return yards, that’s less than five yards per game. And that’s not good. What’s more, most of the time it didn’t even seem as if the Jayhawks had a chance to gain more yards than that. Of course, their opponents didn’t really punt all that much either (just 48 times all year, compared to 67 punts for KU).

So the Miami Hurricanes go 7-5 during 2010 but fire head coach Randy Shannon and are now rumored to be considering former NFL coach Jon Gruden as Shannon’s replacement.

Big deal, right?

It could be. Hear me out.

Though the specifics of such moves might not have any direct ties to Kansas University, the fallout from all of it could. Here’s why. Remember KU assistant coach Robert Wimberly? Sure you do. He came to KU with Turner Gill, he’s in charge of the safeties and he’s from the Miami area. Because of Wimberly’s ties to South Florida, KU has been in on and gotten a couple of players from that area already. Could more be on the way?

It’s definitely possible. Any time a coach is fired, the question about what will happen to the guys who have committed to play for him always pops up. I’d expect it will again here and I’d expect that Miami’s commitments will be highly desired by programs across the country.

Coming to Kansas might not be the first thing on the minds of these players, but, given time, Wimberly and Gill could change that.

Here’s a look at Miami’s current list from the Class of 2011. The ‘Canes only have seven oral commitments so far, which could have been part of Shannon’s problem.

Having said that, KU might not have a need for all of them, but you can bet the coaches are at least taking a look, especially now that the season is over and all they have on their plates is recruiting.

• Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Miami, 6-3, 185, 4 stars
• Anthony Chickillo, DE, Tampa, 6-3, 226, 4 stars (Had an offer from KU)
• Jeremy Davis, DB, New Berlin, NY, 6-4, 189, 3 stars
• Phillip Dorsett, WR, Fort Lauderdale, 5-10, 170, 4 stars
• Marcus Jackson, OL, Vero Beach, Fla., 6-2, 315, 3 stars
• Albert Louis-Jean, DB, Brockton, Mass., 6-1, 172, 4 stars
• Nick Menocal, LB, Miami, 6-3, 235, 3 stars

Stay tuned.

by Matt Tait

His name is Alex Smith. There’s nothing catchy about it; nothing that lends itself to a good chant or even a snazzy catch phrase or slogan.

Smith. One of the most common surnames in the English language.

And, in a lot of ways, that’s exactly how he prefers it.

See, this Alex Smith — and by my rough estimate there are about 89,341 people (guys and gals) out there with this same name — is nothing like former Notre Dame football walk-on, Daniel Ruettiger, who found glory, first by working his way onto the field during a real game with the Fighting Irish, and then again when Hollywood got ahold of his story and made the film, “Rudy.”

Smith’s seen the flick. He even admits to liking it. But he doesn’t want people to think that his story is anything like the movie. Good thing, too. Because it’s not.

For four years, Alex, an offensive lineman, suited up every day, worked his butt off at practice without saying much and then disappeared into his surroundings. He had a helmet. He had a locker. He had a jersey with a number on it — No. 62 — and he enjoyed all the perks of being a part of the Kansas University football team.

All the perks, that is, except for playing time. But that wasn’t a problem for Alex. It’s what he expected. It’s what he signed up for. It was the deal he worked out with former KU coach Mark Mangino, who found a soft spot in his heart for Alex because the young man from Basehor, Kan., was willing to work so hard and take such a beating from the first-stringers without asking for anything in return.

“I knew where I stood,” Alex said, matter-of-factly during a recent interview. “And I was OK with it. I just wanted to be a part of the program. I just wanted to keep playing football because I loved the game so much.”

Out of high school, Smith had offers to go elsewhere. Smaller colleges and junior college programs throughout the country had invited him to join their teams on scholarship. But the two-time all-league defensive lineman was not interested in going somewhere small or far away from home. He loved Kansas. He wanted to be a Jayhawk and he wanted a chance to compete.

At 5-foot-11, 266 pounds, Alex’s chances of playing any real minutes on a Div. I college football team — in the Big 12, no less — were slim. But again, Alex wasn’t looking for playing time, fame or fortune. To him, just being allowed to suit up every day and be a part of a team was fortune enough.

As the years went by, Alex found himself able to survive. After playing both offense and defense for Steve Hopkins and the Basehor-Linwood Bobcats in high school, Alex began to focus full-time on the offensive line in college.

He red-shirted as a freshman in 2006, spending his time lifting weights, learning the playbook and making the insanely difficult leap from Class 4A Kansas High School football to big-time college ball.

In 2007, (the year the Jayhawks won the Orange Bowl) Alex played sparingly as a back-up offensive lineman. But, right away, he showed that the hard work and extra attention had paid off. During the opening week of the season, which culminated with a 52-7 rout of a formidable Central Michigan team, Alex was named the scout team offensive player of the week.

“Being on the scout team helped me a lot,” Alex said. “I got regular reps, I had to learn new offenses and new schemes each week and it gave me a chance to try to hold my own against our defense.”

In 2008, as a sophomore, he once again was listed as a backup, and, last season, as a junior, he played a few snaps against Northern Colorado in the season opener.

During Alex’s time with the Jayhawks, KU’s overall record is 34-26. That includes two bowl victories, one dramatic win over Missouri (2008) and dozens of memorable moments.

There will be no bowl this year for Alex, who will play the final home game of his career at 11 a.m. Saturday against Oklahoma State. But that really isn’t a problem.

After all, Alex’s real reward came several months ago, before the season ever started. It was then, on that day in mid-August, that he learned from new KU coach Turner Gill that his final season with the Jayhawks would be paid for. Smith had earned a scholarship.

When Gill announced the news to the media, he told a tale of nearly 100 Jayhawks — Alex’s teammates — hooting and hollering when they heard the news.

Clearly, the guy had earned some respect. And to think, he didn’t even have to record an improbable sack or be carried off the field on his teammates’ shoulders to get it.

Alex’s senior season at Kansas has been his most productive. He’s played in seven of the Jayhawks’ 10 games, including last week at Nebraska and during mid-October in his final Sunflower Showdown. Some days he’s played on the offensive line, where he currently sits as the second-string center behind Jeremiah Hatch. Other days his playing time has been limited to special teams, where he lines up as the left wing on KU’s punt team.

“He has great tenacity and he’s very passionate about the game,” said Gill of Alex, when asked to talk briefly about all 20 KU seniors during his weekly “Hawk Talk” radio show Thursday night. “He’s a great guy to have on our team.”

Just being out there, being part of the team, has made all the bumps and bruises, wins and losses worth it for Alex, who said he’d never forget the opportunity he was given at KU.

As for that whole “Rudy” thing.... Well, Alex admitted that any walk-on in the country is going to have a small dose of “Rudy” in them. After all, none of these gridiron ghosts would reach the heights they did without a few similarities.

“(There are) probably some,” Alex said. “Just as far as trying to stay determined and knowing that even though I may not be a starter, I can still help the team. I played on the scout team for three years and just try to play really hard every day to get my shot.”

But it’s not the fame, the glory, the stats or the successes that make Alex’s story special.

Nope. It’s just the fact that the smalltown kid from 30 miles away came to KU to live out a dream and walked away having done so much more than that.

Win or lose, the outcome of these next two games — nor KU’s final record this year — won’t take anything away from Alex’s time at Kansas.

He never was the best player on the team. He never was the best player at his position. But, many will tell you that, day-in and day-out, there wasn’t a guy who worked harder or cared more.

According to Jerry Palm of CBSsports.com, the 2013 season will be another rough one for the Kansas University football team.

It's not that Palm projected the Jayhawks to win just one or two games — he may, but that's not what's in the news today — but rather that Palm projected that 9 of the 12 teams on KU's schedule for the upcoming season will qualify for bowl games when everything is said and done.

That projection includes two of the three non-conference opponents KU will face this season, as Palm has Rice (Sept. 14) slated to play in the Hawaii Bowl and Louisiana Tech (Sept. 21) slotted into the New Orleans Bowl.

The only members of KU's schedule not picked by Palm for the postseason are South Dakota (Sept. 7), Texas Tech (Oct. 5) and West Virginia (Nov. 16).

Both Tech and WVU made bowl appearances in 2012, when 11 of the 12 teams KU faced wound up in bowl games.

Such is life in the Big 12 Conference, where powerhouse programs like Texas, Oklahoma and, lately, Oklahoma State, Kansas State and Baylor, pop up on the schedule week in and week out. There are no down weeks in conference play, particularly for a team like KU, which is still in the middle of a rebuilding project, and that fact makes the road to respectability even tougher to travel for KU coach Charlie Weis and company.

I guess, in a way, the 2013 schedule might actually set up better for KU than last year's slate. Time will tell. But the good news — if you're looking for it — is that KU will face two of Palm's three projected non-bowl opponents during the first four games of the season.

It's been said before, and even proven to be true around here, but getting off to a good start drastically can change the way a season unfolds.

The fun begins in less than four months.