Group of KU seniors to accompany Les Miles to Big 12 Media Days

Blue team running back Khalil Herbert runs in a touchdown during Late Night Under the Lights on Saturday, April, 13, 2019 at Memorial Stadium.

While Les Miles will attract most of the cameras, questions and attention during his first trip to Big 12 Media Days as the head coach at the University of Kansas, The Mad Hatter will have some veterans alongside him for the ride next week in Arlington, Texas.

KU announced Monday that four seniors — left tackle Hakeem Adeniji, running back Khalil Herbert and safeties Mike Lee and Bryce Torneden — will accompany the program’s new head coach to AT&T Stadium for a day full of radio and television interviews, photo shoots, promotional videos and endless conversations about what the Jayhawks might look like under Miles’ guidance.

Among the group of featured returning starters, both Adeniji and Herbert have represented KU at the media event previously, while Lee and Torneden are first-time attendees.

Entering his fourth season in the program, Adeniji, a 6-foot-5 offensive lineman from Garland, Texas, has never missed a game for KU and has started up front since his debut, in Week 1 of the 2016 season.

Herbert, a 5-9, 205-pound running back from Coral Springs, Fla., was KU’s second-leading rusher as a junior, finishing with 499 yards and five touchdowns in 2018.

KU’s hard-hitting safety from New Orleans, the 5-11, 181-pound Lee finished fourth on the roster in total tackles, with 68, this past season. Lee also recorded three forced fumbles, one interception, one fumble recovery and one quarterback hurry.

Torneden, a Lawrence native and graduate of Free State High, finished the 2018 season as KU’s No. 2 tackler, with 91 total stops. Torneden also contributed 5.5 tackles for loss, a pair of sacks, two fumble recoveries, two QB hurries and an interception.

The four players and Miles will join representatives from TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Oklahoma inside the Dallas Cowboys’ stadium on Monday at Big 12 Media Days.

Day 2 of the event will feature Iowa State, West Virginia, Baylor, Kansas State and Texas.

Meacham lands in XFL

Previously the offensive coordinator for former KU head coach David Beaty, Doug Meacham’s next football job will come in the professional ranks.

The XFL franchise in St. Louis, Mo., announced Monday that Meacham will be the O.C. on head coach Jon Hayes’ staff.

Beaty fired Meacham midway through the 2018 season, which proved to be Beaty’s final year at KU.

The new XFL is set to debut in February of 2020.

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