photo by: Richard Gwin

KU football recruits head into the weight room Friday morning at the Anderson Sports Complex as KU football practice starts early in the morning as the players go through a rigorous session for conditioning.

Kansas head football coach David Beaty’s desire to increase his team’s tempo seems to be taking root. Spring practices picked up the pace, and after I spent 45 minutes watching the Jayhawks work with weights Friday, the thing that stood out most was how swiftly it all happened with no standing around and waiting.

“You have to match what you’re trying to do on the field,” KU’s strength and conditioning coach Je’Ney Jackson said. “You have to match the head coach’s philosophy with the way you train. So now they don’t know any other way but to do anything at a high rate. No one should ever be idle. Once you get done with one exercise, usually you’re going to another exercise. So we’re constantly moving, constantly moving.”

Red-shirt sophomore defensive tackle Daniel Wise, the team’s reigning Workout Warrior of the Week, makes sure all the new faces know there is only one speed during workouts and that speed is pedal to the metal.

“We have to change the momentum around on the team, pick up the pace,” Wise said. “Some new guys coming in may not know what to expect and you have to let them know from Day 1.”

As team speed increases through recruiting, the fast-pace at which Beaty wants to play will result in more big plays. For now, fast or slow, the players’ job is to do everything as fast as they can.

“Yes, sir, that’s how it is,” Wise said. “That’s how it’s going to be on the field too in the Big 12. Tempo, tempo, tempo. So we have to practice tempo, tempo, tempo. As soon as coach Jackson came in he instilled that tempo. As soon as coach Beaty came in he instilled that tempo. Tempo walking around in the meeting room. Tempo in the weight room. Tempo on the field. Tempo all the time.”

The pace is picking up.

There, I said something nice about Kansas football. Your turn.