Lance Leipold breaks down the KU depth chart, provides team updates

to practice at Arrowhead over the weekend just what was that like yeah it was I think you it was really good for us to get over there um I our guys were even more excited about it um you know just busing and hour want to go practice is is you know something unique and different but we were able to work All Phases of the kicking game there try to try to get a feel for it um you know it was good and productive day so makes it even more exciting to to get there on the depth chart you have Bryce listed as a starting center I was just wondering what went into that decision what impressed you about him you know both both he and Shane you know Shane and I thought Shane and Daryl Simmons up front were too you know vastly um vastly improved I think I said that before of where they were in the spring their bodies strength all that stuff but uh again uh you know Bryce kept coming on and uh you know has good command of what we're doing offensively and and right now that's a decision I can I I can see Shane getting reps and and and doing things as we as we play in the game whether it be Bryce taking some time at at guard or or just rotating there it's not a position you you rotate a ton but um I think we have uh you know answered the question of of having a couple guys that can play there and play winning football for us and hopefully that affords us the opportunity to leave Michael Ford at at gar where where it's is a natural position you also had two true freshman DJ and Jaylen the de charts well he what do they do he in that from you guys well again they've practic extremely well their consistency you know um DJ will will definitely help us in in in speed and pass rush situations he you know you know we continue to work you know he knows he has to continue to get stronger and and bigger um but uh um he's worked extremely hard he's extremely coachable and really cares and so does Jaylen you can tell that the game's important to him and when it is uh you know the extra time that it takes in there and I think we talked about jayen Totten here already from you know from the time he got here in January to what he is now and uh he's put himself in a in a position to both those guys to contribute and play and they'll be on special teams as well Lance last year a few times you talked about Jason bean and how you root for a guy like that a little bit more in that same context I wonder what kind of goes into that with Jaylen Daniels and just kind of his position and he's back now and all of that you know I and you guys talked to Jaylen yesterday I I actually brought him in before and said how much of this you want to do okay and you know and what days you want to do it and and and then when do you want to shut it down because uh I know it can be a lot for him we were talking but and as we wrapped up our conversation I just told him how how proud of of him I was and how happy I was that he's that that he's in this position again and to see him happy and how hard he's worked to get back and I'm excited to see him Thursday night just like our fans and everyone else is because uh you know like I said with Jason he deserves it and you know we know what kind of guy he is and and uh you know so um yeah it's I'm I'm really happy for him you know it's yeah he can be selfishly happy and and it's better for the team and all that but this is one that uh probably U you know means more in a lot of different ways that he has a chance to come out because as we know we people uh people get caught up in speculation and rumors and and to see see the young man stay who he is and true and work hard and persevere after everything it's it's you know I know I'm going to feel really good watching him take that first snap I also want to ask you a couple of your guys who were in here yesterday talked about sort of you know the tone setting that happens this week and and on Thursday night being maybe different than in the past when you first got here I think it was Lawrence who told me you know hey when you first got here it was fourth quarter we want to be in the game and and it's a totally different mindset now um are you happy about that obviously I I mean they understand expectations but I think this group in guys like La they understand that you got to go out and play yet and that's the thing and um you watch some of these games over the weekend you know there weren't a lot of them but you know there's there's some strange stuff that have happened in them all and there's things about discipline and composure and not beating yourself and all those things that you got to make sure and but um yeah it's a different mindset because of so many guys went through that game that we had to fight through to to get and you know even as we've had Scouts come through and do things and and they talk about how our team looks different you know I told everyone that um you know we might have been 2 and 10 that first year but we might have been 0 and 12 on the on the eyeball test in pregame warm-ups you know and that included South Dakota we look different we move different we play differently and and that's what our process should be about and and we have to make sure we continue in that realm of no matter who we're playing what level they come from where it's at it's still going to be about us and execution and being fluid and and being sharp and playing discipline and doing all those those things if we're going to have chance at all and and it starts Thursday especially with it being a Thursday game how do you think the guys have adapted to switching from the camp mindset into the game week well you know when you're in Camp you don't even know what day of the week it is 90% of the time so I I could tell when we're playing Tuesday and probably wouldn't matter um you know it's it's hard to you know in our daily lives to to kind of go in that mode and then you come in here and we're practicing in four day segments and days off it really kind of throws off your routine um you know I've been a big proponent and you know and administratively we we we've worked together to try to create these early weekday games for different reasons you can report a little earlier sometimes you're not such you know we haven't taken advantage of both days for various reasons but um you know then you have a little time in between the first one and the second one and and different things like that so I I'm I'm big on it when it when it can play play out like this and um you know uh and then partially really what you do is you once you find out your first game you build your calendar back backwards and so once you get into that of what your day one prep is for for game one day two they've adapted really well now school starts today now you know we'll we'll see tomorrow is going to be really important on how we come into the day after you know sometimes you know especially when you're an afternoon practice team it's usually your toughest practices is is those first couple days of school it's just a different set of of things going on and hopefully we we have enough experience and maturity to to go about our business in the right way and then get ourselves uh you know ready for the walkth through and go on Thursday night and then I understand that you and the lywood coach go back a while to when you were D2 just what do you know about him he was at augg some places and KN had great great respect for him and and what he's doing I think what he's going to do is is transition a team from division 2 to FCS and go through it is it would be something that is pretty fun and challenging and uh you know we've been able to go to their camp in there in St Louis um and uh you know we travel the country as you guys known to a decent amount of camps and um they run as well of organized camp in a confined area as anybody in the country and and if and if that's a direction and I know it is from the head coach down you know that's the way the program is going to be run and he's going to continue to build it and when we in fact it was at that camp you know I floated the idea of getting some games he definitely was interested um and uh I appreciate him have a great respect for what he does there's a new rule where you guys can have the the tablets on the sideline I know you guys got to do some of that in the bow game are you able to do much of that during camp and how do you feel like that bowl experience can help you guys hit the ground running we had it during camp but you know you're you know sometimes way it's set up you're you're set up you're going against each other so the way it was it um but the bow game was definitely a big plus for those that um were we're there for it um especially in our our analyst room has changed quite a bit but um it'll definitely be a benefit um a benefit to everyone and uh both sides of the ball so um yeah looking forward to that and then of course coach to player communication and a couple other things we'll be changing is continue changing college football and I think those will be for the better and you've got Cornell wheeler as the starter at Mike just how do you feel like he stepped into being the the guy at that position yeah I think he's done an excellent job I'm really proud of Corell you know it's been kind of an up and down kind of a road for him and and and how it's gone healthwise sometimes but you know um I know probably when he transferred here you know through through the guys that he knew mainly rich and stuff I'm sure he had probably aspirations that some of this would have triggered for him a little sooner um but again Cornell's never been in my office with a you know a questioning why he's not playing more what What's happen to anything of that nature or doubt that he should be a Jayhawk in that and and to see him you know step into this role now be voted as a captain by his teammates I I think really says about a lot about him and you know probably before it but if remember like the interception he had at Texas last year he made a big time play and it was just starting to show some of the things and in plays like that I think really started to propel his confidence and and see it um you know I was you know very comfortable in the fact that where Cornell would be um for us in there like I say he and JB Brown the steps they've taken um I'd like to think you know they got to go out and do it on game day but our linebackers are playing I think different um than than maybe we have in the past few years I notic Calin was on the two deep and I know he's still recovering kind of from that injury what are you hoping to see out of him yeah you know he you know through the rehab and everything it just slow him down you know he's right on The Fringe of it you know um this time I made a tried to make a little decision on on on this to uh not list 75 guys I might do it to you guys next week but this want I just you know you but he's right on the cusp and he's there and we feel our training staff feels I think Daryl feels and Jeff that uh you know by by the minimum by the end of not non-conference games if not sooner he's going to you know he's going to be right in that mix with some guys and and that's really a credit to the guys that have practiced and you know and the time that he missed and and and things you know he's just playing a little catchup and he's also getting that confidence back as well as movements and stuff but he's definitely shown the sign and there's no doubt that we're we're excited about what K's going to give our program yet one guy stood out on the dep chart Tab out it's good notice there you know he won he won it and you know it's kind of one of those things you know taber's personality a little reserved and and all that you know and partway through the spring all of a sudden you start noticing you dang you know he's pretty consistent and kind of start looking at some stuff and and we got into camp and it was about two cycles through and he started to show it and we kind of still left the competition there um you know Charlie and Owen were solid but uh when you really looked at it the most consistent and and from distances was tab Allen and and again you know we've we haven't done that because tab's handling those kickoff duties and someone else there but it's you know um one time I asked him I go do you want both jobs and he's like of course I do and stuff so excited about that and uh you know I feel I I feel good um you know as good as probably we've been as far as experience and guys that I feel depthwise at that position as well so I don't want it to be a you miss a kick and you get yanked and stuff like that but it's going to be a matter of continued um consistency um throughout that because I think that group is talented enough and another name that caught my attention there Jason Gillian looks like he had good camp and won that spot yeah I mean you know we're going through some things with you know and for Jason to be there because you know the move was made to get a little bit more of a a safety body you know when he made the move there and a guy that's played out in space and and done those things um you know I feel what what that does with um um as I'm looking here with uh Taiwan it gives him a chance to be a you know he can play so many different spots there we it gives us a little more mixing and matching and and uh depending on what we're playing against a personel groupings Alex re was slowed with an ankle in Spring this is the healthiest Jason has been I mean that's another guy you know we talked a lot about jayen of course uh you know Jason's battled battled uh you know some injuries that that that is really where a lot of people might not have not even wanted to come back and uh you know and well respected in the locker room a great young man on and off the field and really happy for him I guess just on the field what have you seen from Lyon wood in the film yeah you never you know again they got an outstanding wide receiver you know they got a lot of returners through this through this transition the thing is that you never know what you don't you know those programs don't get as covered by as many of you and you just don't know all the additional pieces that might be there and and how they fit and how they elevate their game you know so that's going to be I will say this in games just like the last couple years is we got to focus on us and because obviously we you know the first game you don't know what other tweaks and other things they do um offensively or defensively get a feel early in the game for how they're going to try to attack us and defend us and make sure that uh we don't give up anything big and and we U you make sure we we take care of the ball and keep ourselves in the right down and distance and and we got to got to sit there I know they'll come in here play hard okay I team these matchups can be can be such that um it's a big opportunity for them so we're going to we've got to make sure that whatever emotion or enthusiasm they have we can try to stue that as early as possible with all the excitement going on are you looking forward to seeing how many stud students hop on the buses yeah I've had a chance a couple fraternities asked me to speak I got another one today um you know kind of talk it sounds like they got some good plans so uh um you know I I think it's a it's a chance for um yeah I I think that's going to be a question across the board is you know what kind of turnouts they going to be at these games and and uh you know whether it be you know weather too hot or if it's going to rain or if it's too far are or you know who the opponent is we can we we can look at a lot of different things I just hope um that our fan based students and and others alike that uh um you know everybody I think there's a guy Brian Haney you know he always kind of says one of the most anticipated seasons in a long time if that is true I think our fans will show up to see this group play and I sure hope that they do and no matter what it is and um um I think it'll be a hack environment how do you balance wanting to run your stuff and get guys you know comfortable with what they're doing in sort of a live fire environment versus also potentially holding some things back for we we're not plan on holding anything back we're we're going to play to win the football game we're game planning on both sides to win the football game I don't think we're in a program yet that we can you know somebody somebody what um talked about a an SEC school that was practicing you know spent the two weeks before practicing for a for a big non-conference game and then was going to then just the week of trying to get the extra week I I don't think uh same thing especially with our our new staff additions and things like that jayen getting back in the groove um you know um we we want to make sure that we come out and and start this thing the right way anything else for coach