Rock Chalk Roundup: Tyshawn Taylor’s journey, the Jayhawks’ most clutch player and the KU quarterback competition.
Tom Keegan of the Lawrence Journal World: “Second-year head coach David Beaty, who has taken on the responsibilities of offensive coordinator, has a tough decision on his hands. The fact that Willis and Cozart have such different strengths and weaknesses doesn’t make it any easier. Willis’ greatest strength is in throwing accurate medium-to-long passes, which happens to be Cozart’s greatest weakness because of a tendency to overthrow receivers. Speed ranks as Cozart’s greatest strength, which happens to match up with Willis’ most glaring weakness. Defenses facing a Cozart-led offense can crowd the field without fearing he will burn them with accurate down-field throws. Defenses facing an offense directed by Willis can worry about one fewer helmet in the running game because he is no threat with his feet. Willis can stretch a defense with the threat of the long ball.”
David Beaty ESPN Car Wash Visit.
Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal World: “Up 10 pounds from last year’s playing weight and flourishing in the new offense now called by Beaty, Cozart is excited about the outlook for his fourth season as a Jayhawk and believes this will be his best season yet. Most KU fans don’t seem to see that on the horizon, and most of their skepticism is based on Cozart’s sluggish spring game back in April, during which he threw three interceptions and nearly tossed two more.“That does not reflect in the tiniest bit how he played during the spring,” Dineen said of his QB’s off day. “It just sucks because that one was in front of people.”
Cheick Diallo signed with the Pelicans.
Matt Schneidman of the New York Post: “Back in the NBA that is, which Taylor realizes isn’t his next step after finishing the 2016 season with Guaros de Lara in Venezuela, his fourth country since leaving the NBA in 2014. His journey throughout the world has no permanent base, instead being consumed by uncertainty, self-doubt and longing for prior stardom. He commandeered St. Anthony to a 32-0 record his senior year and guided Kansas to the 2012 national championship game. But search his name on the internet and the first link aside from player bios leads to his arrest for cashing a fraudulent money order. That’s not the Taylor he wants people to know, nor the one he thinks he is. The 26-year-old has rediscovered the belief in himself and the belief in his game. A year later, he carries both wherever his journey takes him, trudging along on the quest to return where he once was.”
ESPN chose Frank Mason as the Jayhawks’ most clutch player.
Pete Thamel of Sports Illustrated: “The leaders in the clubhouse for Big 12 expansion remain BYU, Cincinnati and Connecticut. The next tier includes South Florida, Central Florida, Memphis, Colorado State, Houston, Boise State and Tulane. If the league does add four schools, there’s really no standout candidate for that fourth slot. (Houston has the best program and television market of available schools, but there’s still some hesitancy within the state of Texas to allow the Cougars to use the Big 12 to potentially leap over current members). Schools like Temple, San Diego State and Northern Illinois don’t really have a chance, but will give it a shot anyway. “They’re going to open it up like an auction,” one Big 12 source said. “They don’t want it to be like they’re out there soliciting schools.”