Kansas football: Optimism, issues with a month to season opener
By Stan Unruh
The first week of Kansas football summer camp is almost history. Here is what we know with the season less than one month away.
The Kansas football team spent Monday in meetings and a trip to the lake. Team building and bonding is good. As a matter of fact these activities are more important than I care to admit. However, the memory of the preseason party will not last long if David Beaty’s Jayhawks don’t open the season with some success.
According to social media, the head coach loves the camaraderie on this team. That sounds good but will it produce success on fall Saturdays? One week into camp and despite optimism, the team is working to overcome challenges. Every team has to work though them.
Before the first week of practice started, the team lost last season’s most exciting play-maker LaQuvionte Gonzalez. Had his dismissal been on October 1, that would bother me. Cutting a kid for whatever reason in July is unfortunate but not the worst thing that can happen. On the other hand, this Kansas football team cannot afford to lose speedy anything. New offensive coordinator Doug Meacham needs all the help he can get.
On defense, the biggest concern is the health of preseason Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year Dorance Armstrong. According to a report by Benton Smith, Armstrong is not practicing due to a minor leg injury. This could be the biggest story of the week. I’ll bet defensive coordinator Clint Bowen has not slept much lately.
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We don’t expect coach Beaty to say much about the quarterback battle this early. It took him until game time to select a quarterback to start last season. I think he probably already knows who will be the man on the field when the season kicks off September 2. No reason for indecision and no reason for the coach to talk about it this early.