2023 Offensive Line
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Even though improvement on defense is more important, this time of year I always look first at the offensive line. One website lists our starters and it includes three new transfers: LT, 52 Logan Brown, 6’6", 320-Jr Tr from Wisc; LG, 67 Dominick Puni, Sr; C, 50 Mike Novitsky; RG, 76 Spencer Lovell 6’6" 330-RS,SR Tr from Cal; and RT, 70 Kobe Baynes 6’4" 320-RS JR Tr from Louisville. The two deeps are all familiar from last year: Livingston, Reed-Adams, Doiron, Ford and Cabeldue. So, KU is improving depth on the OL and hopefully the 3 transfers make KU’s already good offense better.
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The 247 Swain depth chart posted yesterday is different than what you posted here.
- LT: Puni - Clements
- LG: Reed-Adams - Lovell
- C: Novitsky - Doiron
- RG: Ford - Baynes
- RT - Cabeldue - Brown
But really, really, really strong depth across the line.
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@Kcmatt7 I can see you are amped for the season to start. I am too!
Let’s GO BIG BLUE. Continue the resurgence and return to relevance!
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Things finally seem to be coming around for Logan Brown. Hopefully Baynes or Lovell can supplant Ford at some point. I like Ford a lot, he’s just limited. Ideally he’s our center next year.
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@bskeet Yea I got season tickets this year! I’m really excited to see KU have a football program that can compete again. I never got to witness it while I was in college so I’m making up for it lol.
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Was listening to Swain & Flarrety do their round up on fall camp. - -Had what sounded like encouraging things. -Talked about different positions. some of the pieces were :
Offensive side was that in the running back room , things were pretty quiet which is a good thing, came out without really any injuries. . Jalen said not to worried at this point, will be able to get a b etter read by Wednesday when Coach talks again. Swain was asked about Jalen and his back tightness, he said he just couldn’t really gauge a read, saying he had ask Jalen if there were a game Saturday could/would he play, and of Course Jalen said yes, but like he said what would you expect him to say. Swain saying not too worried yet will be able to tell more later this week. and he was probably at a 30 % chance of being worried.
They said they were feeling really god about WR room and Tight Ends - Saying that Taylor Wilson had had a really good camp nd that Trevor Kardell really good camp and Kardell was good because originally was brought in s a WR and has adapted well to TE - just adding depth at the position.
Talked about the O-Line saying they felt they had added quality depth and thought they could be able to rotate 8 deep and be fine
On the defensive side , the D-Line they mentioned some guys and saying they were feeling better about the D-Line then before not feeling a shaky. Talking about Devin Phillips having a really good camp at the NT position really liked him. - - - feeling better Dunn & Whithers having good camps , Then Booker they said had a GREAT CAMP , feeling like Booke could very easily step in and take over the othe Defensive end position opposite end from Robinson… Talking about the buzz around camp could not be better. Talked about how they felt the D-Line could hold up better which will be huge.
Talked about how J B Brown having an incredible camp gonna see a lot of minutes on the field -talked about how this kid can speed squat 600 pounds - -holy crap. -talking about better team speed at LB being able to get to the outside and make the play-- thinks we very well could see possibly the combination of Berry Hill , J B Brown - & Young at the same time really good speed .
Talked about they felt the Safeties were going to be better with growing consistency & have some quality depth and having Grant - - Logan - -& Burroughs
Finished up talking about Special teams and how important it was for improvement , ranking like 126th last yr, and talking about just having special teams not getting us beat in games - -don’t let our special teams beat us. - -We were dreadful in Special teams, they talked about even if we could go like from 126 to 60th or 70th just be an average Special team Said our Auzzie will probably be our starting kicker. - - our special team we only the opposing team only took 11 fair catch’s on our punts last yr- - - ELEVEN, and giving up close to twenty yards on returns. that is going to catch up to you sooner or later in a game
I’m stoked - -Ready for some football - -hope Jalen can go. - - - -only 11 days to go - - - -ROCK CHALK let’s do this
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@Kcmatt7 I hope I can go to a few, wish I was closer. 🥳
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I’ll be there next week! Hope it cools/dries off by then. We’ve been suffering in Lawrence. 109 degrees Sunday was bad. Monday was worse, though not as hot. I’ve been in 115 degree temps with 15% humidity and it was nothing compared to 102/70%. 83+ degree dew temp is like drowning. Today wasn’t much better.
Have to say, though, I’m pretty stoked for the FB season. I always am at this point, but this year might be for real!
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@DanR man you’re not kidding. It’s been BRUTAL. About as bad as the 2020 OL.
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@DanR said in 2023 Offensive Line:
I’ll be there next week! Hope it cools/dries off by then. We’ve been suffering in Lawrence. 109 degrees Sunday was bad. Monday was worse, though not as hot. I’ve been in 115 degree temps with 15% humidity and it was nothing compared to 102/70%. 83+ degree dew temp is like drowning. Today wasn’t much better.
Have to say, though, I’m pretty stoked for the FB season. I always am at this point, but this year might be for real!
I’m in Topeka we had 120 heat index yesterday - -saw where Lawrence had a heat index yesterday of 134 - -Lawrence had a 126 heat index today - -Holton was at 130 - -this heat and humidity has been oppressive
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Saw some chatter about rotating OL. I don’t know about that. Chemistry among the unit is so important idk if I would mess with it unless you have to. It’s truly a best five, not five best kind of group (pretty similar to basketball in that).
Illinois will be the biggest test. Can we line up on 3rd and 2 and just big boy them for a first? If yes we’ll have a great year. Last year we had to scheme too many runs because we couldn’t blow teams off the ball. Has to change for us to really reach the next level. And protect JD.
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@FarmerJayhawk Yea I think Armaj getting that spot at guard will hopefully help with this… Feels like this should be his big year.
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I think what we REALLY need to be worrying about is the Defensive Line - the overall Defense.- - BUT we can’t stop a cold then we screwed , not gonna matter if we are at 3rd and 2 - -3rd and 5 - -3rd and inches. we can not continue to try and have to outscore people, that just doesn’t cut it. - Our Defense has to stand up , make a stand.
It’s like Swain & Kevin were talking the other day, Our Defense has to be better then what I think they said 106 th ?We have to be able to get off the field be able to stop the run- -be better anyways. They were talking and saying you already know what Illinois wants to do -they are gonna play bully ball. Run , Run , Run if you can’t prove you can stop the run then you are screwed.
We have to get to a point as to where Jalen and the offense’ doesn’t feel they have to score every time that we have the ball because the defense isn’t stopping squat. that just adds way to much pressure om Jalen and the Offense to score EVERY TIME. That just isn’t gonna get it done However I do think the defense will be better if nothing else because we are bigger , stronger and developing more.
I think good things coming, time for us to show we can line up and compete on bothe sides of the line, and I think we have the pieces to do that now.
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I’m cautiously optimistic on the DL. Sounds like the Minnesota transfers are really going to be something and DJ Withers is finally breaking out. Phillips will be a beast at nose. The depth is mildly concerning.
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@FarmerJayhawk Yea that group just cannot have a major injury.
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I see that Coach Leipold’s Hawk Talk starts Monday, Aug 28 at 6 on the Jayhawk Network. I always enjoy when the coaches finally release their depth chart. I remember the frustration when Coach Beaty waited until the first game to tell us the starting QB.
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I’m not too worried abiut the offense this year. Based in what KU’s returning, they have a chance to be a top 10 offense this year. Any shift in the W-L columns will come from the progression of the defense this season.
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What does everyone think about the Friday night games? Friday night seems better for student attendance and for broadcast viewers, but fans who live more than 2 or 3 hours away by car aren’t likely to attend. Night games sure help to beat the afternoon heat, which is better for players and fans. I’m pretty sure I won’t attend any more 90 degree and hotter games at Memorial Stadium. I really hope to see game attendance increase this year. Let’s make Memorial(Booth) Stadium as unwelcoming for opponents as Allen Fieldhouse.
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@stoptheflop Not super happy about Friday games. Friday was reserved for High School Football.
Doesn’t matter what anyone thinks except a handful of network executives and their advertisers.
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It’s supposed to be mid-90’s Friday and even hotter over the weekend so just from that Friday is probably a good call. It’s also good exposure when we’re on a real tv channel, but this one would be on the Plus regardless.
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The offense is good enough to win 10 games, the question is if the defense and special teams are. I’m personally gonna miss Lonnie running around on defense other that we needed a ton of improvement.
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I’ll be recording it and watching it later. I will be attending my son’s HS football game because Friday night is when HS football is played.
PS: I’m feeling a bit curmudgeonly.
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@bskeet The Friday games are total buzzkills. I can’t imagine the staff likes them either.
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Wonder if coach’s son plays? @bskeet are you in a different time zone?
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@Crimsonorblue22 I’m in San Jose, California (and therefore, among the few who would love to see Stanford and Cal join the B12 so I could see the Jayhawks more often. It’s admittedly an entirely selfish desire.)
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@Kcmatt7 they wanted a weeknight game for sure this week to get an extra prep day for Illinois. Until ofc both games got moved to Friday. The additional exposure of being in Primetime on national tv is a bonus too. And then the extra prep day to head to Nevada is nice.
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@FarmerJayhawk having an extra day will hopefully help prepare for Illinois not sure it makes a huge difference but I’ll take any advantage we can get. I don’t have a good feeling about that game in the slightest. The Nevada game should be a beat down.
