Rock Chalk, Jayhawk! | Maize's Kansas Dynasty

[Maize08]

Quote: Originally Posted by howell2004

I really like the depth and articles!

Thank you! It's always where I put in the most time. I've spent a lot of time on adding actual players from the Class of 2019 into the game. I've done the entire Big XII so far, as well as my future scheduled opponents (BC, Coastal, Nebraska, Duke and Houston). I might do the Top 10 classes each year as well. I just think it helps to keep the game realistic. In later years, I'll probably use a mod to change the recruiting classes and make them more realistic.

[Maize08]

Jayhawks Class of 2019: The Offense
Head Coach Les Miles was "thrilled" by the players brought in this offseason. He knew the program was at a talent deficit and the new coaching staff had a unique disadvantage as well. Starting close to early signing day, the previous coaching staff had only received the commitment of one player.

Cole Mueller, a three-star running back from Holt High School in Missouri, committed to Kansas on July 27th. He never wavered and was excited to meet with the new coaching staff. Mueller, a decorated three-sport athlete (Football, track and wrestling), might be the most versatile player in the Class of '19. He will enroll early at Kansas and has said that he's met with Les Miles, excited for the chance to join a talented core of running backs.

Given all the losses to the skill positions this past season and next, Coach Miles made a point of finding future players at each position of the offense. Along with Todd Monken, they secured the commitment of a Quarterback, Peyton Thompson from Tulsa Union High School in Oklahoma.

Thompson was an under-recruited three-star prospect, picking up most of his offers in the offseason. After a strong senior season, including leading his team to an appearance in the state semi-finals, his recruiting picked up and he ultimately chose Kansas.

“He’s got good feet, moves well in the pocket. I wouldn’t call him mobile, but he can throw from different spots. Throws a nice ball, strong mechanics.” said Coach Monken, praising Thompson and hoping he can compete quickly in Lawrence. It’s expected to be an open Quarterback competition, especially with Peyton Bender graduating.

On signing day, Kansas was lucky to pick up two commits on the offensive line. Dorian Hinton and Marc Rumpke both committed, taking very different paths to Kansas. Hinton, a high two-star prospects from Naples High in Florida, was the only player committed from the Sunshine State. A large (6’2” 300+ lbs.) player, he has been a mauler in high school that will need to improve his technique and conditioning. He had multiple Division I offers, including from Boston College and Purdue.

Rumpke, on the other hand, had only one other offer from an FBS program. Until signing day, it was expected that he would sign to play at Air Force. Instead, Coach Miles flipped his interest, especially after mentioning the chance to play early and the staff’s belief that he could play both guard spots and center. Rumpke played at Lexington Catholic in Kentucky, a two-year Team Captain and four year letterman.

The same recruiting trip that earned the commit from Peyton Thompson also landed Kansas the verbal from receiver Khatib Lyles. Lyles, the three-year starter at Parkland High School in Texas, became a force in his senior season.

Helping Parkland win ten straight games, Lyles hauled in 70 receptions for over 1,000 yards and 16 total touchdowns. Tony Hull and David Beaty had previously offered Lyles, who held 11 FBS offers; Lyles' decision came down to Kansas or Indiana. Miles was the closer, as headlined, getting the commitment and helping to close a strong effort in the final days before signing day.

Finally, a familiar name committed to Kansas with the program landing the third of four Dineen brothers. Jax Dineen committed, following the footsteps of his brothers Joe and Jay. Joe recently graduated, headed to the NFL, while Jay is heading into his third year as a member of the program. It’s expected that Jax will play fullback, different from his brothers who both played linebacker for the Jayhawks.

Jax played at Lawrence Free State under legendary Head Coach Bob Lisher. Lisher retired after the team’s loss in the state playoffs, led by Dineen who earned the Sunflower League Player of the Year award. Dineen follows in his brother’s footsteps, just as the youngest Dineen brother enters high school. Jet Dineen will be a freshman at Lawrence Free State, a member of the Class of 2022.

Les Miles was “humbled” by the players who committed, mentioning that they were showing some level of trust in Miles. He also set the expectation much higher for next year’s class. Miles said that a full class is the goal (25 commitments), but it’s also about raising the bar in recruiting.

David Beaty’s three full classes at Kansas ranked 70th, 71st, and 61st respectively in the nation. That meant constantly ranking in the bottom half of the Big XII. It was also buoyed by junior college players and Tony Hull’s pull into recruiting his “Louisianimals.” That could continue under Miles, but it’s clear that the bar has been raised in recruiting.

[DD1190]

Excellent dynasty! The articles are great! I'm excited to see how this team moves forward with Les Miles at the helm.

Keep up the great work!

[Maize08]

Quote: Originally Posted by DD1190

Excellent dynasty! The articles are great! I'm excited to see how this team moves forward with Les Miles at the helm. Keep up the great work!

Thank you! I really appreciate that. I'm excited to get started with playing games. I have an article on the defensive recruits, the rest of the coaching staff and then the season preview.

In real life, Miles brought in Chip Lindsey, who actually was Monken's OC at Southern Miss. So the offense I want to run will be similar to real life. Who he picks for DC will be very interesting.

[Maize08]

Jayhawks Class of 2019: The Defense
Les Miles has tabbed Kevin Kane and Jay Niemann as Co-Defensive Coordinators to run his defense at Kansas. Both Kane and Niemann worked together at Northern Illinois, leading one of the best defenses in the country. It will be a slight change in scheme and use of personnel, thus making the first recruiting class crucial to that transition.

It's in part why the coaching staff brought in two junior college players for the defense. Each had individual ties to the coaching staff and both could play early in Lawrence. Starting with Sci Martin Jr., the edge rusher who played last season at East Mississippi CC, but was originally from Louisiana and committed to play for Les Miles at LSU in 2016.

"Very excited to be back playing for Coach Miles," said Martin. "It's a blessing, to get another chance to play Division I football. I know I can make a difference."

Sci Martin, a New Orleans native, was recruited by Les Miles and Ed Oregon - signed with LSU as a member of the Class of 2016. That would prove to be Miles' last recruiting class at LSU. Martin would stay just two seasons, playing sparingly and ultimately leaving for a chance to get a fresh start somewhere else.

Last year at East Mississippi, Martin was part of the Lions team that ultimately won the 2018 JUCO National Championship. He totaled 6.5 sacks, playing mainly as a pass-rushing specialist, a role he could play for the Jayhawks.

The other JUCO player signed is Juwan Mitchell, who flipped his commitment just before signing day; choosing Kansas over Rutgers. Mitchell had been recruited by Niemann at Rutgers, planning to play for close to his hometown of Middletown, New Jersey.

Mitchell played at Butler CC in El Dorado, Kansas last season. He totaled 55 tackles, 2 sacks and an interception with Butler, seeing his playing time increase as the season went on. He committed to Rutgers after a campus visit in November, then spending Thanksgiving with his family. Prior to Signing Day, as he was finishing classes at Butler, he was visited by Les Miles and Jay Niemann.

"My pitch to Juwan (Mitchell) was simple: Come play at Kansas, help us turn around this program. You will have a chance to be a big part of this team, this linebacker unit... it's a no-brainer." said Coach Niemann, explaining how he got Mitchell to flip to Kansas.

Both players could fight for playing time in 2019 and could be fighting for starter spots in 2020. The same can be said for many high school recruits, knowing they could work into a two-deep that will feature many graduating players in 2019.

That was part of the appeal for Kendall Wilkerson, a defensive lineman that could play on the interior at Kansas. Wilkerson grew up in Kentwood, Louisiana on the border of Mississippi. He held multiple FBS offers, ultimately choosing Kansas with a chance to play early.

The coaching staff sees Wilkerson as versatile and able to play inside and out. At 6'4" and 260 lbs., he has the size and frame to keep developing and become a next-level prospect if he can improve his technique.

Joining Wilkerson on the defensive line is Christian Njoku, who chose to come to Kansas instead of playing at nearby Texas State. A disrupting force at Bellaire High School in Texas, he played more as a defensive end in his senior season. He even played as a stand-up end, something that edge rushers could do more at Kansas.

Recruiting Wilkerson and Njoku shows the team values versatile lineman, players that can play across the line in multiple techniques. It's something Kevin Kane wants out of his defense, the ability to "play multiple" and bring pressure from different looks.

Kansas also signed three players for the secondary, likely to lose nine defensive backs to graduation after next season. The first to commit was Jayden Russell, a safety that had been on Kansas' radar for over a year.

Russell played at Aquinas High School in Kansas, one of just two in-state high school players that committed to the Class of '19. Russell was one of the first recruits that Les Miles contacted after taking over as Head Coach. Along with Jax Dineen, he was also one of the first players to commit to Coach Miles.

Russell could play either safety spot, a long and agile player in coverage who can disrupt plays in the secondary. He also played running back in high school and was comfortable with contact. It's likely he will play strong safety, possibly a replacement to Mike Lee.

Finally, the class is rounded out by two corners: Corey Williams and Joshua Doyle. Williams comes from Episcopal High School in Bellaire, Texas, the same hometown as Christian Njoku. Williams was a dynamic player for Episcopal on offense, defense and special teams. He led the team in receptions and total touchdowns, proving to make plays all over the field.

Williams could find open field and extend plays with his speed and vision. That makes him an interesting future receiver, but the coaching staff believes he style of play might be better fit for corner. He also has a future as a return specialist, and could actually play on both offense and defense given his skillset.

As for Doyle, he comes to Lawrence from Valencia High School in California. Even though he's under six feet tall, Doyle was strong in man coverage and tallied five interceptions in his senior season. He drew interest from Arizona State, where his brother Ely had committed last season. He chose to play for Kansas after a late offer turned into a campus visit and quick decision.

The coaching staff did their best to finish the Class of '19 strong. They brought in players that could find the field next season. If not, Les Miles continually talking about the "quality" of the class could outweigh the lack of quantity. Still, there's a hope that next year's class will dwarf this year's haul by comparison.

[Maize08]

Miles Rounds Out Staff Ahead of Spring Game
In the time between National Signing Day and the annual Spring Game, Head Coach Les Miles has finished putting together his first coaching staff. Coach Miles went through the rolladex; using his many connections to coaches around the country.

His first staff at Kansas will feature five coaches that have previously served under Miles. That's only counting the ten assistant coaches, there are also many previous connections to the coaches and professionals that fill out the analysts and support staff.

Since Signing Day, the remaining three position coaching spots were filled. First by Chevis Jackson, who will coach Cornerbacks at Kansas. Jackson played for Miles at LSU (from 2004 to 2008), excited to return to now coach under Les Miles in Lawrence.

A native of Mobile, Alabama, Jackson played on the 2007 National Championship team at LSU under Miles. After his senior season in '07, he was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Shortly after his four-year pro playing career, Jackson began coaching as a Graduate Assistant at South Alabama. He spent one season as a GA at his alma mater, brought in by Les Miles to work with the secondary in 2015.

He spent the last three seasons coaching at Ball State. He was named the Mid American Conference's Recruiter of the Year in 2017, often considered one of the best mid-major recruiters in the country.

The last coach added to the defensive coaching staff is Brett Diersen, the new Defensive Line Coach. Diersen follows Kevin Kane from SMU, having worked with both Kane and Jay Niemann at Northern Illinois.

Diersen helped the Huskies to four bowl games during his five-year tenure and a pair of MAC Championships.

He spent the 2012 season coaching defensive line and special teams at Florida Atlantic after a season at Indiana as the defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator. From 2008-10, Diersen helped Nebraska to three bowl appearances working with a special teams and defensive line that featured AP National Player of the Year Ndamukong Suh.

He ties to the coaching staff, success coaching players to the NFL, and recruiting prowess made him a perfect fit to the coaching staff. It's still expected that Clint Bowen will have a position with the new coaching staff. It's clear now that it won't be as a positions coach, but it could be as an administrator or analyst.

Finally, the tenth and final coach hired is new Receivers Coach Cleo Lemon. Lemon spent the last two seasons coaching at the FCS level with Jacksonville State. Coaching receivers, he helped lead one of the top scoring offenses in the FCS.

Lemon brings seven years of coaching experience and a full career as a professional Quarterback in the NFL and CFL. That playing career saw Lemon play quarterback for the San Diego Chargers (2003-05), Miami Dolphins (2005-08) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2008-09) in the NFL before two seasons with the Toronto Argonauts in the CFL.

A four-year starter at Arkansas State from 1997-2000, Lemon threw for 7,706 yards and 48 touchdowns. His playing career at ASU parlayed into a long professional career. Lemon signed a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers in 2002 and would see his first action under center with the Chargers in the 2004 season. He threw for 2,185 career yards and eight touchdowns in the NFL before moving on to the CFL to play for the Argonauts in 2010.

That 2010 season saw Lemon take over at quarterback in Toronto, where he led the Argonauts to the CFL Playoffs after a three-year absence. In just two CFL seasons, he threw for 5,069 yards and 22 touchdowns, while also averaging over seven yards per carry.

In his one season as offensive coordinator for PRCC in Poplarville, Miss., the Greenwood, Mississippi native led a Wildcats team that had five offensive players extend their playing careers by signing scholarships at four-year institutions. Those players included quarterback D.J Gillins (SMU), wide receiver Matthew Eaton (Iowa State), offensive lineman Keaton Brown (UAB) and tight end Sloan Spiller (ULM).

During his NFL career, Lemon crossed paths with Todd Monken. Monken coached receivers for the Jacksonville Jaguars during Lemon's tenure with the Jags. That time, along with the JUCO coaching stint, made Lemon familiar with the Jayhawks' new Offensive Coordinator. Now, he will coach Receivers while Monken will handle coaching Quarterbacks. It's expected the two will work closely to build the passing game.

These final three coaches all show a theme to Les Miles' staff at Kansas. A level of familiarity, with a mix of veteran coaches and a young, energetic staff that have all found success recruiting and coaching at multiple levels of football.

Kansas has scheduled their Spring Game for Saturday, April 13th with spring practice opening on March 16th. It's earlier than previous spring practices, but the new staff wanted a different pace and schedule to the offseason program. The Spring Game will be the first look at how all of these changes and new coaches will change the product on the field.

[jpfine]

Love the detail for the articles, keep it up!

[Maize08]

Kansas Spring Game Highlights Camp Battles
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is hoping to pick up on the buzz that new Head Coach Les Miles is creating for the program. Coach Miles and his new staff were optimistic about the team's performance - A game played in front of 8,000 fans and alumni that showed up to see what The Mad Hatter had in store.

A new format for the Spring Game meant coaches Kevin Kane and Todd Monken split the rosters by holding a draft. Kane coached Team Blue to victory, beating Monken's White Team 27-21. Both Kane and Monken are expected to call plays for the Jayhawks this season, thus the Spring Game gave them a chance to do just that.

Team Blue was led by Quarterback Mile Kendrick. The former JUCO transfer sees himself in a contested battle to start under center. Joined by a new face from the JUCO ranks, it seems it's a three-way battle for starting QB.

Thomas MacVittie, whose college football career began in the ACC at Pittsburgh, came to Kansas from Mesa College in Arizona. MacVittie threw the only passing touchdown of the day - a 24 yard pass to Dayton Charlot (pictured above). Kendrick added two rushing touchdowns, while Carter Stanley, the presumptive favorite to start, was 12/15 for the White Team leading them on a late drive that came up just short.

Stanley seems to have picked up the offense, while Kendrick is the most dynamic playmaker. MacVittie is the most gifted passer, coming to Lawrence with two years of eligibility remaining. He's hoping to challenge early, although the adjustment back to the FBS might take some time. As for Kendrick, he's healed form injuries that lingered throughout last season.

Pooka Williams and Daylon Charlot made the best impressions on the day for offensive skill players. It was good news for Pooka Williams, who missed the start of Spring Game, before being reinstated by Coach Miles at the end of March. Williams scored on a 45 yard run for Team White, one of only two offensive touchdowns for Team White on the day.

Team White's defense started the game well, putting pressure on MacVittie and Kendrick. Ricky Thomas picked off an errant Thomas MacVittie pass, leading to a return touchdown that actually put Team White ahead early in the game.

The defense seems to be wide open competition, even more so than the offense. Both sides of the ball are having to replace seven starters, but the loss of depth on defense has led to interesting camp battles.

Darrius Moragne looks locked in to start at defensive end. In the middle, it's clear Codey Cole III should have a starting spot. As for the primary pass rusher, it looks like an open competition between Azur Kamara, Najee McKenzie and Sci Martin Jr. All three players came to Kansas from a Junior College, and all three could rotate on the defense.

Linebacker is a completely open competition, allowing younger players like Kenny Bastida and Jay Dineen to compete for a starting spot. The secondary returns four starters, so the questions remain up front for the defense.

Head Coach Les Miles did not coach in the game, but instead greeted fans and even talked to the crowd during a shortened halftime. He was seen on both sidelines, talking to players and coaches.

Following the Spring Game, Miles will likely focus on recruiting before preparing for fall camp. An increase in competition is good, but it means Miles and his staff will have tough personnel decisions to make before the team's first game in August against Indiana State.