Volume 128 Issue 71
COMMENTARY Beaty eyes Texas as base for recruiting
Matt Corte
@Corte UDK
Kansas football head coach David Beaty is on a mission right
now.
Not one that features a James Bond like car chase or Jason Bourne taking down a whole agency. This mission trumps those fictional stories and then some.
Rebuilding the Kansas football program is a tall task, but luckily the Jayhawks have a coach who is crazy enough to believe he can.
From Beaty's first day on December 5th to now, the former Texas A&M wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator has blazed a trail in recruiting. Just under two months into his tenure, Beaty has already signed 17 players to national letters of intent
What does this impressive number of recruits mean? Not a whole bunch, at least for now. Former coach Charlie Weis was doing much of the same, but what's different in Beaty's case is where the majority of players are coming from.
Texas has been known to produce some of the best football players in the nation, and with Beaty's footprint all over that state as well as his knack for recruiting, he's taking advantage.
Of the 17 recruits that Beaty has signed, 14 have come from the longhorn state alone.
While none have the prestige of a four- or five-star recruit, 12 of them have a grade of three stars according to ESPN, which could serve as a catalyst to acquire even better players in the future.
Where Beaty is taking advantage though isn't with prized high school players,but rather he's signing highly valued JUCO players.
Commits DAndre Banks and Jayson Rhodes are ranked as top ten IUCO offensive guards, while Keaun Kinner and Brandon Stewart are top ten JUCO players at the running back and cornerback positions, respectively.
Oh and before you ask, yes, they're all from Texas.
It is worth noting that because there are less JUCO players than high school players, it is easier to be ranked higher as a JUCO player. However, there's only three high school recruits coming to Kansas ranked in the top 100 of their positions, which means a healthy percentage of Jayhawk Freshman football players won't be quite ready to contribute on every down.
For the JUCO commits, this translates into a host of them undoubtedly progressing their way near the top of depth charts next fall, making these players all the more important
Of course all this recruiting hoopla may fall on deaf ears of countless Jayhawks fans, and I don't blame them for not caring. But after seeing only twelve wins in the past five years — Beaty's aggressive Texas recruiting is enough to give some football fans hope.
Edited by Miranda Davis
BEN FELD
@Ben_Felder
With junior Ellis trailing more point guerson III led Ka up the floor w in the first half around and for easy three on to bring Kany point. The layly came out or fought confer 89-76.
The Jayhawk the gate slugg half, failing t ble-digits in th utes. Iowa Stative three-point two baskets.
As the Jayhaw seven with 9:20 first half, they re from a familiar the game shoot from beyond the play, two three-sophomore gu Greene found back in it.
"Brannen hit s for us," coach "There's been a where he has b when he have no
With seven men in the half, a throw put the top for the first to opening posses man Kelly Oub his range from on connecting on three-pointers to a five-point lead.
Iowa State gu
Morris came in
leading the Big
per game, but stru
half with three as
turnovers. Masor
terpart, recorded
and only one turn
sas took a 35-28
half.
Mason helped the floor with ease Cyclomes Monday
The Jayhawks to out of the Cyclone on Monday night. Iowa State leads th three-pointers, aver 12 per game, but ias's three-point she led the Jayhawks to win against its con val.
BLAIR SHEADE
@realblairsheady
"I think one this they're shooting a than they have," I coach Fred Hoib "When they're she ball like that, it's har Kansas only three-pointers in th but it was the timit one that was cruci the Jayhawks were three-pointer gave t mentum. When It was surging back, three-pointer paddlee "For us to make th shots and the same that was big for us coach Bill Self said. As Iowa State wa ahead, up seven with utes left in the first Kansas three-pointer to fall.
In the past, Self
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
AGIC
BEN LIPOWITZ/KANSAN
Monday night. Oubre scored 16 points in the e Cyclones 89-76.
d 12
but
two
ayed
said
ame
sists
and a 20-point outing from Selden, Kansas extended its lead over Iowa State in the Big 12 to two games. Up next, the Jayhawks travel to Stillwater, Okla., Saturday to take on Oklahoma State.
— Edited by Emma LeGault
Iowa State
"My teammates found me, that was the biggest thing." Selden said. "I remained confident and just knew that my next three-pointer was going to go in."
in the first half, but that didn't break his confidence. He said when he isn't shooting well early, the last thing he would think about was to pass up on open shots.
The Jayhawks started the second half on a 12-6 run, which was led by Selden and his three-point shooting. Selden's first three-point attempt was good, and he said after that made basket, he knew he was feeling it. After that first three-pointer, Selden went on to score the next eight points for the Jayhawks and gave Kansas a solid 49-34 lead.
Three-pointers were the key to the Monday night win, and it was a collective effort. The Jayhawks not only outshot the number one three-point shooting team in the Big 12, but also held Iowa State to a season-low seven three-pointers and for the Jayhawks that was just as important as making the threes.
$$
\bigcirc
$$
--- Edited by Miranda Davis
+