Volume 126 Issue 23
kansan.com
COMMENTARY
Football benching brings pros and cons
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Charlie Weis notably compared his 2012 squad to a "pile of crap," asking the media, "If you can't play here, where can you play?"
Weis wasn't outright promising playing time to prized recruits in that slightly off-color statement, but he was certainly suggesting that his best recruiting pitch is the opportunity to contribute immediately.
However, his actions this season have not been in accordance with that recruiting philosophy. He benched top transfer justin McCay and top junior college player Marquel Combs, with Combs opting to leave the program after not playing any snaps the first two games. Through those decisions, Weis made it clear that playing time is earned, not given.
And you know what? I love it.
But top recruits and transfers won't, and that's because those players won't scrutinize the circumstances surrounding the benchings.
Granted, McCay caught a touchdown in the first game, but too often he failed to get separation from opposing corners and showed suspect hands. With the plague of drops hindering the offense, Weis had to make a move. However, potential transfers will only see a former top prospect who didn't get a chance to play through his struggles. Combs is a different case entirely. Unlike McCay, Combs fell behind early in practice. He never seemed to demonstrate the work ethic required of a Big 12 starter. Dissatisfied with Combs' performance and attitude, Weis kept Combs on the bench. This sent a message to the entire team that no one's spot is secure. However, top recruits won't necessarily recognize Combs' shortcomings; they will only see a heralded juco star who was never given a chance to contribute.
Weis cannot help that these are gross misrepresentations of his coaching style. Most top recruits are still mentally immature. This is through no fault of their own. They are high school students after all.
Recruiting is always a dirty battle, with coaches adhering to yellow journalism tactics and negative observations. Just recently, a recruit indicated that coaches used Texas A&M basketball coach Jimmy Kennedy's Parkinson's disease to besemirch the program. If Parkinson's is fair game, anything is. The benching of two of Kansas' top newcomers is sure to be discussed during in-home or official visits, and you can bet that weighs heavily on recruits.
That's not to say Weis should change his approach. There is much to be critical about so far this season, but Weis' impatience with underperforming players is not one of them. As much as it hurts his standing with top recruits, it should attract those recruits that fly under the radar. This is where you find players like Michael Crabtreat, last year's top draft pick Eric Fisher or Kansas alumnus Aqib Talib. All three of those players were only two-star prospects.
Of course, those players are the rare success stories, and flourishing five-star players are a dime-a-dozen. But if Weis is going to succeed, it's going to be through the development of players willing to grind and fight for their spots.
Unfair as it may be, these diamonds in the rough might soon be Weis' only options.
— Edited by Duncan McHenry
BASKETBALL
MOVING FORWARD
Senior transfer Tarik Black will play a key role in the Javhawks' growth.
bschuster@kansan.com
BLAKE SCHUSTER
bschuster@kansan.com
Often times it's easy to forget. Not that it's Tarik Black's fault. The forward has done everything possible to make a name for himself already. Black was a four-star recruit coming out of high school and a centerpiece of the Memphis Tigers for the last few years. Besides, at 6'9", 262 lbs., separating himself from a group of freshmen shouldn't be that hard to do.
Yet there's Black, not a big enough name to warrant the spotlights, and not big enough to look over Joel Embiid, but certainly a big reason
the Kansas Jayhawks can consider themselves the deepest team in the country.
"Not very often do you recruit a senior that already started three years," Bill Self said of Black at Kansas' media day. "And have him come in and be as well respected and basically be the leader of our big guys already."
if there's such a thing as a lower pressure job in high stakes college
The worst part of his transfer to Kansas might just be that Black's name goes in the same recruiting class as Andrew Wiggins, Wayne Selden, et al, which is good news for Kansas.
basketball, Black found it.
While still at Memphis, Black averaged nearly eight points and five rebounds per game. His coach on the Tigers, Josh Pastner, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal last season that when Black catches the ball around the paint it's as if you can already count it as two points.
"We try to get him to just instinctively go play," Pastner said. Placing a big man of that caliber in Self's high-low offense can equal two things: trust and tenacity.
While the rest of the newcomers adapt to both the speed of the college game, as well as Self's coaching system, Black will be relied on to
cover up any shortcomings. With a non-conference schedule ranked the toughest in the nation by ESPN, having Black as a sort of safety net allows more time for the freshman to get acclimated.
None of that was lost on Black when he decided to play his final season in Kansas.
"Kansas is my type of place," Black said on media day. "I've always liked Kansas' style of the way they function."
And, according to Self, none of Black's experience will go to waste.
"He'll have a great chance to play as much as he wants," Self said. "I'm expecting him to have a big year."
Black's automatic points won't be the only thing Self is counting on. He's going to need him to help with the growth of the Jayhawks' other bigs, namely Perry Ellis and Jamari Travelor.
Ellis already said that Black has helped improve his game, and Black sees his role as more of a blessing than anything else.
"I'm definitely cool with it," Black said. "If coach believes in me, then why wouldn't I believe in myself." Regardless, Black has the opportunity to become as big as he wants to be.
Edited by Heather Nelson
FOOTBALL
Weaknesses remain focal point during bye week
MAX GOODWIN
This Saturday the Texas Tech Red Raiders enter Lawrence ranked No. 20 in the Associated Press poll after a 4-0 start.
There's no perfect time for a bye on the schedule in Charlie Weis' opinion.
The Jayhawks have already had two bye weeks early in the season, and now the team is facing nine straight weeks of Big 12 opponents.
"But whenever it occurs you have to use it to your advantage," Weis said. "It gives you a chance to look at the things you really need to improve if you're going to have a chance. It allows you to see what are your strengths and what are your weaknesses."
mgoodwin@kansan.com
A weakness that Wels has mentioned is the physicality the Jayhawks play with. He talked
The players went full speed last week in practice, which rarely happens during the season. With players being taken to the ground on tackles and the quarterbacks taking hits as if it were a real game, Weis was able to better understand where his team stands.
On Thursday, the Jayhawks played a scrimmage that Weis called "fairly significant."
There was a clear goal in mind for the coaching staff and players during the practice week. While having an extra week to prepare for Texas Tech, the jayhawks were
about the lack of it last week in his Monday teleconference with Big 12 media, and the subject came up again this week.
"There were a lot of clear-cut, 'here what's going to happen' situations, and there's no better way to play more physically than going full speed." Weis said.
The Jayhawks began the season with an inexperienced offensive line, having senior left tackle Aslam Sterling as the only one who had substantial playing time a year ago. Weis is still looking to determine exactly who will be consistently involved this season.
Last week Weis was concerned about the offensive line. He wanted to see them be more physical as a unit, as they prepare for a strong Texas Tech defensive line that already has nine sacks this season.
also focused on improving their own play before getting deep into scouting the Red Raiders.
"We worked a lot on ourselves," Weis said. "Trying to improve a lot of the things we haven't been very good at."
"You're looking to settle into five guys," Weis said. "But you don't play just five guys. Last week was a good just five guys. For us to get
Volur
Tan pap
LAW
those guys that are truly in the mix on the depth chart together and work on their communication."
"They're so used to losing those close games here, that I think it was definitely a big psychological plus for us," Weis said. "We know we're ready to hit the grind right here, but going into a bye week, coming off a win with a kick on the last play of the game made things a lot easier to tolerate around here."
Communication was an issue in the 13-10 win over Louisiana Tech, with some linemen showing signs of frustration on the field. But Kansas is mostly healthy, other than Taylor Cox (hamstring) and Tre' Parmalea (appendectomy), coming off the bye week, and was able to practice for a week with lifted spirits.
— Edited by Duncan McHenry
FILE PHOTO/KANSAN
Head Football Coach Charlie Weis speaks to members of the media in 2012. Weis has utilized bye weeks to improve on downfalls.
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