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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2014
PAGE 7B
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Harwell leads program after only one season
BLAIR SHEADE
@realblairsheady
A little over a year ago, receiver Nick Harwell was not a well-known name in Lawrence. He was known as the player dismissed from Miami University after an arrest in March of 2013.
AMIE JUST/KANSAN
"I just want to focus on Kansas." Harwell said.
But Harwell didn't want to talk to about his past, and wouldn't comment on anything that happened at his former university.
Senior wide receiver Nick Harwell runs around a defender during the Spring Game on April 12. Harwell had to sit out last season due to NCAA rules, but is expected to be a top player when he returns to the field Saturday.
Harwell, one of the three team captains, had to sit out a year after transferring, and he said that missing the 2013 season was a humbling experience.
"Playing three years and then sitting out shows how much this game means to you, but I've had time to develop my body and get into the playbook and learn the plays," Harwell said.
Harwell is an optimistic young man, and anyone who looks into his eyes can see the focus that he brings as a football player and an individual.
The senior earned his role as a team captain not by chance, but by showing that he's a leader, and he said he's honored to be a captain and hopes to set a good example for the younger players.
"I try to spread my work ethic and to show them, even though I've been successful in the past, you still have to work hard to get where you're going." Harwell said.
It's uncommon for a player to be awarded a team captain position after being around the team for one season. Senior tight end Jimmay Mundine said Harwell's leadership started as soon as he showed up in Lawrence.
"It started last year when he couldn't play, and most guys
you would think would be down and depressed that they couldn't play this year, but [Harwell] had a lot of energy." Mundine said. "He tried to get guys going and tried helping where he could. He leads by example."
Harwell, who caught 229 passes for 3,166 yards and 23 touchdowns in the three seasons for the Redhawks, is a determined and confident football player. He said his goals for this season are to win the Biletnikoff Award for the best wide receiver in the country and do something no other NCAA receiver has ever done.
"I want to catch every ball thrown to me," Harwell said. "The receiver's goals are 85 percent of ball completions, but I want to catch 100 percent of them."
And that's exactly why Coach Charlie Weis offered him a scholarship as soon as Harwell was available.
"It would be nice to have some receivers scoring touchdowns." Weis said. "And I'm not being sarcastic."
But why Kansas? Why not go to a big-time program that has won more than four games in the past two seasons? Harwell, a Missouri City, Texas, native, said the decision was simple.
"New start, new beginning, Big 12 Conference and more exposure," Harwell said. "Just more exposure, really."
Harwell didn't care that the last time the Jayhawks went to a bowl game was 2008. He didn't care that the last time a Kansas receiver caught more than 70 balls was 2009. Harwell wants to make this team better, and he thinks that the receiving corps will be a night and day comparison from last season.
"[The receivers] are far more motivated, we have a lot more guys and we have experience. I feel like our coaching staff brings a lot of motivation that makes you want to go out and play."
last season, too. Offensive coordinator John Reagan has implemented a new spread offense compared to the prostyle offense Weis ran the previous two seasons. Harwell, in his eyes, thinks the spread offense will change the rate of success because "receivers get the ball more."
"I can definitely catch balls, and I feel like me catching balls will open up more passing for other receivers," Harwell said.
The coaching staff doesn't only bring motivation; it brings a different scheme from
Reagan would agree that Harwell has earned his role as the top receiver in this league and makes the other receivers better.
"Outside of Nick, it's potential, not productivity," Reagan said.
pletely different from last season, but watch out for the receiver wearing number eight. Harwell. He said he wouldn't let you down.
On Saturday, the Jayhawks receiving group will be com-
Edited by Sarah Kramer
Kansas football predictions
The Kansan sports editors and football beat writers take a stab at how the football season will play out. Shane Jackson predicts a drop-off in wins from last season, while Blair Sheade predicts twice as many wins. Four out of five believe Oklahoma will finish first in the Big 12 while everyone ranked Baylor in the top three. No one projected Kansas to finish higher than seventh place in the conference.
Projected record:
5-7
Projected Big 12 rankings:
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3. Texas Tech
4. Texas
5. Oklahoma State
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. West Virginia
9. Kansas
10. Iowa State
Projected record:
6-6
Projected Big 12 rankings:
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3.Oklahoma State
4.Texas
5.West Virginia
6.Texas Tech
7.Kansas
8.TCU
9.Kansas State
10.Iowa State
Projected record:
3-9
Projected Big 12 rankings:
1. Oklahoma
2. Baylor
3. Oklahoma State
4. Kansas State
5. Texas
6. West Virginia
7. Texas Tech
8. TCU
9. Kansas
10. Iowa State
Projected record:
5-7
Projected Big 12 rankings:
1. Oklahoma
2. Kansas State
3. Baylor
4. Texas
5. TCU
6. Oklahoma State
7. Texas Tech
8. Kansas
9. West Virginia
10. Iowa State
Projected record:
2-10
Projected Big 12 rankings:
1. Baylor
2. Kansas State
3. Oklahoma
4. Oklahoma State
5. Texas Tech
6. Texas
7. TCU
8. West Virginia
9. Iowa State
10. Kansas
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