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THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2014
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Sophomore quarterback Michael Cummings passes the ball during the second half of the Kansas Football Spring Game on April 13. The Jayhawks' 2014 season will begin Sept. 7 against South Dakota
SHANE JACKSON
@jacksonshane3
After the Spring Game, the locker room breathed a huge sigh of relief when Coach Charlie Weis announced that sophomore Montell Cozart would be the starting quarterback in the season opener on Sept. 6 against Southeast Missouri State. There would be no drama in the quarterback room in the offseason.
That was until backup quarterback Jake Heaps, a junior last season, decided to transfer to the University of Miami. His departure left the title of the clipboard holder up for grabs.
Since the team reported to camp in early August and the initial depth charts were
released, the battle for the backup quarterback position has been evident. Listed between junior Michael Cummings and transfer sophomore T.J. Millweard in big letters is "OR," meaning that the position is there for the taking.
"Everybody wants playing time," Cummings said. "Competition just pushes us to get better, I just try to get better every day. That's the mindset I have."
The same "OR" is found at other announced position battles on the depth chart, including at placekicker, backup running back and second string defensive tackle. But no other position in football commands as much attention and attracts as many story-craved journalists as the
quarterback position.
Like any position battle, there is a clear favorite. Cummings came into fall camp knowing that it was his job to lose.
Cummings is listed on the
coach Ron Powlus said. "He's an athletic kid, he's got a strong arm, he's a true competitor and brings a lot of moxie in the game."
This will be Cummings' fourth year with the Jayhawks.
"Competition just pushes us to get better, I just try to get better every day. That's the mindset I have."
roster at a mere 5-foot-10 and weighing 210 pounds. Coaches rave of not only his competitive nature but for having the strongest arm in the quarterback room.
MICHAEL CUMMINGS Backup quarterback contender
Cummings saw the field immediately as a redshirt freshman in 2012, playing in the last eight games and starting against Oklahoma, Texas, Baylor, Texas Tech and Iowa State. In a year when Dayne Crist was the week one
"Michael has been around for awhile now," quarterbacks
starter, Cummings completed 43 of 94 passes for 456 yards and three touchdowns.
Cummings' competition, Millweard, is a 6-foot-3 transfer from UCLA. Millweard redshirted his first season at UCLA in 2012 and sat out last year due to NCAA transfer rules. Millweard watched as Cozart played his way onto the field in his first year as the back-up over Heaps.
"T.J. is a sharp guy," Powlus said. "He moves around really well in the pocket. He may have less experience but he does a lot of good things mentally."
Millweard will be the first one to tell you that he isn't as physically gifted as the others, but what he lacks in physical attributes, he makes up for
in his knowledge of the new spread offense that Kansas has adopted this year.
We each have our different strengths. Unfortunately I wasn't blessed with the athletic ability that Michael or Montell have. I just try to work at my craft everyday," Millweard said. "I ran the spread in high school and at UCLA, so I have no problem with the spread. It helps me use my strengths of getting the ball out quick."
Despite pushing each other every day in camp, the quarterback room still understands the importance of being close-knit.
"We are all friends. It's camp, so we have to joke around," Millweard said. "We have a great group of guys, and we all get along really well."
- Edited by Jordan Fox
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