Wednesday, January 20.1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section B·Page 3
Football recruits commit to Kansas
Junior college transfer students speed up lineup
By Michael T. Rigg
Kansan sportswriter
Although the national signing day is three weeks away, the fortunes of the Kansas football program are looking up after receiving verbal commitments from top recruits.
"Kansas has done a great job of recruiting so far," said Jon Kirby, managing editor of MO-KAN recruiting magazine. "The reason that this recruiting class is shaping up so nicely is by recruiting top junior college players."
One of those junior college players ready to come to Kansas is quarterback Dylan Smith from Santa Monica (Calif.) College.
Smith, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound passer, threw for 2,890 yards and 28 touchdowns last season. Smith also was named honorable mention on the All-American team last season at Santa Monica.
Smith can throw a football 70 yards in the air and hasn't missed a practice, team meeting or game in
his two years of junior college. Kirby said.
The Jay hawks have received nombinding verbal commitments from two other quarterbacks: former Notre Dame backup Zak Kustok and Olathe South quarterback Zach Dyer.
In addition to the three quarterbacks, Kansas has recruited its fair share of speed, with eleven of its recruits clocking in at faster than 4.75 seconds in the 40-vard dash.
Kansas also has received a commitment from Michael Johnson, a free safety who played at Coffey.
ville Community College last season.
The Jayhawks also received a verbal commitment from Carl Nesmith, who played for Butler County Community College. Nesmith, a wide receiver who returns kicks, led the Grizzlies last season with 30 receptions for 411 yards and returned three kickoffs for touchdowns. An all-around player, he played quarterback his freshman year at Butler County.
"He's a big, physical type of player," said Butler County coach James Shibest. "He's one of those guys who just makes plays every time he touches the ball."
With the help of assistant coach Darrrell Wyatt, widely known as the Jayhawks top recruit in the football-rich state of Texas, Kansas has received verbal commitments from ten prospects in the Lone Star State. These include running back Derick Mills, defensive back Carl Ivey and defensive tackle Lance Carson. Mills and Carson were all-district selections last season.
"The reason that this recruiting class is shaping up so nicely is by recruiting to junior college players."
Jon Kirby managing editor of MO.KAN recruiting magazine
"Iliked the academic support that [Kansas] had available and the environment on campus," Carson told The Dallas Morning News. "It's an up and coming big program."
while Ivey was first team all-state.
The Jayhawks have received oral commitments from 20 players, and their recruiting class is ranked 49th in the nation by Recruiting Now. The commitments can become official on Feb.3, the national letter-of-intent signing day.
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