12
KANSAN.COM
SPORTS
+
Kansas football claims 27 players on signing day
▶ SKYLAR ROLSTAD
@SkyRolSports
Kansas coach David Beaty has two wins as Kansas football coach. He said Wednesday's national signing day felt like a third.
Coach David Beaty watches from the sideline against Ohio on Sept. 10. Kansas lost to Ohio 37-21.
"Today I woke up and it felt like a gameday," Beaty said before announcing 27 players in the 2017 Kansas football recruiting class.
The biggest of victories for the Jayhawks on Wednesday will turn out in the Kansas backfield next season: junior running back Octavius Matthews from Itawamba Community College.
Missy Minear/KANSAN
"I would consider this one of the biggest victories that we've had in this class because we had to battle some big time places to get him all the way to the end," Beaty said. "We can do a lot of things with this guy that's not easy to do with a lot of dudes."
Along with Matthews is his junior college teammate, quarterback Peyton Bender. Bender, a junior, looks to challenge for the starting quarterback role after having played at Washington State and Itawamba Community College.
Matthews withdrew a commitment to Auburn to come to Kansas. He was given a 3-star rating by 247 Sports and also considered Louisville, Tennessee and Purdue.
Bender shared his thoughts on his familiar teammate with reporters.
"I talked to him several times on the phone yesterday, and he just let me know this morning he was gonna be a Jayhawk," Bender said. "And I was fired up for him to make that decision and
join the program. He's just a really big playmaker. Explosive player, really fast. He's a versatile player as well, he can move around and play different positions."
The top-10 commitments, per 247Sports rankings, are as follows. For the complete list of commitments, visit Kansan.com.
Antonio Colo
Position: S
my's quote: "He does a terrific job in covering. He can open his hips really well. That right there is an extremely good example of the guy who is flexible enough to open those hips and make a terrific play when it's needed. He does a terrific job of understanding what they're doing defensively."
Kenyon Tabor Position: TE
Position: TE
Beaty's quote: "Reminds me a lot of Montell Cozart, to be honest with you, and that's high praise. Great plays by this guy, very dynamic. Caught enough balls to sink a battleship this year. So we're going to throw him the ball a bunch.I promise you."
Dom Williams
Position: RB
deaty's quote: "I love his vision. I love the way that he finds a way to get to the end zone. He reminds me a little bit of the Cowboys guy [Ezekiel Elliott] because of his ability to accelerate and get to the edge fast. Like when he sees a hole, he can get there and that thing doesn't close on him."
Peyton Bender Position: OR
Position: QB
Beaty's quote: "You guys probably remember Peyton Bender, who is a quarterback that came to us from Itawamba. He was a teammate of Octavius. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Coach Coleman down there who has been a great help to us."
Position: CB
Hasan Defense
Seaty's quote: "I always mess around with our coaches, and I ask them — we do a little deal where we say who is your dark horse in the class? And it's amazing how many people said this guy right here."
J.J. Holmes Position: DL
Beaty's quote: "This next dude that you're going to see, man, don't be fooled by that hair now. I mean, he's a fancy guy. Actually,
J. J. Holmes is one that all of our coaches are excited about. Very talented guy. Rion Rhoades, you know, down there at Hutch did a terrific job of helping us with this kid. He's one of the better D-linearmen that was out in the junior college ranks this year. He's a terrific player."
Kerr Johnson Jr.
Position: WR
caty's quote: "There are several plays on his tape that you see a guy that he does a great job after the catch. When we find guys like that, we want to put them on our team because there are a lot of guys that can get tackled, there's not many that can catch it and go do something with it after they do. That ol' boy
right there had a tough day against him."
Kyron Johnson Position: LB
Willie McCaleb
Position: DL
eaty's quote: "He's 6-foot-2, closer to 265 pounds now. This guy is the type of guy that you want. TCU had a guy a number of years back named James Washington that played in Irving High School. Took him, and he played in the NFL for a long time. And he looks a lot like that guy. He looks a lot like him. He had a lot of the same attributes. So like that guy."
Beaty's quote: "This guy's a talented dude now. A guy that gives us that pass-rush that we needed. We certainly needed to be
able to find some people to help replace Damani Mosby. I think him and KeyShaun are both guys that we have high hopes for, and they're already here."
Shakial Taylor Position: CB
deaty's quote: "Excited about having this guy here. Long guy. His brother plays in the NFL for the Houston Texans. His grandma, just great. Great people, man. She came on the visit, and this guy does a great job, man. We went back and watched that tape against us, and for a guy that was a true freshman, he played really well in that game, did a good job."
MONDAY
$3 Domestic Bottles
TUESDAY
Jumbo Wing Night!
$1 jumbo wings
(5pm - close)
$5 Beer buckets
(With food purchase)
WEDNESDAY
Wine and Dine!
$5 bottle of house wine with purchase of large gourmet pizza
THURSDAY
Papa's Special:
$14.99 Large Papa Minsky Buresque Lager
$3/pint
$8/pitcher
FRIDAY
$3.25 mugs of Boulevard Wheat and Free State Copperhead
SATURDAY
Wingin' it
Weekend Special!
(11am-5pm)
$7 jumbo wings
$3.25 Domestic bottles
SUNDAY
Wingin' it
Weekend Special!
(11am-5pm)
$7 jumbo wings
$3.25 Domestic bottles
MONDAY
$6 Domestic Pitchers
$10 Micro Pitchers
TUESDAY
$2 Tacos
$3 Any Bottle
WEDNESDAY
$2 Smoked Wings
$5 double any whiskey
THURSDAY
$3.50 Any pint
$4 Double wells
FRIDAY
$3 Domestic Bottles
$8.50 Double Jacks
$3 Fireball
SATURDAY
$6 Double vodka RedBulls
SUNDAY
$7 PBR pitchers
+