PH'15: Meet the 2015 Kansas Jayhawks

Coach Jerry Brawner enters his third season at the helm of the Kansas Jayhawks, hoping to continue the level of success that the Jayhawks hadn't seen since their surprise Orange Bowl in 2007. The Jayhawks finished 2014 ranked #6 in the country, and come off a win in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando. But with many starters graduating, will the Jayhawks have to rebuild?

Quarterbacks

Player	Pos.	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Comp	Att	Yards	TD	INT	Comp Rate	Yards/ Att.	Sacks	Sack Rate
Montell Cozart	QB		Grad		176	227	1702	16	11	77.5%	7.5	5	2.2%
Ryan Willis	QB	6-4, 197	So	83	307	387	3191	27	13	79.3%	8.2	11	2.8%
Carter Stanley	QB	6'2, 194	So	78

Ryan Willis never expected to see the field last season, or, if he did, most likely in mop up duty in a blowout. Instead, Willis was thrust into the starting role after Montell Cozart went down with an injury in Week 6. Willis led the Jayhawks to a win over Arkansas despite throwing 3 INTs, not the best of starts. But Willis would improve throughout the year, ending up with the 10th most passing yards in the country despite no meaningful playing time until Week 6. He enters this season with the 4th most passing yards among returning players. His 27:13 TD-to-INT ratio needs to be improved, but otherwise Jayhawks fans just hope he can continue how he played last season. Willis ended the season with a record setting performance in the Capital One Bowl, eclipsing the school records for passing yards and touchdowns in a single game.

With the graduation of Montell Cozart, Carter Stanley, like Willis only a sophomore, will serve as the backup this season. Freshman Matt Barrow will redshirt this year barring injury.

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Offensive Skill Players

Player	Pos.	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Touches	Rushing Yards	Receiving Yards	Return Yards	TD	Yards/ Carry	Yds/ Catch	% of Team Touches	% of Team Yards
Laquvionte Gonzalez	WR		Grad		158		1485	130	16		9.4	24.0%	27.3%
Keaun Kinner	HB		Grad		65	253	26		2	4.1	8.7	9.9%	5.1%
TJ Milleward	FB		Grad		2	1	7			1.0	7.0	0.3%	0.1%
Greg Allen	CB		Grad					268
Kent Taylor	TE		Grad		30		282		4		9.4	4.6%	5.2%
Corey Avery	WR	5-10, 182	Sr	82	104	128	902		10	4.9	11.6	15.8%	18.9%
Tyler Patrick	WR	6-0, 178	Jr	78	75		579		4		7.7	11.4%	10.6%
Derrick Neal	WR	5-10, 173	Jr	83	69		746		2		10.8	10.5%	13.7%
Bobby Hartzog Jr	WR	5-11, 188	Jr	80	58		779		4		13.4	8.8%	14.3%
Darious Crawley	WR	5-11, 190	Jr	79	Redshirt
Emmanuel Moore	WR	6-0, 188	So	76	11		87		3		7.9	1.7%	1.6%
Taylor Martin	HB	5-9, 192	So	78	7	14				2.0		1.1%	0.3%
Ben Johnson	TE	6-5, 236	Sr	80	1		8				8.0	0.2%	0.1%
Bryan Webb	WR	6-5, 218	Fr	73	Redshirt
Jason Taylor	HB	5-11, 179	Fr	75	Redshirt
Jordan Darling	TE	6-4, 240	Jr	79	Redshirt
Quarterbacks	QB				79	145			6	1.8		12.0%	2.7%

Departed senior Laquvionte Gonzalez was the best receiver last season, which may be an understatement considering he may be the best Jayhawk receiver of all-time, if not one of the best receivers in college football history. Gonzalez broke the NCAA record for receptions in a season, and tied or broke the school records for receiving touchdowns in a single game, receptions in a single game, receiving touchdowns in a single season and receiving yards in a single season. But now Gonzalez is working on an undrafted free agent contract in the NFL.

Corey Avery, a converted halfback, is now the best receiver on the team. He will be expected to replace the production that Gonzalez brought to the team last season. Avery had the second most touches on the team last season, so maintaining that level of production would be a huge contribution to the team. Derrick Neal was the other primary outside receiver last season, a role he will stay in this season. Tyler Patrick and Bobby Hartzog Jr, both 50+ reception slot receivers this season, will return to the slots this season.

Kent Taylor, last year's starting tight end, has also moved on to the next level, and will need to be replaced by senior Ben Johnson, who only caught one pass last season.

Preseason All-SEC: Corey Avery (2nd team)

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Slobs

Player	Pos.	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Car. Starts	Car. P'cakes	Car. Sacks
Jordan Shelley-Smith	LT		Grad		26	6	4
Joe Gibson	C		Grad		26	11	4
Larry Mazyck	RT		Grad		26	2	8
Dan West	LT	6-7, 291	Jr	79
Will Smith	LG	6-4, 329	Sr	77
Jacob Bragg	C	6-3, 318	Sr	82
Aaron Garza	RG	6-3, 323	So	78	13	1	4
Jayson Rhodes	RT	6-4, 293	Sr	78
Kevin Jones	RT	6-3, 292	Fr	74
Joey Bloomfield	LT	6-6, 298	Sr	75
D'Andre Banks	RG	6-3, 326	Sr	81		2
Gabe Gibson	LG	6-4, 289	Fr	70
Joe Hill	C	6-4, 315	Fr	76

Kansas's offensive line will lose 104 career starts this season, thanks to 3 two-year starters graduating, and a fourth starter (Apa Visinia) suffering a season ending knee injury during the Jayhawk spring game. Visinia will be forced to sit out the season with a medical redshirt.

In all, only 13 career starts will take the field for the Jayhawk offensive line in Week 2; all 13 the experience of sophomore Aaron Garza. Three seniors, and one junior, will be taking the field in Week 2, though none of the four have starting experience.

Depth for the slobs will be provided by three freshmen and two seniors, including senior guard D'Andre Banks, who is one of the more capable run blockers on the team.

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Defensive Line

Player	Pos	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Tackles	% of Team	TFL	Sacks	Int	PBU	FF	FR
Damani Mosby	DE		Grad		20	3.8%	8	2.5		2
Tyler Holmes	DT				26	4.9%	10	5			2
Loren Massey	DE	6-0, 239	Sr	78	27	5.1%	11	5		1
DJ Williams	DT	6-4, 285	Jr	78	7	1.3%	2	2
Mike Caldwell	DE	6-5, 255	Fr	74	Redshirt
Josh Ehambe	DE	6-2, 232	Jr	73	2	0.4%
Jace Sternberger	DE	6-4, 225	So	73	2	0.4%
Jacky Dezir	DT	6-2, 299	Sr	75	2	0.4%	1	1
Steve Atkinson	DE	6-5, 239	Fr	72
Lay Trion Jones	DT	6-3, 291	Jr	72

Two thirds of the starting defensive line walked at last spring's graduation ceremonies, leaving an often-used backup and a redshirt freshman to take their place. Converted JUCO linebacker Loren Massey is the lone returning starter. Massey has demonstrated a good pursuit of the ball carrier, though he can sometimes seem lost on the field. DJ Williams, who played the 3-technique in sets with four down-linemen last season, will man the nose tackle position. Mike Caldwell, an impressive freshman who sat out last season, will try to become a four-year starter opposite Massey. Massey's cousin, Michael, was a coveted recruit who will bide his time and redshirt this season.

Depth at the defensive line is a mix of young and old, with one member of each class being part of the rotation. The 2nd string defensive line, Josh Ehambe, Jace Sternberger and Jacky Dezir, each notched two tackles last season, with Dezir adding a sack in the Capital One Bowl.

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Linebackers

Player	Pos	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Tackles	% of Team	TFL	Sacks	Int	PBU	FF	FR
Courtney Arnick	OLB		Grad		40	7.6%	9	2	1	1	1
Kyron Watson	MLB	6-1, 230	Sr	83	56	10.6%	10	2	2	2	1	1
Travis Bridges	MLB	6-2, 232	So	82	31	5.9%	6		1	1	1
Marcquis Roberts	OLB	6-1, 221	Jr	82	15	2.8%	1
Joe Dineen	OLB	6-2, 215	Sr	84	6	1.1%
Colton Goeas	OLB	6-2, 249	Sr	76	10	1.9%	3	1.5		2
Daniel Wise	LEO	6-2, 235	Jr	73	10	1.9%	4
Dorance Armstrong	LEO	6-4, 218	So	72
Andrew Wiggins	MLB	6-0, 233	Fr	72	Redshirt

With only one starter lost to graduation, the four linebackers in the Jayhawks' 3-4 defense will be the strongest unit this season. MLB Kyron Watson is the top returning tackler to the team, and Travis Bridges was extremely impressive in his freshman season. OLB Marquis Roberts finally earns a full-time starting job after two seasons of playing understudy to Courtney Arnick, and Joe Dineen will get his chance in his senior year. Dineen is one of the five fastest players on the Kansas team, so fans and coaches alike hope to see him flying from sideline to sideline in pursuit of the ball carrier. Both Dineen and Bridges were top performers last season on the kickoff coverage unit as well.

LEO Daniel Wise is a DE/OLB tweener that will come in to replace one of the OLBs in certain packages, and notched 10 tackles last year in that role.

Preseason All-American: Kyron Watson (1st team)

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Secondary

Player	Pos	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	Tackles	% of Team	TFL	Sacks	Int	PBU	FF	FR
Tevin Shaw	SS		Grad		69	13.1%	9		4	10
Fish Smithson	FS		Grad		64	12.1%	5	1	1	10		1
Brandon Stewart	CB		Grad		36	6.8%	4			2	1	1
Greg Allen	CB		Grad		31	5.9%	2		2	7	1
Matthew Boateng	CB	5-11, 177	Jr	85	25	4.7%	3	1	3	7
Pat Chambers	CB	6-3, 180	Jr	82	Redshirt
Tyrone Miller	FS	6-0, 182	So	81	8	1.5%			1	3
Bazie Bates	SS	6-0, 181	Sr	78	Redshirt
Colin Spencer	CB	5-10, 187	Sr	82	22	4.2%	3				1
Shaquille Richmond	CB	5-11, 183	So	74	18	3.4%				1
Lee Davis	CB	6-2, 197	Fr	73	Redshirt
Robbie Wilson	FS	6-2, 209	Fr	70	Redshirt
Jonathan Green	SS	6-4, 217	Fr	75	Redshirt

While the loss of an NCAA record setter is a blow to the wide receivers room, the defensive secondary has been depleted by graduation after losing three starters plus a nickelback. Cornerback Matthew Boateng is still around, still the closest thing to a ball-hawk in the secondary, but new pieces will surround him.

Pat Chambers, a JUCO transfer last season, sat out the year needing to learn the Kansas defensive scheme. Jayhawk coaches hope that his redshirt year will prove beneficial, as Chambers is expected to immediately start in Week 2, taking over the #2 cornerback spot. Colin Spencer, the dime corner last season, will take over the nickelback role and be the first off the bench in passing situations.

Tyrone Miller played well in a backup free safety role last year, and the sophomore will be called upon to be the starter this year. He only had eight tackles in limited playing time, but did register an interception. Bazie Bates will return to the field as a senior starter at SS, after being held out last year due to academic concerns. Miller and Bates will both be backed up by redshirt freshmen, leaving the margin for error very thin.

Preseason All-SEC: Matthew Boateng (1st team)

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Specialists

Player	Pos	Ht, Wt	Year	Rating	PAT	FG	FG Pct	Punts	Net Avg	TB	P I20
Matthew Wyman	K		Grad		53	16	89%			31 K/O
Ethan Greene	K	6-0, 173	Fr	84	Redshirt
JD Frederick	P	6-3, 191	So	88				18	43.4	2 P	10

Freshman punter JD Frederick was inexplicably overlooked by the awards last season. He was recognized by the SEC writers, but received no national recognition, not even a semi-finalist mention for the Ray Guy Award, despite leading the country in net punting average. While Kansas coaches would prefer Frederick never take the field, both fans and coaches alike want to see the young sophomore get his due, at least at some point.

Redshirt freshman Ethan Greene will step into the starting placekicker role this season after sitting out last year. Greene has a very strong leg and will look to at least match the 90% performance from Matthew Wyman last season.

All of the kicks fielded last season were by players who have graduated and left Lawrence. Kansas coaches will try various pieces this season until they find the right players to fill that role.

Preseason All-SEC: J.D. Frederick (2nd team)