Kansas Football Notebook
Aug. 12, 2010
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Kansas Football Notebook
300-Pounders
A recent Associated Press story by Eddie Pells, pointed out that in 1970 there was one player in the National Football League who weighed 300 pounds (Gene Ferguson of the San Diego Chargers). There were three such players in 1980, 94 in 1990, 301 in 2000 and 394 last year.
While Kansas is not the NFL, the Jayhawks list six players on the 2010 roster who tip the scales at 300-plus pounds, including offensive linemen Jeremiah Hatch (332 pounds), Duane Zlatnik (326), Jeff Spikes (325), Brad Thorson (310) and Riley Spencer (300) and defensive lineman Darius Parish (327).
In 1970 KU’s heaviest player on the roster was Bruce Mitchell at 285 pounds. In 1980 Renwich Atkins weighed a team-high 265 pounds. In 1990 the Jayhawks had two players weighing 300 pounds in Keith Loneker (315) and Chris Maumalanga (300). In 2000 the list included Marlon Dale (300), Dijon Dillon (300), Nate Dwyer (300), Justin Hartwig (305), Chuck Jarvis (310) and Marc Owen (305).
Three-Year Letterwinners
This year’s team lists eight players who have all earned three letters each during their KU careers. That is comparable to the 2009 team which had 10 players who entered last year with three letters.
The group has combined for 91 career starts and includes TE Bradley Dedeaux, LB Drew Dudley, CB Chris Harris, DE Jake Laptad, RB Angus Quigley, LB Justin Springer, S Phillip Strozier and WR Johnathan Wilson.
Where Are They From?
This year’s Kansas football roster lists players from 19 different states. Texas has produced the most Jayhawks with 38, while Kansas is second with 20 players. Eleven players are from Missouri with 10 from Oklahoma. There are five from Florida and three from both Ohio and Illinois. States which have produced two KU players include Nebraska, Iowa, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, while the Jayhawks have one player from the states of Colorado, Virginia, Utah, Arizona, Michigan, New Jersey, New Mexico and Arkansas.
Same High School
Five high schools have produced multiple players on the Kansas roster. Rockhurst High School in Kansas City has four of its alumni on the Jayhawk roster including seniors Sal Capra and Phillip Strozier, junior Patrick Schilling and freshman Dexter McDonald.
Other schools include Carter (Dallas, Texas) with junior Jeremiah Hatch and sophomore Lubbock Smith; James Bowie (Arlington, Texas) with redshirt freshmen Dexter Linton and Christian Matthews; North Mesquite (Mesquite, Texas) with junior Daymond Patterson and freshman Ricki Herod and Scioto (Dublin, Ohio) with sophomore Bradley McDougald and freshman Josh Richardson.
Upcoming Dates
August 20 – Kansas Football Kickoff Rally in Prairie Village, Kan., Corinth Square parking lot at 83rd and Mission, 6:30 p.m.
August 22 – Kansas Football Fan Appreciation Day, Memorial Stadium, 5 p.m.
September 4 – Season opener vs. North Dakota State, 6 p.m.
Football Blog
Fans can get an inside look at Turner Gill’s football program through the official blog of Kansas football at fbblog.kuathletics.com.
