Athletics Podcast

Jayhawker Podcast: NFL Draft

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 13:55:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast we’re talking about the talent development for Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks with the University of Kansas Director of Scouting, Scott Aligo. Then, we’ll hear from two of the Jayhawks top prospects for the 2024 NFL Draft Austin Booker and Dominick Puni.

Jayhawker Podcast: Devin Loudermilk

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:40:00 +0000

Today we’re jumping into this weekend’s Kansas Relays with Jayhawk High Jumper Devin Loudermilk. We’ll talk to Devin about growing up in a small town in Kansas and dreaming to one day wear the crimson and blue.

Jayhawker Podcast: College Basketball Coaching Carousel & Spring Showcase

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 14:44:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re taking a look at the College Basketball Coaching Carousel. We’re breaking down the Final Four, previewing the spring showcase and looking ahead to the transfer portal.

Jayhawker Podcast: Men's & Women's Basketball Future, Gateway District Construction, Spring Showcase

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 13:48:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re looking to the future…We’ll talk about what’s next for Kansas Men’s and Women’s basketball, we’ll update you on construction and get ready for spring the spring showcase.

Jayhawker Podcast: March Madness

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 13:50:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re previewing the NCAA Tournament! Wayne and Greg will recap the Big XII Tournament and talk about both the men's and women's matchups coming up this week.

Jayhawker Podcast: NCAA Tournament Preview

Thu, 14 Mar 2024 08:08:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker, we’ll look back at the Big XII Tournament, the strength of the conference, and hear Greg and Wayne go over their NCAA Tournament brackets. The Jayhawker Podcast is brought to you by the University of Kansas Health System, the official health care provider of KU Athletics, the Hilton President Hotel, and the Kansas City BBQ store.

Jayhawker Podcast: Men's Basketball Senior Night Win

Thu, 07 Mar 2024 16:29:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re breaking down the big Senior Night win over Kansas State. Wayne and Greg will preview the Big 12 Tournament and tell you about a chance for you to join them for a round of golf.

Jayhawker Podcast: Lance Leipold New Deal, S'Mya Nichols, Men's Basketball at Baylor, Women's Golf Victory

Fri, 01 Mar 2024 16:33:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking about the exciting new deal to keep Lance Leipold in Lawrence. We’re catching up with the amazing S’Mya Nichols before the Jayhawks begin their tournament run. We will recap Men’s Basketball’s week and preview Kansas / Baylor. And we will talk about an incredible win for the Kansas Women’s Golf team.

Jayhawker Podcast: Men's Basketball Plays Texas & Kansas Men's Golf

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 16:38:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley are previewing what could be the Texas Longhorn’s final trip to Allen Fieldhouse. We’re talking about a great performance by the Kansas golf team. And we’re getting you ready for an exciting March Madness run.

Jayhawker Podcast: College GameDay & Nate Lie

Thu, 08 Feb 2024 17:40:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley are recapping a big week for Kansas Basketball including a win over 4th ranked Houston, an overtime loss in Manhattan, and we’ll preview College GameDay coming to Lawrence for Saturday’s game against Baylor. Then we’ talk with our new Kansas Women’s Soccer Head Coach Nate Lie.

Jayhawker Podcast: Fran Fraschilla

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:42:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking about the state of the Big 12 with ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla. We’ll talk about the league’s new additions, and find out what expects from the Jayhawks as March draws near.

Jayhawker Podcast: Big 12 Basketball & College Football Coaching Carousel

Fri, 19 Jan 2024 17:19:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley are giving you their early impressions of Big XII conference play.We’ll talk about the women’s team and their signature win over the Baylor Bears. You’ll hear who we think should be on the everyone’s all Big XII lists, and we’ll discuss the college football coaching carousel.

Jayhawker Podcast: Drew Gooden

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 17:22:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley are joined by Southsider and 14 year NBA player Drew Gooden. We’ll hear what it was like to play for Roy Williams, what he thinks about the NIL era of college basketball, and what drove him to come back and finish his degree at the University of Kansas.

Jayhawker Podcast: Guaranteed Rate Bowl Recap and Doc Sadler

Wed, 03 Jan 2024 17:24:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley are recapping their trips to Phoenix to watch the Jayhawks big win over UNLV. Then we’re talking to College Basketball Royalty, Assistant to the Head Coach for the Kansas Jayhawks Doc Sadler.

Jayhawker Podcast: Lance Leipold

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 17:32:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking to Kansas Head Coach Lance Leipold. Greg Gurley, Wayne Simien and the Coach will talk about the demolition going on just outside his office window as the Gateway Project gets underway.

Jayhawker Podcast: Border Showdown Win, Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Gateway District Construction Updates

Fri, 15 Dec 2023 17:33:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast we have a lot to cover. Wayne and Greg will tell you about their plans for the holidays. We’ll talk about the gift that came early, men’s basketball’s big win over Mizzou. Plus, we have NIL, the Guaranteed Rate Bowl in Phoenix, gateway project construction updates and so much more.

Jayhawker Podcast: Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Nate Lie, Border Showdown

Fri, 08 Dec 2023 17:35:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast we’re recapping the big win over UConn. Wayne and Greg will give you their thoughts on heading to Phoenix for the Guaranteed Rate Bowl game against UNLV. We’ll talk about the new hire for Women’s Soccer. And of course, we’ll get you ready for Kansas and Missouri, as they meet again at Allen Fieldhouse.

Jayhawker Podcast: Reagan Cooper, Maui Invitational, Football Win at Cincinnati

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 17:41:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking to Reagan Cooper as Kansas Volleyball gets set to host NCAA Tournament Matches for the first time since 2016! The Jayhawks will face Omaha on Thursday in the opening round of the 2023 NCAA DI women's volleyball championship at 7 p.m. inside of Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena.

Jayhawker Podcast: Dillon’s Sunflower Showdown, Maui Invitational, Volleyball Ranked Wins & Cayman Islands Classic

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 17:43:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re recapping the Dillon’s Sunflower Showdown. Greg Gurley updates us on the scene in Honolulu as he is with the team at the Maui Invitational. Then, Wayne Simien talks about big wins for volleyball against Baylor and BYU, and for women’s basketball against Virginia Tech and UConn in the inaugural Cayman Islands Classic.

Jayhawker Podcast: Champions Classic, Dillons Sunflower Showdown & Maui Invitational

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 17:45:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking about the big win over Kentucky in the Champions Classic, we’re getting ready for the Dillon’s Sunflower Showdown, and we’re breaking down the impressive field for the Maui Invitational in Honolulu.

Jayhawker Podcast: Jason Bean

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 17:48:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking with Kansas Quarterback Jason Bean.

Jayhawker Podcast: Brian Borland

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 17:49:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking with Kansas Defensive Coordinator Brian Borland and Mission Coordinator “Sticky” James Elliot and Pilot “Mojo” Jared Anderson.

Jayhawker Podcast: Andy Kotelnicki and Chandler Gibbens

Thu, 19 Oct 2023 07:25:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking with Kansas Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki and the captain of the Kansas Men’s Cross Country team Chandler Gibbens.

Jayhawker Podcast: Rich Miller

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 07:37:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking to one of the leaders of the Kansas Defense, Linebacker Rich Miller.

Jayhawker Podcast: Tony Sands and Nick Reid

Wed, 04 Oct 2023 07:40:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re reliving the glory days before Tony Sands and Nick Reid enter the Kansas Ring of Honor Saturday at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

Jayhawker Podcast: Luke Grimm

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 07:41:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien talk to Kansas Football star Luke Grimm. We’ll talk about the 4-0 start and preview their big showdown in Austin with the 3rd ranked Texas Longhorns.

Jayhawker Podcast: Ray Bechard

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 07:44:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking with the winningest coach in Kansas Volleyball History, Head Coach Ray Bechard. We’ll talk about his 26 years at the helm for the Jayhawks, and his plans for the future.

Jayhawker Podcast: Kwinton Lassiter

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 07:46:00 +0000

Jayhawker Podcast: Travis Goff

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 08:47:00 +0000

Jayhawker Podcast: Hunter Dickinson

Mon, 12 Jun 2023 08:01:00 +0000

When the Jayhawks signed Hunter Dickinson, they landed the most coveted player available in the transfer portal. Today on the Jayhawker we’re sitting down with the 7-foot-1 Center to talk about what brought him to Lawrence and what to expect when he suits up this season for Bill Self and the Kansas Jayhawks.

Jayhawker Podcast: Brian Hanni

Fri, 02 Jun 2023 08:02:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we have Brian Hanni on to talk about new leaders in Kansas basketball, the highly anticipated Kansas football season and the annual Rock Chalk Roundball Classic happening June 8th.

Jayhawker Podcast: NCAA Regionals

Mon, 08 May 2023 08:03:00 +0000

For the 7th straight time, your Jayhawks are NCAA Regionals bound! Norman, Oklahoma, here we come! Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we're talking with Kansas Golf Head Coaches Jamie Bermel and Lindsay Kuhle about their successful seasons, new facilities, and building a culture of winning.

Jayhawker Podcast: Rob Thomson

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 08:04:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker we’re talking to Philadelphia Phillies Manager Rob Thomson. The former Jayhawk and Detroit Tigers catcher and third basement took the Phillies all the way to the National League Pennant in his first season at the helm.

Jayhawker Podcast: Jalon Daniels

Fri, 07 Apr 2023 08:05:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast, we’re talking to Jalon Daniels before the Kansas Football Spring Showcase. We’ll talk about his goals for the upcoming season, and what Kansas fans can expect from their first look at the 2023 Jayhawks.

Jayhawker Podcast: Travis Goff

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 08:06:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker we’re taking at look at the exciting changes in store for Kansas Athletics. We’ll take a look at the new plans to renovate Allen Fieldhouse, the Anderson Family Football Complex, and the Wagnon Student Athlete Center.

Jayhawker Podcast: Brandon Schneider

Wed, 22 Mar 2023 08:07:00 +0000

The Kansas Women’s Basketball team is marching on, after a 75-47 win against the Missouri Tigers. We’re sitting down today with Coach Brandon Schneider to talk about their NIT victory. Plus, Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien break down Kansas’s loss to Arkansas in the Round of 32.

Jayhawker Podcast: NCAA Tournament Preview

Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:51:00 +0000

Jayhawker Podcast: Jalen Wilson

Thu, 09 Mar 2023 08:10:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker, we’re talking with Big XII Player of the Year and first team All American Jalen Wilson. We’ll compare notes about Senior Night speeches, talk about his incredible season, and look ahead to what will come after his Jayhawk career.

Jayhawker Podcast: Kurtis Townsend

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 08:11:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast we’re talking with Kansas Assistant Coach Kurtis Townsend. We’ll talk about how he came to be a Jayhawk, get his predictions for the Big XII Tournament and March Madness, and share stories from his impressive twenty years with the team.

Jayhawker Podcast: Kevin McCullar

Sun, 26 Feb 2023 08:12:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker Podcast we’re talking with Kansas Guard Kevin McCullar. We’ll get his thoughts on the season so far, find out about his plans for Senior Night, and look ahead to the Jayhawk’s chances in the Big XII Tournament and March Madness.

Jayhawker Podcast: College Gameday Has Arrived!

Fri, 17 Feb 2023 08:13:00 +0000

Today, on the Jayhawker Podcast presented by the University of Kansas Health System we have a lot to cover… First up, Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien will discuss their Super Bowl experiences. Then, we’ll get into a 2-0 Oklahoma road trip. We’ll talk Jayhawks in the NBA. And we’ll preview Saturday’s game against Baylor.

Jayhawker Podcast with KJ Adams

Fri, 10 Feb 2023 08:14:00 +0000

On this episode of the Jayhawker we catch up with KJ Adams. We’ll talk about winning a championship as a freshman, what he learned from Ochai’s leadership style and much more. Then, Greg Gurley will give you a complete update on the Phoenix Open scene in Arizona, and the guys will give you their Super Bowl predictions.

Jayhawker Podcast with Lance Leipold

Thu, 02 Feb 2023 08:16:00 +0000

Today on the Jayhawker we're talking Kansas Football on Signing Day with Head Coach Lance Leipold. Plus, Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien break down a big week for the Jayhawks MBB team with wins over Kentucky and Kansas State.

Jayhawker Podcast with Bill Raftery

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 08:17:00 +0000

On this episode of the Jayhawker, we’re sitting down with CBS College Basketball Analyst Coach Bill Raftery. We’ll talk about his signature calls including, Man to Man, Onions! and last year’s National Championship. The Jayhawker is presented by the University of Kansas Health System, the official healthcare provider of KU Athletics.

Jayhawker Podcast with Mitch Lightfoot

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:19:00 +0000

We’re joined today by the player who won the most games in Kansas Basketball history. Not Wilt… Not Danny Manning… Mitch Lightfoot. Wayne Simien and Greg Gurley sit down with Mitch to find out what it was like playing for Bill Self and finishing his career with a National Championship. Plus we’ll recap the 125th Anniversary reunion, talk about a tough

Jayhawker Podcast with Bill Self

Thu, 12 Jan 2023 08:21:00 +0000

We're in the Booth Family Hall of Athletics, for a special edition of the Jayhawker Podcast. Head Coach Bill Self sits down with former Jayhawks Greg Gurley and Wayne Simien for a candid conversation. We'll talk about memories from last year's national championship, insights on this year's team and look around the rest of the Big XII conference.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kenny Logan Jr.

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 11:00:00 +0000

He was one of Les Miles’ first KU recruits and he’s quickly becoming a defensive leader for the Jayhawks. Sophomore safety Kenny Logan Jr. has made a big leap from his rookie season to now, and as the little brother of a two-time All-American at Florida, Logan has big dreams for his own career trajectory at Kansas.

Logan grew up in St. Augustine, FL as one of 15 kids between his mother’s children and father’s children. That number might seem overwhelming to some, but Logan loved being a part of a big family and says there was never a dull moment.

“It was exciting,” described Logan. “There was a lot of us, so there was always pretty much something to do.”

One of his siblings was his older brother, Brandon James, a star kick returner for Urban Meyer at Florida. Separated by 13 years of age, Logan always looked up to James starting back during James’ prolific high school career.

“Growing up I always watched my brother play at St. Augustine High and then on to the Florida Gators,” recalled Logan. “So, it’s always been a dream of mine to follow in his footsteps and play football too.”

Logan watched his brother win a 3A state championship at St. Augustine before winning two BCS National Championships at Florida. James never let the bright lights of the big time SEC football stages keep him from checking in on his little brother though.

“It was exciting every time he called to check in,” said Logan. “It was just like, ‘Dang, my brother called me after the game and he just made all these plays.’ It was just always exciting and it always just felt like, ‘Okay, you gotta go, ‘cause this could be you someday.’”

With James’ career as the standard to shoot for and armed with weekly advice from his superstar big brother, Logan would attack each day with tremendous motivation to realize his own football dreams. Along the way, he and his mother decided he should transfer from St. Augustine High to Menendez High, in part, to carve his own niche from outside of the large shadow his brother’s legendary career had cast.

“He was pretty much a legend there,” said Logan of his brother. “Going to that high school I always had the, ‘Oh, you’re going to be like your brother’ footsteps (comment). So, when I made that transition (to Menendez HS), it was like, ‘Oh, he’s being different.’ So, I just tried to make my own path. I felt like it was a better opportunity for me to be different and separate myself.”

Logan did just that. Along the way to helping Menendez beat St. Augustine for the first time in nearly two decades, he turned heads amongst college coaches from all across the state and around the country. Logan piled up offers from schools like Auburn, Miami and Nebraska but ultimately, it was Kansas and Les Miles that swooped in late with the best pitch.
“They hit me up in January on the backend of the signing period,” Logan said. “Just talking with Coach (Chevis) Jackson and Coach (D.J.) Eliot and just having the chance to come up here and really meet those guys and see the coaching staff we had up here. I just felt like I wanted to be a part of that change and change the arrow.”

Two years later, though still very a young unit, Logan is helping the arrow of the Kansas Defense start to point upward and he fully expects the overall program to make a similar ascent during his time here.

Bowl games, national relevance and eventually a spot in the NFL are all a part of Logan’s dreams for his Jayhawk career. He knows he’ll be hard-pressed to match what his brother accomplished at Florida, but he just wants to be the best version of himself he can be and see what that adds up to in the end. Logan’s early impact at KU shows that his time here could be something truly special. Hear more about his plans to help Coach Miles rebuild Kansas Football on this week’s edition of The Jayhawker Podcast.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Dan Fitzgerald: Authentic Culture is Felt

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Dan Fitzgerald has never tried to be something other than himself at each stop in his college baseball career. An excellent developer and recruiter at Dallas Baptist, his program earned the fifth most wins in the country from 2015-21. An elite recruiter at LSU, which resulted in the number one recruiting class in 2022. But most important to him, he’s always been an outstanding teammate. It’s always been about the team. That’s what builds an authentic culture.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with new Jayhawks baseball coach, Dan Fitzgerald.

The Jayhawker Podcast | The NBA Draft Experience

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

There’s a lot of history when it comes to KU basketball. It’s something we’ve dove into a few times here on the podcast. Another chapter in the Jayhawks book of basketball is reserved for those who take their game to the next level. The realization of a childhood dream. The countless hours in a gym and all the hard work paying off as they walk across the stage to greet the NBA Commissioner.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast and this is our look at the NBA Draft experience.

The Jayhawker Podcast | How It Works: The Gear at KU

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

How does a player convey swag? Is it hitting a fadeaway jumper over a defender? A running back bowling over a defensive back for a score? Maybe launching a 400 foot bomb over the fence. Sometimes, it just comes down to the jersey on your back. Before that jersey made it to the court or field, it was meticulously planned, from the first stitch to the final fold before being put into game action.

This is a special How It Works edition of the Jayhawker Podcast featuring the gear of KU.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Rylee Anderson: Up, Up and Away

Tue, 07 Jun 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Getting to Lawrence just felt right for Rylee Anderson. And things seem to feel right often for the back-to-back defending Big 12 Indoor champion at the high jump. Anderson continues to add to long list of winners that come from the Jayhawks.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with Kansas high jumper, Rylee Anderson.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Caleb Sampson: Down and Back Again

Tue, 31 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

To say Caleb Sampson’s college journey has been a full of adversity would be an understatement. Originally signed and playing for Missouri coming out of high school, Sampson would eventually land at a junior college in Mississippi, a challenge that would leave him in tears.

That path has led him to Lawrence as a valuable member of the Jayhawks football team. And not just for his play, but the leadership he brings as well.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with KU football defensive tackle and captain, Caleb Sampson.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Daniel Hegarty: Mr. Jayhawk

Tue, 24 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

The Crimson and Blue run deep in Daniel Hegarty’s family. Jayhawks are littered through his family tree. It helped make choosing a college easy for the man they call Mr. Jayhawk and helped him develop into the team leader he was this season for the Kansas baseball team.

Hegarty is working towards earning his master’s degree in business administration.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with KU baseball pitcher, Daniel Hegarty.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Shelby Gayre: Start Off On the Right Foot

Tue, 10 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

College is supposed to be the most fun in a young persons life. Four years unlike anything they’ll experience. That last sentence certainly held true for Shelby Gayre, just not in the way you’re thinking.
Her 2019 season derailed by injury and a cancer diagnosis for her mother just a couple months later. The 2020 season cut short due to COVID. It’s all led to incredible will and determination for the quarterback of the Jayhawk softball team.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with KU softball’s anchor behind the plate, Shelby Gayre.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Billy Mills: Wings of an Eagle

Tue, 03 May 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Billy Mills has mixed emotions when it comes to Lawrence and returning to KU. In his words, it’s where he never had a great race as a long-distance runner. And like most campuses across America at the time, he would experience racism for his Native American heritage.

Despite all the obstacles in Mills path, he never let it deter him. Leaning on his faith and those close to him, Mills would overcome to achieve the ultimate prize.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with 1964 Olympic gold medalist, Billy Mills.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Micah Brown: From a Certain Point of View

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0000

When you come to Kansas as a student athlete, you get very familiar being in front of a camera. Interviews and nationally televised games are the norm. It kind of comes with the territory.

Micah Brown’s story has always been different though. A two sport athlete who walked on to the KU football team, Brown has always been fascinated by a life behind the camera…not in the spotlight.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with the Jayhawks Emmy award winning producer, Micah Brown.

The Jayhawker Podcast | WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!!!

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Wayne and Greg Gurley are back with their first hand recap of the national title game. The guys chat about the ups and downs of the game, Bill Self’s legacy and how awesome it was to see as many former players as there were in New Orleans. Rock Chalk!

The Jayhawker Podcast | 1971 Final Four Roundtable

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Members of the 1971 Final Four team recently came back to Lawrence to celebrate their team. Wayne sits down with key members of the squad to chat about their chemistry, the Final Four run and their place in KU history.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Taiyanna Jackson: The Program Changer

Tue, 22 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

There’s a lot of pressure when it comes to being a division one athlete. Performing at a high-level day in and day out. Keeping up with your classes. Hearing the cheers…and occasional boo…from the fans. Taiyanna Jackson has endured all that and more as she was sought after to help change the culture on the KU women’s basketball team.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with the Jayhawks’ queen of blocks, Taiyanna Jackson.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Selection Sunday Live Show

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

It’s the first ever LIVE edition of the Jayhawker Podcast as Wayne is joined by KU color commentator Greg Gurley to breakdown Selection Sunday and Kansas grabbing the #1 seed in the Midwest Region. Wayne and Greg are also joined by Christian Braun, Chris Teahan & coach Bill Self to chat about the Jayhawks 32nd consecutive NCAA tourney appearance.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Ochai Agbaji: Becoming a KU Great

Tue, 08 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Ochai Agbaji wasn’t ready for his time to be up in Lawrence. He had more to prove. To scouts. To coaches. But most importantly, to himself. Coming back to KU has worked out in more ways than one for the man they call Och. He’s developed into a 1st round pick in the NBA, won Big 12 Player of the Year and also helped bring the Jayhawks yet another Big 12 title. But there’s more work to be done. Just let Och tell that to you himself.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast with Big 12 Player of the Year, Ochai Agbaji.

The Jayhawker Podcast | David McCormack: Whatever It Takes

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

College is where most go to find out about themselves. Their major. Their career. What path they want to go down in life. KU’s senior big man David McCormack found the road he wanted to travel early and has never taken a detour. Even if that meant taking an unfamiliar route.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Kansas big man, Dave McCormack.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Chris Teahan: Life’s a Garden, Dig It

Tue, 22 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Chris Teahan is a local legend. He’s a home-grown talent. Went to Allen Fieldhouse as a kid. His brother played for Bill Self and KU. Kansas always had his heart.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring the man with more than the mullet, Chris Teahan.

The Jayhawker Podcast | A Jayhawk Above Them All

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

It’s the 100th episode of the Jayhawker Podcast and we’re celebrating with the man who scored 100 points! Wilt Chamberlain has gone down as one of the best basketball players in the history of the game. Recruited out of high school by nearly 200 colleges, the Big Dipper chose KU and immediately made his mark in Lawrence, leading the team to 1957 NCAA Championship game. Join us as we look at Chamberlain’s time as a Jayhawk and developed into an all-time great!

The Jayhawker Podcast | A Conversation with Jay Bilas

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Jay Bilas has stepped foot in a lot of college basketball arenas throughout the years. He’s called Cameron Indoor home. Felt the intensity from rival fans at the Dean Smith Center. Called games at Rupp Arena, the Carrier Dome and Assembly Hall. But none of those historic sites can match the feeling and aura one gets walking into Allen Fieldhouse.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring our conversation with ESPN’s Jay Bilas.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Clark Campbell: Racing for Rent

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

We all love Kansas. If you’re listening to this podcast, chances are you’re either an alumni, have a family connection to Lawrence or your feet are currently on the grounds at KU. Clark Campbell can check all three of those boxes as he is about to enter his 20th season as the Kansas swim coach. It all started in Lawrence with a dream.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring KU’s aquaman, coach Clark Campbell.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Aqib Talib: Primetime Playmaker

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Aqib Talib’s list of career accomplishments are a mile long. MVP. All-Pro. Pro Bowls. Super Bowl Champion. But celebrating his time in Lawrence is one that will always have a special place in his heart. This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring former Kansas playmaker Aqib Talib.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Svi Mykhailiuk: International Man of Mystery

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

College basketball has a rich tradition at Kansas. A true blue blood that attracts the best of the best from the time they can dribble a ball. For Svi Mykhailiuk, basketball looked different in his native Ukraine. No signing days. No pro days. No Ball is Life cameras. Just a kid and a dream that brought Mykhailiuk halfway across the world. This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring former Kansas sharpshooter Svi Mykhailiuk.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jalen Coleman-Lands: I've Been Everywhere

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 11:00:00 +0000

Jalen Coleman-Lands has had a long and winding road to get to Lawrence. Stops at Illinois, DePaul and Iowa State all came before he ever put on the Kansas blue. Those experiences are just added value he brings to the Jayhawks as the team looks to make another run at a national title. This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Kansas basketball’s super-senior Jalen Coleman-Lands.

The Jayhawker Podcast | The Jayhawker Best of 2021

Tue, 28 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Happy Holidays from the Jayhawker! Enjoy this special best of edition of the show looking back at some of the most unique interviews from the past year.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jamari Traylor: Around the World

Tue, 21 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

A lot of basketball players that have come through Lawrence have gone on to play pro ball. Jamari Traylor is no different in that regard, having played all over the globe. It’s everything that Traylor went through before his time at KU that sets him apart. Growing up in a rough area of Chicago. Homelessness. His father going to jail. But Traylor was determined to not let that be the end of his story.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring former Kansas big man Jamari Traylor.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Stanley Redwine: A Lifetime of Steps

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Kansas track and field coach Stanley Redwine’s feet have taken his a lot of places. They took him to college. They took him to his career. And after a few stumbles along the way, they took him to a dream in Tokyo over the summer.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Bordering On: KU vs Mizzou Deep Dive

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

There are a lot of rivalries in college sports. But aside from Army-Navy, few, if any, have the history on and off the field that Kansas and Missouri have. It’s a rivalry that dates back to the Civil War. Before internet. Before TV. Before cars. It was Kansas vs Missouri. And this is Bordering On: A Deep Dive into KU vs MU.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Holly Kersgieter: Leading Scorer to Team Leader

Thu, 02 Dec 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Being a leader isn’t easy. Important things rarely are. Holly Kersgieter has taken that step for the Jayhawks. Becoming a leader on and off the court. This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Kansas women’s basketball junior guard Holly Kersgieter.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Devin Neal: Home Grown

Tue, 23 Nov 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Devin Neal has been a Jayhawk as long as he can remember. He celebrated KU’s 2008 national title in basketball on Mass Street as an 8-year-old. It’s a dream come true for the freshman from Lawrence to be playing on Memorial Field.

This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Kansas freshman running back Devin Neal.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Bill Self: Jayhawk 4 Life Part 2

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Roy Williams never had one. Larry Brown didn’t either. Heck, even the inventor of the game could never say he got what Bill Self earned this past summer. Self is preparing for his 18th season as coach of the Jayhawks. And this season, much like last year, will be different than any of his previous on the sideline. This is the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self’s preview of the 2021-2022 season.

Part two on Coach Self’s conversation with Wayne tackles his new lifetime contract, the transfer portal and NIL.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Bill Self: Jayhawk 4 Life

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 11:00:00 +0000

The Jayhawker Podcast | Isaac Byrd: Double The Pressure

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 11:00:00 +0000

About one out of every 250 college athlete goes on to play professionally. The dedication to the craft is something that requires hard work, determination and laser focus. Now amplify that by two and that’s what it took for Isaac Byrd to be drafted in the Major Leagues and the NFL. That desire is what helped fuel Byrd. And that desire allowed him to be on the field for some of the most iconic moments in NFL history.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Nakia Sanford: It's the Little Things

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Nakia Sanford wasn’t drafted coming of out Kansas. So that’s where her basketball journey ends, right? Of course not! Sanford discusses her time in Lawrence and how she went from open try outs and waiting tables to playing professional basketball for over a decade.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Rob Riggle: POW, I Love the Jayhawks

Tue, 12 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Many know actor Rob Riggle as the guy who played a correspondent on The Daily Show. Or maybe him talking about the Catalina Wine Mixer with Will Ferrell in Step Brothers. But Riggle is a Jayhawk. He’s a 1992 graduate with a degree in theater and film and comes back to Lawrence, a place that shaped him into the person he is today, as often as he can. Riggle’s career path is one of perseverance and patience. He served in the Marines for 23 years and served in Afghanistan. He sorted through rubble at Ground Zero after 9/11. And while he was in the Marines reserve in New York City, he toiled in the comedy clubs, perfecting a craft and a dream that sometimes seemed out of reach. In a lesson that all of us can take to heart, his drive to fulfill his dream outweighed his thoughts of not even trying because his goal was too hard to reach.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Luke Kluver: Loving the Big Stage

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Sophomore golfer Luke Kluver and the Jayhawk men’s golf team have been on a hot streak. As a team, the Jayhawks recently won back-to-back tournaments for the first time since 2016, and Kluver won his first individual title earlier this fall. Kluver, who comes from an athletic family, has never looked back since he arrived in Lawrence, helping the Jayhawks to two NCAA Regional appearances and learning some valuable lessons from head coach Jamie Bermel along the way. With an experienced lineup on the course this year, the Jayhawks are aiming for big things. And individually for Kluver, he believes he’s at his best on the brightest stage, which he hopes will lead to more titles for the Jayhawks and a future career on the PGA Tour.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jason Bean: Lightning QB1

Tue, 28 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Junior Jason Bean quietly emerged as the starting quarterback this fall in year one of the Lance Leipold era. Jayhawk fans quickly realized that the North Texas transfer belonged on the Big 12 stage. A contributor for the Mean Green for two seasons, Bean decided to transfer to Kansas in the spring of 2021, before Leipold was even hired. The one thing Jayhawk fans noticed right away with their new quarterback is speed. In high school, Bean was the third-fastest man in Texas in Class 5A, and this year, he may be the fastest quarterback in college football. Bean has always wanted to play power-five conference football and now that he’s here, he is ready to help instill a new culture and raise the Jayhawk program to new heights.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Mitch Lightfoot: Dreams to Reality

Tue, 21 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Super-senior Mitch Lightfoot dreamed to get a call from Jayhawk Coach Bill Self when he was growing up. He spent most of his life in Arizona, but his family’s KU roots have always played a big part in who he is. Dreams have turned into reality for Lightfoot, and he has been a part of three Big 12 Jayhawk championship teams and a Final Four appearance in 2018. Lightfoot has treasured the big games and everything that has happened on the floor. He knows he has experienced some special things. Now that he is in his sixth year on campus, Lightfoot’s wisdom about Kansas and how Jayhawk basketball can shape the rest of his life is starting to come into focus.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Rylan Childers - Always Around the Pitch

Tue, 14 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Jayhawk senior soccer player Rylan Childers’ path to collegiate soccer and Kansas could have possibly been predicted early in her life. Rylan, one of seven children, has always been around the soccer pitch. Her father, Brad, also coached her throughout her youth career. Family has always taken precedence in her college career. Before she arrived in Lawrence, she played with her older sister Reagan at UMKC, where she was the WAC Freshman of the Year in 2018 and an All-WAC first-team selection in 2018 and 2019. After transferring to Kansas, she played in all 13 games for the Jayhawks in 2020 and in 2021, shares the field with another sibling, freshman Raena Childers. And from the very beginning, she has always been around the pitch.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jeremy Case - Dual Perspective

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 11:00:00 +0000

There are not too many people who can claim to have played for a Hall of Fame coach and then have the opportunity to work with that same Hall of Fame coach. Jeremy Case, the Jayhawks’ new assistant coach and member of the 2008 national championship team, has that interesting perspective and is ready for the challenge after spending five years waiting patiently in an administrative role. Case’s roots with the game of basketball and Coach Bill Self run deep. His father, Win, played basketball with Self at Oklahoma State, and he met the Kansas head coach when he was a baby, and his father has gone on to be a longtime assistant coach at the Division I level and currently works at Ole Miss with head coach Kermit Davis. How does Case’s unique perspective on the Jayhawk program impact the players that currently wear the uniform that he cares so much about?

The Jayhawker Podcast | David Lawrence: 100 Years At David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Former Jayhawk football player, coach, and current radio analyst David Lawrence grew up in the shadows of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium and has now been around the program for over 40 years. As the Jayhawks’ 2021 football season begins, Lawrence takes us back to the beginnings of the stadium that will welcome the 100th year of Kansas football this fall and some of his favorite moments throughout his time with Jayhawk football. With new head coach Lance Leipold now at the helm, there’s a new excitement around Kansas football. And there’s no better setting than David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Brandon McAnderson: Lucky to Have Lawrence

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Former Jayhawk fullback Brandon McAnderson is a fan favorite for many Kansas football fans. Not highly recruited out of high school, he became an essential piece in the 2008 Orange Bowl-winning team. McAnderson is Lawrence-born and Lawrence-made and has had football in his veins from the very beginning. McAnderson’s path to Kansas was always a dream for him. And when his dream came to a reality, he made the most of his opportunity. However, he never forgets the foundation for his football success. It’s rooted in a place that he still calls home.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Caroline Crawford: Jayhawk Jedi

Tue, 17 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Kansas volleyball star Caroline Crawford is a generational Jayhawk and has had love in her heart for the University of Kansas for as long as she can remember. Crawford carved her path with the sport of volleyball and began getting noticed by schools for her play on the court. To her, it was always a no-brainer. Crawford was an All-Big 12 first-team selection as a freshman last season, and recently returned from Belgium and Netherlands where she competed with the Team USA Under-20 team. Now her focus returns to Kansas Volleyball, where she hopes to bring back the Jayhawks to the level of a team she idolized growing up – the 2016 squad that made the Final Four.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jalen Wilson: Blessing In A Break

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Kansas forward Jalen Wilson is a veteran in the Jayhawk locker room as he enters his third season with the program. Personally, he’s also a veteran of the game of basketball. Both his father and mother played collegiately, and he’s thankful they have been able to guide him through his playing journey. Perspective on college basketball came early for Wilson. In his first game as a Jayhawk, injury struck and wiped out his freshman season. As hard as the injury was to accept and overcome, Wilson came away from the experience with the attitude and approach of a veteran. After testing the NBA waters, Wilson is back to take care of some unfinished business in Lawrence.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Getting to Know: Lindsay Kuhle

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0000

New Kansas women’s golf coach Lindsay Kuhle is ready to hit the ground running in Lawrence. After being hired this summer to take over the Jayhawks, Kuhle is confident this is the perfect place to achieve her lofty goals. A native of Colorado with a strong family background in golf, Kuhle was taught to play by her dad and brother. She has developed a love for the game that has spurred her passion to coach and lead her team to success, both on and off the course. Naturally, sports runs deep in her family. Her husband, A.J., is a former Division I basketball player at Air Force, and with two children, the Kuhles have always been a sports family. Now they are a part of the Jayhawk family. Learn more about Kuhle and her journey to Kansas in the latest episode of the Jayhawker Podcast.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Keon Stowers: KU Saved My Life

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000

If you know former football player Keon Stowers, it’s hard to fathom how difficult his upbringing was in Rock Hill, South Carolina. There was not a lot to look forward to in his environment, and it was even harder for him to trust others that wanted to help him. Stowers escaped a challenging family situation at home through football, where he found a family who cared, mentors who challenged him, and a place where he felt like he could make a difference. He found success on the gridiron, and after two years at Georgia Military College, he found his way to Kansas, where he played two seasons for the Jayhawks and graduated with a degree in Sociology. Stowers has now found a home in Lawrence and is the Development Director for the KU Endowment, where he shares his story with others in the community and on campus.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kyle Clemons: Beauty In The Grind

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Learning. Growing. Maturing. That 400 meters, that one lap around the track, caused Olympic gold medalist and world record holder Kyle Clemons to do some deep thinking about his athletic career and his life. His rise to the top of the track and field world did not come easy. However, to a young Clemons, this whole thing was supposed to be a breeze. Highly rated out of high school, he’d spend a year or two in college and then go pro, and then the medals and money would come. But his times at Kansas failed to reflect that and he struggled. Suddenly, a mental switch flipped for Clemons, and with the help of Kansas track coach Stanley Redwine, he dropped the expectations. And found beauty in the grind.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Danielle McCray: Taking A Risk

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Jayhawk women’s basketball great Danielle McCray has enjoyed a fruitful career on the basketball court. But for McCray, who concluded her time at KU ranked in the top 10 in nine different categories, her basketball journey almost ended before it got started. How did she persevere In Lawrence and earn second-team All-America honors and become the highest WNBA draft pick in Jayhawks history in 2010, when she was selected 7th overall by the Connecticut Sun? We’ll also explore her international basketball career, which has taken her to over nine different countries, and how she has established herself as a successful businesswoman and developed an urge to help others with their careers when the ball stops bouncing.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Christian Braun: Born For The Border Showdown

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Junior Christian Braun was born for the Border Showdown, which returns this winter on the basketball court. Although he claims Burlington, Kansas, as his hometown, his mom’s side of the family is so well-known in Missouri that they are in the state’s athletic Hall of Fame. The whole family. But that didn’t stop Braun from rocking the Crimson and Blue growing up. A late bloomer, Braun turned his family’s competitive nature into a successful high school career and a basketball scholarship to play for his dream school. Now in his third season with the team, Braun still pinches himself when he takes the Allen Fieldhouse floor on gamedays. It’s not a dream, and when he looks into the crowd, he sees himself in those fans in the stands.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Brandon Schneider: Like Father, Like Son

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Coaching women’s basketball is in Jayhawk coach Brandon Schneider’s veins. His father, Bob, spent 43 years coaching women’s basketball in Texas and the Schneider name is very well known. Although it seemed like a natural fit for Brandon to follow in his Dad’s footsteps, going into coaching was not always a sure thing. However, like his father, Brandon took to the profession and excelled in stops at Division II Emporia State, where he won a national championship, and then at Stephen F. Austin, before his arrival in Lawrence in 2015. Throughout his career, Brandon has emulated his father with his desire to develop young women into quality human beings, and in the end, he learned that it’s the simple things that matter the most. The Jayhawker Podcast – Brandon Schneider: Like Father, Like Son

The Jayhawker Podcast | Dr. Ramsey Nijem: Basketball Strongman

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Dr. Ramsey Nijem has loved the game of basketball his entire life, and at the age of 23, Nijem became the NBA’s youngest head strength coach with the Sacramento Kings. After working what he thought was his dream job in the NBA, Kansas came calling, and he felt he had to live up to one of the principles he had been teaching to his players throughout his career. Being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 66th episode of The Jayhawker Podcast – Dr. Ramsey Nijem: Backetball Strongman

The Jayhawker Podcast | Get To Know: Matt Gildersleeve

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Football Director of Sports Performance Matt Gildersleeve is at the forefront of the changes new coach Lance Leipold wants to implement with the Jayhawks. But even he knows that he is just a piece of a bigger puzzle. On paper, Gildersleeve and Leipold are an odd couple. Gildersleeve played at Division III powerhouse Mount Union, where he was 57 and 3 in his career. Those three losses: To Leipold and Wisconsin Whitewater. One thing is for certain. Gildersleeve is on a mission to impact and influence the Jayhawk football roster, one day and one workout at a time. And there’s no place he’d rather be.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Zach Bradford: Flying High

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Jayhawk Zach Bradford is one of the top collegiate pole vaulters, and in 2021, he has the best mark in the nation for a collegiate at over 19 feet. Bradford’s background is unique – he grew up with a family of pole vaulters. His father was a pole vaulter. His brother was a pole vaulter. But Zach, being the competitive person that he is, wanted to be the best Bradford to do it. He is now gearing up for his most intense time of the year with the NCAA Championships and the Olympic Trials for the Tokyo games. He has big aspirations, especially after a successful spring season and a Big 12 championship under his belt.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 64th episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – Flying High.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Ray Bechard: Lifelong Jayhawk

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Jayhawk volleyball coach Ray Bechard has always been a lifelong Jayhawk and has lived and worked in the state of Kansas his entire life. Interestingly, Bechard was never affiliated with volleyball until his principal made him take the job at Lewis High School in Lewis, Kansas, and he took to the sport. Bechard moved on to the community college level, and after extraordinary success, the Jayhawks came calling. His dream had come true. Bechard has taken the Jayhawks to new heights on the volleyball court, including a trip to the 2015 Final Four. His appreciation for his current post and the fact that he is coaching in Lawrence, and has for 23 years, is not lost on Bechard. He is one fortunate Jayhawk.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 63rd episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – Lifelong Jayhawk.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Wally Marciel: O'Hana

Tue, 25 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000

3,845 miles. From Kailua, Hawaii to Lawrence, Kansas. That’s how far former Jayhawk baseball player and current Director of Operations Wally Marciel traveled to play college baseball 10 years ago. He has never left. Marciel started a pipeline from the Aloha state to Lawrence, and the reason behind the move for him and other Hawaiaan players was pretty simple. It started with one person, coach Ritch Price. Price and Kansas baseball provide an atmosphere that Hawaiians value and cherish, and one that makes them travel across the globe to be a part of. Family.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 62nd episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – O’Hana.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Lance Leipold: All In

Tue, 18 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Kansas head football coach Lance Leipold is a program builder, just look at his history. And although there’s no secret sauce to his successful career, there are some simple ingredients he believes helped lead to winning. That success has come at an unbelievable clip for Leipold, including winning six national championships at Division III Wisconsin-Whitewater. He also became the fastest coach in NCAA history to record 100 wins, no matter the level. Leipold then made the leap to Division I, where he turned a downtrodden Buffalo program into a consistent championship contender. His contagious, winning mindset is now in Lawrence, and he’s spreading his message throughout Jayhawk Nation: be relentless, have pride, and show commitment in all aspects of life.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 61st episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – All In.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Figuring It Out

Tue, 04 May 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Coming from Russia, former Kansas standout Sasha Kaun had no idea about sports in the United States, and his homeland, the idea of becoming a professional athlete was not one he ever thought about. Interestingly, Kaun came to the United States and a boarding school in Florida for academics, where basketball wasn’t even on his radar. Through hard work, Kaun figured out basketball enough to land a scholarship to the University of Kansas and a Jayhawk national championship in 2008. He then spent eight seasons in professional basketball, seven in Russia and one NBA World Championship season with Cleveland. All along, he let his curiosity and hard work guide him, and it’s safe to say, he figured it out.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 60th episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – Figuring it out.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jayhawk Pride

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

There’s a process to achieving greatness. What are Jayhawk women’s tennis coach Todd Chapman’s secrets to success?

There’s a process to achieving greatness. And for Jayhawk women’s tennis coach Todd Chapman, he believes there are a few things that teams must have when it comes to winning. In his eight seasons in Lawrence, Chapman has transformed the women’s tennis program into a perennial Big 12 contender, and in 2019, he coached them to the Big 12 championship and Sweet 16. But championships don’t happen overnight and appear out of thin air. They take work. And process. And perseverance.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 59th episode of the The Jayhawker Podcast – Jayhawk Pride.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Travis Goff: KU Is Family

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

New Kansas Director of Athletics Travis Goff is a Jayhawk through and through. Raised in Dodge City, Kan., Goff got his start in college athletics as a KU student in the Williams Education Fund. After realizing he wanted to make a career in athletics, he built on his time with the Williams Education Fund and earned a full-time post at Tulane University in New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina ravished the region, Goff and his colleagues were critical assets in rebuilding the athletic department. He used those rebuilding experiences in New Orleans in his next role at Northwestern, where he helped the Wildcats build sparkling new facilities and contend for Big 10 championships. But when Kansas called looking for a new athletic director, that was a call he was not going to miss. KU is home.

Join host Wayne Simien for the 10th episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – KU is Family.

The Jayhawker Podcast | 2020-21, A Season Like No Other

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Jayhawk head coach Bill Self admits that this year was tough on everyone, especially the players. Self felt bad for his guys, especially the ones who had never experienced Allen Fieldhouse at its finest. Covid-19 had taken that away. In spite of all of those circumstances, the Jayhawks advanced to their 49th NCAA Tournament and their 31st consecutive appearance in 2021 with a 21-9 record, and was one of only two teams to beat eventual national champion Baylor in 2020-21. As Self puts the 2020-21 season in his rearview mirror, the pride in this year’s team in how they persevered through trying circumstances is hard to contain. It truly was a season like no other.

Join host Wayne Simien for the ninth episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – 2020-21, A Season Like No Other

The Jayhawker Podcast | A Basketball Legend - Roy Williams

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Roy Williams really needs no introduction — he’s a college coaching legend. He’s a Basketball Hall of Famer. He’s won three NCAA titles. And he’s been to more Final Fours than every coach in history not named Krzyzewski, Wooden or Smith. And his time at Kansas was equally legendary. Though his Jayhawk teams never won it all, they still won more games than any other program in the 90s. Four Final Fours. Nine Big 12 titles. And the only undefeated Big 12 season in conference history. Roy Williams made his mark in Lawrence. Success aside, not every story has a perfect ending in the moment. But time has a funny way of healing old wounds. And Roy Williams still cares so deeply about his time in Lawrence, his Jayhawk players, and the fans that filled Allen Fieldhouse. So, for the first time, the legendary coach is opening up to Kansas fans about his story, his time leading the Jayhawks, and all the great memories.

Listen to episode 56 of the Jayhawker Podcast featuring Roy Williams.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Olympic Perseverance?

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

It’s interesting to look into the mind of an Olympian and see how they think. And when you talk with Jayhawk track legend Andrea Geubelle Norris, it’s not always what you expect. Her Jayhawk career vaulted her into the upper echelons of track and field, and after a heartbreaking result at the 2012 Olympic Trials, she made the Rio Olympics in the long jump. Her experience in Rio was an eye-opening one, both on and off the track. To outsiders, it’s glitz, glamour, and the bright lights. But for Norris, she figured out what really mattered.

Join host Wayne Simien for the seventh episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – An Olympic Perseverance

The Jayhawker Podcast | The Genuine Coach

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Interim head football coach Emmett Jones has been around some of the top names in college football, with time spent around former Texas Tech and current Arizona Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury making him ready for this moment. Jones, who cut his teeth in the Dallas metro area as a successful high school coach, wound up on a path that he did not expect, but when the right opportunity came calling, Jones left Dallas to coach at Texas Tech, where he mentored four wide receivers who landed on NFL rosters, along with NFL star quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Jones sees a lot of potential with the Jayhawks, and he has an idea on how to bring that potential to light. Being genuine.

Join host Wayne Simien for the sixth episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – The Genuine Coach.

The Jayhawker Podcast | The People's Champion

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

A regular guy. Terry Nooner was a crowd favorite at Allen Fieldhouse from 1997-2000 because he was one of them. Nooner, who walked on with the Jayhawks and played for Coach Roy Williams from 1997-2000, is currently an assistant with the Jayhawk women’s team. But in the beginning, he never wanted to get into coaching. However, after realizing he had a talent and calling for mentoring others, he has had a fruitful career in the women’s game, while also garnering some NBA experience, working with his childhood friend and current Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue. And after all of those times waiting on a whistle in conditioning drills as a player, now he’s the one holding the whistle.

Join host Wayne Simien for the fifth episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – The People’s Champion.

The Jayhawker Podcast | The Jayhawk Underdog

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

If you didn’t know Chris Harris and his story, his success in football and in life almost sounds like it is make believe. He wasn’t supposed to play at the University of Kansas and he wasn’t supposed to make an NFL team. But Harris grew up with a different mentality, one that he still relies on today. Harris took advantage of his opportunities after leaving Kansas in 2010, and a free agent deal led to an opportunity with the Denver Broncos, which has turned into into a fruitful NFL career that has now spanned 11 seasons. But Harris has made more of an impact off of the field than on, which says a lot after he was one of two cornerbacks named to the NFL All-Decade team in 2020. The winner of numerous off-the-field honors wants people in his community to find their own underdog mentality, just like the one that helped change his life.

Join host Wayne Simien for the fourth episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – The Jayhawk Underdog.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Just One of the Guys

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Former Kansas track star Bryce Hoppel grew up in a sports family and he started his athletic career running the soccer fields in Midland, Texas. Ironically, staying in shape for soccer led him to things he could have never imagined in a different sport. At first, Hoppel didn’t really like the running. He just liked being one of the guys. Hoppel began turning heads with his teammates in high school, and then in college in Lawrence, where he was a five-time All-American, two-time National Champion and four-time Big 12 Champion.

In 2019, Hoppel completed a sweep of both the indoor and outdoor 800 meter NCAA titles, becoming the first male from the University of Kansas to win a collegiate title in the event. And although those were great memories, his greatest memories revolve around his teammates. Now, Hoppel hopes his teammates will be cheering on for another adventure – a run to the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Join host Wayne Simien for the second episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – Just one of the Guys.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Minnesota Freak

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

There are those can’t-miss prospects. Guys who are just “dudes.” The ones who you just know are going to be great immediately. But then there are players who develop a little more slowly, only to have an incredible impact when the time is right. And when you consider the All-American career of defensive standout Cole Aldrich, he’s one of those guys. It just took time. And during a three-year career with the Jayhawks, he never lost a game at Allen Fieldhouse. Not. One. Time. After leaving Lawrence, Cole lived the dream of playing in the NBA. But it wasn’t always easy, and it’s a grind that most people can’t believe or accept. Aldrich lived and worked that grind for eight seasons in the League. And his work ethic never wavered.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Chicago Born, Lawrence Made

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:00:00 +0000

Sherron Collins had the deck stacked against him from the beginning. Small in stature. A violence-filled neighborhood. And a father that was in and out of jail and his life. Despite the challenges, Sherron found role models who would teach him right from wrong, and how to excel in life. That translated to the hardwood, as he became one of the top high school point guards in the country. And when Kansas calls, you listen, and after he arrived in Lawrence, he turned his Jayhawk career into an epic one. He was a consensus first-team All-American, a two-time All-Big 12 selection, and he helped Kansas bring home its first national title since 1988. With his jersey hanging in the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse, there’s no debating Collins’ legacy. He’s an all-timer. And considering how much he had to overcome early in life, it makes his story all the more inspirational.

Join host Wayne Simien for the first episode in season two of The Jayhawker Podcast – Sherron Collins: Chicago Born, Lawrence Made.

The Jayhawker Podcast | The Humble Star

Tue, 15 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +0000

He’s one of the most popular players in the illustrious history of Kansas Basketball, but how did Devonte’ Graham find his way to Kansas in the first place?

This week on “The Jayhawker” podcast we take you inside Graham’s improbable journey to Kansas and the even longer odds he beat to become an All-American, and now National Basketball Association (NBA) star with the Charlotte Hornets.

For Graham, the road to NBA stardom started with a tight-knit family that banded together to raise him. The matriarchs of that family were his mother and grandmother – two women that Graham says had a profound impact on this life.

“She had me when she was 14,” Graham said of his mother, Dewanna. “That’s a kid having a kid. It was tough for her growing up, but my grandma kept everything intact. She made sure she still went to college, finished high school, all while still having me by her side.”

Graham says their collective guidance got him to where he is at today and inspires him to bless them in return.

“Those two are like my backbones,” described Graham. “(My mom) did everything for me and to see me get to this level, I just want to give it all back to her for all the sacrifices she made for me growing up.”

Graham’s entire family and support system rallied together to help get him to his games and Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments while his mother worked multiple jobs.

“My mom – every game, every time we traveled, if she couldn’t make it, she would send me with the coaches. She found a way for me (to go). If we had to find a way to pay for the hotel or the jerseys, she always found a way because she saw that I loved playing basketball so much.”

While Graham’s passion for the game grew immediately, his height was a bit slower to follow. Graham stood in at only 5 feet 6 inches tall beginning his high school career and consequently, was overlooked by many bigger schools in recruiting. With most interest coming from local mid-majors, Graham initially committed to Appalachian State.

Soon after, a growth spurt would come and his talents really started to take flight prior to his senior year. Graham then started to re-evaluate his college options. After an initial hang-up on being released from his commitment, Graham re-opened his recruitment, with Kansas, Virginia and NC State now all in contention.

According to Graham, it was a visit to Lawrence that won over both him and his mother.

“I always go back to mom,” recalled Graham. “After we had (the three visits) back-to-back-to-back, you really had a good feel for what school you wanted to be at. Afterwards, my mom was like, ‘I don’t even think it’s close.’ She was like, ‘Kansas. You have to go there.’’’

Graham did and the rest is history – All-American, Final Four, Big 12 Player of the Year history. Hear more about Graham’s journey to greatness and the family support it took to get him there on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker” podcast.

The Jayhawker Podcast | How Dr. James Naismith Created a Game & Kansas Basketball

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Wilt. Magic. Bird. Jordan. LeBron.

They’re some of the legends of basketball; names that define the sport. But there’s one name that means even more: Naismith.

Without Dr. James Naismith—a teacher and chaplain by trade—none of those other names would mean anything. There’s a reason his name is on the Basketball Hall of Fame – because without Naismith, there is no basketball.

In December of 1891, under the guidance and rules of Naismith, the first game of basketball was played in Springfield, Massachusetts. A few years later in 1898, he brought the sport to Kansas and founded the Jayhawks’ storied program.

From there, as Naismith’s invention became a phenomenon, so, too, did Kansas Basketball.

This week as KU celebrates the 10-year anniversary of David Booth’s acquisition and eventual placement of Naismith’s original rules in Lawrence, The Jayhawker Podcast tells Naismith’s life story with the help of his only living grandson, Jim Naismith.

Jim Naismith covers his grandfather’s childhood through his invention of the game, as well as his impact on the University of Kansas. He even spotlights the heart of this amazing innovator, educator and humanitarian.

Orphaned at the age of nine when his parents died of typhoid fever, James Naismith learned how to persevere.

“I think grandad was one of those people that says, ‘Life is what it is, I take it the way it comes and I’m just going to deal with it,’” described Jim Naismith. “I think that’s a good statement to what sort of person he was because he was able to take very difficult situations and work his way out of it.”

Jim Naismith says his grandfather also valued people and relationships above all things.

“He spent his life working with absolutely the most valuable thing you could ever spend your life working with and that’s people – not money,” said Naismith. “It’s just a matter of value and his values were where I think they ought to be.”

The younger Naismith shares why his family was so excited that Booth brought the rules back to Kansas and how their current display is exactly what his grandfather would have wanted.

“The family wanted them protected, but available to the public,” said Naismith. “The way it turned out; I can’t imagine a better setting than the University of Kansas. The fact that they are where they are, protected as they are and so forth is precisely what my grandad wanted… There just couldn’t have been a better ending to that.”

Springfield may be the birthplace of basketball, but Kansas is its home. Find out on The Jayhawker Podcast how Dr. James Naismith created a sport and its most iconic program.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Lt. Col. Dan Rooney

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Sometimes you have to make the choice to take a leap of faith and trust that you’re ready for whatever is ahead. For former KU golfer, Lt. Col. Dan Rooney, life has been full of those moments.

Rooney had to trust that he was ready to leave Stillwater—and a spot on the Oklahoma State golf team—to come to Kansas. He later had to trust that he was ready to fly a fighter jet solo for the first time. Rooney also had to have faith he was doing the right thing when he took the leap to start the Folds of Honor Foundation.

But how did a childhood dream of a path less traveled lead to all these major moments?

This week on The Jayhawker podcast, we tell the fascinating life story of a Jayhawk golfer, turned fighter pilot, turned multi-million-dollar philanthropist. It’s the tale of a Jayhawk who chases his dreams relentlessly, and has found excellence and impact in every endeavor he’s pursued.

The son of an Oklahoma State professor who grew up knowing the likes of Bill Self, Garth Brooks and numerous famous OSU golfers, it would have been easy for Rooney to stay at home and pursue a college golf career in his own backyard.

“I had the opportunity to walk-on at Oklahoma State,” recalled Rooney. “My parents had kind of this unwritten rule that you needed to leave Stillwater though. I visited a few different places, but then came up to Lawrence and fell in love with the campus and my coach, Ross Randall.”

The journey to Lawrence led to some of Rooney’s most formative years.

He grew tremendously while playing for Randall and even met his wife while studying on Mount Oread. He honed his golf skills enough to briefly play professionally after his KU career was complete, earning money on the mini-tours to put himself through flight school as he started chasing another dream.

After two and half years of studying to be a fighter pilot, Rooney served his country on three combat tours to Iraq. He says his time performing under pressure as a golfer prepared him for the bigger challenges that came next.

“I thought playing at the NCAAs or the US Amateurs, (was pressure),” described Rooney. “Little did I know what real pressure feels like in the skies of Iraq at night dropping bombs in close proximity to the heroes on the ground. But in a very transcendental way, my preparation as a golfer served me so well in the cockpit of a fighter jet because it’s all about managing the pressure and the emotion of the moment.”

While back home between tours, Rooney received the calling to take another leap of faith, this time in raising money for the families of fallen US military servicemen and women. His inspiration came while exiting an airplane that had just transported the body of a fallen soldier. What ensued was the birth of an organization that has had a profound impact on countless families, and a legacy for Rooney – through Folds of Honor – that far exceeds any golf swing he ever took in Lawrence.

On this edition of The Jayhawker, listeners will learn how Rooney started this incredible organization and continues to inspire athletes, soldiers and people of all walks through his inspirational words as an author. It’s a riveting story you won’t want to miss.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Bill Self

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

For all he’s accomplished—a national championship, three Final Fours, 10 Elite Eights and 15 Big 12 titles—Bill Self is always quick to give others credit. It’s just the way he was raised—both as a kid, and as a coach.

But when you consider all the success, it’s worth wondering how a self-described “average” college basketball player ended up becoming one of the best college hoops coaches of his era. So, what made Self such a successful coach? Or rather—who helped shape him into a Hall of Famer?

The list of names is long, and includes some of the all-time greats. How did R.C. Buford inadvertently get him into coaching? What roles did Larry Brown, Eddie Sutton and Leonard Hamilton play? And what has he learned from all of them that’s enabled him to be so successful?

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we take you on a tour of all the mentors who shaped Self and learn how a Hall of Fame coaching career was constructed. For Self, the lessons began as a child watching his hero – his father, Bill Self Sr.

“I wanted to please my dad,” Self recalled. “I saw how he reacted with people. I saw how he communicated with people. I thought he was a ridiculously straight shooter.”

Self’s father was a successful high school coach of boys and girls basketball in Oklahoma before a three-decade career as a school administrator. Self Sr. not only taught his son how to communicate with others, he and his wife, Margaret, also made sure their son’s interest in basketball was fueled from a early age.

“They nailed a real basketball goal to the bathroom door so I could practice putting the ball in the hoop at age one or two,” described Self. “Then from fourth grade on, all I can remember was a ball in my hands.”

Self’s passion for hoops led to countless hours shooting in the family driveway and ultimately, earning Oklahoma High School Player of the Year honors in 1981. That distinction caught the attention of Oklahoma State – the dream school for the Edmond Memorial High star.

“Not till after the season did Oklahoma State come calling,” remembered Self. “I had some other schools flirt but nobody definite, except smaller schools. I was going to go to Oklahoma Christian College and then OSU came and all they had to do was just say ‘hi’ and it was over. That was my school.”

Self’s host on his OSU campus tour was a walk-on named R.C. Buford – now a five-time NBA world champion and twice-over NBA executive of the year as general manager of the San Antonio Spurs. A special friendship was born that weekend and one that would lead Self to a career-altering opportunity with Larry Brown at Kansas.

Three seasons deep in his playing career at Oklahoma State, Buford invited Self to help coach at Larry Brown’s basketball camp at Kansas. His interactions with the future Hall of Fame coach that summer helped launch him on his own path to the hoops Hall. And it all started with a bold ask at the end of camp week.

Hear Self relive that exchange with Brown and all that followed it for a young coach whose meteoric rise to coaching stardom was about to begin. Learn about all the coaches that helped him along the way to becoming one of the greatest in his industry.

Self was, indeed, built by legends. And now, he’s become one. His legendary story is far from finished, but the opening chapters are as fascinating as they are impressive. Listen to the start of Bill Self’s story on this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Aaron Miles

Thu, 12 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

When you talk about Kansas basketball record holders, you’re talking about some of the very best to play the sport at the college level. That’s the company that Aaron Miles—the Jayhawks’ all-time assists leader and ninth in the history of college basketball—finds himself in.

Miles has made a knack of keeping himself in elite company. His high school team produced six D-1 players including fellow Jayhawk and Miles’ best friend, Michael Lee.

The talent he played with at Kansas also speaks for itself – legends like Gooden, Collison, Hinrich and Simien, just to name a few.

The tendency to surround himself with the best has followed him into his coaching career. Now an assistant with the Golden State Warriors, Miles works with an NBA champion coach in Steve Kerr.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we explore Miles’ basketball life which has included incredible success at every level. From a 28-0 Jefferson High School team that finished #4 in the national rankings to going to back-to-back Final Fours in his first two seasons at Kansas, Miles has always been a winner. So much of his success stems from his own hard work and natural abilities, but the selfless floor general is quick to point out all the greats he’s had a chance to play with and learn under. That starts with his best buddy Michael Lee.

“I knew right then (when Lee committed to Kansas), it was kind of like God telling me that Kansas was the school,” recalled Miles. “My best friend that I’d been best friends with from middle school, played on the same basketball, baseball and football teams growing up. He lived literally a block away from me. It just felt like it was meant to be. That’s been my Day One Brother. I prayed and told God that I wanted to play with Mike Lee in college and He answered that prayer.”

With Lee by his side Miles left the west coast to come to the Sunflower State and take the reins of a team absolutely loaded with talent. He joined a backcourt that already featured Kirk Hinrich and Jeff Boschee and quickly made it one of the greatest guard trios in KU History.

“Coming in there you had Kirk Hinrich that was playing the 1, as well as Jeff Boschee,” said Miles. “I just went in there and did what I do. I’d played with great players in high school so I knew how to play with great players. One thing that I’ve always been about – and this is something I learned from my Pops coaching me – it’s about team and winning. What that was, was just to facilitate, get people shots and lead.”

That team-first facilitation earned instant credibility with teammates – four of which would go on to be 1st Round NBA draft picks. It also helped him jell quickly with Boschee and Hinrich.

“It wasn’t like I came in and took their spot,” Miles described. “They just slid over. We all were point guards. We played with three point guards out on the court which made us the fastest team out there. That’s why we were able to lead the country in scoring.”
Hear more on Miles’ journey to Jayhawk greatness, as well as his rise through the NBA coaching ranks on this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Julian Wright

Thu, 05 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

How does a guy commit to Kansas sight unseen and end up becoming a Jayhawk for life?

For Julian Wright—who grew up in Chicago watching Michael Jordan and the Bulls win championships—he just wanted to play. And when opportunity literally knocked, it was to good to pass up.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast, we take you inside the story of Wright’s commitment to Kansas and the two seasons that followed which included All-Big 12 and All-American status along the road to the 2007 Elite 8.

Wright’s interest in Kansas started with the Jayhawks’ head coach Bill Self, whom he watched coach at Illinois. The allure of playing for a coach he already admired who was now at a blue blood program like Kansas certainly appealed to Wright, but after in a lull in communication during the summer prior to Wright’s senior year, KU had ground to make it up with the McDonald’s All-American prospect.

Self and Assistant Coach Kurtis Townsend hoped their trip to the Wright household would land Kansas an on-campus visit with Wright later that fall. They never could have imagined they’d leave with Wright’s mind set on being a Jayhawk.

“I knew we were kind of making some headway,” Self recalled of the in-home visit. “Then we left and had a visit committed for him to come to Kansas. About 30 minutes away from their house on the drive back his mother Gina called and said, ‘Can you come right back over here?”

“We were like, ‘What happened? What did we do wrong?’ She said, ‘Just come back if you can,’” Self said.

So Self and Townsend returned to Wright’s home with great curiosity, unsure what to expect. That’s when Wright hit them with the last thing they expected to hear.

“He said, ‘I’m comin’,” remembered Self. “And I said, ‘Julian, I know you’re coming. You already said you’re coming to a visit.’ And he said, ‘No, I’m coming to KANSAS.’”

Wright vividly remembers the effect that surprise announcement had on his two future coaches.

“Their eyes lit up. We all hugged,” described Wright. “We just hugged and I said, ‘I don’t need to wait until the visit. I already know where I want to play.’ That was a memorable experience for me.”

Wright would go on to author many more memorable experiences for Self and Jayhawk fans alike, including an upset of #1 Florida in Las Vegas and multiple Big 12 regular-season and tournament titles. Listen in as Wright recaps all of that as well as the most difficult decision of his career: deciding to leave Kansas for the NBA after his sophomore season. Those topics and many more are covered on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Sam Burt

Thu, 29 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

The life of a walk-on isn’t exactly glamorous. You’re not on scholarship and you have to work harder than most to prove yourself. But usually, that hard work pays off, which is exactly what happened for senior nose tackle Sam Burt.

An Abilene, Kansas native, Burt was an All-State caliber player but the major college offers never really materialized. So he walked-on with the Jayhawks, knowing he’d have to fight for his place.

Burt won that fight, and is now getting to live out his dream of playing major college football.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast we go inside Burt’s journey from over-looked, small town high school star to scholarship-carrying member of a major conference college program. It’s been quite a ride for Burt, but the selfless senior leader says he’s had plenty of help getting to where he’s at today.

One of this first challenges arriving at KU was putting on nearly 70 pounds in order to compete along the Kansas defensive line.

“Ricky (Ng), our nutritionist when I got here, he was a mad scientist of the nutrition room,” described Burt. “They told me, ‘We want you to play inside and to do that, you have to gain some weight.’ He helped me a lot and obviously, the weight staff helped me a ton.”

Burt said a special daily shake with a unique name was the secret to bulking up.

“Ricky called them ‘Beast Shakes,’” recalled Burt. “It was two Gatorade blacks, a serving of cytocarb, which is literally just carbs. It was the protein you put in, which is still all carbed-up. It was a couple of scoops of peanut butter, heavy whipping cream, chocolate syrup. I think it was 1400-1700 calories per shake. It was dense!”

With his body rounding into form, next came the extra tutelage from veteran stars on the KU defense – two of which would go on to the NFL.

“Freshman year, the guys at that time – it was Dorance Armstrong, Daniel Wise and Josh Ehambe – they really took me under their wing,” a grateful Burt described. “They just took me and worked with me and helped me out. Especially ‘D-Wise,’ training sessions with him were very intense and helped me to understand (how to) push myself to a further level.”

Wise, a former Dallas Cowboy, saw promise in Burt early on.

“Sam was a pleasure to work with because he wants to learn,” recalled Wise. “It’s easy to get a guy under your wing when he wants to learn and wants to be there. Every Saturday when we did extra work he was always one of the first ones there and one of the last to leave.”

The extra sessions with the KU veterans paid off for a young Burt who wound up appearing in all 24 games his first two seasons on special teams and saw action in 5 games on the defensive line as a sophomore. Then after a coaching change to Les Miles and the arrival of defensive line coach Kwahn Drake, Burt’s career really took.

“We entered fall camp and it went really well,” Burt remembered. “It was a really good fall camp of just learning and progressing on how to play the game better. Coach Drake was phenomenal with just how much easier playing football is when you have proper techniques and a proper mindset about football. It was a whole paradigm shift for me and I really grew.”

That growth, as well as Burt’s work ethic and the admiration it drew from his teammates caught Coach Miles’ eye. In the preseason of 2019, Miles made the walk-on from Abilene a scholarship-carrying Jayhawk.

“It was a very emotional day. It was amazing,” said Burt. “Obviously, I can never repay Coach Miles and the staff (fully) for taking a chance on me and giving me that scholarship because that’s something I’ll remember forever. I’ll only be able to repay them by my playing here.”

Hear Burt describe the day that changed his football career forever and learn how he’s currently taking all the help he’s received and paying it forward on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kenny Logan Jr.

Thu, 22 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

“It was exciting,” described Logan. “There was a lot of us, so there was always pretty much something to do.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Mark Francis

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

How does a teenage soccer star from England grow up to build one of the top collegiate soccer programs in America?

Mark Francis’ love of soccer has taken him halfway around the world to Lawrence, where he’s transformed the Jayhawk program into one of nation’s best. That rise has included the program’s first Big 12 Tournament Championship title in 2019 and a Top-10 national ranking this season.

A star player in his own right, Francis has lived his life in the game he loves. From the ultra-competitive youth systems of the Premier League to starring in the American college game and playing professionally in the United States– Francis’ playing career took him all over. And each of those experiences helped shape him into the coach he is today.

This week on “The Jayhawker Podcast” we go back to the beginning of Francis’ soccer journey and learn about how the architect of KU’s rapidly-ascending soccer program was first built himself.

Francis says when you grow up in London, for a lot of children, it’s non-stop soccer.

“It’s just what you did from the beginning of the day to the end of the day when you weren’t in school,” described Francis. “You played on the playground with your buddies, then you had practice with your team.”

Francis was a standout on the playground and quickly got discovered and placed into the youth system of the Premier League.

“When I was 10, I got scouted to go into the young academy at Arsenal,” explained Francis. “So, I did that for 3-4 years and I commuted twice a week on the train up to London by myself which was always very interesting. Then when I was about 14, I went to Crystal Palace and the academy there and played for them until I was about 16.”

The coaching and intense competition in the Premier League’s youth program put Francis on a path toward a professional future. He wound up playing semi-professional soccer for his last two years in London before a serendipitous run-in with an old youth teammate inspired him to seek out college opportunities in the United States.

“My senior year, I was a bus boy in a popular pub and I bump into a guy around Christmas time who was home from the United States where he was going to college,” remembered Francis. “He was older than me, but I played with him previously on a representative team. He was like, ‘I’m playing soccer in the United States on scholarship.’ He talked about it a little bit and it sounded like a really good idea so I wound up pursing that as an option.”

Francis wrote the British Embassy a letter and requested a list of American universities that offered Division I men’s soccer.

“I basically sent letters to all of them. There was maybe 70. It cost me a fortune because I’m sending international mail. I picked the schools that sounded like they were in cool places, so California, Florida and New York and that was literally how I picked it initially,” Francis said with a laugh.

His letter writing campaign eventually landed him at Eastern Illinois and his coach there would take a job at SMU a year later and bring Francis with him. An All-American career ensued and it catapulted Francis into numerous professional opportunities once his college career was complete.

It was during those days as a professional soccer player that Francis dabbled a bit in coaching, first with club teams and eventually at the high school level. By 27 years of age, he started to realize that coaching might be his calling. After three years coaching collegiately at South Alabama, Francis got a call from Lawrence, KS that would change his life forever.

Come along for the rest of the journey on this week’s episode of “The Jayhawker Podcast.” Hear first-hand how Francis’ career took off and soon after, so too, did Kansas soccer.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Gilbert Brown

Thu, 08 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

With a nickname like “The Gravedigger,” you better be a nightmare for the opposing team.

And Gilbert Brown was just that—an imposing figure who was dominate over offensive lines throughout his college and NFL careers.

The Detroit native could have written his ticket to play at numerous major conference schools including some of the best of the Big Ten, so why’d he decide that Kansas and the Big 8 was the right fit for him?

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we go inside Brown’s journey to Kansas as well as spotlight his successful 10-year NFL career which included a victory in Super Bowl XXXI.

For Brown, the road to Super Bowl glory began with choosing Kansas over Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota.

“Reggie Mitchell was my lead recruiter (from Kansas),” recalled Brown. “He was pretty honest with me. He said, ‘Hey man, if you come to the University of Kansas you’ve got an opportunity to start – we’re not going to give it to you – but you can earn it and you can do something great on your own.’”

Brown would have had to wait his turn at other schools and Minnesota wanted him to play offensive line which was of no interest to him. So, Brown picked Kansas and put himself on a course to collegiate stardom as part of a defensive line that would feature three future NFL players: Dana Stubblefield, Chris Maumalanga and himself.

Brown says it was not only an ultra-talented group, but they were super close as well.

“Those bonds pushed us to be the most cohesive defensive line,” described Brown. “My senior year there was just so much talent at the defensive tackle position that they had to find ways to get us all on the field. At times they tried to give us a three-man rotation type of thing.”

KU’s big three upfront helped the Jayhawks win seven of their first eight games and climb as high as #13 in the polls. Ultimately, they would deliver KU’s first bowl appearance in over a decade – a 23-20 victory over BYU in the 1992 Aloha Bowl.

Brown and his fellow standouts on the KU D-line helped Coach Glen Mason restore pride to the Jayhawk program and Brown made quite a name for himself in the process – both his given name and his new nickname: “The Gravedigger.”

“Everybody has an identity,” explained Brown. “I always wore the dark visor and ‘Darth Vader’ was already taken. My persona of it goes back to me being that guy that where if I put my helmet on, I’m ferocious, I take no prisoners. I’m ‘Atilla the Hun.’ I ain’t your friend.”

“When I take that helmet off, I’m a gentleman,” Brown continued. “I’m gonna respect you. I’m gonna do the things my mama taught me to do. But my mama didn’t teach me to play football so when I put that helmet on, I’m gonna hurt you. I had to have a different personality because I’m a nice guy. But when I put that helmet on, I’m not nice no more. So, I had to have two people. So, when I take my helmet off, I’m Gilbert Brown, but when I put it on, I’m ‘The Gravedigger.’”

Along with the nickname soon came a post-sack “grave-digging” celebration, something that helped Brown earn a huge following amongst Packer fans at the next level. With each NFL season, Brown’s reputation grew and grew. He played a key role in 15 Green Bay playoff games – only three Packers have ever appeared in more. A fan favorite, the Wisconsin Burger Kings even gave Brown his own hamburger, “The Gilbertburger,” during the 1996 Super Bowl season -a recipe that was originally inspired in Lawrence.

Ultimately, Brown would earn a spot in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 2008 and the University of Kansas Ring of Honor in 2017. It was a mammoth career for a larger than life personality. And it all started at Kansas.

Go inside Brown’s rise to football stardom and learn how he helped both Kansas and Green Bay restore their winning traditions on this week’s episode of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kwamie Lassiter II

Thu, 01 Oct 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Kwamie Lassiter II was destined to play at Kansas.

After all, his dad was an All-Big 8 performer and an Aloha Bowl champion defensive back for the Jayhawks. The elder Lassiter then went on to have a 10-year NFL career – spending eight of those seasons with the Arizona Cardinals.

Growing up in Arizona, Lassiter II enjoyed the influential role his father played in his own football life. His dad was always coaching him up, going to games, and inspiring him to be the best player he could be.

“(He taught me to) stay on top of everything and be the best at everything I do,” recalled Lassiter II. “He always used to say, ‘BTB – Be The Best.’ So, I try to be the best at everything, whether we’re at workouts or conditioning, I just try to be great.”

Those lessons and encouragement from his dad were invaluable and helped propel Lassiter II to be a standout football player and track star in high school. However, he was overlooked by most D-1 schools in part, due to his size (he only weight 147 pounds as a senior).

But after attending a spring football game at Kansas, Lassiter II knew he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I could see myself playing here, so I walked-on here,” explained Lassiter II. “When I walked-on, I could see myself playing and earning a scholarship real quick. I had NAIA schools and (junior colleges interested) but I honestly didn’t see myself doing that.”

So, just like his father who ascended to NFL stardom despite not being drafted, Lassiter II climbed to scholarship status despite having to initially walk-on at Kansas. With his dad offering instructions from the stands and his loving mother Ericka praying with him before each game, Lassiter II slowly started to carve out a role on the Jayhawks roster both on special teams and on offense.

The day he texted his parents that he was officially on scholarship, he couldn’t have been happier and his famous Jayhawk father also beamed with pride.

Sadly, that joy was stolen not long after. Kwamie’s dad passed away from a heart attack in January of 2019. It was obviously devastating, and for Lassiter II, it changed everything. Gone were the postgame breakdowns, the workouts, and the father-son bonding.

It was grief unlike any he’d ever felt.

“I was about to go to the gym with him but I was waiting on my little brother to wake up. So, he went and he went 20 minutes before us,” recalled Lassiter II. “My mom came running upstairs telling us he had a heart attack; so we rushed to the hospital and found out there. It was one of the worst days of my life – THE worst day of my life.”

From there, Lassiter II leaned on his faith and his family to overcome such overwhelming tragedy.

“I keep faith a lot,” described Lassiter II. “I read the Bible a lot so I’m into faith and I keep my family close and my loved ones and honestly, that’s really all I needed.”

That and the distraction and motivation of football.

“Football actually (still helps me) through it today,” explained Lassiter II. “Once I’m in between those lines I don’t think about anything else. I just focus on what I have to do and that’s something my dad preached on a lot. When I’m playing football all my worries go out the window until the clock reaches zeroes.”

Lassiter continues to live by his dad’s “BTB” mantra and has gradually climbed the Kansas depth chart and emerged as a playmaker for the Jayhawks both as a receiver and punt returner. In fact, through two games, he leads Kansas with 128 receiving yards.

He’s making his family proud in the process, and if he has his way, he’ll keep on following his father’s path all the way to the NFL.

Learn more about the Lassiter II’s football life on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast”.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Andrew Parchment

Thu, 24 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Andrew Parchment is a preseason first-team All-Big 12 selection, a Biletnikoff Award nominee and the clear go-to receiver for the Kansas Jayhawks. The stage is set for a memorable senior campaign and perhaps an NFL future as well.

But get this – it almost didn’t happen.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast we explore Parchment’s rise to Big 12 stardom, and the long road it took to get there.

Overlooked by Power 5 conferences coming out of high school in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Parchment wound up at Northern Illinois where he took an academic redshirt season in 2016. A year later, he made his collegiate debut. Though he played in nine games that 2017 campaign, Parchment caught just one pass for a total of six yards.

He felt he wasn’t fitting in with the Huskies and it became clear to him that a change of scenery was needed.

“I just knew that the situation I was in wasn’t going to get me to where I wanted to be ultimately, and that was playing at the next level,” recalled Parchment. “There was a bunch of nights when I just didn’t think I was good enough. I was at a non-Power 5 team and I wasn’t playing, so a lot of doubt crept into my mind. But I just knew there was more for me.”

Parchment describes those two seasons in DeKalb, Ill., as a humbling experience, but a necessary part of his story.

“When you come out of high school your senior year, you’re on top of the world,” described Parchment. “You feel like nobody can touch you, but that redshirt year definitely humbles a lot of people and I definitely went through a lot of growing pains that year. But I wouldn’t go back in time and change anything because I know for a fact that if I didn’t go through what I went through those first couple years, I wouldn’t be sitting here (today).”

Humbled but not deflated, frustrated but not defeated, Parchment took to Twitter to find a new football home.

“A lot of people don’t know, but I was supposed to walk-on to Florida International,” explained Parchment. “But after I got on campus there I was just looking around and I was just like, ‘Man, I know there is more for me.’ I just knew that FIU wasn’t the end and that’s when I decided to send out my film again on Twitter and found a random junior college out in the ‘Middle of Nowhere, Iowa.’ And I just went from there.”

That school was Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa and in one season there, Parchment hauled in 23 receptions for 227 yards and 2 touchdowns, while making quite an impression in the process. Offers started rolling in from UNLV, Hawaii and others.

But one phone call from a National Championship winning head coach moved a Big 12 school to the top of the list.

“One night, I get a call from a Louisiana number and it was Coach (Les) Miles calling my phone. At first I thought it was a joke,” Parchment said with a smile. “He said he wanted me to come for an official visit. As soon as I got up there I saw him with the big National Championship ring and I was like, ‘If you’re willing to take me, I’m ready to go.’”

A big part of Miles’ pitch to Parchment was discussing coaching Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry at LSU and the hopes of propelling Parchment to similar success at Kansas.

Fast forward one year of working with Coach Miles and Wide Receivers Coach Emmett Jones, and Parchment is loving life as a Jayhawk and proving Miles right. He was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection last year after posting four games of 100 or more yards and reeling in seven touchdowns.

“When he mentioned me in the same exact sentence as those guys, it was a great accomplishment,” Parchment said. “(It) also showed that I can actually do it, so I need to grind even harder so I won’t just be a “What if?” story for Coach Miles. I want to be a guy that five to 10 years down the line, recruits will be like ‘Coach Miles coached Andrew Parchment, I want to go there.’’

Now in his final season at Kansas, Parchment is hopeful for even bigger production and more victories in 2020. He shares those ambitions as well as another hidden talent of his on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Todd Reesing

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000

He’s the most prolific passer in KU football history. He helped engineer the greatest two-year stretch the program has ever seen. Todd Reesing is as legendary as it gets when it comes to Kansas Football. While most Jayhawk fans are well aware of what Reesing accomplished along the way to the KU Ring of Honor, you might not know what sold him on Kansas in the first place.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we chronicle Reesing’s entire Jayhawk career from his initial commitment to being immortalized in the Kansas record books.

Reesing’s first ever encounter with Coach Mark Mangino ended in a scholarship offer for the reigning Texas 4A Player of the Year. Following his junior season at Lake Travis High School in Austin, Reesing and his family decided to visit Lawrence and check out the Kansas football facilities while driving up to the Sunflower State for a Kansas State football camp. As a sub-six-feet-tall quarterback, Reesing was being overlooked by most of the local schools in his home state. Kansas State had been his first major conference offer, but Reesing also sent his film to the Jayhawks and receivers coach Tim Beck asked Todd and his family to check out both Kansas schools on their trip north.

“We went right into Coach Mangino’s office and started talking to him,” recalled Reesing. “Within 15 minutes, he said, ‘I watched your tape this morning, I’ve seen all I need to see. We want to offer you a scholarship.’”

The coach’s assertive approach and confidence in Reesing really scored major points with Todd.

“Whereas, every other school I’d be talking to said, ‘Well, we’d like to see you throw in person’ or ‘You’re on our ‘B-list’ of quarterbacks’ – which is what the Texas A&M coach told me. But Coach Mangino, as soon as he saw the tape, the first time I meet him, he goes, ‘I don’t care how tall you are. You have that X-factor. I’d like you to come play quarterback for us.’”

The fact that Mangino saw something special in Reesing and wasn’t deterred by his height convinced Reesing that Kansas was where he belonged.

“Having that confidence instilled in you right away that he didn’t care about the height or anything else, he just thought that I could play football – I think that’s what really sold me on Kansas,” described Reesing. “It was really Coach Mangino from that very first second having the belief that I could play (that convinced me to be a Jayhawk).”

Reesing committed soon after and then turned in another impressive season at Lake Travis before arriving at KU in the spring of 2006. Though he didn’t measure up physically with his primary competition for the quarterback job – 4-star QB recruit Kerry Meier, then a redshirt freshman – Reesing was determined to prove he belonged.

“My first winter workout in the offseason was at the indoor track on campus,” remembered Reesing. “We’re doing 200-yard sprints around the indoor track but we’re staggered in four different groups. In just 200 yards, after we’ve run a few of these, I get passed by someone from the group behind me with these long, flowing golden locks (of hair). And he’s just looking like a thoroughbred cruising past me and I’m thinking, ‘This is the guy I gotta compete with?’

So my prospects early on at Kansas of winning the starting job when you’ve got Kerry Meier who is the golden boy that everyone called “Franchise”, a year ahead of me, didn’t inspire a lot of early confidence.”

Reesing would soon start gaining the confidence of his teammates and coaches though and when a Meier injury mid-season and a lackluster first half by the KU offense versus Colorado opened the door, Reesing came charging through. The freshman jumped at the chance to play, having no reservations about lifting his redshirt 9 games into the season. What ensued was a second half comeback victory that helped propel KU to a 6-6 season, earned Reesing the nickname “Sparky” from his Coach, and set him on path to KU Football greatness no Jayhawk quarterback had ever seen.

Come along for the rest of the ride on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Nick Reid

Thu, 10 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Since Big 12 play began in 1996, there’s only been one Jayhawk football player to win the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award. That player is Nick Reid and he did so at a position he never played prior to arriving at KU.

Originally a quarterback in high school, the Derby, Kansas native made his transition to linebacker as a college freshman. He did it as a member of Mark Mangino’s first recruiting class and Reid says Mangino sold him on being a part of building something special in Lawrence.

“It was all about building a foundation and being a part of something that could possibly be something great,” Reid recalled of Mangino’s recruiting pitch. “Starting from the ground up and putting in the time and putting in the effort. That’s kind of who I’ve been forever. I’d much rather be a part of building something than just jumping into something that’s already been established.”

The new KU coach’s pitch worked and one of the most decorated quarterbacks in Derby history came to Lawrence prior to the 2002 season. It didn’t take long though for Reid to be transitioned to defense – first to safety where he played briefly in high school, but then to an entirely new position all together.

“Before KU, I’d never played linebacker,” admitted Reid. “Not in high school, not in Pee Wee. Nothing. It was a whole new experience for me.”

That made his introduction to Big 12 offensive personnel that fall all the more daunting.

“It was a little bit overwhelming to step into Big 12 football and play linebacker taking on 320-pound lineman and fullbacks running at you,” recalled Reid. “I weighed 206 pounds my freshman year so I was a little undersized and didn’t know what the heck I was doing, but I was going to give my best effort every play.”

Reid did, indeed, give the position switch his all and his work ethic made him an instant fan favorite. His willingness to do anything to help the team certainly won over the Kansas coaches as well.

“As a competitor you always want to be on the field,” explained Reid. “Whatever I could do to get on the field is what I was going to do. Wherever the coaches needed me, wherever the team needed me to play, I was all about it because I just wanted to get on the field and help us build that program.”

Reid would wind up forming a special linebacking trio with Banks Floodman and Kevin Kane that was an integral part of setting the foundation for success in the Mark Mangino era.

And along the way to two bowl appearances in his four Kansas seasons, Reid took home that hardware that no other KU player in the Big 12 era has done. He also left the program trending upward, helping Kansas win its first bowl game in a decade and then setting the stage for the Jayhawks to go 26-12 in the first three seasons after his departure to the NFL. So, how did he do it? And what allowed this former high school quarterback to make such a splash in the heart of the Kansas defense? We explore those questions and more on this week’s episode of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Pooka Williams Jr.

Thu, 03 Sep 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Pooka Williams Jr. needs no introduction to Jayhawk fans.

The talented and electrifying running back has already established himself as one of the best in Kansas history, becoming just the second Jayhawk to rush for more than 2,000 yards in his first two seasons. And in his eyes, he’s just getting started.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast we bring you the story of a four-star prospect from the New Orleans area who has taken Jayhawk Nation by storm.

In 2017, Williams Jr. capped off a prolific high school career by being named “Mr. Football” in Louisiana – the top player in the state. He also led Hahnville High School to the state title game and racked up over 3,100 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns along the way. Schools like LSU, Nebraska and Mississippi State all came calling, but in the end, Pooka wanted to be a Jayhawk.

“Kansas came in and stayed,” recalled Williams of why he chose Kansas. “The (other) people who came in, they like shot the offer out and then disappeared.”

Williams Jr. elaborated on why he honored his commitment to Kansas, one that came during his junior year in high school.

“I felt like they were family,” described Williams Jr. “They didn’t lie to me. They didn’t sugar coat anything. They told me straight forward.”

Pooka has repaid KU’s faith in him by posting numbers his first two seasons that Jayhawk fans haven’t seen since the days of Gale Sayers.

After a breakout rookie campaign in 2018 that included Freshman All-American honors and 1,125 rushing yards, Pooka backed it up last season with 1,061 yards on the ground and more All-Big 12 accolades.

As incredible as his start has been, Williams feels like he has more to prove. His biggest goal for his junior year can’t be found on the stat sheet though. Pooka’s greatest ambition for 2020 will be found in the win column.

“I want to show a lot of people that we can also win games,” explained Williams Jr. “I’m not worried about me. It’s KU. (I want to show) we can win games. That’s my main goal for my third year. My focus is to win games.”

Williams Jr. plans on doing that by leading more, especially with the younger running backs behind him on the depth chart.

“Leadership is telling them when they’re wrong,” said Williams Jr. “If they mess up, next play. If they fumble or they miss the ball, next play. You have to have a short-term memory.”

Williams Jr. plans to help his teammates have just that, while also giving KU fans the excitement that makes memories for a lifetime. Hear more about Pooka’s rise to Big 12 stardom and his plans for the future on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker Podcast.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Darrell Stuckey

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Darrell Stuckey overcame a lot early in life along the road to an Orange Bowl championship and NFL Pro Bowl. His journey to the peak of college and pro football success was long and winding, filled with plenty of adversity.

An incredible mother, a strong faith and several key moments shaped Stuckey early on along his path to football glory. Then the college experience at Kansas — both on the field and off – molded Stuckey significantly into the man he is today.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we take you inside the development of one of KU’s best defensive backs ever and tell the story of a football ambassador whose legacy of paying it forward ranks among the all-time greats as well.

Raised mostly by a single mother who worked multiple jobs to give her children the best life possible, Stuckey took on a part-time job after football practice to help make ends meet.

The job required him to leave practice early each day – something his coach at Kansas City’s Washington High School gladly let him do because he was such a hard worker and respected leader – and work until after 10 pm before driving home for a short night’s rest and then doing it all over again. One night, the fatigue of Stuckey’s near-18 hour days finally caught up with him.

“I was exhausted. I couldn’t get home till midnight, I’d go to bed and be up at six to be at school at seven,” recalled Stuckey. “I fell asleep behind the wheel. It was a detour on 435 and one of the lanes was missing. A shoulder was all that was there. I feel asleep and woke up going 86-87 miles-an-hour in this detour in between cones and a shoulder. I wouldn’t have woken up unless the cop pulled me over – that’s why I woke up, the sirens and the lights in the rearview were flashing in my eyes.”

A terrified but grateful Stuckey was given a ticket – one that would cost him his last two weeks of wages– but he knew that ticket had just saved his life. Expecting his mother to be upset about the money he lost, she instead embraced him and said, “I don’t care about money. It’s you (I care about). You’re not working anymore.”

Though, ultimately, Stuckey convinced his mom to let him get another part-time job, his near brush with death certainly gave him great perspective on a lot of things. His already strong faith and belief in God’s plan for his life soon grew even stronger when the Kansas Jayhawks offered him a scholarship.

Stuckey had attended a KU football camp during which he met Mark Mangino for the first time. He was initially nervous to meet the head coach because he knew he had to leave the KU camp early due to a previous commitment to attend an Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) leadership camp. Instead of being disappointed in Stuckey’s early departure, the KU Coach had a different reaction. One that put Stuckey at ease and made quite an impression on him as well.

Stuckey recalls what Mangino said to him that day.

“It’s okay. You have a commitment,” Mangino told Stuckey. “I hear it’s a leadership camp. You can’t have too much leadership. I spend more time with my players than I do with my own family – that’s the nature of the business and I’ll be damned if I’m going to bring in a knucklehead.”

Stuckey continued.

“He basically said, ‘Thank you for standing firm in what you believe in and for building yourself to be a leader.’ For me that was affirmation that he wasn’t upset at me for leaving early and was also affirmation that he believed in what I was doing, who I was and what I stood for.”

As much as that exchange initially reassured Stuckey, he would suffer a hamstring injury before leaving the camp that left him devastated, fearful of what kind of impression he made and actually had him wondering why God would deal him such a tough hand.

“I went to the FCA camp angry at God,” Stuckey remembered with a laugh. “I said, ‘Lord, I put you first and you let this happen?!’ No, God didn’t let that happen, I made that happen. My body, physically, wasn’t in a place to run a 40 (yard dash), let alone four times. And I probably was dehydrated and other things.”

Stuckey’s perspective continued to change that weekend at the FCA camp and he, ultimately, had a peace about the direction of his football future.

“I had an encounter with God there that set my heart in a place to where I was like, ‘You know what Lord, this isn’t of you. You didn’t make this happen. I’ll put you first, align myself with you and regardless of where I go (to college), I’m going to be a witness. But Lord, I’m not going to have anxiety about what I can do to make myself go to college. It’ll take care of itself and the right team will see me and where I need to be will come, in time.”

By the end of the weekend as Stuckey was leaving the camp his mother came to him with some news.

“My mother looked at me and said, ‘Coach (Dave) Doeren called. (Kansas) wants to offer you a full ride.’ And that’s why I knew. I had just prayed about it two days before that.”

Most Kansas fans know what would ensue from there. Stuckey went on to become a starter for some of the best teams in school history, he was an All-Big 12 performer, and eventually took his game to the NFL, where he would become a special teams captain and Pro Bowler for the San Diego Chargers.

But what from his time at Kansas was most influential in shaping him as a man and putting him on the path he is today of mentoring student-athletes? And why was it that he was convinced KU could run the table in 2007 before the year even began?

Find out those answers and more and possibly walk away a little inspired, on this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker.”

The Jayhawker Podcast | Nolan Cromwell

Thu, 20 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0000

For a guy who was born and raised in a small town with fewer than 300 people, Nolan Cromwell sure has lived large.

The Ransom, KS native has enjoyed a football life that’s taken him all the way to NFL stardom in Los Angeles as a player and eventually, to a Super Bowl title with Green Bay as a coach. But how did his time as Jayhawk influence it all? And how did one of the most coveted Sunflower State recruits of his time wind up wearing the Crimson and Blue?

A standout on the track and the football field, most schools saw Cromwell as a 2-sport recruit, and despite interest from all over, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma and Nebraska emerged as his final four. In the end, it was the personality of Don Fambrough that won the Jayhawks their two-sport star.

“When it all came down to it, Coach (Don) Fambrough was the guy that won me over,” explained Cromwell. “Fam was just a down-home, good country boy and that’s kind of what I needed and wanted.”

Cromwell initially started his Kansas career as a defensive back, and as freshman helped KU earn a trip to the Liberty Bowl. After two successful seasons at safety though, a head coaching change to Bud Moore led to a position switch for Cromwell.

In the spring prior to Cromwell’s junior season, Moore moved Cromwell to quarterback to use his elite athleticism to key KU’s new wishbone offense. The change put Cromwell on a path to becoming the Big Eight Offensive Player of the Year and earned him the moniker, “The Ransom Rambler.”

Cromwell’s first breakthrough came versus Oregon State in his first start. Cromwell would torch the Beavers defense for 294 rushing yards – setting a new NCAA rushing record for quarterbacks. Ironically, Oregon State’s defensive coordinator that day was Ken Blue – Cromwell’s position coach his freshman season at Kansas – and though he knew Cromwell’s talents well, OSU had no answer for The Rambler.

“I think they were really keyed in on Billy Canfield and Laverne Smith, so it opened up a TON of lanes for me,” recalled Cromwell. “It didn’t take a lot of athleticism to run in the holes that I was running in that day.”

With a the national QB rushing record in tow, the buzz was building about the new quarterback guiding KU’s offense. A 41-7 win a week later at Wisconsin fueled the hype even more and earned Cromwell some serious praise from NFL Hall of Famer Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, who was the Badgers AD at the time. Hirsch told KU announcer Tom Hedrick that Cromwell was unlike any talent he’d ever seen.

“After that Badger football game, one of the greatest players ever to play in the NFL, Elroy Hirsch told me: ‘That kid is the best option quarterback I’ve seen. I’ve seen all the kids at Oklahoma and others that I like, but that kid is the best I’ve ever seen run the option.’ Now that’s a great compliment,” relayed Hedrick.

Word continued to spread of Cromwell’s rising star status in the Big 8 as KU got set to visit an Oklahoma football team that had not lost in 28 games. The stage was set for a historic upset and Cromwell and his Jayhawk teammates delivered.

“That was an incredible day down in Oklahoma,” described Cromwell. “I think our team felt that we could play with anybody. We had that feeling with us at that point. We weren’t intimidated by them. Our defense had a tremendous game that day.”

The Jayhawk defense was awesome, indeed, forcing eight consecutive Sooner turnovers, including all seven 2nd-half possessions. That coupled with another strong performance by Cromwell, led the Jayhawks to a landmark upset.

The Jayhawks would go on to finish 7-5 that season including a loss to Pittsburgh in the Sun Bowl. Along the way, Cromwell racked up 1,124 rushing yards and was named the league’s top offensive player. KU’s transition to the wishbone with Cromwell at QB was a smashing success.

Though his senior season would be cut short due to injury, Cromwell left his mark on the Kansas program and was just getting started with his football life. Cromwell would go on to become a Pro Bowl safety with the Los Angeles Rams, and eventually be named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team for the 1980s.

From there, he’d find success as a coach, winning Super Bowl XXXI while serving as the special teams coordinator for the Green Bay Packers.

We chronicle all aspects of Cromwell’s illustrious football career and his rise from small town Kansas kid to Super Bowl Champion on this week’s installment of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Football Recruiting with Coach Joshua Eargle

Fri, 14 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Every football season, there’s a handful of new freshman Jayhawks for fans to get excited about. Their high school careers over, now they’re ready for the bright lights of major college football. But how do they get discovered? And what goes into getting them to Lawrence?

The world of major college football recruiting is a wild one, and there’s a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to secure a commitment. It’s months and years of planning, travel, visits and watching film.

In this episode, staff recruiting coordinator Josh Eargle takes you behind the scenes and inside the program, and explains how it all works. He also spotlights just how much the Jayhawk Football program has to sell and the charismatic football salesmen and women doing the pitching.

“I think the University of Kansas sells itself,” said Eargle. “I think this football program has had spots and glimpses of greatness in its past and when you add a Hall of Fame head football coach and put him on this campus, it’s an unbelievable matchup and it’s one that people are taking notice of from coast to coast in America, wanting to be Jayhawks.”

Eargle was well aware of what he’d have a chance to sell when it came to Les Miles and his coaching resume – the two worked together before at LSU in 2009 – but he was blown away once he had the chance to tour the Kansas facilities including the Anderson Family Football Complex, it’s recently renovated locker rooms and the brand new KU Football indoor practice facility.

“Any great salesman in any industry better have a great product and the University of Kansas is a phenomenal product,” stated Eargle. “Our facilities are second to none.”

Now Eargle and the rest of the KU coaches are trying to build a roster that will help Kansas restore its winning tradition. Thankfully, Miles has assembled a staff of excellent recruiters.

“I think you’re dealing with a staff of unbelievably passionate men. You talk about passion. We’ve got a passion for football, for developing young men,” described Eargle. “This is an elite group of men and recruiters. There’s not a coach on our staff or anybody in our building that’s isn’t here to recruit highly successful young men – student-athletes who can also perform in the classroom and in our community.”

And that collection of passionate and talented recruiters is headlined by a head coach whose accomplishments are only exceeded by his relentless work ethic.

“His work ethic is ridiculous. It really is,” marveled Eargle. “His day is planned out minute by minute. We may have a break here and there, (The staff) may try to go sneak a workout in or whatever, but Coach Miles is sneaking to go get another recruiting phone call in.”

And when KU head coach is working the phones, his authentic approach really shines.

“We’ve got one of the best closers in the business (in Coach Miles),” said Eargle. “He’s so genuine and relationship-driven that that comes through in his conversations. He makes you feel really, really comfortable with his vision and how he’s going to take care of you as a football player here at Kansas.”

But before a player’s recruitment gets to the point of being contacted by a positional coach or eventually Coach Miles, what all does the evaluation process entail? What measures are taken by the recruiting staff to make for the most effective in-home and on-campus recruiting visits? And what’s the ultimate vision that Miles and his staff have for the future of Kansas Football? On this episode of The Jayhawker, Eargle breaks down all those questions and more and gives you an insider’s look at how college football recruiting works at the University of Kansas.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kerry Meier

Thu, 06 Aug 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Mark Mangino has referred to him as perhaps the “most important player” he ever had at Kansas. That’s high praise from the former KU coach who famously led the Jayhawks to their greatest season ever in 2007.

The selfless and team-first mentality that Meier displayed in humbly changing positions early in that season is a big reason why Mangino feels that way. All the records Meier would go on to shatter is another. And yet, Kerry Meier’s prolific career at wide receiver almost never happened. Twice.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast we take you inside Meier’s transition from 4-star quarterback recruit to legendary Jayhawk receiver and all the highlights including two Bowl victories and a Sports Illustrated cover that came in between.

One of four college football-playing brothers from Pittsburg, Kansas – two of which played at Kansas State – Meier took a different path and committed to play for Mangino and the Jayhawks. But before he could even get on the field, a previously undetected heart condition forced Meier to redshirt as a freshman.

“At that point in time, Kansas was one of just a few institutions across the country that ran advanced cardiovascular screenings and tests to see what these incoming student-athletes are like,” recalled Meier. “If I wouldn’t have gone to Kansas, who knows if that ever would have been detected. So, in a way, going to the University of Kansas saved my life.”

After two heart procedures and a medical redshirt season, Meier would bounce back and claim the starting quarterback job the next fall, and go on to set a Kansas freshman record for touchdown passes.

But heading into the 2007 season, Todd Reesing beat Meier out for the starting job. It was the first time in Meier’s life that he’d ever finished second in a positional battle of any kind.

“Through high school, little league, middle school, I was always one of those guys – like a lot of people who play in college – you’re kind of that guy,” described Meier. “Things are easy, just based upon your athletic ability. You kind of get by.”

Meier had never been forced to take a backseat to anyone and the crushing news of losing the QB battle in fall camp had him turning to his three older brothers for advice.

“Those are three guys that I sought out consistently seeking advice,” said Meier. “How they faced adversity and obviously, having a lifetime of watching them face trials and tribulations, I knew the approach and that was to put your head down, go to work, continue to do the things that got you to that point but kind of tweak, modify and redefine who you are.”

The first redefinition came when offensive coordinator Ed Warinner approached Meier two weeks into the season about getting back onto the field at the receiver position.

“My expectations were always set high and I knew when I took on this new role and responsibility, I was like, ‘Alright how high can I set the bar and how far can I take this thing?’”, remembered Meier. “It was one of those deals where I never saw the end goal, I just knew that if I put the work in and did the things my coaches told me to do – because ultimately, I put my complete 100% trust in them – they would get me to where success would be.”

“Success” ended up being the greatest reception totals ever posted at Kansas and the winningest 2-year stretch the program had ever seen as well. Ultimately, it also vaulted Meier into a 5th round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2010.

And it was all made possible by humbly accepting a new role, putting the team first and throwing everything he had into being the best Jayhawk he could be. Hear the inspiring story of who Coach Mangino calls arguably his “most important player” this week on The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Dave Robisch

Thu, 30 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Though younger Jayhawk fans might still be catching on, anyone who witnessed the brilliance of Dave Robisch’s KU career knows just how prolific his three seasons at Kansas were. Arriving in the fall of 1967, Robisch played in an era when freshman still weren’t allowed to compete, but the numbers he posted in the three campaigns he did play, remain some of the greatest ever by a Jayhawk.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast, we spotlight Robisch’s time at KU, explore his many amazing achievements and learn how he and the 1971 Jayhawks helped unite a campus in turmoil over protests surrounding the Vietnam War.

Robisch is the first to admit there are entire Jayhawk generations that may not know of his contributions to the storied tradition of Kansas Basketball. He hopes the present-day players in particular, learn of those who helped pave the way.

“I would hope that the guys that came after me and guys today especially, will look more at the past and what guys accomplished,” wished Robisch. “I know it’s hard to do because years and years have gone by. The individual accolades are great, but (I’m most proud) of what we were able to do as a team.”

From a team perspective, Robisch’s senior season was truly special – both in terms of Kansas basketball history and in uniting a campus amidst some turmoil in American history. Late in his junior year – in the spring of 1970 – protests broke out around in the country over the Vietnam War. One place hit particularly hard by protests and violent outbreaks was Lawrence, KS.

“There were people out in the streets shooting – there were gunshots,” described Robisch. “They tried to burn the union down. There was a fire in the union so they closed the campus down that spring.”

Final exams were made optional and student were sent home for the summer early as a safety measure.

“Carry that forward to my senior year and we’re all coming back on campus,” continued Robisch. “Coach Owens and I have talked about this a lot. We felt like that team, with the success that we had and the unity… we all came together and the school got behind us. We ran the table (in the Big 8), went 27-1 and the support kept growing and growing as the year went on. It brought everybody together.”

The ’71 squads incredible run culminated in a trip to Houston for the Final Four. While John Wooden’s UCLA squad would, ultimately, dash KU dreams of a national title, a special legacy for that Kansas team and its senior big man had already been carved out.

So how just good was KU’s sensational southpaw? Robisch was a two-time All-American and a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year. His career scoring average ranks fourth in school history and he helped the Jayhawks to the 1971 Final Four. He did it all of that while also performing as an all-conference pitcher for the KU baseball team.

Additionally, his coach Ted Owens called him the finest competitive shooter he’s ever coached and said he mastered the art of the bank shot.

“I just loved different angles on the floor and knew I could rely on the backboard for the bank shot,” described Robisch. “Bill Walton was another guy that used the bank shot when he played in college. It was just another weapon. My other weapon was that I was left-handed. Not that many people play basketball left-handed so you have maybe a bit of an advantage.”

After his star-studded Kansas career, Robisch would go on to enjoy 13 professional seasons in the ABA and NBA, and see his jersey raised to the rafters of Allen Fieldhouse in 2005. It was the crowning achievement for an illustrious career and one that made an indelible mark on the program.

“The first time I set foot in Lawrence, I knew it was a special place,” recalled Robisch. “Then I got into Allen Fieldhouse and I realized the tradition.”

Now Robisch is an integral part of that storied tradition. This week’s edition of The Jayhawker aims to educate young fans of a player whose scoring averages are only topped by Wilt and Clyde. And for those lucky enough to have seen “Robo” play, they might even learn something new as well.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jennifer McFalls

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

From a career perspective, it’s hard to top winning an Olympic gold medal. For Kansas softball coach Jennifer McFalls, that dream came true in 2000, when she helped Team USA to Olympic glory.

It was a long and winding road to get there, with plenty of successes—and disappointments—along the way.

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast, we take you along for the ride to Olympic gold and hear firsthand from the hero that scored the game-winning run in the Gold Medal Game in Sydney. It was a career-defining moment for McFalls as a player, but it almost didn’t happen.

After having to watch the 1996 Olympics from the stands as a Team USA alternate, McFalls knew the 2000 games would be her golden opportunity to finally represent her country on the field on softball’s biggest stage. Though the United States squad traveled Down Under as heavy favorites, they fell three times in the pool play portion of the Olympic games.

To put that in perspective, McFalls had only ever lost three times TOTAL in over 100 career appearances with Team USA and suddenly three more losses piled up early in Sydney. The pressure was mounting and their margin for error was gone entering bracket competition.

“Losing was not an option,” recalled McFalls. “It was never in USA Softball’s vocabulary.”

McFalls and her teammates thought they were cursed. One more loss would mean the end of their Olympic dreams, so desperate times called for desperate curse-breaking measures.

“After we lost our third game we went back to house and we were like, ‘What is the matter with us? We have been cursed!’,” remembered McFalls. “So somebody had this idea that we would turn the showers on, go in with our uniforms on and just wash the voodoo off and everybody did this little chant… to try to scare the voodoo off of our uniforms. It was a pretty laughable moment.”

Fully soaked in superstition, the mood was definitely lightened that night and then the next day with their Olympic hopes on the line, a little extra motivation arrived just when they needed it from a Hall of Fame baseball coach.

The USA softball and baseball teams stayed next to each other in the Olympic village and Team USA Baseball coach Tommy Lasorda decided to impart a little advice as the girls loaded the bus. McFalls recalls his pep talk making quite an impression:

“Hey girls, get over here! I’ve gotta talk to you,” yelled Lasorda. “You just got to forget about everything else that has happened. Today is the day you go out and play for the name that’s across your chest, NOT for the name across your back. It’s all about USA Softball. It’s all about your team. You know how to win!”

McFalls said Lasorda’s words changed everything for her and her teammates.

“We were hanging on every single word and when we got back on that bus and it was a totally different atmosphere,” described McFalls. “We knew we were gonna fight and we knew we would come out on top.”

And that’s exactly what they did, rattling off wins over China, Australia and Japan with McFalls scoring the game-winning runs in each of the last two games.

It was a euphoric moment when she crossed home to clinch Olympic gold and the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Hear McFalls describe what that feeling was like and then what immediately came next when it was time to hang up her cleats for good and pursue a new chapter within the sport she loves: Coaching.

On this episode of The Jayhawker, we also chronicle McFalls’ path through the high school coaching ranks in Texas, as well an eight-year stint as an assistant at the University of Texas. It was valuable experience filled with plenty of success that paved the way for McFalls to land her own Big 12 head coaching job at Kansas in 2018.

Hear what experiences – like winning gold in Sydney – shaped McFalls into the coach she is today, as well as her vision for the KU Softball program. It’s all included on the latest addition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Ted Owens

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

This week The Jayhawker Podcast spotlights the life and coaching career of Ted Owens, as KU’s 4th-winningest coach celebrates his 91st birthday.

Owens spent 19 seasons as the Jayhawks’ head man, and in that time recruited some of the greatest players to ever wear the Crimson & Blue. In all, he helped produce five All-Americans – all of which have their jerseys hanging in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters.

With legendary names like Wesley, White, Robisch, Stallworth, and Valentine leading the way, Owens was able to win six Big Eight titles, five Big Eight Coach of the Year awards and make two trips to the Final Four.

It’s a resume more robust than perhaps Owens gets credit for. Afterall, when you’re one of just eight coaches all-time in a blue-blooded program’s illustrious history (and five of those eight are enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame), it’s easy to get overshadowed a bit. But Owens is comfortable with his place in Kansas history and even with all he accomplished on the court, takes even greater pride in the influential role he got to play in the lives of all the young men he coached during his tenure.

“The older you get, the more you recognize that the most important judgement of you as a coach is, ‘Have you had the kind of influence on the young men you had the opportunity to coach?’ and ‘Have you helped them to live meaningful and productive lives,’” described Owens. “That’s the final judgement of us as coaches. Wins and losses are important and so forth, but what has happened in their lives? Have the lessons you taught helped them to be productive?”

Owens enriched the lives of countless Jayhawks during his more than two decades on Mount Oread (he also spent four seasons as an assistant to Dick Harp, prior to taking over the program in 1964). He did plenty to propel the great tradition of Kansas Basketball including assembling the 1966 team that famously lost to Texas Western in controversial fashion on a Jo Jo White game-winning shot that was wiped off the board by one official who thought White had stepped out of bounds.

“Whether Jo Jo was in bounds or out of bounds when he shot the ball (determined) who won the national championship that year,” recalled Owens. “I think those were the two best teams in the country. So, I was very fortunate early in my days to have a good team and then pick up a couple of players that helped us to have a great team and help us to kind of restore the greatness of Kansas Basketball.”

Owens is right. That team – led by two All-Americans (White and Walt Wesley) – put Kansas Basketball back on the map nationally after a brief swoon late in Harp’s tenure, and had the controversial call not been made, the legacies of both Owens and his 1966 Jayhawks would have been remembered much differently.

“It’s hard to claim you were one of the great teams when you didn’t win it all,” admitted Owens. “But this truly was one of the great teams in Kansas Basketball history.”

Owens would have many more great teams including the 1971 and 1974 squads – the ’71 bunch led by All-Americans, Dave Robisch and Bud Stallworth. Then there was the 1978 team – the year Owens won National Coach of the Year – led by a future All-American, freshman Darnell Valentine, that was upended by UCLA after a 24-4 regular season.

So how did Owens land so many legendary players? We go inside the recruitment of his five All-Americans in this episode. Some of the stories of their arrival at Kansas might just surprise you.

“Sometimes you are able to recruit someone as the result of great organization and persistence and all of that,” described Owens. “And sometimes, with the great ones – it’s really the great ones that are the easiest. They have confidence. They know they can play. They don’t worry about who you are recruiting. They just want to know that you’re going to have a great team, and a challenge and so forth.”

In this edition of The Jayhawker, KU fans will learn about a great Kansas leader whose thumbprints are all over the tremendous KU Basketball tradition and whose legacy extends far beyond what was accomplished on the court.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Nick Collison

Thu, 09 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Nick Collison took Kansas to back-to-back Final Fours, and saw his jersey retired at both the college and professional levels. He was a McDonald’s All-American, collegiate All-American and first round NBA draft pick. He’s second only to Danny Manning when it comes to career scoring at one of college basketball’s most tradition-rich schools.

So, what does all that success come back to for Collison? In a word: consistency. Whether he was consistently great during his time at Kansas, or a consistent leader for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Collison brought the same passion, energy and work ethic every day.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast we catch up with the Jayhawk and Oklahoma City Thunder great and learn what it took to achieve such incredible individual and team success in both college and the pros.

The son of a high school coach, Collison was a self-described “gym-rat” who soared up the recruiting rankings as he grew from 5’11 as an 8th grader to 6’9 by his junior season in high school at Iowa Falls. Though he initially considered Iowa and Iowa State, and Duke made a push late, in the end it was Roy Williams and Kansas that won his commitment.

“At the end of the day, I felt the best about Kansas,” shared Collison. “I was excited to go play in Allen Fieldhouse and Coach (Williams) honestly, recruited me harder than anyone else – even the in-state schools. He was at almost all of my AAU games. The way he talked about my game, I felt like he understood my game.”

Collison combined with Drew Gooden and Kirk Hinrich (all eventual NBA Lottery picks) to form one of the greatest recruiting classes in KU history and the trio had a special chemistry from day one. Collison and Hinrich were already close being former AAU teammates, and though Gooden and Collison had different backgrounds, the meshed right away too.

“I really got along with Drew a lot. From the first day when we were high school kids till now, we’ve always gotten along so well,” said Collison. “We’re basically the same type of player, playing the same position, coming into school at the same time and yet we’ve always gotten along. There was never any issue on competition or jealousy or anything from either one of us. It was really cool how we were able to form a really solid relationship and still be friends to this day.”

Collison says the threesome leaned on one another to handle the pressures that came with playing for one of college basketball’s premiere programs.

“The demands of playing on a Roy Williams team and the pressures of being a student-athlete (can be a lot),” admitted Collison. “Going to class, having weights, tutoring, these really hard practices, conditioning — it’s a hard thing to go through. It was really cool that we had the three of us going through it together at the same time. We could pick each other up when we needed it. When one of us was down the other two could pick the other one up.”

“The Three Musketeers” went 24-10 in their first season together and made a Sweet 16 in year two. As they entered their upper-classmen years though, expectations were growing and what was about to ensue was just the second back-to-back Final Four runs in KU hoops history.

Gooden was with them for the first run in 2002 – a 33-4 season that ended in a National Semi-final loss to eventual-National Champion Maryland. Then, with Gooden off to the NBA and sharp-shooter Jeff Boschee graduated, Nick and Kirk captained Kansas to another 30-win season that this time went all the way to a Monday night in April, opposite of Syracuse in the National Championship game.

Go inside those two incredible Kansas runs and hear what followed for Collison in a long and very successful NBA career. This week’s episode spotlights a Kansas legend who has won everywhere he’s been and played with some incredible talent at each and every stop. Collison even hit the hardwood with Barack Obama in 2012 in a memorable exchange in which the President suggested OKC needed to send some of Kevin Durant’s shots Nick’s way. That great story and many more can be found in this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Katie McClure

Thu, 02 Jul 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Katie McClure was born to score goals. Her knack for finding the back of the net was on display plenty during a record-setting Kansas career and now has earned her a chance to chase her professional dreams as well.

On the heels of an All-American tenure at Kansas, McClure was drafted by the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League this January. As the NWSL season opens this week and McClure’s pro career begins, The Jayhawker podcast takes you inside this Jayhawk’s rise to prominence on the pitch.

A Wichita native, McClure has always craved competition—it’s how she grew up as the daughter of a former pro baseball player with three older siblings. McClure says her father’s influence and brothers’ competitiveness is what propelled her early on to pursue a future in sports.

“I think he had a lot of dreams and aspirations for me and my siblings, so just him starting it off was a crucial part for us,” McClure said of her father, Dave, a former member of the Detroit Tigers organization. “I remember as a kid going out in the backyard playing sports – I wasn’t inside playing with dolls or barbies – I was always out with my brothers competing. Just being outside and enjoying sports with them is when I got into sports the most.”

That passion put McClure on a path to high school stardom at Maize High School where she would set a new school record for career goals scored (110). Mark Francis and the Jayhawks took notice and offered McClure a scholarship when she was still just a sophomore. With that offer in hand McClure would go on to become a two-time 1st Team all-state selection and a Co-Offensive Player of the year from the Kansas State High School Activities Association.

McClure’s stellar high school career positioned her well to make in immediate impact at Kansas. She would start 16 of KU’s 21 matches her first season and notched 3 game-winning goals – something that would eventually become her calling card at Kansas. Along the way to a school-record 18 game-winning goals in her career, McClure would earn the nickname, “McClutch.”

“All forwards want to score and I think it comes down to when it is needed the most,” described McClure. “So, I think when I developed that name was in all the times when it was needed – either we needed a late goal to tie it up or we were in overtime and needed to win. It was not only about being able to score but doing it when we needed it the most.”

McClure’s late-game heroics helped her become an all-conference selection twice at Kansas and ultimately, a 3rd-team All-American as a senior. More important than any of those individuals accolades though, was the chance to help deliver the Jayhawks’ first ever Big 12 Tournament title and a run to the Sweet 16 last fall.

“It was an incredible moment,” McClure said of winning the Big 12 tourney in Kansas City. “We knew that this was the first time Kansas would have won the Big 12 tournament and to have that in the back of our minds the whole game was what we were striving for and why we wanted to win. We wanted to show people that we are here, this is the team that we are and we deserve to win the Big 12.”

Learn more about McClure’s legacy at Kansas and what it was like to hear her name called in the 2020 NWSL draft in this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Danny Manning

Thu, 25 Jun 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Danny Manning is considered by many to be the greatest Jayhawk of them all. His case for that distinction is very convincing. He was a two-time All-American, a Wooden Award winner, a National Champion, and is the program’s all-time leading scorer. Plus, every part of Manning’s basketball life comes back to Kansas. His family moved to Lawrence when his father was hired as an assistant coach for Larry Brown. He starred as a Jayhawk en route to becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft. Later, when he decided to transition into coaching, he started at Kansas with the help of Bill Self.

The namesake for KU Basketball’s “Mr. Jayhawk Award” has accomplished just about everything a Kansas hoops star could aspire to, but Manning’s journey hasn’t always been easy.

Before “Danny and The Miracles” won it all in 1988, there was heartbreak in the 1986 Final Four and the following season’s Sweet 16. Even the national title year started with adversity, as the team opened the season 12-8. As a pro, despite being a two-time NBA All-Star, there were the multiple injuries that led to Manning becoming the first player to return from reconstructive surgeries on both knees. And yet, Manning just keeps fighting. He keeps finding success. And Manning has remembered the role that Kansas has played through it all.

This week on The Jayhawker podcast go inside Manning’s journey to a Kansas prep phenom, what it took to become an All-American and National Champion in 1988 and how when it was time to launch his coaching career, Lawrence once again beckoned Manning home.

As the son of a professional basketball player, Manning was born into big hoops dreams from day one. His father Ed played professionally in the ABA, NBA and overseas and took Danny along for the ride providing a very memorable childhood.

“I have memories of sitting on the backstop of the goal when my dad was playing with the Nets of the ABA and feeling Julius Erving dunk the basketball and the goal that I’m sitting on shaking,” recalled Manning.

“My father definitely introduced me to the game and from there I’ve been fortunate and blessed to have a lot of great experiences along the way,” continued Manning. “We had a chance to move to a lot of different places and that was a unique experience for me and my sister growing up.”

One of those places was Greensboro, NC where the elder Manning played for future Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown on the Carolina Cougars of the ABA. That’s where the Manning family connection to Coach Brown first began.

Though Brown was specifically there to coach Danny’s dad, the Cougars’ coach took a special interest in mentoring some of his players’ kids as well.

“He was coaching kids at that age,” remember Manning. “He’s a professional coach but any kid that walked out there on the court — he’s showing you how to hold the ball, how to pass the ball and things of that nature.”

That made an impression on the younger Manning, while his father was certainly making one on Coach Brown. That connection during their time with the Cougars would plant a seed for Brown hiring Ed Manning as an assistant at KU when he arrived in 1983.

The news came mere days before the start of Danny’s senior year at Page High School in Greensboro. The transition for a 17-year-old was a shock at first, but led to the biggest launch pad possible for all of Manning’s basketball pursuits.

“It was traumatic at the time,” described Manning. “But it was a great opportunity for our family. It was difficult leaving days before the start of my senior year in high school… but it’s something that we’re very fortunate that it happened and grateful that it did happen, because it changed our lives for the better.”

Once in Lawrence, Manning got to see the famed KU basketball program up close and learn of its illustrious history. As a high school senior he would thumb through the KU media guide and read about legendary Jayhawk greats and the records they set during their Kansas careers.

“Every day I was there I tried to find out and learn a little bit more about the history and tradition of the program,” said Manning. “I can remember my dad bringing home the media guide and just reading about the names of the different guys that had come down through the years and worn the jersey. Then I’d go into the Fieldhouse and just fall in love with the place.”

Though he studied all the Kansas records that one day he would obliterate – Manning’s scoring record of 2,951 career points is 854 points more than the second player on the list and may never be touched – Manning says he never imagined he’d accomplish such incredible things.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think of anything like that,” admitted Manning. “I just feel very fortunate, but also know I had great coaches and tremendous teammates to help me accomplish that by making me look pretty good.”

Manning made Kansas look amazing. Two Final Fours, a national title and countless records later his place was forever etched in Jayhawk lore. And that was just the beginning for Manning, as he would help bring another title to Kansas in 2008 as an assistant coach. Relive Manning’s climb to unprecedented heights and the launch of his successful coaching career as well on the latest edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Ritch Price

Thu, 11 Jun 2020 11:00:00 +0000

He’s the dean of Big 12 baseball coaches and the most successful coach in Kansas program history. And as you’ll learn on this week’s edition of the The Jayhawker Podcast, Ritch Price is just as fired up about Jayhawk Baseball today as he was when he took the job in the summer of 2002.

Price is responsible for the Jayhawks’ lone Big 12 Tournament championship and three of the school’s five all-time NCAA Regional appearances, but it hasn’t been easy. When Price took over the program, facilities and support were lacking. How was he able to convince fans to invest in Jayhawk baseball and over time, rebuild the roster and Hoglund Ballpark into a Big 12 contender?

For Price, it’s all about family. Born into a family of coaches, Price seemed destined to follow in his father, uncles and grandfather’s footsteps.

Through his family’s careers and a boyhood love of Willie Mays, Price fell in love with the game at an early age.

“I tried to emulate the same stance (Mays) had… I tried to catch the basket catches in center field. He was my idol. I got to grow up in the Bay Area in one of the greatest eras of baseball history with Willie Mays, Willie McCovey and Juan Marichal.”

Price remembers how one particular day at the ballpark with his dad had him hooked.

“My uncle was a high school coach in the LA area and one of the great memories of my childhood was my dad took us all to LA and I got to watch a doubleheader and watch (Sandy) Koufax pitch in game one and (Don) Drysdale pitch in game two.”

Childhood dreams of playing in the big leagues would eventually turn into a coaching aspirations. During his playing career at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon Price was already coaching American Legion teams and built such a reputation in the state that he had three coaching job offers upon graduation. He would spend five seasons coaching prep ball in Oregon and Texas before beginning his climb in the college coaching ranks.

It was a fast ascent from there with so much winning at Menlo College and DeAnza Community College that Price became a California Community College Hall of Famer. Then – as he and his wife Cindy were raising their three baseball-loving sons – the family spent eight more seasons at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where Price helped transition the program to D-1 status. As his boys were growing, so too was Price’s reputation as a rising star in the coaching ranks. He was a household name on the west coast, but took a leap of faith in the summer of 2002 to pursue his major conference coaching dreams at Kansas. Several peers initially questioned the move, but Price liked the philosophy he heard from Kansas Athletics brass and believed he could build a winner in the Sunflower State.

“They told me in the interview process that they were looking to hire a coach that could bring a recruiting hub to the Midwest to supplement the kids in the Midwest area within the 3-hour radius of Kansas City,” remembered Price. “The only way they were going to compete was to have a coach that could supplement his roster from a different area and after being here 18 years, I completely agree with the philosophy they put in place.”

But it still took some convincing to many of his coaching contemporaries who wondered if a consistent winner could be built in what is considered in coaching circles to be a “cold-climate school.”

“I bet on myself, I bet on my assistant coaches and I bet on the University of Kansas,” shared Price. “I thought if I got there and I could develop kids, and work my tail off recruiting and fundraise – which is one of my strengths – (I could win there).”

With that vision in mind and his infectious determination guiding him, Price uprooted his family and made his eldest son Ritchie, one of his very first Jayhawk signees. The younger Price would go on to become KU’s all-time hit leader and all three boys would eventually star for their dad as All-Big 12 conference performers. A California and west coast pipeline was formed and as KU started to rack up the wins, they began beating out Wichita State and Kansas State from some of the top local talent as well. Price’s vision for the program was starting to fall into place. Fans were supporting to the program in record numbers and gradually, the facilities started to improve.

The real breakthrough came in 2006, when Price’s initial recruiting class – now seniors – delivered KU’s first ever Big 12 Championship – a tournament title in Oklahoma City, that sent Price back home to Oregon for his first NCAA regional as a Jayhawk. It was a validating moment for Price and his family, proving that the chance they took moving to a cold climate school in the heartland was the right call, and building a consistent winner at Kansas could be done.

“As those players are dogpiling on the pitchers mound, I have chills, goosebumps, I couldn’t speak. I went over and got my wife and actually brought her down on the field and said, ‘thank you’ because he left her family, she left her friends.”

The couple watched as two of their three boys celebrated with their teammates, a benchmark moment for a baseball family that would entrench their roots in Lawrence even deeper after that triumph and build a legacy that continues to grow to this day.

The rest is history. Price has gone on to become the most successful coach the Jayhawk program has ever seen – but even 18 years deep, still has even bigger dreams for KU Baseball. Take a ride along Price’s journey as a Jayhawk and hear where he hopes to take the program next on this week’s episode of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Tamecka Dixon

Thu, 04 Jun 2020 11:00:00 +0000

She’s a two-time conference player of the year, a league’s founding member and a champion. And that’s just scratching the surface of Tamecka Dixon’s incredible career. This week on The Jayhawker podcast we dive inside the story of how a high school All-American from New Jersey became a collegiate All-American at Kansas and led the Jayhawk women’s basketball program to its first Sweet 16 appearance along the way.

As impressive as Dixon’s illustrious Kansas career was – she’s one of just four women to have their jersey hung in the Allen Fieldhouse rafters – her professional career puts her in rare company of Jayhawk alums to win titles and rack up All-Star berths at the highest level. And when speaking strictly about WNBA success, Dixon is in a league of her own.

So how did the Jayhawks pry away this Linden, New Jersey native in 1993? Dixon says it was all about KU’s legendary coach and the family culture she’d created at KU.

“Definitely Coach Marian Washington was THE reason I ended up at Kansas,” recalled Dixon. “I can’t say enough words about Coach Washington and her staff. They came in and fit right into my family structure and made a big impression not only on myself but my parents. They made a big impression on family and that’s what stood out to me.”

Dixon also saw Kansas as a program on the rise that was positioning itself for big things in the mid-90’s.

“They’d had a string of All-American players coming there,” described Dixon. “Starting, of course, with Lynette (Woodard) but then Angela Aycock and the next year they brought in Charisse Sampson who was also an All-American out of California, and then me. So, you could see they were building this powerhouse program. I wanted to be a part of something like that.”

Dixon’s dreams of contributing to a perennial power were realized at Kansas as she helped the Jayhawks make the NCAA tournament in each of her four seasons – including their first ever Sweet 16 berth in 1996. She also helped KU women win the final Big 8 Conference title (1996) and first Big 12 Conference championship (1997).

Along the road to that breakthrough team success, Dixon set milestones and racked up honors that only a select few Jayhawk women have ever approached. She averaged nearly 21 points per game as a senior en route to becoming just the fourth All-American in KU women’s basketball history. Beyond all the accolades though, Dixon says she just wants to be remembered as a player that brought it strong every day.

“When people think about Tamecka Dixon I hope they say that that young lady put her heart and her soul onto the court every time she hit it,” shared Dixon. “I want that to be my legacy that there was nothing left after I left the court at the end of each game. I played it with my heart, my soul and with a passion no one else played with.”

All of college basketball and professional scouts alike witnessed that type of passion and will to win out of Dixon at Kansas and it helped write her ticket to being the 14th overall selection in the inaugural WNBA draft. Dixon caught on in the WNBA as the league was first taking off and would become one of its very first prominent faces, teaming up with Lisa Leslie to win two championships with the Los Angeles Sparks. Dixon fondly recalls those championship seasons in LA and how they synced up with another Los Angeles franchise’s success.

“Those were some amazing years,” remembered Dixon. “And then on top of that, while we were winning our championships, the Lakers were also at the top. Those were our brothers and we kind of ran LA. 2001 and 2002 were amazing years for the city of Los Angeles and for all of its sports franchises.”

Learn more about Dixon’s impressive pro success as well as a special exchange she had with Kobe Bryant that she continues to use in helping motivate the next generation of women’s basketball players to this day. All of that, plus Dixon’s thoughts on the opportunity and responsibility to be role model to young female players everywhere can be heard on this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

The Jayhawker Podcast | DJ Eliot

Thu, 28 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

DJ Eliot didn’t plan on being a coach. For a guy with his reputation and who’s learned from some the best in the business, that’s pretty eye-opening. So how did an injury lead to him beginning his coaching career? Once he got into coaching, Eliot would start on a coaching journey that would take him across the country. As a GA at Miami, he helped with a defense that played for a national title. At Florida State, he would work with Jimbo Fisher and Mark Stoops, who he then followed to Kentucky to help build a program. And after a two-year stint at Colorado under Mike MacIntyre, Eliot would get a phone call that brought him to Lawrence. Coaching is a road with many twists and turns, and Eliot is glad his journey has landed him at Kansas. It’s a place that’s embraced his family as he faces one of his toughest challenges yet: Coaching his daughter in her fight against pediatric cancer.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Brent Dearmon

Thu, 21 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

He’s regarded as one of the brightest up-and-coming offensive minds in football. And though Brent Dearmon’s rise to offensive coordinator at Kansas happened faster than even he could have imagined, it’s a dream he’s been preparing for his entire life.

The son of a football coach, Dearmon fell in love with the game at an early age.

“My dad spent 42 years as a high school football coach… so I grew up on the sidelines,” Dearmon recalls. “I grew up on Friday nights being the ball boy, wearing that too-big jersey that hangs down to your knees, going out and getting the tee after the kickoff. That was my gameday experience.”

It wasn’t just the Friday Night Lights in Alabama that had a young Dearmon hooked though. Kitchen table chalk talk with Dad is what really reeled him in.

“I can remember as a 7-year-old sitting at the kitchen table with Dad as he’s drawing plays up old school-wise,” described Dearmon. “I can remember sitting there with him and watching how to draw power, watching how to draw trap and thinking, “Man, this is something I want to do. This is something I want to be.’ Everything we do (now), I can look back as a child and think, ‘I can use some that.’ I know I am what I am now because of my father and the family I grew up in.”

After a record-setting playing career at NAIA Bethel College, Dearmon went straight into coaching – including 5 years at the high school level in Alabama. It was there where Auburn coach Gus Malzahn took notice, and added Dearmon to his staff as an offensive analyst.Dearmon recalls gathering as much as he could in his two seasons working under Malzahn – lessons learned that are still paying dividends today.

“I just tried to be a sponge those two years I was there. I didn’t want to go in and be an idea guy, I just sat in the back of the room and absorbed as much as I could and learned his system in depth. I’d say about 65% of what we do is based around his system.”
Dearmon would then spend four years as the OC at Arkansas Tech before returning to his alma mater as the head coach. But after one season of producing the country’s highest-scoring offense, why did he decide to take a leap of faith and join the Jayhawks as an analyst?

“I wanted to do my best to get to the Division-1 football level and prove to myself that I could do it,” recalls Dearmon. “It’s also that adrenaline rush. That screaming crowd. The performance you have walking out on that stage at a Saturday.”

Dearmon missed the gameday buzz that comes with coaching at the major conference level, but it was the sales pitch of Les Miles that sealed the deal.

“Coach Miles is a really good recruiter,” praised Dearmon. “So when he calls you on the phone you understand why some of those four and five-star recruits were going to LSU. So he called and he recruited me. It took a little bit to get me out of my alma mater but man, I haven’t regretted it one day.”

Dearmon’s ascent from offensive analyst to KU’s OC took only half a season and he had less than two weeks to prepare for his first came as play-caller when the Jayhawks traveled to Austin, TX on October 19th, 2019. What ensued was a debut that featured 48 points and nearly a historic victory. Even in defeat though, the performance showed what this rising coaching talent is capable of. Go inside Dearmon’s journey to the offensive coordinator post at Kansas on this week’s edition of The Jayhawker.

It’s an opportunity he’s been preparing for his entire life and Coach Dearmon is convinced the best is yet to come.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Les Miles

Thu, 14 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Les Miles needs no introduction to college football fans. He’s “The Hat”: The grass-chewing, national championship-winning coach who has endeared himself to fans across the country. Fans come naturally when you’ve had success everywhere you’ve been. Great players follow too, especially when you cultivate a culture of “family” in your program. For Miles, the focus of family has been a priority ever since his childhood days in Elyria, Ohio. This week on “The Jayhawker” we explore how Miles’ relationship with his father, Bubba Miles and mentor Bo Schembechler, helped shape him into one of college football’s most successful head coaches. In different ways, both instilled in him an emphasis on “family” and “team” – a mindset that emphasizes a collective “we” mentality, rather than any mention of “me.”

Miles shares how a player’s commitment to his program is the beginning of a lifelong relationship – a permanent membership in his ever-growing football family. It’s that culture that helped him turn around the Oklahoma State football program in the early 2000’s, becoming the Big 12 Coach of the Year. It’s that same mindset that propelled him to average 10 wins per season in his 11+ years at LSU including the 2007 national championship. Finally, it’s the bond he shares with his players and joy he takes from pursuing victory with his football family that pulled him back into coaching in the fall of 2018.

Hear more on what family means to this college football coaching legend and why Kansas was the perfect place add to his legacy and build that family-first culture once more.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Kristen Eargle

Thu, 07 May 2020 11:00:00 +0000

When Les Miles added Josh Eargle as an offensive assistant, the Jayhawk family didn’t just add a young, up-and-coming coach to its staff. It added a family that’s been through more than most can imagine, and one that brings hope and inspiration with them wherever they go. Kristen Eargle never expected to be where she is … instead envisioning a long and successful sportscasting career. And after marrying Josh—and adding the title of “coach’s wife” to sportscaster—life was pretty good. Everything changed, though, when Kristen gave birth to the couple’s second daughter, Landrey. Born six weeks premature, Landrey was diagnosed with what was later found to be a rare gene mutation. It’s been a challenge for the Eargles, but Kristen and family wouldn’t have it any other way. This is their story.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Mark Turgeon

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

When Mark Turgeon recalls his time at Kansas, it’s easy to see that Mt. Oread and the Jayhawk basketball program hold a special place in his memories.

“I think people knew that, in my heart, it was a love affair between me and Kansas when I was there,” Turgeon said.

In the latest edition of The Jayhawker, Turgeon, one of the great native Kansans to suit up for KU basketball, both on the court and on the sidelines, joined the podcast for a conversation that covered a wide range of topics, but especially it’s the respect and admiration he still has for KU that resonates above all else. Just having concluded his ninth season as the head coach at Maryland, Turgeon talks on his time growing up in nearby Topeka, his lessons learned playing and coaching under Jayhawk greats such as Larry Brown and Roy Williams, and how his experiences at Kansas helped shaped who he is today.

From a brutally honest conversation with Brown that may have changed the trajectory of his career, to his recollections of a graduate assistant coach Bill Self in 1986, some of his life’s fondest and most important moments are covered in this week’s episode.

Spending nine years at Kansas as both a player and coach from 1983-92, Turgeon experienced some great moments in Jayhawk history, and takes you through how those instances shaped him as he began his career in collegiate basketball. He gives insights on the 1986 Final Four squad – which he considers to be one of the best in school history, an up-and-down 1988 season that culminated in an NCAA Championship, and the first season working under a relatively unknown coach named Roy Williams.

Find out which of these seasons Turgeon described as, “The greatest year of my life.”

Now with a winning percentage of 63.8% in 22 seasons as a head coach, Turgeon speaks to the incredible basketball minds he had the privilege to learn under while in Lawrence. Head coaches Larry Brown and Roy Williams, assistants with bright futures in the NBA such as Alvin Gentry and R.C. Buford, as well as up-and-coming coaches named John Calipari and Bill Self. Even Greg Popovich spent time with the Jayhawks and helped mold a young Turgeon.

“I knew how to compete as a player, but I didn’t know how to compete as a coach. I think he taught me that.” Hear which of these greats Turgeon attributed to help his mindset evolve into that of a coach.

Turgeon earned his first head coaching gig at Jacksonville State in 1998, and it was anything but a perfect debut season for the young coach. After a 3-1 start to his tenure, the Gamecocks finished his first season at 8-18, prompting a call to another young coach who had recently come off a difficult start to his own career as a head coach, Bill Self, who had just completed an impressive turnaround at Oral Roberts. He talks on that conversation and how he, like Self, turned Jacksonville State into a winner the very next season.

With successful stops at Wichita State, Texas A&M and now Maryland, Turgeon discusses the brand of basketball he has established over his career and how it has continuously evolved over two-plus decades on the sidelines. Some things have stayed constant though, and those are the principles he learned in Lawrence.

“It’s just the Roy Williams and Larry Brown influence in me, I like to think my teams are going to share ball,” Turgeon says. “What I want people to see when they watch my teams play is a team that really cares about each other and loves each other. I think my most successful teams are the ones that play that way and play for each other.”

Turgeon’s time at Kansas has no doubt made an indelible mark on who he has become as a man and a coach. He will be forever grateful for the contributions he was able to make to the program, the University and the state. The episode concludes with what he hopes Jayhawk fans remember him for, and what he wants his legacy to be for his time at KU.

“I hope that fans just look at me as a guy who loved KU and loved to be a part of it.”

All that and more in the latest edition of The Jayhawker Podcast.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Hakeem Adeniji

Thu, 23 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

This week a lifelong dream will be realized for Hakeem Adeniji, but his road to the NFL certainly took an unanticipated route. Sometimes, though, the unexpected can work out even better than our original plans.

Adeniji had it all planned out. The Garland, TX native was going to play college football at Air Force, following in his brother’s footsteps. It had long been his dream. And then, a harsh dose of reality: A food allergy popped up on his medical report, and that discovery meant Hakeem was no longer eligible to attend the military academy. His scholarship offer was rescinded and all of a sudden, he had nowhere to go.

So what led to him landing at Kansas and emerging as an indispensable part of the team—someone who started every single game of his Jayhawk career? This is the story of how a young man who never planned to be in Lawrence would end up becoming an All-Big 12 offensive lineman and now has a chance of fulfilling a new dream: Playing in the NFL.

His dream is about to become a reality, and that starts tonight as the NFL Draft kicks-off at 7 pm CT.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Udoka Azubuike

Thu, 16 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

The road to college basketball stardom wasn’t always an easy one for Udoka Azubuike – and that might be an understatement for a 20-year-old who has already been through more than some deal with in an entire lifetime.

After losing a parent at the age of 10 and then moving half-way around the world to pursue basketball at 13, Azubuike was forced to grow up in a hurry. Leaving behind a mother and four siblings to chase his dream took a lot of courage, but Azubuike saw basketball as a chance to make his family proud and give back to a mother who had become a tremendous source of strength throughout his childhood.

After honing his skills in Jacksonville and emerging as a 5-star recruit, Azubuike wound up committing to Kansas, but even then, he endured great adversity, as injuries wrecked havoc on his early career. And with injuries, of course, come doubters—those who wondered if he’d ever live up to his potential. A determined Udoka would use all of that as motivation to propel himself to one of the best seasons a Kansas center has ever enjoyed – production that made him the premier big man in America in 2020. So how did he do it? This is the story of how Azubuike overcame every obstacle to become the Big 12 Player of the Year, a 1st-team All-American and the NCAA career record holder in field goal percentage, all while silencing his critics along the way.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Mario Chalmers

Thu, 09 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

This week marks the 12th anniversary of the 2008 National Championship and “Mario’s Miracle.” The latest edition of The Jayhawker podcast tells Mario Chalmers’ life story including his ascension from high school hoops sensation in Alaska to author of the biggest shot in Kansas basketball history. But what went into preparing for that fateful night in San Antonio and which KU veteran helped keep a young Chalmers at Kansas when things didn’t click early in his freshman season?

Thanks to Chalmers’ heroics that brought a 5th national title to KU, Mario was instantly immortalized in Jayhawk hoops lore, but his story doesn’t end there. Despite being the Most Outstanding Player of the 2008 Final Four, Chalmers was overlooked by NBA teams, falling into the second round of the draft before eventually ending up with the Miami Heat. He would go on to win back-to-back world championships with Miami, playing a key role on both teams. So, how did he do it? How did he go from Anchorage to Lawrence to Miami—winning titles at every stop—and showing up in a big way when it mattered most? This is one clutch story.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jeff Long

Thu, 02 Apr 2020 11:00:00 +0000

These are unprecedented times. Dealing with mass cancellations and a sports world on hiatus isn’t exactly something you can anticipate. Yet college and university leaders—like Kansas athletic director Jeff Long—have been tasked with figuring it out. So where do you even start? There are a lot of details to work through, and everything is on the table. So how do you plan for the unpredictable? What goes into guiding an entire athletic department through a historic shutdown? In this special episode of The Jayhawker, Long answers those questions and more, as we sit down with the KU AD.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Bill Self

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Nobody wanted the season to end like this. The unprecedented decision to cancel the Big 12 and NCAA Tournaments stung Kansas players, coaches and fans as much as any program in the country. After all, the Jayhawks were the unanimous #1 team in the AP poll at the end of the regular season and boasted two ESPN 1st Team All-Americans as well as ESPN’s National Defensive Player of the Year. Kansas had all kinds of momentum entering the postseason including a 16-game winning streak, which was the 2nd best in the Bill Self era, and to quote the head coach, “This team was built to win in March.” Yet that chance to finish what they had started in a 28-3 regular season never came to pass.

But as disappointing as the end was for all involved, this was still one of the best Jayhawk teams in recent memory and that is certainly something worth celebrating. But what made them great? With the help of Bill Self, we’re bringing you the story of the 2019-2020 Kansas Jayhawks basketball team.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Wayne Simien

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Athletes can impact lives. They have a platform, and legions of fans—young and old alike—who they influence. But what happens when an athlete decides he wants to have a bigger impact, a larger purpose? In the case of Wayne Simien, he simply walked away. Simien was a Big 12 Player of the Year at Kansas who went to two Final Fours. But it wasn’t enough. Later, he got drafted and won an NBA title. And yet, after two seasons in the league and one overseas, he abruptly retired. So why’d he do it? And how is he having a bigger impact now than ever before?

The Jayhawker Podcast | Ochai Agbaji

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Everything about where Ochai Agbaji is now is surprising. He grew up the son of two former college basketball players, but did you know he was a great soccer player growing up? He didn’t have a D1 basketball offer until his senior year of high school. And he was redshirting his freshman year…until some injuries and other circumstances called for his redshirt to be pulled two-thirds of the way into the season. That’s something that rarely happens, especially at this level. We cover it all with Ochai, from his beginnings in basketball to making an impact with the Jayhawks.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Perry Ellis

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Everybody deals with pressure at some point. It’s part of life. But for some, that pressure comes when you’re not necessarily ready for it. That’s what Perry Ellis had to learn how to deal with. How’d he do it? And how did that lead to him heading to Lawrence, where he’d have an All-Big 12 career? We sat down with the former KU standout to talk about that, as well as rehabbing from a knee injury and trying to resume his professional career. He made a unique choice about where to rehab and how to stay busy: In Lawrence while working with the KU basketball support staff. It’s a move with one eye toward the future. But Perry Ellis isn’t ready to close the chapter on his playing career quite yet.

The Jayhawker Podcast | How Allen Fieldhouse Was Built

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 11:00:00 +0000

This week on The Jayhawker Podcast we celebrate the 65th anniversary of college basketball’s greatest venue: Allen Fieldhouse. Hear how this iconic sports venue came together, from the initial blueprints to the building’s name, all told from the perspective of the last living original architect, Warren Corman.

Corman was one of 8 men – 6 architects and 2 engineers – that originally designed “The Phog” in the early 1950’s. He takes listeners inside the minds of that initial Allen Fieldhouse brain trust, what their goals for the building were and how it all came together. Listeners might be surprised to learn what the inside of this American sports treasure first looked like 65 years ago and how the seating capacity has evolved over the years, as well as what it would take to ever expand it. Corman also shares his favorite Fieldhouse moments, how Bill Self reminds him of the building’s namesake, and what the popularity of this historic venue means to his own, personal legacy.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Gary Woodland

Thu, 27 Feb 2020 11:00:00 +0000

One game at Allen Fieldhouse changed Gary Woodland’s life forever, and set him on the path that would lead to a US Open title. We cover that tale and more in this week’s edition of “The Jayhawker” podcast.

When it comes to cheering on Jayhawks in the pros, Woodland’s rise to stardom in golf has given Kansas fans a PGA star to follow with pride in the same way they cheer on perennial NBA All-Star Joel Embiid and Pro Bowl corners like Chris Harris and Aqib Talib in the NFL. This week’s podcast covers Woodland’s ascent all the way to 2019 US Open Champion, but traces it back to his early days as a multi-sport standout in Topeka who initially chose basketball over golf.

Woodland recaps his sports childhood and what it was like growing up watching KU hoops and dreaming of one day playing for the Jayhawks. He shares how he initially chose Washburn basketball over KU golf and the humbling trip inside Allen Fieldhouse – as an opposing player – that ultimately caused him to rethink his college sports ambitions and reset the entire trajectory of his pro career.

Woodland also opens up about personal tragedy, a special connection with another young golfer that’s inspired him, and walks us through his epic run at Pebble Beach in June of 2019. Finally, Woodland shares how life has changed since winning the biggest tournament of his career and the sports heroes from all sports he now counts as friends. He closes by telling us who would play in his dream golf foursome as well as who would start alongside him in a fantasy all-time KU Basketball starting five.

The Jayhawker Podcast | Devon Dotson

Thu, 13 Feb 2020 11:00:00 +0000

In this week’s episode of “The Jayhawker,” Dotson discusses his early hoops influences – both in his own family (2:20) and in the NBA (4:00). He describes his breakthrough freshman season and what it took to make an immediate impact at Kansas (6:30). Dotson also shares the feedback he received while going through the NBA pre-draft process last spring and what he set out to improve upon heading into this year (9:15).

Known for his baseline-to-baseline speed and explosiveness in the half-court as well, Dotson describes what it’s like to be the fastest player on the floor (15:00). Dotson is a man of many talents though, both in other sports (17:30) and other genres (18:15). Finally, we give you a “bonus-track” of sorts, with a closing “Devon Dotson Fastbreak” breaking down he and his teammates in rapid-fire fashion (23:40).

The Jayhawker Podcast | Marian E. Washington

Thu, 06 Feb 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Marian E. Washington is not only a Hall of Fame coach, she’s a pioneer for women and African Americans in college athletics.

In this week’s edition of The Jayhawker, Washington tells her story of small town Pennsylvania girl turned Olympic gold medalist, and all the milestones and trails blazed in between. Her career is truly one of many remarkable firsts, including being one of the first two African American women to play for the U.S. National Team and one of the first African American women coach in a major conference (19:19).

She also shares her story of how another KU legend put her on a path to landing at Kansas (8:08), and what it was like recruiting and coaching arguably the greatest college women’s basketball player ever, Lynette Woodard (24:50).

We also talk about another one of her milestones — becoming the first African American woman to coach in the Olympics (31:21) and a key part of her legacy she accomplished while serving as President of the Black Coaches Association. Finally, Washington tells us what her time at KU meant to her (43:23).

The Jayhawker Podcast | Jeff Boschee

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Jeff Boschee made North Dakota history in 1998 when he became the state’s first ever McDonald’s All-American. What followed in his four years at Kansas was also historic, including the most prolific 3-point shooting career the school and Big 12 Conference had ever seen (20:08).

In this week’s edition of The Jayhawker, Boschee chronicles his rise from small-town kid to KU legend and being told he wasn’t good enough to play at Kansas (11:50). Boschee talks about his early influences, countless hours spent in the gym and the instruction from Roy Williams that helped shaped him into the player he was then and the coach he is today.

His school record 338 career threes may never be touched, but what if a hypothetical all-time 3-point contest was held with Billy Thomas, Terry Brown, Kirk Hinrich, Devonte’ Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk all challenging Boschee? The sharp shooter from Valley City explains how that would go down (35:05).

Boschee also sheds light on KU’s perfect 16-0 run through Big 12 Conference play in 2002 (29:40) as well as some candid moments with Coach Williams along the way. Finally, he reflects on his time as a Jayhawk and what it meant to him (37:02).

The Jayhawker Podcast | Scot Pollard

Thu, 23 Jan 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Scot Pollard is nothing if not colorful. We sit down with the former Jayhawk and 11-year NBA veteran to tell his story, starting with growing up in a tall family (2:50). We get into the impact his father’s death had on him (5:50) and how a 1997 NCAA Tournament loss still haunts him (19:34). We get into his style (27:03), his time on “Survivor” (31:22) and finally, what his legacy as a Jayhawk means to him (36:14).

The Jayhawker Podcast | Tyshawn Taylor

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Tyshawn Taylor is a guy who used hard work and determination to help lead Kansas to the 2012 national championship game. We start with his high school career playing for legendary coach Bob Hurley, and how he ended up at Kansas (3:50). Tyshawn tells us why his sophomore year was tough for him and how he benefited from it (18:10). We talk about how close the 2012 team came to winning the national title (28:17), and finally, making it to the NBA and playing for Jason Kidd (35:24).

The Jayhawker Podcast | Drew Gooden

Thu, 09 Jan 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Drew Gooden is a Jayhawk legend, helping lead Kansas to the only undefeated record in Big 12 play and the 2002 Final Four. We sit down with Drew to tell his story going back to the beginning of his basketball playing career and his journey to ending up at KU (7:55). We get into how he met and meshed with Kirk Hinrich and Nick Collison (18:16), and what he’s most proud of from his time as a Jayhawk (28:39). Drew gives his thoughts on how the ’02 team would match up against other great KU teams (34:04), and finally, he tells a great Roy Williams story (44:00).