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4 takeaways from Day 9 of Chiefs training camp

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4 takeaways from Day 9 of Chiefs training camp


The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs had been again at coaching camp follow at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph, Missouri on Saturday.

Following the break day on Friday, the Chiefs saved the power excessive throughout follow. There have been loads of standout performs on each offense and protection, with the staff taking part in a number of staff 11-on-11 durations all through the course of follow. The protection acquired work on blitzes and their dime package deal. The offense labored on issues like staff run drills, the fast passing recreation and the two-minute drill.

With all of that in thoughts, listed below are a couple of of the issues that we’re taking away from the most recent follow session:

Trent McDuffie appears to be getting extra comfy

AP Picture/Charlie Riedel

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McDuffie has seen a quiet coaching camp up to now, however one thing actually appeared to click on for the rookie on Saturday. He’s had some points with the size of larger receivers like Marquez Valdes-Scantling and JuJu Smith-Schuster, however he’s making progress there. He’s continued to indicate sticky protection in opposition to a number of the sooner wideouts too.

There have been two performs that basically stood out from McDuffie on the day. One got here in opposition to JuJu Smith-Schuster on a nook route the place he acquired his hand on the ball for a move defended.

 

One other one got here in 11-on-11 staff drills, the place McDuffie performed by means of the catch along with his fingers and popped the ball out on Mecole Hardman.

“Getting up to now of camp, I believe a giant factor for me is simply ending,” McDuffie mentioned after follow. “All the pieces doesn’t go good (on each snap). I would mess up on the road with my method or on the prime of the route, however with the ability to struggle by means of that adversity and end on the ball on the finish of the play, I believe is one thing I’m working exhausting at and one thing that you just noticed on the market in the present day. It’s one thing I’m making an attempt to do each day.”

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The rookie nook appears to be steadily constructing confidence and good habits that may certainly translate to the common season.

Defensive position boasting versatility

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports activities

The Chiefs combined issues up on the defensive position fairly a bit throughout follow on Saturday. Throughout their earliest 11-on-11 interval, the staff appeared to be working a few of their blitz packages and that included some distinctive alignments from the defensive position. Media and followers in attendance noticed snaps with Chris Jones lining up on the skin at defensive finish, one thing that he’s carried out at occasions prior to now.

FOX 4 Kansas Metropolis’s PJ Inexperienced noted Steve Spagnuolo’s NASCAR alignment with Jones and Mike Danna on the within and George Karlaftis and Frank Clark on the sting. Different durations of follow featured a mix of Jones at edge, Khalen Saunders at nostril deal with and each Danna and Clark dashing from the skin. One other time they’d Jones on the skin with Karlaftis on the within. This group appears to have the flexibility to do lots of various things and as soon as Carlos Dunlap will get in control it’ll add one other component to the group as properly.

Slimmed-down Orlando Brown Jr. flashing in move safety

AP Picture/Reed Hoffmann

May a slimmed-down Orlando Brown Jr. have a higher edge in move safety this season? The franchise-tagged left deal with confirmed as much as coaching camp trying like he’s put within the work to lose some weight throughout the offseason. A number of media members and followers in attendance famous that the left deal with appeared slightly bit faster in move safety throughout follow on Saturday.

Frank Clark, George Karlaftis, Carlos Dunlap — all of them tried Brown in 1-on-1 drills and he shut them down. It’s robust to inform if this was a operate of the actual issues they had been engaged on within the 1-on-1 drills, however Brown seems good regardless. He additionally flashed in staff drills, the place he helped lock down the blindside for Mahomes throughout the early blitz interval. Maybe an indication of a giant season to come back for Brown as he seeks a long-term extension from the staff.

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Mecole Hardman is the grasp of metaphors

AP Picture/Charlie Riedel

Chiefs WR Mecole Hardman was in uncommon type after follow on Saturday. He had lots of enjoyable with the media, talking in metaphors and asking them some enjoyable questions as properly.

When requested about his function on particular groups as a punt returner, he described himself because the Amazon Prime choice and everybody else because the common Amazon choice.

It was a little bit of a head-scratcher, however I took it to imply that he’s the popular choice (Prime), however generally that choice received’t be out there. Hardman is predicted to play a bigger function on offense this season, which might imply he’s unable to contribute as ceaselessly on particular groups. That is much like the best way that Dave Toub used Tyreek Hill when his function on offense elevated. He by no means dominated out utilizing Hill on punts as a result of he was all the time a risk to take it the space, however he saved these alternatives for when the staff actually wanted a play.

This wasn’t the one metaphor that Hardman busted out after follow, although. Hardman made a slick one-handed seize over rookie CB Nazeeh Johnson in 1-on-1 drills early on throughout the day.

“I actually didn’t wish to contact the bottom, man,” Hardman mentioned of the play. “Form of like if a cat falls or one thing, they don’t wish to fall. Talking of that, have you ever ever seen ‘Cats: The Musical’? That’s sort of how I really feel on the market, actually.”

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What precisely did Hardman imply with the “Cats: The Musical” remark? Nicely, I’m undecided he even absolutely is aware of.

Possibly the following metaphor we’ll get out of Hardman will probably be from Will Ferrell’s “Blades of Glory.”





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Top takeaways from Iowa's win over Kansas

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Top takeaways from Iowa's win over Kansas


The Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls sounded like Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Wednesday night as a capacity crowd of 3,400 watched Iowa defeat Kansas 71-58. The Hawkeyes jumped out to an 18-4 lead after the first quarter and never let the lead dip below eight points the rest of the way. They are now 5-0 for the first time since 2017.

Here are my top takeaways from the win and what it means for Iowa moving forward.



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Kansas State Coaches Searching For Answers After Two-Game Skid

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Kansas State Coaches Searching For Answers After Two-Game Skid


A season that began with national championship aspirations is now in danger of ending in disappointment.

Three weeks ago, the Kansas State Wildcats controlled their hopes of making the Big 12 title game and possibly the College Football Playoff. Now, they are just searching for another victory to salvage a once promising season.

“Obviously a disappointing performance on Saturday,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said about Saturday’s loss to Arizona State. “We had a long staff meeting yesterday and talked about a lot of things. We looked at offense, defense and special teams. I don’t think anybody could point a finger at anybody because I don’t think any unit played up to its capabilities.”

The Wildcats were in the driver’s seat after a victory against rival Kansas Oct. 26 in the annual Sunflower State Showdown. They were 7-1 with wins against Oklahoma State and Colorado, the lone blemish coming against BYU.

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The victory against the Jayhawks was followed by two upset losses to Houston and the Sun Devils, which all but ended their chances of making the Big 12 championship game.

With two games left against Cincinnati and Iowa State, the Wildcats are basically playing for a more appealing bowl game.

“Our job this week is to right the ship, because we have another opportunity,” Klieman said. “I want our seniors to have an opportunity to go out well.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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No. 16 Colorado heads to Kansas searching for crucial win for Big 12 title game aspirations

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No. 16 Colorado heads to Kansas searching for crucial win for Big 12 title game aspirations


KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No. 16 Colorado heads to Arrowhead Stadium to face Kansas on Saturday knowing full well where it stands in the Big 12 picture.

Beat the Jayhawks and conference bottom-dweller Oklahoma State and the Buffaloes will be playing for the title. Lose to Kansas and everything changes: They would need Arizona State and Iowa State to lose at least one more game, or BYU to lose its last two, and that would take their College Football Playoff aspirations out of their own hands.

Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders doesn’t sound as if there is any extra pressure on this weekend.

“Look at me, man. Do I look like I subscribe to pressure or do I look like I apply it?” Sanders asked. “We apply pressure.”

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In the new-look and jumbled Big 12, the Buffaloes (8-2, 6-1) are tied in the standings with the Cougars, but they are just a game ahead of Arizona State and Iowa State — and curiously enough, did not play any of the three. And while the Jayhawks (4-6, 3-4) are well off the pace, by virtue of a dizzying stretch of last-second losses, they might be playing the best of anyone.

Kansas knocked off then-No. 17 Iowa State before dealing then-No. 6 BYU its first loss on the road last weekend. The back-to-back wins over ranked teams are a first in school history, and the Jayhawks would love to make it three straight on Saturday.

“They have not given up, regardless of what their record may state,” Sanders said. “The last two weeks, they’ve knocked some people off their feet. It’s going to be a tremendous task for us. (Lance Leipold) is going to have those guys ready to play. We’re going to be in an environment that’s not conducive to us being successful in Kansas City.”

Colorado wide receiver Drelon Miller scores a touchdown after catching a pass against Utah in the second half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Arrowhead Stadium

Kansas, which is playing its home finale Saturday, has been playing Big 12 games at Arrowhead Stadium while their on-campus stadium is renovated. Sanders played there once with the Falcons, returning kickoffs in a 14-3 loss on Sept. 1, 1991. He also played at neighboring Kauffman Stadium, home of the Royals, going 3 for 13 in three games with the Yankees in 1990.

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“I’m not as young as I once were,” Sanders said, “but I look forward to going there.”

Senior day

Kansas will be sending off 30 seniors in its home finale Saturday, many of whom were instrumental in taking the program from a winless laughingstock in 2020 to bowl games each of the past two seasons. Leipold is wary about focusing too much on the emotional sendoff when there is still a game to be played, and two wins needed to reach a third straight bowl game.

“It becomes an emotional drain, especially right before kickoff sometimes, so hopefully that’ll be a small positive of not being in Lawrence,” Leipold said. “I don’t want to take anything away from the guys, but if we can balance those things with what the day is, hopefully we can make a special day.”

Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, front, jokes with teammates as...

Colorado wide receiver Travis Hunter, front, jokes with teammates as he waits with quarterback Shedeur Sanders to do a television interview after an NCAA college football game against Utah Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Boulder, Colo. Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Award watch

Sanders interrupted a question this week after being reminded of how he said earlier this season that his son and quarterback, Shedeur Sanders, and two-way Heisman hopeful Travis Hunter would be top picks in the upcoming NFL draft.

“A lot of people didn’t believe me, huh? Remember I said Travis and Shedeur have the opportunity (at) one and two?” he said. “Everybody just pulled out a double-barrel shotgun and shot at me when I said that, right? Now it’s all coming to light.”

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Sanders has thrown 27 touchdown passes, one away from Sefo Liufau’s school record. Hunter is coming off a game in which the cornerback and wide receiver played 132 snaps — he has 74 catches for 911 yards and nine TDs, along with three picks.

Fast friends

Sanders and Leipold might at first seem like the most unlikely of buddies, given one was a Hall of Fame player and two-sport star while the other fought his way through the coaching ranks, beginning at Division III school Wisconsin-Whitewater. Yet when the Buffaloes joined the Big 12, Leipold reached out to Sanders and they became fast friends.

“I love him to life. He’s a friend,” Sanders said. “For these guys to, on their own account, reach out to me, to show me love and respect is tremendous.”



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