Kansas

Previewing the Wide Receivers: 60 Days Until Kansas Football

Published

2 days ago

June 30, 2024

Previewing the Wide Receivers: 60 Days Until Kansas Football

Much like last year, we are using Sundays in the Countdown to the return of Kansas Football to take a deep dive into one of the 10 main position groups. Each week, we’ll highlight the key players to watch and give you an idea of what to expect from the position this year. This week, we continue our series with more of the offense. It’s another position that fans probably aren’t too worried about this season: the wide receivers. In fact, the situation is very similar to last season.

Previous Positions Covered:

Quarterbacks
Running Backs

2023 Receiving Production

Player	Receptions Advertisement	Yards	Average	TDs
Lawrence Arnold	44 Advertisement	782	17.8	6
Quentin Skinner	29 Advertisement	587	20.2	2
Luke Grimm	33 Advertisement	555	16.8	6
Devin Neal	25 Advertisement	217	8.7	1
Trevor Wilson	11 Advertisement	195	17.7	2
Torry Locklin	4 Advertisement	40	10.0	1

The Jayhawks came into the season last year without a clear idea of who their “#1 receiver” was, or if they even had one on the roster. While Lawrence Arnold seemed to be the most likely candidate, the passing offense the year before spread the ball around enough that it was hard to imagine any one receiver was going to stand out. But early in the year, Arnold was joined by Luke Grimm and Quentin Skinner to form the core of a wide receiver group that would continue to be extremely productive.

Despite the turnover at quarterback, the receivers continued to put together a great season as a group, with nearly every game featuring multiple receivers with 50 or more yards. The big plays came in spades as well, with six players having a reception that went for 49 or more yards on the season. The season ended on a high note for the position as well, with Arnold and Grimm putting on a performance to remember against UNLV, combining for 292 yards and 6 touchdowns on just 10 receptions.

The Jayhawks have a lot of players to try and keep happy this season, with 5 upper classmen who have all put in significant time and could reasonably play a large part of the offensive plan. And that doesn’t even include the tight ends and running backs that could easily take reception opportunities away from the position. Kansas has not had issues in the past with juggling so many options and keeping people engaged. But with so few opportunities available for each individual player, it’s hard to get players into a rhythm.

The big play potential for this group means that the wide receivers are always just one snap away from massively changing the complexion of a game. Skinner, Arnold and Grimm are all back and ready to put together huge games, and Trevor Wilson and Doug Emilien have also made huge strides in the offseason.

That doesn’t even get into the stable of freshmen and sophomores that are waiting in the wings for their opportunity. Keaton Kubecka had a few memorable plays last year, but he won’t be the only guy to step up.

There is no question what the top two options of the depth chart are going to be this season, but there are plenty of questions about who is going to get that third string role. Who fills in there probably won’t have a huge impact on the season overall though, so it might be academic at this point.

WR1: Lawrence Arnold/Trevor Wilson

Arnold’s position in the top spot is all but assured, as he was the most productive and consistent receiver for the Jayhawks last year. His combination of field vision and quick step has helped him to open up opportunities on pretty much every play. That threat even helps in the run game, as he can use that footwork to get good position to seal off his defender on the outside runs.

Wilson got a late start last year but was productive in his time on the field. He has all the tools needed to be successful, and will definitely find himself with a decent amount of playing time. His skill set most closely matches Arnold, so he gets slotted as the backup here.

WR2: Quentin Skinner/Doug Emilien

Skinner is the fastest guy in the receiving room, which sets him up extremely well for big play after big play. He broke out in a big way last season, building on his productive end of the season before to consistently draw coverage away from others with the threat of his speed.

Emilien had a lot of promise going into last season, but it never quite panned out for him. He is another speedy receiver with some good hands, and his improvement during the spring has him poised to expand his role this year.

WR3/Slot: Luke Grimm/Keaton Kubecka

Grimm seems to have a special rapport with Jalon Daniels, and has always been a great slot/possession receiver for this squad. He has continued to impress, and has a shot to be the most productive receiver this year.

Kubecka made an impression during the Spring Showcase, and while I could see him getting on the field, it will likely be in a fairly limited role. But he has the kind of development potential that could give him a real shot this year and give him a leg up on the competition next year.

While Kansas has 12 players at the wide receiver position on the roster this year, there isn’t a whole lot of proven depth. It’s likely that many of these guys will make an appearance on special teams, but there is a huge variety of size and speed potential from the depth that it’s hard to guess who will actually be needed and successful. The main takeaway however is that I don’t expect much to come from outside of the group above.

The wide receivers will once again be coached by Terrance Samuel, who joined the staff last year. Prior to coming to Lawrence, Samuel has spent 24 years coaching in various programs, including Syracuse, Michigan State, UNLV, Arizona and Central Michigan. He previously worked with Leipold at Nebraska-Omaha.

It’s hard to be too worried about this group, as they have a full two-deep of great options and a history of putting together successful units without a stand-out individual performer. But it’s fair to say that all three starters could easily slot in as a WR2 on many other teams in the conference, and the chemistry this group has is a real asset.

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Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 announced

Published

2 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 announced

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2024 has been announced, with 12 new inductees.

The induction ceremony will be held at the Sunflower Ballroom in Hotel Topeka at City Center on Sunday, October 13th. The reception will be at 5:00 p.m., followed by the ceremony at 6:00 p.m.

The inductees include:

– Hayden and KU alumni and long-time college basketball coach Mark Turgeon, who helped Hayden to two State basketball Championships, including a perfect 25-0 season in 1983. Was a part of four NCAA Tournament basketball teams with the Jayhawks.

– Current Hummer Sports Park director Annette Wiles. She is a two-time NAIA Basketball All-American and NAIA Tournament MVP with Fort Hays State, and long-time successful coach.

– Former KU football head coach Mark Mangino. Received several National Coach of the Year awards in 2007, as he led the Jayhawks to their only 12-win season and an Orange Bowl victory. Coached in Lawrence from 2002-2009.

– Former K-State All-American punter Sean Snyder. National Special Teams Coach of the Year at K-State, and joined KU football staff as a Special Assistant to the Head Coach for one season in 2023.

– Former Emporia State, Kansas, and Olympic baseball coach Dave Bingham. Led the Hornets with a 588-270-2 record over his 14 years there, and a National Championship win in 1978. He was named the National Coach of the Year in 1976, 1984, and 1986. He took over the Jayhawks’ program in 1988, and led them to a 249-225 record over eight years. He led them to their first College World Series appearance in 1993.

– Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard, NFL Hall of Famer, and Fort Riley native Will Shields. A third-round draft pick by Kansas City in 1993.

– Former K-State track and field star turned Olympian Erik Kynard. Won a gold medal in the high jump at the London Summer Olympics in 2012 at the age of 21. Is also a 10x U.S. National Champion.

– National Long Jump Champion Melvin Lister.

– U.S. Swimming record-holder Ron Neugent. Member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team.

– Two-time Olympic Games head starter Kelly Rankin. The only American to do so.

– Former Jayhawk and Olympic Javelin thrower Scott Russell.

– Paralympic Games bronze medalist Kevin Saunders.

Tickets for the event will go on sale on Monday, July 15th. Use this link for more information. https://www.kshof.org/

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Here is every team Kansas State football has played, but never beaten

Published

9 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Here is every team Kansas State football has played, but never beaten

Kansas State football has been around since about 1893 with most sources saying they first started playing around Thanksgiving. They didn’t play their true first season till the following year. The bottom line is that Kansas State football has been playing football for a long time.

In that time, they have played a lot of different teams. We know who they have not played, however, who has Kansas State played, but struggled to ever beat?

There have been a total of 20 teams that Kansas State has never beaten. For some of them, the Wildcats only played once or twice, but a few teams seem to have K-State’s number. So let’s take a look at each team Kansas State has faced, but yet to beat.

Army (0-2): Army and Kansas State have faced off twice, once back in 1966 and again in 1987. Now in the 60s, Kansas State was better than in the 80s. The second matchup was at the time when the Wildcats had gone 27 straight games without a win.

Fresno State (0-2): Fresno State faced Kansas State for the first time in 2004 and the 2004 and 2005 seasons under Snyder were not his best. Those actually led up to his first retirement. then in 2007 when the teams faced off again, it was not against Snyder, another time when Kansas State was struggling to find wins.

Navy (0-1): The first and only time Kansas State and NAvy battled was back in 2019 in the Liberty Bowl. This was the end of Chris Klieman’s first season with the Wildcats and unfortunately, it ended on a 20-17 loss to Navy.

Tulane (0-2): Interestingly, Kansas State and Tulane faced off twice, both on September 17th, once in 1988 and the second time in 2022. The 2022 loss was probably the hardest because it was a key loss that season for the Wildcats in a year that was one of their best, a season they won the Big 12 Championship.

Boston College (0-4): Boston College is one of those teams that seems to just have Kansas State’s number. These two teams have faced off four times ranging from the first matchup in 1937 to the latest matchup in 1994.

Florida State (0-3): Florida State is another team that just seems to have the Wildcats number, but they also have not played each other since the 1970s. A rematch and a change for revenge might be due.

Louisville (0-2): Kansas State played Louisville twice in 2006 and 2008 after Snyder retired for the first time. That is not to say that is the reason they lost, but they weren’t winning a lot of games in that time.

Illinois (0-1): The only time Illinois and Kansas State faced off was back in 1948, which is a bit of a surprise with how close these teams are. One would think a rematch would be an easy one to set up, but there must not be much interest there.

Michigan State: (0-5-1): Michigan State is the one team on this list that has beaten Kansas State the most. The Wildcats have faced the Spartans six times and were unable to bring home the win, but that was also back starting in 1933 and the most recent matchup was in 1958.

Northwestern (0-2): This purple Wildcat showdown has unfortunately favored Northwestern the entire time. These teams have faced off since 1938 and 1941 so another matchup is overdue.

Ohio State (0-1): This is another one-time matchup where Ohio State and Kansas State faced off back in 2004, one of Synder’s down years.

Oregon (0-1): This one was a tough matchup as it was the 2012 team playing in the New Year’s Six Bowl game against the Ducks. The Wildcats had felt they should have been in the National Championship, but an unfortunate loss to unranked Baylor ruined those chances. This was also the matchup of quarterback greats Collin Klein and Marcus Mariota.

Penn State (0-2): Kansas State and Penn State faced off back in the late 60s. This is another rematch that is long over due.

Purdue (0-3): This series’ history spans all the way back to 1929 and their most recent matchup was in 1998. Purdue unfortunately took down the high-flying Michael Bishop and the 1998 team in their bowl game.

Rutgers (0-1): Kansas State and Rutgers have never faced off in the regular season, only in a bowl game back in 2006, the first season without Bill Snyder.

Wisconsin (0-2): The Wildcats and the Badgers have only faced off twice, once in 1964 and once in 1982. The distance between the two schools isn’t too bad, so this would be an interesting rematch to see in the future.

Alabama (0-1): Kansas State unfortunately could not take down the mighty Nick Saban and Alabama back in 2022 when the Wildcats had just come off a big Big 12 Championship win over the undefeated TCU Horned Frogs.

Auburn (0-4): Auburn is another team that just seems to have Kansas State’s number with the Wildcats having four chances to get one in the win column and just being unable to do so.

Florida (0-2): This is another matchup that happened a long time ago, once in 1949 and the other time back in 1973.

Vanderbilt (0-2): Kansas State and Vanderbilt have faced off twice, both early in the season as non-conference games and Vandy found a way to walk away with the win on both occasions.

All series records found on mcubed.net.

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Flash flooding not unfamiliar site for those living in south Kansas City

Published

16 hours ago

July 2, 2024

Press Room

Flash flooding not unfamiliar site for those living in south Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Flash flooding that made its way through the Kansas City area Monday morning isn’t an unfamiliar site for those living in south Kansas City, Missouri.

KSHB 41’s Megan Abundis caught up with neighbors and some who are experiencing homelessness who live near Indian Creek Greenway and W. 103rd Street and State Line Road.

“The trail goes right through here — you see where it goes up, it goes underneath the bridge at State Line,” said Brad Buss, who lives near the area.

KSHB 41 News staff

Brad Buss

Many people came to see the swelling Indian Creek rushing waters.

“I see some ducks swimming; they are enjoying this. This is just a lot of rapidly moving water,” Buss said. “You can see a lot of debris coming down the river. There are not enough easy ways for things to drain. It’s going to be a while before these trails can be used again.”

Mary Nestel, another longtime south KCMO resident and insurance agent, said the flooding kept her busy.

“My morning as an insurance agent has been a little crazy,” Nestel said. “I’ve had several calls of flooded basements; I ran home to check mine. Thank God I’m OK, but living this close to the area is always a concern.”

Nestel grew up in the area and has seen the flooding many times before.

“They did a project where they lowered the land under the bridge under Wornall that was supposed to help defer some of this, but some of this we are seeing; we’ve never seen it like this,” Nestel said. “My main concern is some of the homeless that are living around here might be gone, and they could have been asleep under the bridge.”

Jonathan Baker said he lives near the area that flooded and woke up to chest-high water in his tent.

“Yeah, it was high,” Baker said.

Baker said he hasn’t been able to locate his partner or her dog since the flooding happened.

“A buddy of mine said he was trying to wake her up,” Baker said.

Kansas City Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins confirmed the department received Baker’s report Monday afternoon.

Hopkins said KCFD spent two hours looking through Indian Creek using a drone but have not recovered anyone.

Nestel’s concerns also extend to knowing what debris could be coming down Indian Creek Greenway.

In January, KSHB 41 was on this part of the trail, sharing the story of a man who takes it upon himself to clean up the trail every day, picking up trash he sees people who live here leave behind.

Last year he picked up and returned 81 abandoned shopping carts.

“We’ve seen grocery carts, trash, and bedding,” Nestel said. “Anything someone doesn’t want, they throw it into the homeless area. The groups that I work with think it’s the trash — the debris not getting picked up and being dumped into the sewer system that we’ve been complaining about and no one doing anything about it.”

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