Keeston Terry Weighs in on the Hiring of Turner Gill

by Denverjhawk on Dec 16, 2009 7:22 AM CST in Football Comment 43 comments

UPDATE: Last night I spoke with Keeston regarding the coaching staff changes and the loss of his lead recruiter Clint Bowen. His response:

"I think i am still going to check Missouri out but I'm definitely happy Coach Beaty stayed. I wish Coach Bowen could have had the opportunity to stay but things happen. The rest of the staff being let go didn't really change anything with me. I kind of felt that Coach Gill was going to clean house coming in, but I still have my position coach from what it sounds like so I'm happy."

Not 100% certain where this leaves Keeston since he is taking the visit, but I think when it's all said and done he'll likely be a Jayhawk.

Monday Turner Gill was announced as the newest coach for the Kansas Jayhawk football team. During his opening remarks Gill proclaimed one of his top priorities with Kansas was to recruit and most Kansas fans are eager to see what Gill brings to the table in that regard. However, before Coach Gill can wrap up the class, he must first retain the existing Kansas commitments.

One name on the list is Blue Springs product and one of the higher rated recruits currently committed in Keeston Terry. Terry originally committed to the Nebraska Cornhuskers before switching over to Kansas early in the season. Now with Kansas in a bit of transition Terry remains committed to the Jayhawks but might take one final visit.

When asked his impressions of Gill, Terry commented, "I heard Coach Gill is a very intelligent and good man. I think he'll get the program back to where it was when we won the Orange Bowl. I'm excited to get to know him and the new staff. I think it is a good fresh start for the program."

Now in terms of recruitment and whether Terry intends to stick with Kansas he explained, "I still want to be a Jayhawk. I might take an official visit to Mizzou this weekend. My heart is leading me to KU and the trip to Mizzou is more just to make sure Kansas is where I want to be. If Coach Gill decides to meet with me sometime this week before the dead period then I'll cancel my trip to Columbia and plan on heading to Lawrence"

Talking with Terry he said that his commitment to Kansas is "99.9% a sure thing." More than anything his visit to Missouri is in case something doesn't work out with the new staff or he doesn't feel there is a fit. If Terry has a chance to sit with them and put to rest any uncertainty, the Missouri visit likely won't happen. "I want to be Jayhawk," Terry added.

Terry also mentioned that since the hire he has been in contact with Coach Bowen who discussed the hiring of Coach Long, the offense Kansas will likely run and the possibility that both Coach Bowen and Coach Beatty could remain on staff. Terry said Bowen didn't know anything at this point but he was hoping to remain if possible and was hoping to know something very soon.

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Wow

mostly good, still kind of scary to think he could switch to a Missouri commit. It’d be hard to get over that.

Really hope Gill can get to him and just make him feel at ease.

Really hoping we can keep Coach Beaty and Bowen in some capacities.

by I need more Esteban on Dec 14, 2009 10:39 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I really get the feeling that it would take Gill coming in and saying…“hey we aren’t going to throw the football and we don’t want you” for Keeston not to be a Jayhawk.

It’s kind of a deal where you take job offer A. Then the guy that hires you might not be there but you still really want job A. You want to cover your bases until you know that the new guy still wants to hire you and that job A is what you thought it was. Until you know that…you might go ahead and interview for job B that you aren’t as interested in so you have a good option to fall back on if everything with job A goes to hell.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 14, 2009 10:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

love the analogy

well said

by I need more Esteban on Dec 14, 2009 11:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Why would he want to go somewhere that has male cheerleaders getting their ass kicked by female basketball players?

Love the comments here, Denver. I especially like the part about Bowen hoping he can stay on in some capacity. Come on, TG! Keep this lifelong Jayhawk around! Reward him for the toxic work environment he’s waded through the past 8 years!

"Here are our top priorities: recruit, beat Missouri, recruit, win the North, recruit, win the Big 12, and in most cases if you win the Big 12 then you're playing for a National Championship. And then we're going to recruit."

by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 14, 2009 10:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

love the new pic/avatar...whatever you want to call that thing.

did you make that or get it somewhere?

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 14, 2009 10:56 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Made it.

Google “Obama Icon” to find the link. It’s a fun little program- you can do it with any picture you want, then add whatever you want at the bottom.

I couldn’t decide between “ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK” or “CHANGE.” Decided to move on past Mangino and go with the former.

by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 14, 2009 11:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

damnit

was going to put that as my tag and then the first person’s that I check to see what they had, yours has the amazing quote from our new coach, loved that shit

by I need more Esteban on Dec 14, 2009 11:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, I'm pretty awesome.

by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 14, 2009 11:53 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Or go somewhere where your football team get beats up by the basketball team

He would probably want to go to Mizzou to play with a better team. Mizzou has the 17th class, While KU has the 34th or something like that.

by darwithabar on Dec 15, 2009 12:52 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What football players got beat up by the basketball team? Names, please.

I really hope the “BANNED” pic isn’t your way of showing off your trolldom. We’ve got enough of that crap.

by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 15, 2009 7:04 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You, sir, are an idiot.

by KU Grad 08 on Dec 15, 2009 9:36 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That story is hilarious...

…The male cheerleader insulted them at a gay bar and they kicked his ass. Completely justified.

If you want, go ahead and take an unreasonable logical leap and claim, “LOL MISSOU PPL R GHEY N FIGHT A LOT HAHAHA” Blanket statements are something I’ve come to expect from ’Hawkers.

It's not the size of the dog in the fight; it's the size of the fight in the dog.
- Mark Twain

by T3T on Dec 19, 2009 8:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Liked that he's referring to the Jayhawks in 1st person...

Me likey Skip Holtz

by labbadabba on Dec 14, 2009 11:56 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

1st person plural, yeah.

by BluManGrp on Dec 15, 2009 12:55 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know which I like more...

Terry saying he’s 99.9% committed, or Terry saying Bowen wants to stay at KU.

by BluManGrp on Dec 15, 2009 1:05 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

On Powermizzou it pretty much says the same thing

Say Terry may visit but probably will keep his commitment to KU.

by darwithabar on Dec 15, 2009 12:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Quick followup...

spoke to a couple of people today and nothing official but the talk is that Coach Beatty will be retained.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 2:46 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

and that is likely all

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:03 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Denver you have been on the ball lately man

If that’s true then we need Gill and Torbush to make a trip down to Hutch ASAP

by jco8394 on Dec 15, 2009 3:21 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

sounds like...

someone has been to Hutch already today.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Awesome.

Living up to the speech already, TG!

by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Dec 15, 2009 7:05 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

well I would've liked to see Coach Bowen stay

but if there was only one to stay it would be Beaty in my book. Great recruiter and our WR’s have been a very good thing for us recently.

by I need more Esteban on Dec 15, 2009 5:44 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I second that...

but I would still like to see Bowen on the staff somewhere. He’s not DC material, but he fits into the player-motivator system that Gill is implementing.

by trueKUblue on Dec 15, 2009 8:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

trueKUblue...

welcome to the site…I think the majority would love to have Bowen around but it doesn’t appear to be in the cards. Might be a good time for him to get a change of scenery anyway. Not often that you see assistants stick as long as he has. He’ll be missed.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 8:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Denverjhawk...

Thanks for the welcome. I found this site a few days ago and the posters seem to have more to say than just bickering back and forth. It’s more of a discussion than a collection of rants.

Also, looks like you were right on the money with your prediction about Beatty and Bowen. I think Gill could have used Bowen on the recruiting trail, but maybe it was time for him to earn some experience elsewhere. Maybe he’ll be back someday. I just hope they can keep Terry a Jayhawk. Any news on Geneo Grissom?

by trueKUblue on Dec 16, 2009 8:47 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I haven’t heard on Geneo…I do have a message out to him to see if we can’t get him on record here. There are reports that he was contacted though and that Torbush did sit down with him last night following a basketball game. This comes from the guys over at the slant.

appreciate havin ya…feel free to jump in or ask whatever.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 16, 2009 9:29 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

That's just because KC hasn't been around.

the posters seem to have more to say than just bickering back and forth. It’s more of a discussion than a collection of rants.

I used to work with an old man that told me- Son, every workplace has a dumbass. If you don't have one where you work, then I'm afraid you're it.

by Warden11 on Dec 16, 2009 9:59 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

where has KC been with all this

I haven’t seen him at ALL except on the BBall OGTs…

I guess he thinks we're still just a basketball school...

Me likey Skip Holtz

by labbadabba on Dec 16, 2009 10:02 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I was hoping Coach Chris Dawson would stay as well

But a cleansing of the program may not be a bad thing either.

There simply is no substitute for experience.

by Rivethead on Dec 16, 2009 8:53 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

So is this going to happen a lot?

Malcom Murray no longer looking at KU because we cleaned house

by jco8394 on Dec 15, 2009 8:48 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

there is going to be a lot of this while the dust settles. I wouldn’t get to wrapped up in it because in many cases it’s hard to know how “in the mix” we really were and it’s hard to know if the new staff feels it’s a fit. There will be recruits this year that will eliminate Kansas because of the change and there will be recruits who add Kansas. All you can do is wait and see.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 8:57 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

For what its worth

If Gill still has connections and contacts in texas and elsewhere, I would expect kansas recruiting to at least stay pretty close to where it is now. It might not climb any higher,but i dont see it falling too far either,say no farther than 50ish.

by Bestofthewest on Dec 15, 2009 9:02 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say that's a fair assesment under the circumstances this year...

small class with late coaching turnover.

Honestly I’m not too concerned with the overall class rank because of that this year. I’m more concerned with how they do in quickly developing relationships with the current commits and who they can get on campus for a visit this late. It will tell us a lot.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 15, 2009 9:06 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t ever get wrapped up in star rankings.

Ndamukong Suh was a 4 star, Marlon Lucky was a 5 star and the number 2 ranked running back in rivals 2004 class, Zac Lee was a 4 star, Joe Ganz was a 3 star and not ranked on rivals top qb prospects. Jay Guy is a 3 star who is/was wanted by everybody from Florida, LSU, Cal, and Tennessee. Why would that be?

I lend very little credence to their ranking system. If guys are football players, they’re football players. If they’re not, they’re not. I can’t speak for Kansas, but Nebraska has a list of roughly 50 players on their “Walk-ons to NFL” list.

I’m not trying to troll, just pointing out that as much as I LOVE what Jeremy Crabtree and company are doing over there, it’s really hard to guage the talent of 10,000+ high school students.

Hang 'em!!!

by Screwface on Dec 16, 2009 10:19 PM CST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

absolutely agree...

and just as in all sports we’re seeing more and more parity

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 16, 2009 10:32 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, coaching is 75% of how great most football players will be. There are exceptions, Barry Sanders, Larry Fitzgerald, Tommie Frazier, etc. but they are the exceptions. You can’t teach speed, vision, or hands. You can teach tackling, routes, angles, pad level, hand placement, etc. Which can take a good 3-4* and make them a great 5*.

Hang 'em!!!

by Screwface on Dec 17, 2009 8:40 AM CST via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Denver:

With today being signing day for Jucos, do you think today will give us an indication as to how our recruiting will be impacted this year?

I just read that 4* CB Dave Clark isn’t ready to sign today. That’s disappointing.

There simply is no substitute for experience.

by Rivethead on Dec 16, 2009 8:08 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

yes and no...

I think had we not seen a coaching change we would have seen a few more JUCO’s in the class. However with the coaching situation many of those guys were forced to look elsewhere. So in that sense yes.

As far as Dave Clark, he is taking a step back based on the turnover in the defensive staff, but the Slant did report he spoke to Coach Gill last night and it really improved his feelings on Kansas. Sounds like he’s comfortable with Kansas but wants to check out a couple other places real quick. I think when the news of Coach Jackson’s departure hit, he was probably just a little uneasy with the uncertainty.

I say no because I think we are going to see a few guys that we jump in the mix on based on Coach Gill that we might not have otherwise at the high school level.

My short answer should have been, I think we’ll see changes…but I think we’ll end up with a class as good if not better than what we would have seen with Mangino. Not to mention defections on the current roster should be kept to a minimum which is good.

Some people are like Slinkies...not really good for anything but they make you smile when pushed down the stairs.

by Denverjhawk on Dec 16, 2009 8:30 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs