Saturday Kansas played host to a group of recruiting prospects both local and from afar. Certainly nothing earth shattering as the reality is that a Kansas junior day probably makes a bigger impression on some of these kids than this event due.
When you start talking atmosphere, a Kansas basketball game with a packed house and a frenzied crowd is much easier to sell than 13k in a 55k stadium for a glorified scrimmage. Still Saturday gave the Jayhawks an opportunity to host several key targets, several recruits they are still evaluating and nearly a dozen incoming players.
As a follow up, I had the opportunity to speak with a handful including Darrian Miller, Jeremiah Edwards, Matt Marler and Bernard Thomas. We'll continue to work on touching base with more, but for today here's a few quick thoughts from that group.
Darrian Miller on the Spring Game.
It's just another chance for me to get comfortable with the staff and the program. It's definitely a place I'm excited about spending the next four years.
Bernard Thomas talks about his moms impressions of Kansas.
She really liked Coach Gill and he has this no cussing policy that she really likes. All in all she thinks it's a good college academically and for football.
Thomas talks about who he hung out with during the game.
I was mainly with Keeston, Jordan Nubine and Darrian but I was also with Phil(Ford), Jamal(Brown), (Brandon)Bourbon, and a couple others. One cool thing was the coaches said me and Keeston could play kick return together like last year.
Thomas gives a timeline for a decision
End of July, no favorites at this point.
Matt Marler talks about his recruitment
I don't have any offers yet, but I'm going to be up to a couple of camps at KU this summer. I'm pretty much a pocket passer and I think they are waiting to offer me because they pretty much know I'd commit pretty quickly. Hopefully I can work hard and earn an opportunity.
Jeremiah Edwards talks about the spring game experience as an incoming player.
To tell you the truth I already felt like i was a part of the team. Coach Gill had all the dudes who signed in the locker room for the pre-game meeting and everything and we went in the locker room while they were getting ready for the game and everything. It was just like I hoped it would be!
Another quick note. Quite a few players were headed from here to the Kansas State spring game. So I am working on getting in contact with a few of them and getting their thoughts on how the two compare.
It doesn't look like anything immediate is going to come from this weekends visit and truth be told that's not unexpected. The spring game is probably a little anticlimactic in a way, but it's a great opportunity for the staff to continue building relationships and another chance for these players to get up and see what Kansas football is all about.