Before we jump into the players that are actually going to count toward the 2012 football recruiting class, it's worth touching on a pretty important group of players that are already on campus for Charlie Weis and that is the transfer group. Even though these players don't factor in to the 'recruiting class rankings', the three players that joined the team in January are without question three pretty high profile individuals and they address some pretty big needs for Kansas.
Obviously it's important to keep it in perspective and realize that for one reason or another these three are here for an opportunity that didn't necessarily come to fruition at their first institution. That doesn't mean they failed or that they are damaged goods, it also doesn't mean they are going to automatically dominate at Kansas, it just means that for whatever reason that situation wasn't right and Kansas and Charlie Weis have been able to provide a second opportunity. Here's hoping it's an opportunity that benefits both sides in a big way.
Dayne Crist
QB | 6-4 | 235 | Canoga Park, Calif. / Notre Dame
If you're not viewing Dayne Crist as the starting quarterback heading into the 2012 season I think you probably should. Dayne Crist didn't come to Kansas for one season to sit on the bench and while the message might be competition, I think we all have a feeling as to what Weis intends to do.
Barring and injury this is going to be our guy and let's be honest, we've never had someone in this mold so it's hard not to be excited regardless of how things went during his time at Notre Dame. During his time at Notre Dame Crist started in 10 games throwing for 2,327 yards, with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He Started the first nine games of the 2010 season before suffering a season-ending injury and amassed 2,033 yards passing yards and 15 TDs prior to that injury.
Out of high school Crist was the No. 2-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2008 according to Rivals.com and held offers from Florida State, USC, Iowa, Michigan, Stanford, Nebraska and Oregon. Obviously it's been well documented that Crist was recruited by Weis to Notre Dame to be the heir apparent to Jimmy Clausen. That didn't come to fruition with the departure of Weis, but the two have a great working relationship and both sides are pretty bullish on the opportunity to work together again.
Justin McCay
WR |6-2 | 210 | Kansas City, MO. / Oklahoma
McCay was the top-ranked player in the state of Kansas in 2009 according to Rivals.com. Rivals rated him as a four-star recruit and he was selected to participate in the U.S. Army All-American game. McCay redshirted during his first year at Oklahoma in 2010 and played sparingly in 2011 appearing in three games while battling the injury bug.
During his senior year at Bishop Miege, McCay recorded 46 receptions for 926 yards and 15 touchdowns as well as 18 carries for 252 yards and four touchdowns. The season earned him all-state honors.
McCay is applying for a hardship waiver that would allow him to participate at Kansas immediately beginning in the 2012 season. If that is approved he'll have three years remaining at Kansas and will compete for playing time from the get go. If not, he'll have to sit out the 2012 season and begin his career in Lawrence in 2013.
Jake Heaps
QB | 6-1 | 200 | Issaquah, Wash. / BYU
Jake Heaps is a transfer out of BYU where he started as a true freshman in 2010. During his freshman season, Heaps set freshman school records for yards passing (2,316), attempts (383), completions (219) and touchdown passes (15) while leading BYU to a 7-6 overall mark and a win over UTEP in the New Mexico Bowl. In 2011 Heaps played in nine games, starting six, where he completed 144-of-252 passes, good for 1,452 yards and nine TDs as a sophomore.
Heaps was the No. 1-ranked pro-style quarterback in the Class of 2010 according to both Rivals.com and Scout.com coming out of high school. He Earned Parade All-America honors following his senior season and was invited to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl as the starting quarterback for the West team where he played alongside McCay. Heaps also held offers from Oklahoma, Florida State, USC, Florida, UCLA, Georgia, Alabama, California, Tennessee, Washington and LSU out of high school.
Now Heaps is the one player out of the three transfers that is absolutely positively sitting out the 2012 season. Heaps was recruited by Charlie Weis so that was a big draw for him, but the year out will afford him an opportunity to learn the system while taking a redshirt. When it's all said and done he'll have two years of playing time beginning in 2013 and he'll be competing for the starting job in the Spring of that year.