The Rock Chalkboard

Kansas commit Conrad Hawley earns bump in 247Sports rankings
Hawley has great size and is pretty mobile for a guy that big. The part of his game that we felt translated the best to the next level though is the ability to throw from odd angles and make different types of throws. That has taken on increased importance in today's game and is a bigger part of what we look for in quarterbacks, the ability to make these 'off-platform' type throws.

2023 WR Dakotah Mayo gets first offer
St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College class of 2023 wide receiver Dakotah Mayo was offered by Kansas on Tuesday. The Jayhawks are the first offer for the 5-foot-10, 160-pound Mayo.

2021 QB Spencer Arceneaux commits to Kansas football
"First off, I would like to thank God for blessing me with the opportunity to continue my dream of playing college football," Arceneaux said. "Second, I would like to thank my family for always being there for me and supporting my crazy dreams. I would also like to thank all my coaches that have gotten me here and Coach Dearmon for taking a chance on me."

Preview: KU basketball hopes to build off previous win vs. TCU
KU basketball's last home game was on Sat., Jan. 9, close to three weeks before the Jayhawks will return to Allen Fieldhouse to face TCU on Thursday.

KU basketball looking to start 'new season' after three-game skid
“After that three-game losing streak, we all came together,” Marcus Garrett said on Wednesday. “It’s a new season. If we win this game, it’ll be big for us.”

Source: Kansas OC Brent Dearmon set to leave for Middle Tennessee
On Wednesday, ESPN and several media outlets reported that KU offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon was set to accept a position at Middle Tennessee State University. The news was confirmed by Phog.net that evening. In departing, Dearmon will replace previous MTSU offensive coordinator Tony Franklin, whose retirement was announced in January.

Brock Burns decommits from Kansas following reported OC departure
"I would like to thank The University of Kansas and their coaching staff for recruiting me," Burns said in a post sent out on Twitter. "But after thoughts and prayers with my family I have decided to decommit and open up my recruiting."

Analysis: What OC Brent Dearmon's departure means for Kansas football
It can be misleading to read into message boards or social media and assume they're the consensus of a fan base. On one, you find the most passionate fans, though not necessarily the average ones, so to speak. On the other? You get a younger audience with again a different set of demographics than you might otherwise if you were to conduct a survey of all Jayhawk supporters.

Bits o Chalk

Houston Texans hire Baltimore Ravens' David Culley as head coach, sources say
"David is just a genuine guy," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said in a text to ESPN's Ed Werder. "He will be who he is everyday. Has been that guy every day of his career. I'm thrilled for him. Great person. Genuine. Full of energy."

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid says Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James should have been ejected for foul
"First of all, I mean, you look at it, that's a very dangerous play," Embiid said of James' foul, which came at the 5:44 mark of the third quarter. "I guarantee you that if it was me, I would have probably been ejected from the game, which has happened in the past with me getting flagrant fouls really for nothing."

With QB vacancy needing to be filled, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay says team 'close' to Super Bowl
"The type of team we have, it would really benefit us most if we could have someone who can come in and play at a high level, with a veteran vision," Irsay said Wednesday.

Toronto Blue Jays get LHP Steven Matz from New York Mets for prospects
That deal came after he had the poorest of his six seasons, going 0-5 with a 9.68 ERA while earning $1,851,852 in prorated pay from a $5 million salary. He was dropped from the rotation after starting 0-4 with a 9.00 ERA in five starts, then made three relief appearances along with a spot start.

Eraser Dust

President Biden to Sign Executive Order, Pausing Oil and Gas Leasing - The New York Times
President Biden on Wednesday signed a sweeping series of executive actions — ranging from pausing new federal oil leases to electrifying the government’s vast fleet of vehicles — while casting the moves as much about job creation as the climate crisis.

Biden To Expand Obamacare, Eliminate Trump-Era Abortion Policy : NPR
President Biden will sign two executive actions Thursday that are designed to expand access to reproductive health care and health insurance through the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid.

Could post-vaccine life mean we return to normal? Not just yet - CNN
Public health experts largely agree that it's unrealistic to bet on the vaccine being a magic bullet to end the pandemic; they say coronavirus safeguards, such as masks and social distancing, are likely to remain in place for several months at least.

Mike Pence is 'homeless' and 'couch surfing' after being booted from the Vice President's residence | Daily Mail Online
'He doesn't have anywhere to live,' the source told the publication on Tuesday.

To Avoid an Outbreak, China Cancels Lunar New Year for Millions of Migrants - The New York Times
China has added restrictions, offered incentives and appealed to a sense of filial and national responsibility, in an effort to prevent about 300 million migrant workers from going home for the holiday.

92-year-old Holocaust survivor says white supremacist imagery during Capitol riot "gave me taste of the past" - CBS News
"It's kind of a celebration and the fact that those of those of us who did survive were able to make a pretty nice life for themselves and continue," Ben Lesser told CBS News in a Zoom video call on Wednesday.

Male dies following Flathead Valley shooting incident
Montana Highway Patrol Captain Justin Braun says a trooper made the stop in the area of Montana Highway 35 and Turtle Mountain Road near Creston at approximately 7 p.m.

Airport adds service from Minneapolis-based carrier
Glacier Park International Airport will add flights to Minneapolis/St. Paul on Sun Country Airlines beginning in May.