Kansas Jayhawks Q&A: Big basketball recruiting weekend & KU football season outlook
KU football heads into its season opener against Missouri State with a supreme level of confidence.
For a program that made its first bowl appearance in 14 years last season, it certainly doesn’t seem that way when talking to some KU players.
KU wide receiver Luke Grimm believes Kansas deserves more respect. After all, the Big 12 media poll projected the Jayhawks to finish ninth in the conference.
“I think that people still don’t respect us as much as (they) should,” he said. “So there’s still that aspect of we’re coming into every game with a bunch of grit and tenacity, but (also understanding) we’re not going to catch anybody sleeping. Like, they’re going to be prepared for us. Whether that’s as much as they should be or not, that’s up to them.”
Grimm added: “As far as we’re concerned, we’re not going to be taken lightly by anybody, and if you decide to take us lightly, then that’s your problem.”
All offseason, the KU coaching staff has preached about guarding against complacency, and Grimm’s attitude certainly reflects that. If internal self-belief is half the battle toward winning games, then KU football has that in spades.
Let’s see if the Jayhawks have the other half — stellar on-field play — against Missouri State.
With that, it’s time for another Kansas Jayhawks Q&A. As always, thank you for the questions!
I think the ultimate ceiling for KU football this season is 10-2 and competing for a Big 12 title. How does that happen?
KU upsets two of these four teams: K-State, Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma. Then, the Jayhawks win every game against the newcomer Big 12 teams. Add in a 3-0 nonconference slate, and that would leave Kansas at 8-2, plus matchups against Oklahoma State and Iowa State.
For that to actually happen, Kansas’ defense would need to take a major step forward and KU’s offense needs the trio of quarterback Jalon Daniels and running backs Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw to stay healthy.
Plus, KU needs a little luck on their side to win what will likely be a whole lot of close games.
Here’s how I projected the season, game by game.
The three players visiting KU this weekend from the class of 2024 are Liam McNeeley, Derik Queen, and Jalil Bethea.
Liam McNeeley
He’s a 6-foot-8, 210-pound senior small forward from Montverde (Florida) Academy. He is ranked No. 9 in the recruiting class of 2024 by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com
He’s proficient at running an offense and an elite three-point shooter, but the thing that sticks out the most about him is his passing — he creates buckets with his vision and patience with the ball in his hands.
Derik Queen
He is a 6-10, 245-pound senior forward from Montverde who is ranked No. 7 in the class of 2024 by 247Sports.com.
He plays like an old-school big man in the post, and he can generate offense not only by scoring, but with his post passing. His biggest assets are feel around the rim and the ability to make right decisions with the ball.
Jalil Bethea
He is a 6-4, 175-pound senior combo guard from Archbishop Wood Catholic, who is ranked No. 20 by 247sports.
He’s an elite scorer who can score from anywhere on the floor. He’s excels with the ball in his hands, as he’s also a willing passer.
Here’s a comprehensive story on all three players by my beat partner Gary Bedore.
I think the most likely scenario is finishing above .500 in conference play. The incoming Big 12 teams KU will face aren’t better than the Jayhawks (besides maybe UCF), so that’ll help Kansas add conference wins.
That said, I think Kansas is very close to beating rival K-State but still a few years off. I expect the game to be close, though I think the Wildcats will win.
I don’t see 6-0 happening because that means KU beats both Texas and UCF. Beating Texas is already a very tough feat, but then following that up with UCF? Yeah, I’d be shocked.
It is not, so as all the players say — it’s time to pack the booth!
This story was originally published August 31, 2023 at 10:21 AM with the headline "Kansas Jayhawks Q&A: Big basketball recruiting weekend & KU football season outlook."
