Yasin Willis arrived at Kansas with a clear message for the coaching staff: don’t box him in.
The 6-foot-1, 230-pound running back has the kind of frame that can make people jump to conclusions, especially after two seasons at Syracuse, where he finished with 17 catches for a combined average of four yards. But when he met with Kansas coaches this spring, Willis made it known he wants more on his résumé than downhill bruising.
As strength coach Matt Gildersleeve remembered it, Willis said, “I want to be more than just a power back.”
Willis said he told associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki the same thing. “That was something that I explained to him that I wanted to show off,” Willis said, “and I told him how much I actually work on being that type of player.”
Kansas doesn’t necessarily need Willis to be a complete package right away. The Jayhawks brought in both Willis and lightning-quick Kansas State transfer Dylan Edwards, along with Colorado State transfer Jalen Dupree, and running backs coach Jonathan Wallace said the plan is straightforward: “Now, we’re going to position the best players and put them in the best positions to go out and execute,”
Still, Wallace said the development matters, especially for a player who wants to keep climbing.
“I think very early in the cycle of acquiring talent, right, there’s certain marks that we look for, there’s certain traits we look for,” Wallace said. “Then there’s also, too, the development side of it that I take a tremendous (amount) of pride in for the running back position.
And you look at what these guys are doing in the NFL, we really want to produce every-down type of guys. We want them to be able to have success in every situation and not have to say, ‘Hey, you need to be able to go and do this.'”
That’s where Willis has tried to make his case. Wallace said he’s been impressed by the work Willis has put into the passing game, including extra time with Kotelnicki to sharpen that part of his skill set during practice.
Kotelnicki’s role could help, too. Willis said the play caller isn’t shy about lining up running backs in the slot or out wide, which gives him a chance to show the hands he believes he has.
“I feel like that’s something that a lot of people haven’t been able to see with me,” Willis said. “Me personally, I just want people to know, especially for the future levels, (like) the NFL, that I’m not just a big back that just (has) downhill power, I want to show how much I can run routes, how much I could catch out the backfield,” Willis said. “I feel like I’m very versatile and I just want to show everybody that.”
At the same time, nobody in the Kansas building seems confused about what makes him dangerous. Gildersleeve put it plainly: “You got to know your superpower, right?”
Gildersleeve said. “… He knows what his superpower is, which is putting his shoulder down and running through somebody, and he likes to do that too.”
Kotelnicki sees that side clearly, but he also sees the rest of the picture. On Thursday, he said, “He runs really physical,” Kotelnicki said on Thursday, “so he’s going to break a ton of arm tackles, but his vision between the tackles and his suddenness at the second and third levels has really been impressive and fun to watch, so I’m excited to see what it’s like when we play games.”
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Beyond the emotions of the day itself, the documentary also examines what came after. Missouri came away missing a chance to play for the national title, while Kansas punched its ticket to a BCS bowl appearance, leaving both programs with plenty to remember and plenty to debate whenever the rivalry comes up again. [Read more 🡒]
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That challenge matters because the line is being asked to provide both athleticism and physicality, two traits associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki made clear are nonnegotiable. Camp battles along the front often get reduced to simple depth-chart questions, but for Kansas this one feels bigger than that. The Jayhawks are not just looking for five linemen who can win reps, they are trying to find the combination that can settle the offense before the season even starts. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Has Its Week 1 QB Answer But One Big Twist Remains
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Cole Ballards role still makes this more interesting than a simple depth-chart announcement. Even after losing the starting job, he was named one of the teams captains, and Leipold has already indicated both quarterbacks are expected to play in the opener. So while Marshall will get the nod, Kansas appears set to lean on both players right away as it begins the season. [Read more 🡒]