Jayhawk camp position analysis: RBs
LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s running backs garnered a lot of attention in 2022, and are in position for more of the same in 2023.
There’s junior Devin Neal and redshirt sophomore Daniel Hishaw Jr. There’s junior Sevion Morrison and redshirt senior Dylan McDuffie. And those four aren’t the only names to know this fall.
Here are five thoughts about Kansas’ running backs as fall camp continues:
Devin Neal may be the lead talent, but it shouldn’t all be on him
Neal has led Kansas in rushing attempts, rushing yards and rushing touchdowns each of the past two seasons. That could end up being true again at the end of his third with the program. But there’s enough talent in this room that if that does happen it shouldn’t be at the expense of overworking him, because there are a number of guys competing for playing time.
Hishaw showed last season what he was capable of, before an injury cut his campaign short. Morrison is another player with potential, if he can stay healthy. And McDuffie, who transferred in from Georgia Tech, isn’t that far removed from rushing for 11 touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards in 2021 when he was still at Buffalo.
“It’s just fun, just as it was when I got here,” said Morrison, who transferred in from Nebraska ahead of the 2022 season. “We’re bringing in more talent every year. So, it’s just fun competing with the guys, laughing with the guys, just knowing that we got to have fun and get each other better.”
Jonathan Wallace spoke positively about the health of Daniel Hishaw Jr., Sevion Morrison
Morrison did say that, although he’s feeling good, there are some things the trainers are monitoring with him. Hishaw is coming off that hip injury last October. But Jonathan Wallace, Kansas’ running backs coach, spoke confidently about how well the two are doing health-wise.
Wallace said there are no limitations for either of them at this point. He noted that they’re battling each day to make sure they’re embracing each opportunity that comes their way. And he described Hishaw as one of the toughest guys they have at the position because of what Hishaw has experienced physically.
Kansas is fortunate to have Dylan McDuffie as an option
From 2018-20, McDuffie played at Buffalo for a coaching staff that was led by Lance Leipold. Although
McDuffie didn’t follow Leipold to Kansas in 2021, when Leipold took over as head coach of the Jayhawks, he’s on a Leipold-led roster again now. And Wallace praised the passion, leadership and work ethic that McDuffie has exhibited in Lawrence.
Considering how injuries have been a factor for this position group, Kansas is fortunate McDuffie has added to the team’s depth there.
“At the end of the day we have to make sure that we got a stable going, right?” Wallace said. “And we’re going to do everything we can to make sure that is happening. And so, this room has been doing a really good job so far throughout camp of taking care of themselves. We have mandatory things that we do after practice from a recovery standpoint. There’s mandatory things that we do before practice, and even throughout the day.”
Wallace added that although he’s saying it’s all mandatory, it’s also the standard the players have set for themselves.
Devin Neal is mentoring Johnny Thompson Jr.
Johnny Thompson Jr. is a former 247Sports Composite three-star talent out of the state of California, and a freshman running back on the team this year. Wallace, who praised how coachable Thompson is, said Neal has been guiding Thompson both on and off the field. Although Wallace noted they usually like to give their guys the freedom to assume that kind of role on their own, he did want Neal to be that mentor for Thompson.
“It goes back to I hosted him on his official visit, and I think we’ve clicked a lot just because I saw myself in him and I think we have very similar personalities,” Neal said about Thompson.
Torry Locklin is a redshirt junior who’s listed at running back, but he can do a bit of everything. He has big-play capability that makes him someone to watch when he’s in the game. And in 2023, it’ll just be a matter of how many opportunities he earns to be able to showcase that again.
“(Locklin)’s an all-around guy,” Wallace said. “I mean, there’s — you’ve seen that this past year. He can do a lot of different things, whether that’s in the backfield, whether that’s out on the perimeter as a receiver, and we’re going to continue to train him that way, right? I mean, he’s shown that he can do that.”
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka CapitalJournal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.