KU football’s latest hire is a former Mizzou player, assistant

Kansas coach David Beaty has filled his offensive line coach opening with a man who once played for the Jayhawks’ biggest rival.

A.J. Ricker, who was a center for Missouri’s football team during 2000-03, was announced as KU’s new O-line coach Wednesday. He replaces Zach Yenser, who was dismissed last week.

“A.J. has seen it all,” Beaty said in a release. “He has both coached and played with the best of the best.”

Ricker was on Oklahoma State’s staff last year as an offensive analyst. He previously was offensive line coach at Missouri in 2014 and 2015.

Before that, Ricker was offensive line coach twice at the FBS level with Western Michigan (2008, 2011-12) and Illinois (2013-14).

“I like the way his offensive linemen play. They are tough, gritty guys,” Beaty said. “They play with tenacity and I am looking forward to him bringing that edge to our program.”

Ricker, who earned all-Big 12 first-team honors in 2003, graduated from Missouri in 2004. He played professionally for three years in NFL Europe and the Arena Football League before his transition to coaching.

KU has one full-time coaching vacancy left, with that position will likely going to a new special-teams coordinator. Beaty announced last week that Joe DeForest would not return in 2018.

This story was originally published January 17, 2018 at 4:39 PM with the headline "KU football’s latest hire is a former Mizzou player, assistant."