KU Jayhawks’ freshman QB may miss more time: ‘It might take him a bit to get back.’
Kansas freshman quarterback Jalon Daniels, who sat out the final three quarters of Saturday’s 47-7 home loss to Oklahoma State because of an undisclosed injury, might miss some additional time, KU coach Les Miles said Wednesday on his weekly Hawk Talk radio show.
The Jayhawks (0-3) have a bye this week before heading to West Virginia (2-1) a week from Saturday for an 11 a.m. kickoff in Morgantown, West Virginia.
“We expect it might take him a bit to get back,” Miles said of Daniels. The 6-foot, 200-pound Lawndale, California native headed to the locker room early in the second quarter of the loss to OSU. He returned wearing a boot on his left foot in the fourth quarter.
“We enjoy him. He’s going to be a (part of the) future for us,” Miles added of Daniels. “He’s a guy who can throw the football. He’s a guy that can run the football. We can’t wait to get him back.”
KU coach Miles does not release specific information on injuries. Occasionally some vague updates are given, however.
“Absolutely,” Miles said, asked by Hawk Talk host Brian Hanni if Daniels would be back “at some point.”
“I think Jalon Daniels is a special player and guy. When he returns, the competition there will continue to escalate,” Miles said, noting, “It looks like Miles Kendrick would be the next quarterback in the game.”
Kendrick, a 5-10, 205-pound junior from Morgan Hill, California, played the final three quarters of the OSU game. He had a “great practice,” Wednesday according to Miles.
Kendrick split time with senior Thomas MacVittie the first half of the season opener against Coastal Carolina, then took over for good in the third quarter when MacVittie suffered a shoulder injury. MacVittie hasn’t played since.
“Thomas MacVittie is definitely (going) to compete as well,” Miles said. “He wants to be back in. He is healing. It’s a shoulder,” Miles added of MacVittie’s injury. “He is a special young guy. He sees the future, wants to compete. He has a nick that he’s going to take care of.”
On Monday’s Big 12 teleconference, Miles had said he thought it “very likely” MacVittie and Daniels both would be back for WVU.
MacVittie has completed 5 of 9 passes for 20 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He’s rushed six times for 37 yards. Kendrick has completed 26 of 43 passes for 246 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s rushed for minus-28 yards on 10 carries. Daniels has completed 23 of 40 passes for 174 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions. He’s has 20 rushing attempts for 20 yards.
Miles noted that there is another quarterback ready to back up Kendrick if Daniels and MacVittie are not available.
“Miles Fallin is a guy that had a wonderful practice. He’s 6-5 and ready. He’s very bright and capable,” Miles said of Fallin, a 6-6, 225-pound junior from Canyon Country, California.
Pooka Williams back in action
KU junior running back Pooka Williams, who suffered an undisclosed injury in the third quarter versus OSU and did not return to the game, is back in action, Miles said.
“He practiced today. We expect him to practice and play. That’s the good news,” Miles said of Williams.
Williams, a 5-10, 170-pound junior from New Orleans, has rushed for 175 yards on 40 carries and scored two touchdowns. He’s caught three passes for 24 yards and no scores.
Trio of defensive players to return
Miles said the three defensive players who were on the inactive list for the Oklahoma State game for undisclosed reasons (Kyle Mayberry, Ricky Thomas, Gavin Potter), would return for the West Virginia game.
“I think we can (get them back),” Miles said. “We’re looking forward to having those guys back on our sideline.
“Football is a style of game where the next guy that steps onto the field has to play like the guy who just left. Nick Channel was that,” Miles stated, praising Channel, a 6-0, 220-pound sophomore linebacker out of Wichita Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, who had eight tackles, one sack and 1 1/2 tackles for loss in making his first start Saturday. “They played 92 plays. It wasn’t pretty but they played their hearts out,” Miles added of a defense that allowed 593 yards. KU gained 193. “For me, that’s what I need to have,” Miles added of all-out effort on defense.
USC offers scholarship to Coleman
Keon Coleman, a 6-4, 185-pound four-star senior wide receiver from Opelousas (Louisiana) Catholic High School who decommitted from Kansas on Tuesday, has been offered a scholarship by USC, he reported Wednesday on Twitter.
Coleman — he had planned on being a basketball walk-on at KU and football scholarship player — chose KU over Oklahoma, South Carolina and others on July 4.
“Thankful they pulled the trigger. They love big wide receivers that make plays,” Coleman said of the USC Trojans in an interview with Rivals.com. “They get playmakers the ball, period,” Coleman added of the Trojans.
Coleman said he did not know when he would pick a school.
“Every school is in the mix,” he told Rivals.com.
Other programs that have offered Coleman: Arizona, Auburn, Baylor, Boston College, Florida State, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis, Miami, Mississippi State, Michigan State, Oklahoma State, Mississippi, Syracuse, Texas A&M, Virginia and Wake Forest.
