This freshman KU Jayhawks running back is earning comparisons to an NFL All-Pro
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas freshman Kory Amachree is drawing attention during KU spring football drills.
- Coaches and KU teammates have mentioned Amachree’s NFL power back–style physique.
- Head coach Lance Leipold believes Amachree is ready to contribute this freshman year.
At first glance, it’s hard to believe that Kansas Jayhawks running back Kory Amachree is a freshman.
The 6-foot, 203-pound Michigander is built like a typical NFL power back. He has tree trunk-like thighs and bigger biceps than a typical college football player.
So perhaps it’s no wonder that his name has become commonly mentioned during spring football in Lawrence over the past few weeks.
But it’s more than simply Amachree’s physique that has caught the attention of KU’s coaching staff and teammates alike. KU head coach Lance Leipold believes Amachree will be ready to contribute as a freshman this fall.
And he’s not the only Jayhawks coach who seems to be thinking that.
“He’s coming along, and he’s super impressive for a freshman,” running backs coach Jonathan Wallace said. “I mean (he has) the body type, the body makeup and he’s ready physically, and now the mental piece is coming along and attaching to that, as well. He’s playing fast, he’s playing confident, and that’s what you want to see in every guy that you have in the room.
“I’m super excited just to see how he continues to develop — just different little fundamental pieces that we’re continuing to work on right now. But super impressed with how he’s picking it up.”
Amachree, from Haslett, Mich., is an early enrollee at KU. He picked the Jayhawks over Indiana, Syracuse, Duke, Illinois, Michigan State and other schools.
Since his arrival, he’s made quite an impression. Leipold raves about Amachree’s work ethic and ability to pick up KU’s playbook.
Amachree has also earned the praise of Syracuse transfer Yasin Willis. Like Amachree, Willis is built like a power running back at 6-foot-1, 225 pounds.
“That kid’s special,” Willis said. “He’s a downhill runner, he’s explosive and he’s a strong kid, as well. I like that kid, man. Kory’s gonna be real nice. By next year, that boy’s gonna be cold.”
Willis even compared Amachree to an All-Pro back currently considered one of the best in the NFL.
“It’s crazy, me and my coach were watching film the other day and I was (thinking he looks like) Christian McCaffrey,” Willis told The Star. “They kind of got that same stride when they’re running. I feel like Kory is going to be real nice.”
Amachree wouldn’t go that far in assessing his own talents.
“Yasin said that for me? Nah, that’s crazy,” Amachree said with a laugh when told of the McCaffrey comparison. “I see it, but I wouldn’t say I play like anybody but myself. If people want to say that, then they can.”
