jayhawkin_cub

Huldon Tharp, 7th best overall player from the state of Kansas according to Rivals.com has just committed to KU. At 6'0, 208 lbs. currently, he fits the Linebacker/Safety mold that is a more common occurrence in defenses especially in the Big 12 where the spread offense is more prevailent.

Tharp had heavy interest from the enemy that borders us to the east, as well as a Miami.  They apparently backed off after he injured himself in the spring but is ahead of schedule and should be more then ready when he arrives on campus. If for some reason he is not, theres always a redshirt year. Tharp chose KU over Illinois and Stanford among others who offered.

He joins Earnest Norman in the 2009 recruiting class, who is a Linebacker as well.

Jeff Spikes and Jeremiah Hatch, both red shirt freshmen, have been named the starting tackles. Spikes is listed at 6-6, 314 lbs. will start at left. Although he lacks the experience All-American and NFL fourth-rounder NFL Anthony Collins, he is a man-child and his potential is far greater then AC's.

Ohio State didn't offer Spikes only because he had a stress fracture in his foot during his junior year in high school and the Buckeyes can easily afford to target multiple prospects of similar quality and offer the ones with no injury history. Spikes returned his Senior year without issue and chose the Jayhawks over Pitt and Illinois among other schools.

Hatch is 6'3, 311 lbs. and chose Kansas over Texas A&M and Texas Tech among others, will be starting at right tackle. Mangino was quoted as calling him one of the more hardest working and physical players on the team. In the past KU started freshman or redshirt frreshman as they did not have a choice. Now we start them because they beat out upper classmen. Senior Matt Darton was listed as the starter at RT with incoming JUCO project Nathan D'Cunha as the backup according the spring depth chart.

The mysterious #76 lineman at open practice was revealed as Brad Thorson. Thorson was at Wisconsin for two years and was asked to leave the team when he got into a few too many scuffles in practice after the whistle blew, he would just keep motoring and apparently the last straw was when someone got injured. You gotta love that intensity. Every team in every major sport needs a young, talented, smart, and somewhat crazy player on their team. See Zack Greinke - I still can't get that image out of my mind when he stared down Nick Swisher after beaning him. Priceless!

Thorsen is also is rumoured to have finished his degree at Wisconsin in the two years he was there. I'm not exactly sure if he has to sit out a year or will contribute right away. Where he would end up on the depth chart I have no idea at this time.

Seniors Adrian Mayes (LG), Ryan Cantrell (C), and Chet Hartley (RG) are expected to return to the interior. Ian Wolfe should get some snaps and provide depth to the line, possibly at tackle.

KU has the possibility of being one of the better offensive lines in Big 12 when it is all said and done.