LAWRENCE — As Kansas football’s preparations for the 2025 season continue, Matt Gildersleeve met with the media to share his thoughts on the team’s progress during fall camp.
Here are some takeaways from what Gilderseleeve, the team’s director of sports performance, had to say:
How did summer conditioning go?
Gilderseleeve praised the lead-up Kansas had ahead of fall camp, which began recently. Although it was a short summer, he couldn’t be more pleased with where the team is. With as many new scholarship players as the Jayhawks have this season, and how much he considers the program’s culture to be its competitive advantage, the most significant part of the offseason has been getting the newcomers to fit in.
Who has stood out as a leader?
With so many newcomers, it’s crucial that there are players returning from last year’s team who help instill the culture. Gildersleeve highlighted redshirt senior running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. first and foremost, and praised him for being in the best physical, mental, and spiritual shape of his life. Maybe Kansas doesn’t have the individual leaders of seasons’ past like Rich Miller or Devin Neal, but Gildersleeve has faith that when the leadership council wants to get something done, it can, and Hishaw is a pivotal individual.
Are there returning players who have impressed with their physical development?
Gildersleeve volunteered four names in this regard.
For one, redshirt freshman tight end Carson Bruhn has impressed over the last year. He was someone Gildersleeve wondered, when he first arrived on campus, what kind of tight end he’d become and how his body might develop.
There’s also redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Marcus Calvin, someone Gildersleeve described as incredible. Given what was available to Calvin in high school from a weight room perspective, he was wildly underdeveloped coming into college.
There’s also redshirt freshman linebacker Jon Jon Kamara, someone Gildersleeve volunteered as the king of the team when it comes to the system they have that analyzes a player’s athletic ability. The system studies an individual’s ability to accelerate, decelerate, change direction, and more.
And don’t forget about redshirt senior defensive tackle Tommy Dunn Jr. Gildersleeve said he’s changed his body throughout his career at Kansas with his physical conditioning and more.
Are there newcomers who have impressed with their physical development?
Gildersleeve volunteered another four names.
For one, there’s Alabama transfer and senior wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. There’s only one person Gildersleeve has seen run faster than former KU quarterback Jason Bean, and that’s Henderson.
There’s also South Carolina transfer and redshirt senior linebacker Bangally Kamara. That’s someone whose athleticism Gildersleeve thinks will always catch your eye.
There’s also Syracuse transfer and redshirt senior offensive lineman Enrique Cruz Jr.. Gildersleeve thinks Cruz has great feet.
And don’t forget about Columbia transfer and redshirt senior wide receiver Bryson Canty. While praising the position group as a whole, Gildersleeve said Canty looks the part.
What has Matt Gildersleeve seen from Calvin Clements?
Calvin Clements is in line to be Kansas’ starting left tackle this season, and that’s certainly a lot of responsibility for the redshirt sophomore offensive lineman. But Gildersleeve has seen Clements take huge steps on and off the field.
While Clements has always been strong, his development has focused on ensuring his movement capability is at its best and his power output is where it needs to be. There have been advances in how Clements has tested.
While Clements was a quiet guy when he arrived, someone Gildersleeve said you could barely get two words out of, now he’s on the leadership council. Now, Clements is someone Gildersleeve said will confront guys who aren’t meeting the standard, uplift others when they need it, and be vocal.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Checking in with Matt Gildersleeve during Kansas football’s fall camp