Kansas football assistant coach Taiwo Onatolu shares his spring update
Check out what Kansas football defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator Taiwo Onatolu had to say Thursday as the Jayhawks’ spring continued.
LAWRENCE — Taiwo Onatolu is back this year as Kansas football’s defensive ends coach/special teams coordinator, but when it comes to who will be featured on those special teams units this fall, there will be a lot of new faces.
Damon Greaves, the Jayhawks’ punter in 2024, has since transferred to Colorado. Tabor Allen, who head coach Lance Leipold and company relied upon for field goals, extra points and kickoffs, is also someone they have to replace. Finding the right athletes to return kickoffs and punts is a focus, too, considering who else departed from last season’s squad.
Spring ball wrapped up in April for Kansas, but here are some takeaways from what Onatolu had to say about the Jayhawks’ special teams units as those practices unfolded.
How does Taiwo Onatolu feel about having a new group?
Onatolu remarked that it has been fun to get to know their newcomers in a short period of time, praising how well they’ve adapted. There’s always going to be a guessing game to a certain extent before players arrive on campus, but he’s found them to be mature additions. He referred to redshirt senior punter Finn Lappin (McNeese State) as someone who doesn’t get flustered, and redshirt senior kicker Laith Marjan (South Alabama) as a confident talent who’s done well, too.
Identifying those players as transfer targets comes down to connections. That includes coaches they might know. Kyle Deween, a special teams analyst at KU, is someone who was at East Carolina while Marjan was there — prior to transferring to South Alabama.
How do things look in the return game?
At kick return, Onatolu pointed to senior wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. (Alabama), redshirt junior wide receiver Cam Pickett (Ball State) and freshman wide receiver Tate Nagy as three guys who’ve stood out. However, Onatolu explained the spring is more about throwing a lot of guys into the mix and studying the tape from there.
At punt return, Onatolu also mentioned Nagy. However, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Keaton Kubecka and more are in consideration.
The general point is fans will see new faces relied upon in both areas of the game.
When it comes to kick return, Onatolu is looking for someone who can get vertical and break arm tackles when they are in traffic. Whoever’s returning kickoffs also needs to read blocks well and be physical while running with the ball.
When it comes to punt return, Onatolu is looking for someone who’s not afraid to catch the ball while in traffic and being able to make an opponent miss right away. Typically, there’s going to be an unblocked player right in the return man’s face, and it’s part of what makes this aspect of the game one of the hardest things — in Onatolu’s mind — to do.
How does Taiwo Onatolu approach talking special teams in the recruiting process?
Onatolu outlined that talking with players about how they could fit in on special teams is absolutely a part of the recruiting process. Whether a player has multiple years of eligibility left or just one, versatility is vital — especially considering the uncertain nature of how rosters will look in the current landscape of collegiate athletics. Henderson, for example, is someone who proved to be intriguing because of his experience in special teams at Alabama.
Onatolu understands that someone doesn’t go to college to play a certain role in kickoff coverage, but it’s an important part of the game. Especially when it comes to an offensive player, he’ll talk about something during the recruiting process and judge by their response how interested they are in being a factor on special teams. Redshirt senior cornerback DJ Graham II (Utah State) isn’t set to play on the offensive side of the ball, but he’s still someone Onatolu praised for how well he’s done.
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 [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
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