Kansas Jayhawks Links
On the basketball front, I haven’t seen it announced from the Kansas side (also didn’t look) but according to John Calipari, Arkansas will be playing at Kansas for one of the three allowed exhibition games this season:
“I think those are the three,” Calipari said.
Calipari said the game with the Jayhawks would be on the road. Arkansas hosted Kansas in an exhibition ahead of Calipari’s first season in Fayetteville in 2024-25. The Razorbacks won 85-69 and also defeated the Jayhawks 79-72 in the NCAA Tournament first round that season.
The Pitt State Gorillas will also be playing an exhibition game this year in Lawrence, as part of Late Night. That’s kind of interesting:
The matchup will be a part of the Jayhawks’ annual preseason tradition titled “Late Night in the Phog.”
This marks the first exhibition match between Pittsburg State and Kansas since 2017, a meeting the Jayhawks won 100-54.
With Bill Self getting Tyran Stokes to come to Kansas instead of Kentucky, that non-conference game is shaping up to be one of the most interesting of the year:
This is going to be a very important game for Pope and the Wildcats, as it will be the first time for BBN to really see what this team is all about. This game is going to be played in Chicago on November 10th, so it will be the first marquee non-conference game for the Wildcats this season. This is the game that will let fans know the upside of Pope’s squad.
Matt Tait writes about the Jayhawk quarterbacks and how they’re approaching the season:
While the uncertainty might make some of you uncomfortable, taking this thing into preseason camp has been the plan all along for the Jayhawks this offseason.
And neither Ballard nor Marshall is even a little bit upset about it because, no matter what happens, the two veteran backups have seen firsthand on a handful of occasions that teams typically need more than one QB to contribute during the course of any given season.
The uncertainty definitely makes me uncomfortable going into the season.
Connor Mardian at Through the Phog grades the Jayhawk secondary:
Now, by no means was Kansas’ passing defense elite. After all, the Jayhawks’ 225.4 yards allowed did finish the season ranked 68th in the nation, but there was enough talent in that secondary to know that with some fine-tuning, they could quiet many of the Big 12’s passing attacks.
Other Links!
Eric Bienemy’s son has been arrested for shooting his mom in Virginia.
ESPN looks at some potential trades ahead of MLB’s trade deadline a few days from now:
I love when small payroll teams go for it, so the Brewers or Rays are my favorite potential Skubal destinations; both have the farm system to make it happen comfortably. My assumption is OF Theo Gillen is off the table, but anyone else could be considered other than 2026 draftees who aren’t eligible to be traded, so let’s send C Caden Bodine, SS Cooper Flemming, RHP Michael Forret back to Detroit.
Bill Connelly has a preview up of the Big 10 and wonders if it might be Oregon’s turn to win it all:
Congratulations in advance to Oregon. If the Big Ten is to continue its recent streak of a different national champion for each season — Michigan in 2023, Ohio State in 2024, Indiana in 2025 — Dan Lanning’s Ducks are the most likely beneficiary.
For David, I’ve included Drew Magary’s Why Your Team Sucks on the Arizona Cardinals.
You may need to sit down to read this link about the Foundation for Liberty and American Greatness:
FLAG’s founder, Nick Adams, had spent nearly a decade building toward this moment. An Australian-born conservative commentator and MAGA influencer, Adams had created the nonprofit, raised $7.7 million for it over 10 years, and garnered repeated praise from President Donald Trump. In March, Trump appointed Adams as the special presidential envoy for American tourism, exceptionalism and values — a position created for him after his nomination as ambassador to Malaysia stalled the previous year.
But a review of FLAG’s finances
QOTD: Any big fall plans that you’re lining out?