ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — There was a happy ending to Eric Berry’s battle against Hodgkin lymphoma this week as the Pro Bowl safety was cleared to practice with the Chiefs as they opened training camp at Missouri Western State University. Berry was on the field Wednesday morning with rookies and first-year players that constituted the first practice of this year’s …
Ben Heeney quietly stirs a cup of coffee, his eyes focused on a Lindy’s Sports pre-NFL Draft magazine while sitting in a restaurant in Lawrence, Kan. The former Kansas Jayhawks inside linebacker shows no visible reaction as he reads the section on himself, which was published before the NFL Scouting Combine. He is fully aware what analysts think of him …
The University of Richmond was good to quarterback Michael Strauss, who thrived on and off the football field after transferring from the University of Virginia in 2011. The native of Key Biscayne, Fla., excelled in the classroom, garnering Colonial Athletic Association All-Academic honors in 2012 and 2013, and graduated with a degree from the reputable E. Claiborne Robins School of …
Austin Willis is wearing shorts, sneakers and a windbreaker jacket – the Emporia State logo over his heart offering a hint of his identity – while waiting in the lobby of an IHOP restaurant in Emporia, Kan. He rises and smiles upon greetings, extending a warm handshake before a hostess leads a party of two to the privacy of a …
From a teenager to a young man, Randall Evans has grown a lot since leaving Miami five years ago in pursuit of NFL dreams that landed him in Manhattan, Kan. The 23-year-old’s firm hand shake and body language reflect confidence; his eyes display maturity and intelligence; the words flow from his mouth in articulate fashion; and his memory is a bottomless …
Former Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett proved records are made to be broken. The dual-threat Lockett, a native of Tulsa, Okla., established a whopping 17 school records by the time he concluded an accomplished four-year career in Manhattan, Kan. Among the records set by Lockett include receptions (249), yards receiving (3,710), receiving touchdowns (29), 100-yard receiving games (17), kickoff-return …
Former Arizona State defensive tackle Marcus Hardison’s road to the NFL began inconspicuously at Charlotte High School in Punta Gorda, Fla. He once paced the sidelines as a backup quarterback and defensive lineman, but the lack of playing time wasn’t based on Hardison’s raw talent. “He came to us as a quarterback,” Charlotte football coach Binky Waldrop said in a telephone interview. “Big body. …
MANHATTAN, Kan. – There were plenty of smiles and hugs shortly after former Kansas State defensive end Ryan Mueller wrapped up his Pro Day workout on March 10. Mueller drove his truck a short distance from the indoor workout facility to the front of Bill Snyder Family Stadium to find his mother, Valerie, and sister, Caroline, patiently waiting on him. …
Matthew Reese’s knack for standing out developed at a young age when he grew up idolizing former Atlanta Falcons running back Jamal Anderson. He even imitated Anderson’s famous “Dirty Bird” touchdown dance to the delight of childhood friends and classmates. “As kids, we always want to be the guy that everybody knew,” Reese said with a laugh during a telephone …
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Former Kansas safety Cassius Sendish treats the spring semester just like any other semester – maintaining a balance between class work and football. The 6-0, 195-pound Sendish didn’t head for warmer weather to train for the NFL Draft, like many of his Jayhawk counterparts. He stayed in Kansas to train at the TopSpeed Strength & Conditioning facility …
