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Erick McGriff knew there was something special about the University of Kansas when he was on his visit in early December. He knew it so well; he decided to commit to the Jayhawks less than a month later.

“My visit to Kansas was awesome,” McGriff said. “After talking to my parents, we just thought it was the best place for me. I really liked the coaching staff and the family environment there,” McGriff added about his decision to commit.

It’s been less than a month since McGriff committed to Mark Mangino and his Kansas program, but McGriff is already anticipating arriving on campus.

“I can’t wait to get there this summer,” McGriff said. “I don’t know the exact dates, but I’m sure I’ll so summer school. I’m just excited,” McGriff said.
McGriff has also put some consideration into what he wants out of his education while at Kansas.

“I plan on majoring in either Sports Management or Business,” McGriff said.

Now that his college decision is behind him, McGriff has been focusing his talents on the hardwood this winter. McGriff has been doing so well on the court, maybe there is a chance at being a two sport star in Lawrence?

“Man, everybody asked me that. I don’t know, I might try that, but it depends,” McGriff said about his basketball abilities.

“I think I am averaging like 15 points per game right now,” McGriff added.

When McGriff arrives in Lawrence, it will be on the field where he will showcase his athletic ability first. According to McGriff, he will bring his playmaking ability with him, but he also knows he has some things to work on.

“I go get the ball. I love the jump ball and running deep routes,” McGriff said.

McGriff attacks defenders and isn’t afraid of contact from defensive backs. He also has the ability to pick extra yards after catching the ball.

“I run a lot of underneath stuff, screen and stuff, and I can just make that quick first move and pick up extra yards like that. My footwork and timing are two things I know I will need to work on,” added McGriff.

The Kansas Jayhawks need Mario Little. On a team whose defining characteristic is its youth, injury-plagued swingman Mario Little will bring some much needed poise and maturity. But as he’s been unable to stay healthy, there’s a lot of talk among Kansas fans regarding whether or not Little should be redshirted, and it’s a decision that has to be made now.

The Michigan State game was the last game of the first half of the season. That means if Little plays one more second for the Jayhawks this year, he’ll be ineligible for a redshirt under the NCAA’s medical hardship rule. So the question remains: should Little be redshirted?

Self brought in Little from Chipola Community College, Marianna, Fla., to help add veteran leadership to a Kansas squad that lost eight players, six of whom played significant minutes, to graduation and the NBA draft last year. Unfortunately, the 6-foot-5 junior has been struck by a rash of injuries, starting with a stress fracture in his leg, which was just beginning to heal when he broke a finger in practice.

So far, Little has played in only three games this season, averaging 1.0 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists, in only 7.3 minutes per game, all a substantial drop from his numbers last season, where he averaged 15.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 assists in leading Chipola into the National Junior College Championship Tournament.

 As for the redshirt, the Michigan State game made the decision painfully apparent. Regardless of how Little has played so far this year, the Jayhawks need him. Both road games this year have exposed the youth and inexperience of this Kansas team. When faced with hostile environments or staunch defensive pressure, the Jayhawks have looked rattled and unsure of themselves.

In the Syracuse game, at Arizona and at Michigan State, Kansas’s young players, particularly Tyshawn Taylor and the Morris twins, each of whom has been called upon to play significant minutes, have looked intimidated. Even the acknowledged leaders of this team, Sherron Collins and Cole Aldrich, have at times looked overwhelmed. By keeping Little active, Coach Self adds the poise of an upperclassman, as well as the diverse play of a true swingman.

Though most KU fans haven’t seen enough of him to form an opinion, Coach Self has drawn comparisons between Little and another Jayhawk favorite, Brandon Rush. While I think most Jayhawk fans have been pleasantly surprised by the play of redshirt sophomore Brady Morningstar, playing a two guard in the three spot has caused a number of problems for the team, not least in the rebound category. And this is a category where Little will be able to contribute immediately, even with a bandage on his left hand.

The Jayhawks also benefit from the inside-out game he brings. With the Morris twins not living up to their hype as jump shooters, Coach Self’s squad is in dire need of someone who can bang inside, as well as pull up and hit a jumper. And while Morningstar and Tyrell Reed have done a fine job from behind the arc, neither of them has the size required to hit both the offensive and defensive glass. Freshman Travis Releford has shown glimpses of brilliance, but has been painfully inconsistent, as freshmen are known to do. However, throw a healthy Little into the mix and you’ve got added depth to battle the hiccups of a maturing team.

Of course, as much as many of us would love to see Little in conference play and into March, where we’re going to need him, it really all depends on his health. Is a Little at 80% for the rest of the season better than having him at 100% for the next two years? To me that’s a no-brainer. In the next two years, this year’s freshmen will mature and develop into basketball-savvy young men, under the guidance of Coach Self and his staff. Barring another mass exodus to the NBA, they’ll in turn be able to mentor future freshmen, helping them through the transition from high school to college, both athletically and socially.

As it is, if this Kansas team is going to be in a position to defend the National Championship come March, it needs all of the veteran leadership it can get on the court and Mario Little, even at less than 100%, is going to play a big part in that.

When Jesuit High School (FL) wide receiver Erick McGriff got back home from his recruiting trip to the University of Kansas, it seemed that his mind may have already been made up as to where he would play college football. Read the rest of this entry »