KC Star: Kansas took two D-line transfers from Minnesota. They think Jayhawks are ‘hungrier’

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Xerxes_ said:
I would agree with this. But there are so many transplants here that it's easy to find a fit eventually. And the more time I spent here the more native Minnesotans come around.

I've heard the following statement or variations of it quite a few times and I think it's about as accurate of a description as you'll find regarding Minnesotans:

Minnesotans will tell you all about their lake cabin up north, except for the address.
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It is harder to recruit folk to move here to work, but once they do move, it's been my experience they stay. Have hired and relocated multiple people along the way and even when they move on, they stay here.
 

eker0016 said:
I'm reviewing Austin Booker's career stats thus far, and it appears he compiled two (2) tackles in two years. Doesn't seem he had much of an appetite?
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Getting comments from some transfers can be amusing as what do we think they are going to say. Was he going to say, hey I felt like I was buried on the depth chart and didn't feel I could beat out the guys above me for more playing time. So, I'm so glad Kansas gave me another shot at a full ride scholarship here.
 

Gophers_4life said:
I think the fact of the matter is that Minnesota (the state) has a culture, and I've heard this from multiple people who move here, can be cold and hard to make new friends/meet people.

You'd think people on the team would always be welcoming to outside players, or at least outsider players would band together. But don't know for sure.


Probably a tough transition for some. Is what it is.
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What you say is largely true. My late mother-in-law was a native New Yorker and she always remarked about how she felt "Minnesota Nice" came off as a bit phony. She's not the only transplant that has expressed those same sentiments to me. It may have changed some since a lot of the metropolitan area has become a Reloville, but in some areas the clannish Scandinavian/German chillier (until the keg is tapped) influence remains.

That said, Booker was on a college campus with kids from all over the world so I find it difficult to grasp what he's talking about in the article. College campuses are a totally different universe from the rest of the community, so I don't know where the chilliness comes in.

I guess my biggest problem here is that I really don't like it when a kid moves on and then throws shade at his previous stop. Just say something like "I have a better chance to see the field here" or "I think this is a better fit for me" and leave it at that.
 



Others have made this point, but here are the stats to reiterate. Minnesota 9th nationally in defense, Kansas 127th...

www.ncaa.com

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com

He was a bench-warmer on a really good Minnesota defense, and he's transferring to a school with a terrible defense in hopes of getting more playing time. I can't blame him for that. That's the good side of the portal.

But taking little shots at his former team is a bad look for him. Not helpful. At least wait until you've actually shown something on the field first. Good grief.
 

BleedGopher said:
per the KC Star:

“I feel like it was a real easy adjustment,” Booker said on Thursday. “I don’t give Minnesota too much credit, but I will give them credit for preparing me and definitely teaching me a lot about football and culture. So I feel like it’s a super easy transition and working right (into) it as well.”

Booker has also enjoyed getting to know his teammates.

“I feel like the culture fits me a lot better,” Booker said. “I’m definitely a lot happier here. Then, outside of football, all of the players have been real welcoming. I’ve had a good time so far.”

Overall, Booker feels KU’s defensive line has a much different feel around it than his time at Minnesota.

“I feel like we are a lot more younger, a lot more hungrier than Minnesota’s D-line I was part of,” he said. “It’s a good thing and a bad thing. Development is a good thing, but also having a young guy who’s more hungry than an older guy can definitely help.”


Go Gophers!!
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Translated:

"I'm young, I think I'm better than I am and I'm going to shoot my mouth off." :)
 

Anyone catch Fleck's obvious dig at Booker's comments in the presser? :sneaky:

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF AT THREE-TECHNIQUE DEFENSIVE TACKLE WITH TRILL CARTER GONE?
"I see a lot of length and a lot of depth and a lot of young hungry guys that played very well. I think that's what's exciting. You look at our depth with our defensive line and we're longer, bigger and stronger than we've been since I've been here.

And sometimes those young guys, they play so well. And again, this is all about the journey. My job from day one is to find a way to keep elevating the skill of this program. It's everybody else's job to keep jobs and then you have options. If you want to stay or if you want to go. You create the best environment you can for everybody to grow and learn.

Everybody has their own cases and individual decisions to make as they go forward which best for them and that's what we're all about for student athletes. Whatever is best for them, period."
 


Fleck says he has some young hungry guys
 



"Fleck says he has some young hungry guys"

What Fleck actually has is the 9th ranked defense nationally. Personally I don't care about 'hunger', I care about results.
 

RememberMurray said:
Others have made this point, but here are the stats to reiterate. Minnesota 9th nationally in defense, Kansas 127th...

www.ncaa.com

NCAA College Football FBS current team Stats | NCAA.com

Discover the current NCAA FBS Football leaders in every stats category, as well as historic leaders.
www.ncaa.com www.ncaa.com

He was a bench-warmer on a really good Minnesota defense, and he's transferring to a school with a terrible defense in hopes of getting more playing time. I can't blame him for that. That's the good side of the portal.

But taking little shots at his former team is a bad look for him. Not helpful. At least wait until you've actually shown something on the field first. Good grief.
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One of the best pieces of advice I've received over my many years of employment: Never burn bridges. You one day will need them.

Without exception, this has been true for me. I've burnt a bridge or two and it always comes back to haunt you.

I have a feeling Mr. Booker will regret what he said - and it's been recorded in the newspaper and over social media forever.
 


2nd Degree Gopher said:
Understand it's spring and they are looking for stories. I also understand that the writer may not have written the headline. That said, in an article referring to two Minnesota transfers, it might be nice if they had talked to both of them before publishing an article about what "they" think. Keys isn't quoted at all. And Booker basically says that, while he learned how to be a better football player at Minnesota, they played the older, more experienced guys and he's having more fun in Kansas.
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Valid point. Seems like the editor and maybe the author took some license here.
 



Xerxes_ said:
I would agree with this. But there are so many transplants here that it's easy to find a fit eventually. And the more time I spent here the more native Minnesotans come around.

I've heard the following statement or variations of it quite a few times and I think it's about as accurate of a description as you'll find regarding Minnesotans:

Minnesotans will tell you all about their lake cabin up north, except for the address.
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Ha! The version I heard was "Minnesotans will tell you everything, but their address".
 

mngolf said:
Came from a top 10 defense in MN. Now going to something much lower. Hmmmmm
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Yes. Maybe the words didn't come to him at the time he was being interviewed. Some of us learn best by doing. Going to a lower rated defense that is offering playing time may be best for him. With more playing time he may reach his personal goals.
 

Living in KC I can tell you The Star is a garbage newspaper. They are scraping the bottom of the barrel for stories right now with the Jayhawks losing early in the tournament and have a lull before they can write about the Chiefs again.

KU football gets zero coverage here. It trails Mizzou and Nebraska. Quite possibly even K-State. I’m actually shocked this was an article.
 



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