New Kansas offensive lineman Logan Brown has enjoyed every aspect of his move to KU, even the extra reps he has taken in his kitchen.
Still new to both Lawrence and the KU program, Brown has spent the past few weeks doing everything he can to pick up the way offensive line coach Scott Fuchs teaches his players to play the position.
It’s not totally different. Innovative is the word a few of KU’s new linemen use to describe it. But the combination of it being new and it being unique has Brown and his teammates excited for the challenge.
“It’s definitely different, and it’s awesome,” Brown said after practice this week. “I’m trying to make this new technique into a habit, where you don’t have to think about it and you can just go out and play.”
In order to do that, the 6-foot-6, 320-pound junior who transferred from Wisconsin in the offseason, has had to put in a lot of work on his own time.
“Steps in the kitchen. Steps in the bedroom. (Transfer guard) Spencer Lovell and I will go up to the indoor every once in a while, and do some stuff,” he said. “It’s great to have guys around that I can do that with.”
Asked to name the strangest or most unexpected place that he has worked extra reps with the new style, Brown pointed to the classroom.
“Just sitting there thinking about it,” he said while jabbing with his right foot to demonstrate the process.
Unless you’ve played the position, understanding the way Fuchs teaches it can be a challenge. But the basics, according to Lovell, including more of a vertical set-up on the snap and a wider, shallower pocket.
“My whole career I’ve been taught one thing, and now it’s different,” Brown said. “I’ve been in college for four seasons and I’m going into my fifth and all of a sudden I have to kind of switch everything.”
It’s important to remember that most of KU’s returning linemen have been doing it this way for a couple of years. It proved effective last season, when the Jayhawks were among the best units in the country at protecting the quarterback. Because of that recent success and their own desire to grow, both Brown and Lovell are eager to make the adjustment.
“Adapting to it, I think, is just reps on reps,” Lovell said. “Because it’s unique and because it’s cutting edge, there’s going to be little nuances. Football’s chaotic. Little rules in your head are going to change. So, it just takes reps on reps and film on film and just meeting with the coaches afterwards to say, ‘Hey, what do you think about this, what do you think about that?’ That takes time, as well.”
Kansas offensive lineman Spencer Lovell (76) watches practice on Thursday, March 2, 2023 at the indoor practice facility. Photo by Nick Krug
Like Brown, Lovell, a 6-foot-6, 330-pound transfer from Cal, loves what he’s seen from Fuchs and KU’s offensive line drills so far. Now at his third university, KU’s new mammoth guard has even picked up the phone to call former teammates and coaches to tell them what Fuchs is doing at Kansas.
“It’s cool to know that you’re on cutting-edge stuff, at least in college,” said Lovell, noting that some of what Fuchs teaches is more common in the NFL.
There’s more than the new technique that has Brown and Lovell loving life at Kansas so far.
Lovell said KU has the best culture he’s ever seen and he has enjoyed getting to know what he believes is a deep and talented group of offensive linemen who will both support and battle with him.
Brown, who is engaged to be married, is enjoying everything about his new surroundings.
“I’ve loved it,” he said. “I didn’t even go home for spring break. I’m just enjoying it. Facility-wise and football-wise, it’s been amazing.”
Earlier this week, Brown played left tackle for the first time in two years. He’ll work at both tackle spots as often as needed and merely wants to settle in where he can help the most.
Lovell, who said he prefers playing guard, has spent most of his time at right guard so far, but he, too, believes in doing whatever it takes to help the team win.
One of the unexpected advantages of Brown’s time at Kansas so far has been the quick and meaningful relationships he has developed with KU’s coaching staff, particularly Fuchs and head coach Lance Leipold.
They were a big part of the reason Brown chose Kansas when he decided to transfer, and the bond he has developed with them has been even better than he hoped.
“I’ve had a lot of real conversations with coach Leipold,” Brown said. “I think a lot of guys at other institutions may feel like you can’t just go talk to your head coach. What I love is our coaches here, they’re people and you can just talk to them. It’s easy.”
Brown said the most recent conversation he had with Leipold away from football was about bull riding.
“Do I ride bulls? No,” he said. “But that’s what we were talking about.”
As it turned out, Brown and Leipold found a rodeo coming to the area this summer and the newest KU tackle who is originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, is determined to check it out.
“Oh yeah. I’m going to go,” he said.
Until then, he’ll focus on finishing spring football on a high note so he can push even harder this summer.
“First of all, check off my objectives,” he said when asked about his goals for the final two weeks of spring drills. “Those include knowing where I stand with myself going into our summer workout program and fall camp and doing whatever I can to meet the coaches’ expectations.”
