What KU Jayhawks football said — and didn’t say — ahead of rivalry game vs. K-State

Two years ago, former Kansas coach Les Miles said three famous words in KU’s locker room that quickly made their way westward: “Who is K-State?”

He was fired up after a KU victory — and believed he was sharing a private moment with his team — but those words made their way onto an ESPN+ documentary broadcast. And then to Manhattan.

And then after that onto subsequent bulletin boards.

A few days later, K-State ended up winning the 2019 Sunflower Showdown, 38-10, with many Wildcats pointing to Miles’ words as their source of motivation.

If K-State players were looking for similar fodder from KU this week ahead of the teams’ annual matchup ... well, they were likely left disappointed.

KU, in the midst of a rebuild under first-year coach Lance Leipold, did little to fan the rivalry flames this week while mostly remaining milquetoast ahead of Saturday’s 11 a.m. kickoff.

“I’ve always been a KU fan, and so it’s always, ‘Beat those other guys,’” freshman running back Devin Neal said. “That’s kind of how I feel about it. It’s important for me, and I’m just going to go out there and enjoy the game.”

Neal might have one of the best perspectives on this clash from the KU side, as he grew up in Lawrence. He also has three hometown buddies on K-State’s football team: Keenan Garber, Ekow Boye-Doe and Jax Dineen. Garber is Neal’s cousin as well.

“We’re not friends in this game. They know that,” Neal said with a smile. “I know that.”

Then again, Neal might not know as much about great KU-KSU matchups as one might expect. That’s because the Jayhawks’ last win against the Wildcats — back in 2008 — came when he was 5 years old.

“I’m sure my parents were super-hyped about it,” Neal said, “but honestly, I don’t remember.”

Leipold and his fellow staff members, meanwhile, haven’t prepared for a game like this in a while.

Their previous school, Buffalo, did not have a natural rival. Leipold mentioned this week that he was looking forward to playing for a trophy — The Governor’s Cup — while mentioning to his guys how that prize added some significance.

Like he’s been most of the season, though, Leipold emphasized process over results this week while refusing to put too much emphasis on one contest.

“We try to keep a level of importance for every game,” Leipold said. “As we know, we battled in the first game of the year against a South Dakota team from FCS. We didn’t take that any less important than we did this rivalry game or the No. 3 team in the country.”

Leipold also spoke about an epiphany he had while playing college football years ago. He said even after his coach’s most fiery pregame speeches, he never could remember what was said by the time he hit the field.

Naturally, he believes, football players are wired to focus on what’s next.

“That’s why sometimes less is more,” Leipold said.

Comments from KU’s coordinators reflected their coach’s mindset.

Offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki liked the idea of playing for a trophy, but also said the idea of KU’s coaching staff saving motivational tricks for this week didn’t make much sense; if there was a better way to prepare a team for a game, that’s something that a staff would logically use in all its games, not just one.

Defensive coordinator Brian Borland, meanwhile, said he appreciated when Abilene native and fifth-year senior defensive lineman Sam Burt spoke in front of the team Thursday morning to explain what the rivalry meant to him as a Kansas kid.

Borland still admitted this week’s preparation would remain similar to the past.

“It’s a big deal. I talk about playing for the state championship and bragging rights and all that kind of stuff,” Borland said. “But quite honestly, I’m sure other guys have said it as well, we’re not preparing any harder this week than we have any week.”

Burt’s words could hold some importance for a roster that might not have a great grasp of the game’s magnitude. KU’s roster has just 19 players from the state of Kansas, compared to 51 for K-State.

Leipold has vowed to grow that number in future years, but for now, he’ll look to players like Neal to explain how important this is to teammates.

“It’s just going to be an intense game,” Neal said, “and I’m all for it.”