JayhawkSlant.com - Weis Jr. has bright future ahead

August 14, 2012

Jon Kirby

So what person puts in the most hours in a work week at the Anderson Family Football Complex? If you answer Charlie Weis you are correct.

Charlie Weis Junior that is.

This year Weis Jr. is on staff as a student manager and works close with Reggie Mitchell and Ron Powlus. He helped several coaches and GA's on staff, learn parts of the offense when they arrived.

When football is over he heads back to his other job which is being a student at Kansas.

"For a kid who could be a spoiled brat he tries to be as anonymous as he can," Charlie Weis said. "He works with us 50 hours a week and then goes out and takes 15 hours of classes and gets a 4.0."

There might be times where Weis Jr. wants to stay around the football office and break down film. Maybe spend time around the staff helping out. But if there is schoolwork to be done his father is going to win out.

"I feel like for me being busy is a good thing," Weis Jr. said. "I like being busy. I've been able to keep school first ahead of football. That's because my dad makes me. I don't really take it as a large work load because I love football. If I wasn't doing football I don't know what I would be doing. It can be tough because there are times you have football and tests the next day."

There was a day when the older Weis could sense his son wanted to get involved in coaching. At a young age he quickly picked up the game of football and started to ask a lot more questions about coaching.

"When he started doing that I tried to discourage him from coaching," Weis said. "When he said no, that's what I want do to I got him together with (Bill) Belichick. He was a coach's son and I wasn't. I figured Belichick could better give him advice. It isn't just coaching it is following your dad as a coach."

Weis didn't want his son to talk with Belichick just because he had Super Bowl rings and was successful. It was because Belichick was the son of a football coach. Belichick's father, Steve, coached at Navy, North Carolina, and Vanderbilt.

Weis Jr. could learn valuable lessons from someone that was taking the same path as him. And the talks weren't always about X's and O's.

"What people don't see when you're a coach's son is there are a lot of highs, but there are a lot of lows," Charlie Weis said. "I mean a lot of them. They take every body blow. Anytime somebody takes a shot at me your kid is taking every one of them."

All of the coaching tests that have been thrown at Weis Jr. he has passed. His father tried to discourage him and that didn't work. He got to hear what it is like being the son of a coach from Belichick, one of the greatest coaches of all-time. And football is definitely what he wants to do.

"There's no doubt I would love to be a head coach," Weis Jr. said. "Being a head coach would be a dream."

Just a few conversations with people in the football program prove head coaching could be in his future. Jeff Blasko, Scott Johnston, and Adam Sitter are just a few individuals that work close with Weis Jr. who see his talent.

"I'm going to tell you this right now on August 9, 2012," said tight ends coach Blasko. "Don't be surprised 10-12 years from now he is a head coach. He is hard-working and very intelligent just like his dad is. He is very eager and willing to learn. It is unbelievable he has only been in coaching for one year. For as young as he is he knows this offensive system as well as anybody on our staff."

Blasko and Sitter, the director of high school relations, worked with Weis Jr. when they were at Florida. Weis Jr. was a quality control intern to Will Muschamp last year at Florida. When he arrived at Kansas he started working close with Johnston, who is the director of personnel.

"I spend a lot of time with Charlie Jr. and he knows how things are supposed to be done," Johnston said. "I worked with him in the transition. He's a hard worker and people see that. Coach Weis puts a lot of merit into what he (Jr.) has to say. He went out of his way to get to know me and he didn't have to. He's someone that everyone respects. He has been a large help to me."

Weis Jr. is also valuable when it comes to recruiting. Last April he turned 19 years old so he can relate to many of the recruits. Several recruits have returned from their visit and mentioned learning a lot about the Kansas program from Weis Jr.

Jordan Darling committed to the Jayhawks as a quarterback. He has participated in two camps this summer and worked with Weis Jr.

"Just look at his background and that speaks a lot for his age," Darling said. "His knowledge is as extensive as a lot of college coaches. It takes a lot to learn that. He's got a good sense of humor and he's down-to-earth."

The word has spread about Weis Jr. knowledge of the game. One NFL team already contacted the older Weis about his son taking a job at a quality control position. The answer on that one was easy.

"I told them my wife (Maura) would divorce me I if encouraged that," Weis said.

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