Armstrong, Adeniji challenge each other every day in practice

Hakeem Adeniji arrived in Lawrence late, last summer as a 260-pound offensive lineman. He was supposed to attend Air Force but a peanut allergy disqualified him and he had to find a new home.

His connections to Jeff Jordan, the Director of Personnel at KU, led him to be a Jayhawk. So it was somewhat of a surprise when Adeniji won a starting job in the first week. But his on-the-job-training definitely increased when he moved from the right side to starting left tackle midway through the season.

That move out him up against Dorance Armstrong every day in practice and helped him develop even faster.

“I love going against him,” Adeniji said of Armstrong. “We’re both competitors and love to compete at a high level. Every practice we make sure and go at each other. Our main goal is to get better. He’s going to get me sometimes and I’m going to get him. But it is always fun.”

On the other side it helps Armstrong to face Adeniji each day in practice. Adeniji is arguably the Jayhawks best offensive lineman coming out of his freshman season.

“He is a very talented young man and he’s still improving,” Armstrong said. “He is young and he is good. We make each other better every day.”

Armstrong was voted the Big 12 Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year. Next week he will start seeing Adeniji in practice every day and he’s been trying to improve parts of his game going into his junior season.

“The biggest thing I have been working on is my get-off,” Armstrong said. “We work on that as a unit together. Coach Woodfin has drills that we do in the weight room for just explosiveness.”

If Armstrong has improved his first two steps coming off the edge that will only help Adeniji prepare for opposing defensive ends this season. He won’t see many better than Armstrong on Saturdays. Over the last year Adeniji has put on close to 30 pounds since he joined the KU program.

“I’m right it 287,” Adeniji said. “I have been right around the high 280s lately. I have been eating a lot and it is a lot different. I put on my weight quickly. I felt really good in the spring. I think I will play around this weight or maybe a little bit more during the season. I think it will make me that much better on the field and I’m excited to get out there.”

Having to square off against a player of Armstrong’s ability can be a challenge but it is one Adeniji knows it will prepare him for the season.

“You want those challenges as a player and to be able to go against him every day makes me better,” he said.