Published Jan 4, 2022
Eriq Gilyard ready to begin career at Kansas
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Jon Kirby  •  JayhawkSlant
Publisher- Football Editor
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@jayhawkslant

Eriq Gilyard is ready for his move to Kansas. He is getting prepared for the move from Florida, and it is happening soon.

“It's definitely real now,” Gilyard said. “I moved out of my apartment in Orlando. I'm back home now, working out and getting ready to leave. I'll actually be heading there on Saturday.”

Gilyard entered the portal this season after nearly totaling 200 tackles the last three seasons at Central Florida. For two years he was close to the top of the charts on the team in tackles.

When he announced he was entering the portal Gilyard heard from the Kansas coaches right away. They started to build a relationship with him and were able to secure his commitment. Gilyard said he is ready to meet his teammates and get started.

“I think I can bring maturity and leadership,” he said. “All my seasons, I've been playing at a high level against the competition. I played in a lot of big games, and I'm aware of what I can do to help a team. So just that continuing leadership aspect, first of all.

“As far as on the field being physical and a play maker. I will always get around the ball and I'm always going to make plays. And whenever I'm on the field, I'm always going to be physical.”

After Gilyard committed the Kansas coaches stayed in touch with him often and through the holiday break. He talked with linebackers coach Chris Simpson the most, but others communicated with him.

“With the coaches it is genuine conversation, not even too much about football,” he said. “I talk to Coach Simpson a lot. We have both been watching some of the same bowl games and we will talk about them and things like that.

“Same with Coach Leipold. I've talked to him a couple times. I talked to Coach Ianello a couple times as well. They reached out, wishing me happy holidays and different things like that. But mainly Coach Simpson.”

Academics have always been important to Gilyard who made the AAC All-Academic team three straight years. In December he earned his degree from Central Florida.

“Graduating was big,” he said. “Coming from where I'm from, not a lot of people graduate, or get the opportunity. It was a big moment for me and my family being able to walk across that stage and knowing that I made it that far. But I'll be getting another one soon. It was a real good moment, but not satisfying for me. I want a second one.”

In less than a week, Gilyard will arrive in Lawrence and begin a new chapter in his career. He is ready to be a Jayhawk and help build the program.

“I’ve definitely been waiting on this since I committed,” he said. “I'm ready to get the process started. Get out there and start building relationships with people on the team and just being around everybody.”