Junior Day Reaction: Chico Holt and T.J. McMillen
The Kansas coaches hosted a successful junior day event before the February dead period hosting 20 prospects that are receiving a lot of college attention.
There were recruits from six different states on hand and two of them that hold Kansas offers were Chico Holt and T.J. McMillen.
Holt made the trip from Texas and McMillen from Illinois.
McMillen holds several scholarship offers from Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Penn State, Arizona State, TCU, Boston College and several others. It was his first visit to Kansas, and he liked what he heard from head coach Lance Leipold.
“It was a really great visit,” McMillen said. “This was my first time making it to campus and I really enjoyed it. It was a smaller invite junior day, and I enjoyed the one-on-one time with the coaches. My family and I got to sit down and spend some time getting to talk with Coach Leipold and his vision for the program.”
Holt is a tight end from Strake Jesuit, and he has talked to Jonathan Wallace who recruits his area. He got the chance to meet other Kansas coaches and got a genuine feeling from them.
“I think they are great guys,” Holt said. “They really come across well. I think it’s clear they are recruiting you but at the same time they want you to make a decision that is good for you. That comes across.”
Holt got to hear the details of the offense from offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki.
“I spent time with Coach Wallace who is the Texas recruiter, and he is just an awesome guy,” Holt said. “I am getting to know him. It felt like we might have spent an hour with OC Coach Kotelnicki.
“He had a great overview of what’s expected of the players, what’s the philosophy, how they use tight ends, all of that. He had some fantastic data that illustrated his important they think the tight end position is.”
McMillen can play several positions on both sides of the ball. He is a three-time, all-conference selection on the offensive line playing center. On defense he has very good film and had over 50 tackles.
The Kansas coaches are recruiting him for offense, and he met with Scott Fuchs and Jim Zebrowski on his visit.
“I spent the most time during the day talking with Coach Z and Coach Fuchs,” McMillen said. “I enjoyed learning about with Kansas expects from their linemen. I liked everything that they had to say. I also enjoyed the environment of the basketball game. It was an overall great visit.”
Holt has early offers from Kansas, Houston, Rice, and Princeton. He liked how the Kansas coaches have been together for a long time and what he saw from the strength and conditioning side.
“I met with Coach Leipold too and he seemed like a very approachable head coach,” Holt said. “It’s cool all those guys have been working together so long from their days at Buffalo. The strength and conditioning stuff was way cool.
He continued: “They had lots of data and before and after pictures that illustrated how they can improve your strength and overall athleticism. It was very impressive. We ended the day with the basketball game. It was just an absolutely off the charts fun experience.”