Lance Leipold on the depth chart, open practice, much more

The Jayhawks practiced in front of a crowd for the first time in fall camp. On Saturday morning Lance Leipold opened practice for fans to attend.

The team went through a light practice that started around 8:30 and lasted around 75 minutes. They used spider pads and shorts to go through drills as well as seven-on-seven and 11-on-11.

“It was good,” Leipold said. “It was a spider practice. We kind of took the pads off today. We knew it was a great day to get out in front of the fans. Thought we had a great turnout and beautiful weather. We reduced some reps of some of the guys that had some high volume over the past 15 practices, so we had the chance to work some other guys.

“As you guys have known, we missed some guys that were out with illness. It was a solid day, and then they're off tomorrow and then we'll get some live work in on Monday.”

The team is using certain days in fall camp to monitor their activity. They are using the Catapult vest to track the overall training through practice.

“That was a load management day, but we do look at that and there is stuff with that we want to try to make sure because during these times and how we practice and the reps,” Leipold said. “That's where you don't always happen right away in practice that day. But it's the volume of work that can cause pulls and strains and things. As the close we get to kickoff, we will make sure we're as best shape as possible, and hopefully we continue to practice such a way that we're as close to full strength as we can be for that opener.”

The strength staff is in charge of watching the players who are wearing the vests and determine when they sit out or rest.

“Conor McNally, one of our systems strength coaches, and Matt Gildersleeve can tell you about the catapult system that we do that tracks miles per hour and heavy volume,” Leipold said. “We've structured all our practices. Some are lower volume days, which today was. We have low-medium days, medium and then higher. Many people think that it's based on contact, it's based on the volume of running and other things.”

With fall camp coming to a close the talk among the fans is what the first depth chart might look like. But there is still a lot that can happen including practice next week.

Leipold said they have not talked about a depth chart yet. He said when Daniel Berk, who oversees the football communications, tells him it is time to put one out, he will do it.

“The assistant coaches haven't even shown me one because I haven't asked,” Leipold said. “We talk about groups, and you say that and you get an idea a little bit where it's at and some positions that are a little more defined, but again too deep. Jim Panagos may rotate eight defensive tackles. There could be five or six defensive ends. There's going to be three or four tight ends. We talked about. I don't know.”

One player expected to be in the two-deep is Dominick Puni. The offensive lineman transferred in during the summer from Central Missouri State. He was a player the staff kept under the radar and is having a good camp.

“Outstanding,” Leipold said of Puni. “We could not be more pleased. We had good reviews that we were going to get a really good football player and he's matched all of that and exceeded our expectations and his abilities to adapt. He started off at tackle. He's playing some guard. He's going to help this football team.”