Cassius Sendish Already Making Impact on Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks focused their recruiting efforts this offseason on bringing in sudden-impact prospects from the junior college levels. The JUCO rush of Charlie Weis was designed to find players who could help turn the Jayhawks around quickly in the short term as Weis worked on building his recruiting base for the long term. None of these “instant impact” pickups could make a bigger splash in 2013 than cornerback Cassius Sendish.

Sendish fills a major need for Kansas in 2013 as the Jayhawks’ pass defense broke down against the high-powered offenses in the Big 12. They finished No. 8 in the conference against the pass in 2012 and needed an infusion of talent that could quickly raise their level of play. That is exactly what Sendish brings to the table.

The 6-foot-2 cornerback was the No. 13 rated corner in the JUCO ranks last season and brings a well-polished game to Lawrence in 2013. He has great instincts and has the size and feet to excel in man-to-man coverage. His ability to make tackles in the open field help limit yards after the catch and has the willingness to step up against the run and work through or around blockers.

Even more than that, however, is the leadership he brings to the team. Weis was instantly impressed with the way Sendish was able to step onto the field this spring and immediately become a leader. He quickly bonded with his teammates and showed that he could be counted on to lead them in 2013 and he will have to if Kansas hopes to find much success next season.

While the JUCO rush could be seen as an act of desperation to find quick-fixes for the Jayhawks’ numerous issues on the field, Weis may have stumbled into a true leader and playmaker who can bring success to the Kansas secondary next fall.

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