Here are 5 takeaways from Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold’s West Virginia game week episode

LAWRENCE — With Kansas football's Big 12 Conference opener Saturday against West Virginia drawing closer, Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold appeared Wednesday in another edition of Hawk Talk.

Leipold recapped Kansas’ season-opening win this past week against Tennessee Tech, which brought the team to 1-0 for the second-straight year. Sophomore running back Devin Neal and redshirt junior defensive end Lonnie Phelps Jr., two standouts from the victory, answered questions during the show as well. And at the end, Leipold provided some highlights on where the Jayhawks’ focuses are ahead of their matchup with the Mountaineers.

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Here are five takeaways from Sept. 7’s edition of Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold:

Here’s where having a deep running back room can be challenging

During Kansas’ opener, five different running backs were a part of the effort that allowed the Jayhawks to rush for 297 yards and six touchdowns. Neal and redshirt sophomores Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Sevion Morrison combined for four of those touchdowns, with Neal accounting for two. And redshirt junior Torry Locklin and redshirt sophomore Ky Thomas played their parts as well.

Moving forward, though, there are a couple challenges that Leipold said the offense will face moving forward considering how deep the room is. For one, they’ll have to figure out how to continue to keep their guys in rhythm. Secondly, they’ll have to give the individuals they’re putting in enough playing time so they are able to be productive.

An assistant coach earns some praise

During the win against Tennessee Tech, Kansas junior defensive lineman Jereme Robinson blocked a field goal and saw sophomore cornerback Cobee Bryant return it for a touchdown for the Jayhawks. It provided Kansas with its first special teams touchdown of the season. And according to Leipold, there’s an assistant coach who has some responsibility in why it was able to happen.

It’s well known that although Leipold has Taiwo Onatolu as the team’s special teams coordinator, in addition to being the defensive ends coach, the various units within special teams are led by different assistant coaches. Jim Panagos, the Jayhawks’ defensive tackles coach, is in charge of the field-goal block team. Leipold said Panagos, who’s new to the coaching staff, changed a few things they did from a year ago and the team will implement a few different looks this season.

Neal provides an inside look at his position group

Every running back in the room has their different strengths, Neal included. But which ones are best in certain categories? Neal gave his perspective on some different areas.

Breakaway speed: Himself.

Elusiveness: Morrison.

Pass-catcher: Himself.

Pass-protecter: Thomas.

Being the person you’d want with you in a street-fight: Hishaw.

Earning that final inch: Hishaw.

Sense of humor: Morrison.

Sense of style: Hishaw.

Why Phelps appreciates director of sports performance Matt Gildersleeve

Phelps certainly impressed in his debut at Kansas, as he collected seven tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks. He lived up to expectations that followed him as he transferred to the program after starting his college career at Miami (Ohio). And during Hawk Talk he provided a glimpse at the effect director of sports performance Matt Gildersleeve had on him as he prepared for the season.

Phelps said he fixed his form when he’s running. He added his 40-yard dash time is faster than it used to be. Working out at Kansas with Gildersleeve is different from what Phelps experienced at Miami (Ohio), Phelps explained, because at Kansas he doesn’t know what’s coming next.

This Kansas player has impressed

Junior linebacker Taiwan Berryhill earned praise throughout fall camp for the progress he made in the past year, and Leipold has added his name to those who’ve been heaping that praise on Berryhill. Asked which player has developed the most on and off the field since last season, Leipold picked Berryhill. Leipold explained that’s because of the confidence Berryhill has gained, in addition to improvements in size, speed and understanding of the scheme.

During the season opener, Berryhill finished with three tackles. He also had a tackle for loss. He’s slated to be one of Kansas’ starting linebackers against West Virginia.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: West Virginia game week Hawk Talk with Lance Leipold episode recap