RCW: Inside Football 3.37
Get a quick look inside your favorite Kansas Jayhawk programs each week with Rock Chalk Weekly’s Inside Sports pages. Notable statistics, quick hits and the top social media posts get every Jayhawk fan up-to-speed and ready for another week of thrilling competition.
Number BY THE NUMBERS
Defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., is the first player in a Kansas uniform to earn unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honors.
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Notes QUICK HITS
- Kansas defeated Texas, 24-21, in overtime, beating the Longhorns for the first time in 78 years. The Jayhawks earned Football Writer’s Association of America National Team of the Week honors following the win.
- Eleven Jayhawks earned All-Big 12 accolades, marking the most since 14 KU players were honored by the league coaches in 2007. Seven of the 11 KU players recognized return in 2017.
- Defensive end Dorance Armstrong Jr., became the first player in a Kansas uniform to earn unanimous All-Big 12 First Team honors.
- Armstrong was a consensus first team all-conference honoree as he was recognized by the Associated Press, Phil Steele Magazine, Athlon Sports, Waco Herald Tribune, Kansas City Star and ESPN.com.
- Armstrong was also tabbed the Big 12’s Breakout Player of the Year by Athlon Sports and earned a spot on the Ted Hendricks Award Watch List after leading the Big 12 with 20 tackles-for-loss.
- Safety Fish Smithson also took home All-Big 12 First Team honors, after earning Second Team honors as a junior.
- Smithson and cornerback Brandon Stewart each snagged free agent contracts immediately following the 2017 NFL Draft. Smithson joined the Washington Redskins, while Stewart signed with the Los Angeles Chargers.
- With Smithson and Stewart making their way to the NFL, KU now has 11 active players in the NFL—with nine of those 11 being defensive backs and all 11 being defensive players.
- Safety Mike Lee picked up Freshman All-America honors from Athlon Sports and Rivals.com and also was honored on the Big 12 All-Freshman First Team by the publication. Lee, who graduated from high school a year early to join the Jayhawks, took home honorable mention honors from the league coaches after he ranked first in the Big 12 and fourth nationally in solo tackles per game with 6.4 per contest.
- Wide receiver Steven Sims Jr., finished his sophomore season near the top of the Big 12 Conference in nearly every receiving category as he caught 72 passes for 859 yards and seven touchdowns. Sims ended the year listed ninth on KU’s single-season receiving yardage list, while he ranks fifth for receptions in a season. He recorded four 100-yard receiving games.
