Football adds Kansas transfer John Randle
08/04/2006 | 12:00:00 | Football
Aug. 4, 2006
By Tom Weber
www.SIUSalukis.com
CARBONDALE, Ill. - On the first day of training camp, Saluki head coach Jerry Kill added some offensive firepower to the Saluki football team when he announced that running back John Randle has transferred to Southern Illinois from Kansas.
Randle is enrolled in fall classes at SIU and participated in the team's first practice on Friday. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
The 6-0, 185-pound junior did not play football last year for the Jayhawks, however, he was the team's leading rusher in 2004.
Kill said Randle is a multi-purpose back, in the same mold as Saluki All-American Arkee Whitlock. In 2004, Randle rushed for 540 yards, caught 35 passes for 274 yards and also returned 11 kickoffs. He led the team in scoring with nine touchdowns, and in all-purpose yardage with 1,065.
"(Kansas) Coach (Mark) Mangino, who I know very well, said he's a guy who could have been a prolific Big 12 guy," Kill said. "He's that type of athlete. He has tremendous skill and football instincts."
As a true freshman in 2003, Randle played both offense and defense for Kansas and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors. He was the team's third-leading rusher with 503 yards and also had 22 tackles from the cornerback position. After the season, he won an award for being the team's most unselfish player.
"After sitting out last year, it's going to take him a little while to get into it," Kill said. "But he could make an impact later on in the season, kind of like Brandon Jacobs did (in 2004). Do we know that yet? No. But we're very fortunate to be able to give him a second chance."
