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LAWRENCE When Damarius McGhee thinks about why he chose to transfer to Kansas, he thinks about the visit he took during his recruitment.

McGhee, a cornerback who started his college football career at LSU in 2021, said he didnt know until then what would draw him to the Jayhawks. While visiting, he felt everyone was straightforward with him and didnt sugarcoat anything. Defensive backs coach Jordan Peterson and senior safety Kenny Logan Jr. were key in that, in his mind.

And when McGhee thinks about how his transition has gone so far, too, he thinks about the connections hes made. Through just the initial weeks of spring ball, he feels he can already call his teammates his brothers. Its all building toward what could allow him to revitalize his career at Kansas, after leaving LSU.

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I felt like they was wasting my talent, so I just wanted to go somewhere I could show my talent, said McGhee, a redshirt sophomore, show everybody what Im about.

There are similarities and differences that McGhee has noticed, between Kansas and LSU, and when mentioning them he didnt touch on one school being in the Big 12 Conference and the other being in the Southeastern Conference. He sees similarities in how practices are run. He sees differences in just how much more connected he feels Jayhawks players and coaches are with each other.

Those connections showcase themselves everywhere, McGhee said. He could just be walking to class and people will approach him. Its made his transition that much easier, with that support network already in place.

McGhee went from 12 games played in 2021 to just one played in 2022, with a coaching change at LSU coming ahead of the latter. But he was still a 247Sports Composite four-star prospect out of high school. On a team at Kansas that champions competition among its players, hell continue to have opportunities through spring ball and beyond to show what hes capable of.

Im just trying to up my game, McGhee said. Im trying to be the best one on the field at everything.

When discussing what the other guys in his position group bring to the team, McGhee mentioned junior cornerback Cobee Bryant first as the hype man. McGhee then mentioned junior cornerback Mello Dotson as someone whos more quiet, but also elevates everyones play on the field. Redshirt senior cornerback Kalon Gervin, according to McGhee, is big on technique.

Looking at himself, McGhee said he has all of it and takes a little bit from everyone. He thinks hes benefiting from being in a system thats giving him the tools to improve while still being himself. And when it comes to his strength, either defending the pass or stopping the run, he chose the former.

Cover guy, McGhee said. But Ill come down and hit you.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Associations sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

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Here's why Damarius McGhee transferred to join Kansas football - The Topeka Capital-Journal