<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1FIvKQ_0tRN98oP00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1FIvKQ_0tRN98oP00" width="1182" height="619" >After he spent four years at Tiffin University — a Division II program — <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/shane-bumgardner-46146307/">Shane Bumgardner</a> was ready for a new opportunity. Following the departure of the coaching staff at Tiffin, Bumgardner decided to enter the transfer portal. The winner of the Division II Rimington Trophy, which is given annually to the top center at each level of college football, Bumgardner had options. Programs like <a href="https://247sports.com/college/buffalo/">Buffalo</a>, <a href="https://247sports.com/college/bowling-green/">Bowling Green</a> and <a href="https://247sports.com/college/old-dominion/">Old Dominion</a> all extended offers to him. In the end, <a href="https://247sports.com/college/kansas/article/kansas-football-transfer-portal-center-shane-bumgardner-224967007/">he decided to join the KU program</a> after the coaching staff extended an offer.At the time, <a href="https://247sports.com/Coach/scott-fuchs-4747/">Scott Fuchs</a> was still KU's offensive line coach. But within a few weeks of Bumgardner's arrival on campus, Fuchs left for the NFL. Bumgardner called it "a little curveball" that came his way early in his KU career. And he readily admitted it initially took him time to acclimate to life at KU."It's been good. It took me a little longer to get acclimated than I thought it was," Bumgardner said. "It's a lot different than Tiffin, with facilities and everything but I'm doing well. Now I'm getting used to everything and utilizing all of it, weightlifting and everything."<a href="https://247sports.com/Coach/lance-leipold-3569/">Lance Leipold</a> has talked plenty about the acclimation process for transfers over the last few years. Oftentimes, the speed at which KU practices can take some time getting used to, as KU moves faster and in a more organized way than some other programs. Bumgardner called it a "shock" at first when he was trying to get used to practice but said he found a groove. Something else that can be different for FCS or Division II transfers making the jump up to the Power 4 level is the resources and structure available to help players. That also took some time getting used to."I feel pretty comfortable [now]," Bumgardner said. "The very first thing, the schedule was a little different than a D-II school. There wasn't as much in the day [at Tiffin]. We would just lift and work out and be done and didn't have all the meetings and meal check-ins. But I kind of like it better having the schedule set up for you."When KU added Bumgardner, Leipold said the expectation was that he needed to be ready to contribute right away. Leipold is looking for just his third center in the last nine years, as the head coach had <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/mike-novitsky-46042751/">Mike Novitsky</a> who started five years and <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/james-ohagan-36649/">James O'Hagan</a> who started for four years at Buffalo. And with Novitsky now pursuing a professional career after graduating, there is a space available at center.During spring practice, Bumgardner worked at center along with <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Michael-Ford-Jr-46082294">Michael Ford Jr.</a> and occasionally <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/Deondre-Doiron-46059193">Dre Doiron</a>. Bumgardner and Ford are on track to go into preseason camp competing for the starting center job, though KU is also involved with Texas A&amp;M transfer <a href="https://247sports.com/Player/bryce-foster-46037122/">Bryce Foster</a>, who has multiple years of starting experience at center. But even though Bumgardner is competing with Ford and Doiron for a role, he said it was those two teammates who helped him the most during his adaptation process at KU.For Bumgardner, spring practice was a time to get used to his new surroundings, his new offensive line coach <a href="https://247sports.com/coach/Daryl-Agpalsa-3572">Daryl Agpalsa</a> and an offense that was different to him."I'm still learning the offense because it's not very similar to Tiffin in any way," Bumgardner said in the middle of spring. "So I'm just trying to learn some new things and getting comfortable with it."Between the end of spring practice and the start of preseason camp in August, the senior has a few things he's working on to be able to win a starting job."Just become more comfortable with offense and build some confidence in it," Bumgardner said. "I'm starting to get a lot more confidence in it [during spring practice] but I just want to master it and not have any questions about anything."</div></body>

Mountain View, CA

NewsBreak

Kansas OL Shane Bumgardner used spring practice to get comfortable in his new surroundings

After he spent four years at Tiffin University — a Division II program — Shane Bumgardner was ready for a new opportunity. Following the departure of the coaching staff at Tiffin, Bumgardner decided to enter the transfer portal. The winner of the Division II Rimington Trophy, which is given annually to the top center at each level of college football, Bumgardner had options. Programs like Buffalo, Bowling Green and Old Dominion all extended offers to him. In the end, he decided to join the KU program after the coaching staff extended an offer.

Kansas OL Shane Bumgardner used spring practice to get comfortable in his new surroundings

Comments / 0