LAWRENCE — As spring ball progressed through early April for Kansas football, Shane Bumgardner admitted the acclimation process took a bit longer than he thought it would.

Bumgardner, a redshirt senior offensive lineman, may have been named the top center in Division II for the 2023 season while at Tiffin. He may have been recruited as a transfer the KU coaching staff thought could earn a spot to play for the Jayhawks. But that didn’t mean it wouldn’t take time to get used to things, like the initial shock of the pace of Kansas practices.

Bumgardner, though, also mentioned as spring ball wound down that month that everything was also starting to slow down for him. He highlighted his comfort level, and how much he likes the thorough schedule he now has each day. Earning the role of the Jayhawks’ starting center this fall will be a demanding process, but a responsibility he’s committed to working for.

RELATED: Lessons learned: Travis Goff reflects on his father's Dodge City Community College honor

RELATED: Kansas basketball will face Duke in 2024 Vegas Showdown this upcoming season

“It’s kind of challenging at first, because you’ve got to earn the respect of the guys and you’ve just got to do that from playing well and knowing your assignments,” Bumgardner said. “So, just trying to do that every day.”

After Bumgardner elected to transfer from Tiffin, the recruiting process in the portal started slow. But after receiving offers from some Group of Five programs, then-Kansas offensive line coach Scott Fuchs gave Bumgardner a call and he eventually decided to join the Jayhawks. Although Fuchs’ departure for a NFL job served as a bit of a curveball for Bumgardner, he’s enjoyed getting to know Fuchs’ replacement — Daryl Agpalsa.

Agpalsa might be new to Kansas as well, but he isn’t new to head coach Lance Leipold. Agpalsa has worked with Leipold in the past, and Leipold noted at one point it only took a meeting or two to be reminded of the caliber of teacher Agpalsa is. New offensive coordinator/assistant head coach Jeff Grimes has also expressed confidence in Agpalsa’s ability to develop the offensive line.

Agpalsa indicated in a perfect world, where they would have Bumgardner for longer than the time they will, they might cross-train Bumgardner across multiple positions as they like to do with their linemen. Agpalsa even left the door open to some potential tinkering in the fall. But at least in spring Agpalsa’s goal seemed to be getting Bumgardner comfortable at center.

It helps, of course, that Bumgardner has experience snapping with the quarterback under center. With Grimes’ arrival, comes the possibility that will be a more prominent part of the offense in 2024. Bumgardner explained he just has to learn his quarterbacks.

“I know coach Leipold has said this a long time, the way we practice, the ability for our development with both our first, second and a lot of times even our third group — it’s tremendous, man,” said Agpalsa, who noted Bumgardner was getting reps with the first and second teams. “There’s a lot of great competition, obviously, with Dominick Puni and Mike Novitsky leaving. There’s a lot of competition for spots and that’s where we want it right now. So, he’s doing a great job.”

That competition has seen Kansas work senior offensive lineman Michael Ford Jr. and redshirt junior offensive lineman Dre Doiron at center this spring, too. As Leipold’s explained it, it’s not just about finding the five starters but moving pieces around so there’s the necessary versatility. At some point in fall camp Leipold and Agpalsa will meet in Agpalsa’s office, talk about who’s in line to start, and discuss what would happen if a starter has to miss time.

Leipold alluded to a desire to having the sixth-best lineman move into the lineup at his natural position, and adjusting the positions of the five linemen who’d then be in the game from there. It follows the thinking Grimes has mentioned, of wanting a top eight of linemen with the next three backing up the starters being a center, interior player and swing tackle. That way, the line can continue to perform as best it can.

Whatever happens, Ford and Doiron are two Bumgardner said have helped him gain a better grasp of the offense. Looking ahead to his focus after spring ball, Bumgardner mentioned he wants to be able to master the offense so he doesn’t have any questions. And regardless of how long it takes for Bumgardner to get there, he’s already played with a poise that caught Ford’s attention.

“I noticed that when I formed a relationship with him off the field, and he carried that on the field,” Ford said. “So, I was like, ‘OK, bet.’ Like, that’s just who he is as a person, and as an o-line that’s one of the most important things — to stay composed even when things aren’t going your way.”

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

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Can Shane Bumgardner become the starting center for Kansas football?