Get this newsletter in your inbox every Friday. Available to free and paid subscribers. Hit the "subscribe" button and sign-up today! And share with a fellow Jayhawk fan while you're at it.

There’s something to be said about family help in our time of need.

That’s who Kansas linebacker Cornell Wheeler turned to to set himself right. Also, don’t count out the KU football team after its loss to Texas. And speaking of the Longhorns, the Jayhawks volleyball team is ready to wreck shop in Austin.

This is Wave the Wheat, and here are 5 Things You Missed This Week.

5 — Preseason picks

Yeah, yeah preseason picks often don’t mean diddly, but what they can do is hype us up for a season. So take the time to read this preseason all-Big 12 team that features three Jayhawks from the women’s hoops team.

4 — Bright future

Look, we’re not going to dwell on the KU football team’s loss to 3rd-ranked Texas last week. It’s on to the next game. That said, there were encouraging signs that coach Lance Leipold has this team on the right track. As our Matt Tait points out, KU may not be that far behind.

3 — Final clash

Speaking of the Longhorns, the current KU volleyball roster doesn’t feature one player on roster who last beat Texas. And with one final chance before the Longhorns move to the SEC next season, the 17th-ranked Jayhawks are ready to prove themselves in Austin. “We thrive in electric environments,” senior middle blocker Kim Whetstone tells Wave the Wheat.

2 — Eye catching

Rather than redshirting this season, KU freshman Jamari McDowell could play an important role for the Jayhawks men’s basketball team. As Matt Tait says, “he’s long, athletic, crafty and competitive.” Instead of learning from a slew of veterans, McDowell may find himself in a critical spot in the rotation — and in a hurry.

1 — Patience, patience, patience

After suffering a groin injury that had him questioning if he’d be able to recover to his preseason self, KU linebacker Cornell Wheeler turned to the one person he can always count on: his brother.

Get this newsletter in your inbox every Friday. Available to free and paid subscribers. Hit the "subscribe" button and sign-up today!

— For tickets to all KU athletic events, visit kutickets.com