2021 CFP SEASON PREVIEW AUTUMN 11

KANSAS
#10 BIG XII: CONF 0-8, HOME 0-3, AWAY 0-5
Head Coach: Lance Leipold (1) OC: Andy Kotelnicki (1) DC: Brian Borland (1)
OFFENSE:
QB: Senior Miles Kendrick (647 YDS, 6 TD, 5 INT) started in the spring game. Sophomore Jalon Daniels (718 YDS, 1 TD, 4 INT) is also competing
for the starting role. Jason Bean (1131 YDS, 14 TD, 5 INT passing, 345 YDS rushing in 8 games) transferred in from North Texas. True freshmen
6’5 Conrad Hawley and 3-star Ben Easters enrolled early.
RB: Lost thousand-yard rusher of 2019 Pooka Williams Jr (196 YDS, 2 TD, opted out 4 games into 2020) to the NFL. Returns leading rusher
Velton Gardner (325 YDS, 2 TD), 235lb Amauri Pesek-Hickson (145 YDS as a true freshman) and Daniel Hishaw (229 YDS, 2 TD). Freshman Devin
Neal was the No.1 ranked prospect out of Kansas. Incoming freshman fullback Jared Casey is 254lbs.
WR: Andrew Parchment (197 YDS, 2 TD) and Stephon Robinson (35 YDS in 3 games in 2020, 727 YDS, 8 TD in 2019) transferred out. Ezra Naylor
(66 YDS) transferred to Tulsa. Kwamie Lassiter (458 YDS, 2 TD) will probably be the top target again. Also returns Luke Grimm (255 YDS, 2 TD).
6’3 Lawrence Arnold could get more looks with so many departures. Incoming freshman 4-star Quaydarius Davis was the highest-ranked recruit
in Rivals history to sign with the Jayhawks but was dropped from the class due to legal issues. Trevor Wilson (319 YDS, 3 TD) transferred in from
Buffalo.
TE: Returns top two receiving TEs 6’5 Mason Fairchild (57 YDS) and 6’7 Will Huggins (20 YDS, 1 TD).
OL: The line gave up an FBS worst 47 sacks last season. First-team All-MAC Center Mike Novitsky (starter only allowed 1 sack) and OT Michael
Ford (redshirted freshman year) transferred in from Buffalo. Colin Grunhard transferred in from Notre Dame. LG Malik Clark the best returning
lineman on the roster. Armaj Adams-Reed (started 3 games) is listed at 391lbs on the roster. Chris Hughes and Adagio Lopeti also have
experience at guard. Bryce Cabeldue will compete with Ford at OT.
DEFENSE:
DL: Projected starter Marcus Harris (27 TOT, 7.5 TFL) entered the transfer portal. 320lb DT Da’Jon Terry (14 TOT, 2 sacks) transferred to
Tennessee after playing in 8 games and making 2 starts in 2020 as a redshirt freshman. Harris and Terry were the two best defensive linemen
for KU last year. Returns Caleb Sampson (15 TOT), Sam Burt (15 TOT), Caleb Taylor (3 TOT as freshman) and Malcolm Lee (6 TOT, 1 INT). Kenean
Caldwell has good size at 330lbs. Returns DEs Kyron Johnson (42 TOT, 3 sacks, 1 FF) and Steven Parker (27 TOT). DE Zion DeBose (6 TOT, 1 sack)
transferred in from Virginia Tech. DTs Ronald McGee (7 TOT, 1 sack) and 325lb Eddie Wilson (21 TOT, 1 sack) transferred in from Buffalo. 6’5
Freshman D’Marion Alexander could see playing time as a DE/LB.
LB: Returns Gavin Potter (35 TOT, started last 5 games), Nick Channel (30 TOT, 2 sacks), Nate Betts (25 TOT, 1 FF) and Jay Dineen (9 TOT in 6
games). Rich Miller (13 TOT) transferred in from Buffalo.
SF: Returns Kenny Logan (58 TOT, 2 INT, 1 sack) and Ricky Thomas (42 TOT). Takulve Williams (58 YDS receiving) moved from WR to safety. True
freshman 3-star OJ Burroughs had a very good high school career in Florida and could get playing time. Freshmen Landon Nelson could see the
field too.
CB: Top corner Elijah Jones (24 TOT) transferred out. Freshman All-American Karon Prunty (26 TOT, 1 INT), who was competing for the starting
job, also transferred out to South Carolina. Returns Deuce Mayberry (11 TOT). Donovan Gaines should get on the field. Three-star freshman
Jacobee Bryant could play right away. 6’4 Jeremy Webb (38 TOT, 3 INT) transferred in from FCS Missouri State. Webb was originally at Virginia
Tech after playing JUCO but left after an injury.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
KR: Returns Jacob Borcila (6/9 FG, 10/10 PAT). Tabor Allen handled kickoffs and will again.
PR: Reis Vernon will be punting again (37.8 YD Avg). A breakout punt returner would be big for this team (averaged -1.3 return YDS).
SPIN
Lawrence, KS – Kansas played five teams that finished the season ranked in the Top 25, which tied with five other teams for the most. The
players campaigned hard for Emmett Jones to take over after the firing of Les Miles and it worked out.
Jones was the interim head coach until Lance Leipold was hired in May from Buffalo where he went 37-33,
had Buffalo ranked in the Top 25, won the school’s first ever bowl game and had a defense in 2019 that
ranked seventh nationally in total defense. Before KU, Leipold was head coach of D3 Wisconsin-Whitewater
where he won 6 national championships in 8 years with a record of 109-6. It will be tough to get the team
ready when Leipold didn’t have spring with the team. A few players transferred in from Buffalo which is a
good show of support for Leipold. Last season, KU almost beat Tech but lost the rest by at least two
touchdowns. The Jayhawks only averaged 15.8 points per game (5 th worst in FBS) and finished -4 in
turnovers. The hope is that Kansas will eventually be competitive. Avoiding an upset loss to South Dakota, a
win over Duke and a conference win would be considered a successful season. This sounds backwards but if
Kansas beat Coastal Carolina, it would be a big upset. Keep in mind nobody thought Arkansas would have
the year they did in 2020 but it’s tough to imagine Kansas having a magic season after not reaching 4 wins in
over a decade. Thankfully for KU, the teams that finished 6, 7, 8, 9 in the Big 12 will all travel to Kansas this
year. The best chances for the Jayhawks to pick up a conference win will be Baylor, Texas Tech and Kansas
State. The first two games of the year are on Friday nights which will not make the fans happy but it will
bring more views to the program. With the head coach joining the program so late and a few key players
transferring out, I do not think Kansas will win a conference game. I think they beat USD with their best
opportunity for another win coming at Duke.
Twitter @Autumn_Eleven