Kansas football: Kenny Logan Jr. will stand out in 2021

Kansas football will be in for some surprises this coming season under head coach Lance Leipold.

Among the changes, some talented Jayhawks have cut their tenure in Lawrence short, opting to find new programs to call their home. In the case of the Kansas defense, losing star corner Karon Prunty will hurt the cornerback position group.

However, it may be an opportunity for seasoned corner and returner Kenny Logan Jr. to step up after a solid 2020 season. The winless record didn’t make room for many highlights, but, Logan was one Jayhawk that made an impact during the past season.

Earning All-Big 12 honorable mention honors as a returner, Logan made some notable strides during his sophomore season. He would start in eight of nine games, totaling 40 solo tackles, a pair of interceptions, and a 100-yard kick-off return for a touchdown against Iowa State.

Logan’s spring development has gone well, and the introduction of an experienced staffer Jake Schnoonover could improve production from the special teams unit.

New direction

Joining Kansas from his previous job at Bowling Green, Schnoonover could open up new techniques for Logan to excel on returns, We’ve seen what Logan is capable of with the right support, and adding another weapon to the belt would be major for Coach Leipold.

https://twitter.com/theScore/status/1322607389212876802?s=20

Logan’s contributions won’t stop on special teams though, as his role on the defensive end may have just taken on more responsibility.

Losing a young, talented corner like Karon Prunty is a definite setback. Logan will be a leader come Week 1, and filling the gap Prunty is leaving won’t be an easy task. However, changes are coming defensively.

Kansas’ defense will see new leadership from new defensive coordinator Brian Borland but will have a familiar face in cornerbacks coach Chevis Jackson. With Nate Betts’ transition from safety to linebacker for his final season, defenders like Logan will need more support in 2021.

Whether Logan’s impact is seen heavily on one end or the other, the Jayhawks will need the best from him during his junior season. Without it, Kansas’ backfield will be in for a tough season.

Don’t count out any offensive minutes

This past season, Kansas had been in a tough spot offensively. Following former leading rusher Pooka Williams Jr.’s departure early in the year, the Jayhawks running attack had a tough time creating a spark.

Logan had expressed his interest in finding potential touches last season on offense, which wasn’t a bad idea considering Kansas’ situation. There’s a lot of avenues to take with Logan, giving him space is dangerous and can become an issue for opposing defenses.

Whether he’d be more comfortable receiving or rushing is up for debate, but, I wouldn’t mind seeing him testing out both of those roles. Logan’s been known to make defenders miss, and putting together a few plays to take advantage of his athleticism wouldn’t hurt.

This would require some collaboration between Logan, offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, and running backs coach Jonathan Wallace. It will interesting to see if this is something that ever comes to light, especially in crunch-time situations.

Even if used just a couple of times per game, there’s potential to make Logan into an offensive weapon. Besides finding touchdowns, there should be no doubt in fans’ minds that he can move the sticks. It just depends on whether or not Logan will get the chance.