Kansas football: What can we expect from Velton Gardner in 2021?

Kansas football has a few talented names in the backfield, and this summer will pose as an opportunity for junior running back Velton Gardner to get back in the game.

Leaning his support behind former leading rusher Pooka Williams Jr. last year, Gardner was a regular part of the Jayhawks’ rushing rotation. After Williams’ early departure, things got shaken up a bit.

Suffering a midseason injury, Gardner missed the remainder of the 2020 season and Kansas was placed in a tough spot rushing-wise. This allowed for a couple of younger names to emerge, however, the offense didn’t see much relief.

By the time Gardner was placed on the injured list, the then-sophomore was averaging 4.5 yards on 72 carries, which isn’t bad for Kansas. According to 247 Sports, he’s a candidate for the RB2 spot once again behind strong sophomore back Amauri Pesek-Hickson, who made an excellent impression late last season with the Jayhawks.

Despite appearing in only six games, the stat sheet doesn’t count out the fact that he may have made a difference, in the event he stayed healthy.

Gardner has played his first two seasons under former head coach Les Miles, and while coaching transitions are hard, it may be Leipold’s new program that brings him back new and improved. Only time will tell whether that’s the truth.

Now, there’s a fresh start ahead of his junior season. New leadership from Coach Leipold’s staff, along with a familiar face in running backs coach Jonathan Wallace, could help push Gardner in the right direction to make a strong comeback.

Another important factor is the support behind Gardner, which may end up being a crucial part of this offense next season. Both Daniel Hishaw and Amauri Pesek-Hickson found a great experience last season, which will also heat up the competition this time around.