Kansas football: Top three players for Kansas three games into the season

There hasn’t been much to celebrate about Kansas football so far this year, especially after their blowout loss to Baylor 45-7 last Saturday. But even with very little progress on the field, the Jayhawks have some talented players.

Jason Bean

He hasn’t been perfect by any means, but quarterback Jason Bean has been a pleasant surprise for an offense that has had so many issues the last twelve years. He’s totaled 409 yards passing, 218 yards rushing, and has added five touchdowns through three games this season. And with his speed and arm strength, Bean can break off a big play at any moment.

In the Coastal Carolina game, he broke off two huge runs, each over 34 yards scoring touchdowns on both. It’s not often the fastest player on the field is the quarterback, but in Bean’s case, he’s easily the fastest player every time he steps on the field. This certainly makes things difficult for the opposing defense.

But, as stated above, he hasn’t been perfect. Although Bean hasn’t thrown an interception this year, he often cuts his reads short and pulls the ball down to run. And his option reads haven’t always been the sharpest. These are things that are fixed with time and repetitions, though.

As Leipold said in his media press earlier this week, many of these guys are getting on-the-job training, which isn’t something most college football teams have to deal with.

Kenny Logan Jr.

One of the projected leaders of the Jayhawks defense this year, Kenny Logan Jr., has proved himself to be just that. So far, in three games, he’s leading the team in total tackles with 23 and has added four pass breakups, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

But it’s not just what Logan has done on defense that makes him stand out; he’s also had a great year returning kick-off returns. Currently, he’s ranked 6th in the nation in yards per return and top 20 in total yards. Logan has only had the opportunity to return four kick-offs, and most teams will likely try to keep it away from him, but he definitely makes an impact when he does return a kick-off.

If Logan can add some interceptions to his list of impressive stats this year, he could potentially land himself on an all-Big 12 list. Also, he’s just a junior, and with his reported close relationship with head coach Lance Leipold, he’ll undoubtedly be back next year.

Kyron Johnson

When asked by KUSports.com about his 1.5 sacks, Kyron admitted he could do better but still likes where he’s currently at.

"Right now, I think I’m doing OK. Like I wouldn’t say I’m doing it at my best, because of how I’m playing. Sometimes I’ll find myself like being lackadaisical with something, and I’ll really have to snap out of it and actually get going."

Johnsons 1.5 sacks are enough to lead the team. In fact, the only other player to record a sack is fellow defensive lineman Malcolm Lee, who has currently recorded half a sack. But that’s the type of player Johnson is; he always wants to be better even if he’s doing a good job.

With his speed and athletic ability, he’ll certainly be on the opposing teams’ game plans week in and week out. This will make it more difficult for Johnson to make an impact in the way of sacks, but it will also open up opportunities for guys like Lee and Caleb Sampson to step up.

Even if he’s not padding the stat sheets, Johnson will be happy with whatever helps the team out because that’s simply the player he is. But if he can add some more sacks this year and be more consistent at pressuring the quarterback, it could make things a lot easier for a defensive that has clearly struggled so far this season.