Lonnie Phelps Jr. looks like difference maker for Kansas football

There were several Kansas players who stood out in last Friday night’s win over the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles, but none more than defensive end Lonnie Phelps Jr.

Phelps, one of several talented transfers who joined the team this offseason, finished his KU debut with 7 tackles, 3 sacks, and 4 tackles for loss. His contributions helped the Jayhawk defense hold Tennessee Tech to just 97 yards passing and 93 yards rushing on the night.

His performance was awarded by being named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

According to KU, Phelps is the first Jayhawk to receive the award since linebacker Joe Dineen Jr. in November 2018.

That type of playmaking he demonstrated on Friday is just what this KU defense needed and was missing from a season ago.

Last year, the team finished with just 15 total sacks. The team already has 5 sacks after playing Tennessee Tech, and Phelps’ 3 sacks were the most by a KU defenseman since 2016.

His pass-rushing prowess should come as no surprise considering he racked up 9.5 sacks last year at Miami (Ohio).

Nevertheless, Phelps’ ability to rush the quarterback really opens things up for other defensive linemen like Sam Burt, Malcolm Lee, and others to get pressure up the middle. It also keeps the secondary from having to cover receivers for long periods of time and giving up big plays down the field.

Phelps also brings an infectious energy that can spark a team and a crowd. You could see the passion after every big play he made, and that can make such a difference in a close game. Those are intangibles that can’t be coached but can be crucial for a young team and a rebuilding program.

He will need to bring that effort and energy again this week as the Jayhawks kick off their Big 12 slate on Saturday at West Virginia. Based on what we saw last week, it doesn’t look like that will be a problem.

The Jayhawks will kickoff against the Mountaineers at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+.