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A big flaw from last season could be why there are doubts around Kansas football

The Kansas Jayhawks' defensive line struggled but there is help on the way.
ByConnor Mardian|
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Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold reacts to a play during the game between Fresno State and Kansas at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025.
Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold reacts to a play during the game between Fresno State and Kansas at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The 2025 campaign was gut-wrenching to say the least for Kansas football fans. For one, longtime quarterback and school hero Jalon Daniels bowed out without a bowl appearance as Kansas finished 5-7. 

There was also a bit of salt in the wounds with a majority of Kansas’ losses. 

Yes, back-to-back 42-17 losses against Texas Tech and Kansas State are embarrassing in their own right. A 38-14 loss at the hands of Iowa State certainly didn’t raise the mood either. 

But in Kansas’ 42-31 loss to Missouri, 37-34 loss to Cincinnati, 24-20 loss to Arizona and 31-21 loss to Utah, those endings finished with such a flatness, it's hard to completely shake that apathetic feeling.  

There are many reasons why KU suffered back-to-back bowl-less seasons. The Jayhawks never got their fourth quarters in shape; they struggled to score in the red zone, and their crunchtime rushing defense was paltry, but allow us to put something not thrown around as much: Kansas’ ability to get at the quarterback. 

If the Jayhawks had gotten more into the opposition's face, then they may have added another crucial win

Last season, Kansas averaged just 1.9 sacks per game, good for No. 74 in the country. To make the situation worse, KU allowed 184.1 rushing yards per game, 105th-worst in the FBS. In terms of sack rate, Lance Leipold’s defense finished 73rd in team sack percentage last Fall at 5.92%.

In games against Cincinnati, Arizona and Missouri, late touchdowns that sealed the game came off of late runs into the end zone. Without a line that can either get at a quarterback or close holes for runners, it's hard to expect consistent success. 

Adding former cult hero to the coaching staff may flip fortunes

Currently marshalling Kansas’ defensive line is tackles coach Jim Panagos and ends coach Joe Dineen. 

With the help of Panagos, Kansas finished the 2023 season with a 9-4 record, signaling the heights that KU can reach; however, since then the mood has flattened, and while Panagos has an impressive track record at Rutgers and Minnesota as a defensive line coach, he will hope to respark those successes heading into next season. 

Dineen, on the other hand, has yet to coach a game with the Jayhawks. Having enjoyed a legendary career as a linebacker with the program in the 2010’s, Dineen has rocketed up the coaching ranks and comes back to his alma mater after two seasons at Purdue. Prior to that, Dineen was with Illinois and SMU; however, with the Boilermakers is where he made a name for himself, as in his first season with the Big Ten school, Purdue ranked inside the conference’s top-three in both sacks and tackles for loss. 

With the addition of Dineen, Kansas may be able to find its footing better than in years past. Dineen has already gotten off to a hot start on the recruiting trail, reeling in 2027 edge rusher Clarence Johnson. According to 247Sports, Dineen and Panagos were credited with being the main recruiters for the nation’s 41st-ranked edge rusher.

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