Kansas’ defensive front last season needed some work. Overall last season, KU finished with the 95th-ranked defense, which allowed 409.5 yards per game. While there are certain graces offered to a first-year defensive coordinator like D.K. McDonald, there were too many gaps in the way KU played; often taking the wrong angles of pursuit or not hitting gaps correctly became an everyday occurrence last season.
However, the Jayhawks made an all-around effort to improve this during the offseason, enlisting 15 transfers on defense in what 247Sports ranked as the nation’s 53rd-best class.
Yet their biggest addition might be a player who could attain an extra year of eligibility
Justice Finkley could help shore up last season’s gaps
With the NCAA in the wild-west state that it is currently in, several players are looking for an extra year of eligibility. Earlier this month, a preliminary injunction by U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney opened the door for players who had exhausted all four years of eligibility under the previous model and never used a redshirt.
Of the many names involved, Finkley could be a game-changer for KU.
While it may seem counterintuitive to bring a piece that was a part of that defense, Finkley was one of the few who excelled.
“Kansas enters the 2026 season replacing every starter from its defensive line, making Finkley an intriguing potential return candidate under the ruling…” opens Cody Nagel in his CBS Sports article titled “One more year? College football players who could return in 2026 amid court injunction over NCAA eligibility.”
“Even so, Finkley would be a logical addition if the Jayhawks have the opportunity to bring him back. After transferring from Texas ahead of the 2025 season, he started all 12 games for Kansas and finished with 27 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.”
If Finkley were to return, he would be able to perfectly slot into the left defensive end spot, replacing Alex Bray and staying ahead of David Santiago; however, Finkley can put in work on either side of a defensive front.
How Finkley’s return could be perfectly timed
Earlier this week, when speaking with the media, head coach Lance Leipold broke the news that everyone feared by announcing that nose tackle Tre’Von McAlpine was going to miss the entire season after undergoing a season-ending surgery during the spring.
Of course, while McAlpine and Finkley play on different parts of the line, being able to keep pressure on the outside with Finkley could help whoever has to step in at nose tackle, at least slightly relieving the pressure on the defensive tackles.
If Finkley was introduced back to the program, it would have to be a quick turnaround as KU is now under a month away from their season-opener against LIU on September 4th. This may mean he would have to slowly work himself back into full fitness, but with two power-conference programs in four of Kansas’ first four games, there is no time to waste.
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