They often say the linebacker core is the quarterback of the defense. A principle in football is that without strong linebackers, your defense is going nowhere fast. Without linebackers who can read the play, even paltry offenses can snuff out yards thanks to the gaps left by a confused core of linebackers.
For the Jayhawks, there was a large emphasis put on their ability to reel in linebackers through the portal. Perhaps the biggest name in the portal that Kansas had landed was Bangally Kamara. Kamara had been at both Pitt and South Carolina before making the move to the Jayhawks and was rated by 247Sports as a .9200-rated transfer.
While Kamara has impressed in his first season, West Virginia transfer Trey Lathan has solidified himself as one of the best linebackers in the Big 12. Lathan compiled 79 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and two sacks. While there were questions over his pass coverage game when he joined the team, this season, in nearly every aspect, Lathan has been exceptional.
Thus far, Lathan has been flying around the defense with 28 tackles, two passes defended, one interception, and one 1.5 sacks, asserting himself all over the field.
In Max Olson’s ESPN article titled “College football September transfer surprises,” Lathan was given heap of praise
“Lathan started 18 games over the past two seasons at West Virginia but moved on during the coaching change and opted to stay within the Big 12 at Kansas…The Jayhawks did a sneaky-good job of reloading on defense this offseason with under-the-radar portal pickups like Lathan, Bangally Kamara (South Carolina), Leroy Harris III (Chattanooga) and Lyrik Rawls (Oklahoma State), who have helped lead a 3-1 start.”
This season, Kansas has managed a decent 47th-ranking in passing yards allowed with 186.2 yards given up through the air per game. On the ground, the Jayhawks have totaled an inferior 133 yards per game on the ground, which touts the 65th-worst mark in the nation.
Up next for the Kansas Jayhawks is an away trip to Cincinnati, where Kansas fans will have to set their alarm clocks a bit earlier than usual as kickoff against the Bearcats takes place at 11 AM CT.
This season, the Bearcats have compiled a 2-1 record and have flexed an elite offensive line that has given up zero sacks all season long, with quarterback Brendan Sorsby tossing eight touchdowns to just one costly interception against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in late August.