The Kansas Jayhawks had to take on a new offensive line this season after losing three starters from 2025 in Bryce Foster, Kobe Baynes and Enrique Cruz Jr.
Now among the transfer-laden core is Calvin Clements, Amir Herring, Kasen Carpenter, Tavake Tuikolovatu and Nick Morrow. Last season, only Clements and Herring got on the field consistently for KU, as Carpenter and Morrow are transfers, and Tuikolovatu was a rotational piece.
“I thought they played well again, as we talked all fall long, we got a lot of guys in, got a lot of reps with those guys, first time really working together, rotating a lot of tackle spots, so we’ll have to continue to strike the consistency across the board,” opened Kansas head coach Lance Leipold to the media on Monday when speaking about Kansas’ dominant 51-6 win over the LIU Sharks.
Against LIU, the Jayhawks finished with 613 total yards, including 336 through the air and 277 on the ground. The scoring numbers become even more impressive when you realize that KU only finished the first period with a 6-0 lead. Kansas also went a strong 8/13 on third downs and 2/3 on fourth downs, constantly keeping the chains moving.
The tests will only get harder from here
While you should never underestimate any opposition, this is an LIU team that came into this matchup already having played one game this season in a 42-21 loss to North Dakota. Meanwhile, next week it will be up against the nation’s No. 25 Missouri Tigers, something Leipold mentioned to the press.
“But, for a first game, I think we had one negative play, maybe on a pass, play to be outside. Other than that, we didn’t have any sacks, or negative runs. That part was really clean. Need to clean up the holding…We know it's gonna be a lot different test on Friday night.”
While the Tigers are dramatically different from last season across the team, that doesn’t mean you can completely forget that Mizzou totaled 229.1 rushing yards per game, 8th-best in the FBS and only behind second-place Utah (265.8), for the most in power-conference football. Overall last season, Missouri totaled 404.3 total yards per game, good enough for 38th in the country en route to their 8-5 season under Eli Drinkwitz.
Against week one opponent Arkansas-Pine Bluff, the Tigers totaled 562 yards, with Ole Miss transfer quarterback Austin Simmons zipping 252 yards and 4 touchdowns on an 89.4% competition rate. Leading Missouri on the ground was Jamal Roberts. Last season, when the two squared off in a 42-31 thriller, Roberts put the icing on the cake with a 63-yard touchdown run with 1:49 to play that sent Kansas to a 2-1 record and propelled the Tigers to a 2-0 beginning. Roberts led Missouri in carries with 13 as star running back Ahmad Hardy was ruled out of week one during the preseason as he is currently not fit to play after being shot in the leg earlier this year.
While no one knows what this game will hold, or if it will come close to last season’s scoring fest, Kansas’ offensive line will have a big part to play in keeping redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall standing in what will be his most important college action to date.
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