Kansas football’s potential in 2025 will rely significantly upon its offensive line. Here’s more on how the group is looking during fall camp.
LAWRENCE — A lot of attention focused on Kansas football’s offensive line during the offseason, given the experience it has to replace from last fall.
Here are some takeaways about where the Jayhawks stand from the developments in fall camp:
Kansas has three anticipated starters on the offensive line
While three regular starters from last season have to be replaced, including both tackles, for some time, it’s been clear who at least three of the starters this season would be. That’s redshirt sophomore Calvin Clements at left tackle, redshirt senior Bryce Foster at center, and redshirt senior Kobe Baynes at one of the guard spots. Matt Lubick, KU’s co-offensive coordinator/tight ends coach, was one of several people happy to see Foster return to action after a summer injury led to him being limited for a time.
Kansas offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa highlighted that the greatest growth Baynes has made has been as a leader. Baynes has always been tough and physical, but now he has a better understanding of how to bring teammates along. The enthusiasm Baynes has is contagious.
Competition continues to fill Kansas’ starting 5
Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold said they don’t have the clarity yet that they would want at the other guard spot and right tackle, but neither he nor Agpalsa expressed any surprise that the competition for those jobs has lasted this long. Considering the extent they’ve tried to develop depth, without making a decision too quickly, it was always going to be possible.
At right tackle, redshirt senior Nolan Gorczyca and redshirt senior Enrique Cruz Jr. are the two names to watch. At the other guard spot, the focus is mainly on redshirt sophomore Tavake Tuikolovatu and redshirt junior James Livingston — although redshirt sophomore Amir Herring deserves a mention here, too.
Foster, as a center, is looking for the person who wins the remaining starting guard job to be someone he can trust. That’s both in knowing his teammate understands what to do and that the teammate can execute that job well.
Amir Herring, James Livingston are impressing
Tuikolovatu arrived as a transfer from UCLA, and Cruz as one from Syracuse, with the skillsets of potential starters. But Herring and Livingston have impressed during fall camp and helped foster competition for key roles this fall.
In Herring, there is someone Agpalsa said has proven to be reliable in the way they want everyone on their side of the ball to be. In Livingston, there is someone who has responded to the competition between himself, Herring, and Tuikolovatu well and raised his level of play.
Overall, the competition they’ve helped create could lead to Kansas rotating guys in more than they have in the past — regardless of which players become starters.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football position outlook: Studying Jayhawks' offensive line
Category: General Sports
