Coach Jerry Brawner enters his fourth season at the helm of the Kansas Jayhawks, after a dissapointing 5-7 season in 2015 saw the Jayhawks miss a bowl for the first time since his hiring. Last year was more of a rebuilding year than anyone expected, and while most of the offense returns, a few key defenders have graduated. Last year's Achilles' heel was the defense, so losing key players to graduation was the last thing the Jayhawks can afford. Will 2016 be more rebuilding, or will the returning offensive seniors go out in a blaze of glory?

Quarterbacks
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Comp Att Yards TD INT Comp
Rate		 Yards/
Att.		 Sacks Sack Rate
Ryan Willis QB 6-4, 199 Jr 93 471 603 4804 41 34 78.1% 8.0 27 4.3%
Carter Stanley QB 6-2, 196 Jr 86 46 61 368 5 7 75.4% 6.0 0 0.0%
Matt Barrow QB 6-2, 206 Fr 79 Redshirt
Ryan Willis had a freshman year beyond expectations, but those expectations came burning to the ground in 2015. 4800 yards was a great mark in a 12 game season, but Willis' 41:34 TD:INT ratio cannot continue this season. Jayhawk coaches hope that the running game can alleviate some of the pressure Willis faced last season, and the junior forces less passes into tight coverage.

Carter Stanley returns for his second season as Willis' backup, and Matt Barrow will be the third quarterback after taking a redshirt last season.

Offensive Skill Players
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Touches Rushing
Yards		 Receiving
Yards		 Return
Yards		 TD Yards/
Carry		 Yds/
Catch		 % of Team
Touches		 % of Team
Yards
Corey Avery WR Grad 113 1101 38 7 9.7 18.4% 21.3%
Ben Johnson TE Grad 10 92 1 9.2 1.6% 1.8%
Derrick Neal WR 5-10, 173 Sr 90 90 871 6 9.7 14.7% 16.9%
Bobby Hartzog Jr WR 5-11, 188 Sr 84 76 867 8 11.4 12.4% 16.8%
Darious Crawley WR 5-11, 192 Sr 84 72 829 8 2.0 11.7 11.7% 16.0%
Bryan Webb WR 6-5, 218 So 78 42 381 3 9.1 6.9% 7.4%
Tyler Patrick WR 6-0, 178 Sr 83 80 717 8 9.0 13.1% 13.9%
Emmanuel Moore WR 6-0, 190 Jr 83 24 200 4 8.3 3.9% 3.9%
Taylor Martin HB 5-9, 194 Jr 83 44 197 2 4.5 7.2% 3.8%
Jordan Darling TE 6'4, 241 Sr 85 11 114 1 10.4 1.8% 2.2%
Pat Chambers CB 6-3, 181 Sr 88
1155 1 0.0% 0.0%
George Glover TE 6-4, 233 Fr 76
Jason Taylor HB 5-11, 181 So 79
Anthony Chavez HB 6-0, 195 Fr 68 Redshirt







Anthony Brothers TE 6-3, 273 Fr 66 Redshirt







Quarterbacks QB
51 -203 3 -4.0 8.3% -3.9%
With the graduation of Corey Avery, a converted halfback, the Jayhawks find themselves with four senior wide receivers, but no proven dynamic playmaker. Derrick Neal is easily the best receiver on the field for the Jayhawks, and will assume the #1 role played by Avery last season. Like with the quarterback, Jayhawk coaches hope that an improved running game can take the pressure off the passing game, and may lead to more open receivers downfield. Jayhawk coaches also hope that new 3-star tight end, George Glover, can put new pressure on the defense, as the Jayhawks will return to more 11 personnel this season than last year.

Due to his imposing 6-5 frame, sophomore Bryan Webb will move up to the #2 receiver this year, ensuring he stays on the outside. That leaves Bobby Hartzog, Darious Crawley and Tyler Patrick, all returning seniors with 70+ catches last season, filling out the slot and interior roles when the Jayhawks have 3-to-5 receivers on the field. Taylor Martin returns as the starting halfback, with Anthony Chavez, a very impressive pass blocker, expected to e to be the 3rd down back.

Slobs
Player Pos. Ht, Wt Year Rating Car. Starts Car. P'cakes Car. Sacks
Jayson Rhodes RT Grad 12 0 2
Will Smith LG Grad 8 1 2
Jacob Bragg C Grad 12 1 1
Joey Bloomfield LT Grad
D'Andre Banks RG Grad 4 5 5
Lee Mitchell LT 5-11, 303 So 81 Redshirt

Apa Visinia LG 6-4, 380 Sr 90 26 6 11
Joe Hill C 6-4, 320 So 81
Aaron Garza RG 6-3, 327 Jr 84 25 5 11
Dan West RT 6-7, 291 Sr 84 12 1 7
Marco Clark RT 6-5, 321 Fr 74 Redshirt
Kevin Jones LG 6-3, 294 So 78
Cory Burks C 6-4, 269 Fr 68
Marcus Rush RG 6-6, 339 Fr 74 Redshirt

Apa Visinia returns from a knee injury last season to lead the Jayhawk offensive line in his senior year. That's the good news for the Jyahwks. The bad news is that three other starters graduated, leaving the Jayhawks in the position of madly replacing starters for the season year in a row. The Jayhawks know they return skill at quarterback and outside -- but can the offensive line protect and open up holes long enough to utilize that skill?

Aaron Garza returns for his junior year as well. Garza was the only returning starter on the field last season, and the continuity will be welcome this year. Dan West will move from left tackle to right tackle, with JUCO transfer Lee Mitchell sliding into the left tackle spot.

Overall, the Jayhawk line will be more talented in 2016 than it was in 2015, but how quickly the returning starters gel with the new ones will be crucial to the success of the Jayhawk offense.

Defensive Line
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FumRec
Loren Massey DE Grad 16 3.4% 7 5 1 1 1
Jacky Dezir DT Grad 9 1.9% 1
Jace Sternberger DE 6-4, 228 Jr 78 1 0.2% 1
DJ Williams DT 6-4, 287 Sr 82 19 4.0% 5 4
Mike Caldwell DE 6-5, 270 So 78 15 3.2% 6 4
Josh Ehambe DE 6-2, 234 Sr 79
Michael Massey DE 6-6, 264 Fr 78 Redshirt
Steve Atkinson DE 6-5, 245 So 75
Tyrone Jenkins DT 6-1, 307 Fr 74 Redshirt
Lay Trion Jones DT 6-3, 293 Sr 78
Loren Massey graduates after two years starting for Kansas, leaving behind replacements that barely saw the field last season. Whether it's a sign of how quickly opposing offenses scored, or just a lack of rotation by Jayhawk coaches, only two non-starters on the defensive line registered even a tackle last season. Thankfully, two starters are back, leaving only Massey to be replaced by the young but talented Jace Sternberger. Sternberger brings a sideline-to-sideline range other Jayhawk defensive linemen don't have, and coaches hope that range will lead to more pressure on the quarterback.

Linebackers
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FumRec
Kyron Watson MLB Grad 57 12.1% 9 1 4
Joe Dineen OLB Grad 45 9.5% 12 2 1
Colton Goeas OLB Grad
0.0%
Daniel Wise OLB Xfer
0.0%
Travis Bridges MLB 6-2, 235 Jr 87 28 5.9% 6
Kyle Whitmore MLB 6-0, 221 Jr 85 Redshirt
Marcquis Roberts OLB 6-1, 223 Sr 85 24 5.1% 3 1 1 1
Keith Todd OLB 6-1, 221 So 75 Redshirt
Andrew Wiggins MLB 6-0, 236 So 77 1 0.2%
Dorance Armstrong LEO 6-4, 220 Jr 78 12 2.5%
Mike Gray MLB 5-10, 250 Fr 80 Redshirt






Paul Doty OLB 6-4, 242 Fr 72 Redshirt






Nathan Wright OLB 6-4, 236 Fr 78






Two starters leave the linebacking corps this season, which, like the defensive line, was inexplicably without much contribution from their backups. The two backups that did contribute, MLB Travis Bridges and OLB Marquis Roberts, both of whom saw roles in the base 3-4, return, and they'll be complemented by two JUCO transfers that see the field after redshirt seasons.

Dorance Armstrong, the DE/OLB hybrid in the LEO role, will return to that role again this season, pushing JUCO Keith Todd for time on standard downs. Redshirt freshman Mike Gray and four-star freshman Nathan Wright are the most likely young players to push for time as well.

Secondary
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating Tackles % of Team TFL Sacks Int PBU FF FumRec
Bazie Bates SS
Grad
45 9.5% 4 1 1
Colin Spencer CB Grad 30 6.4% 2 3 1
Jonathan Green SS
Xfer
15 3.2% 2 1
Matthew Boateng CB 5-11, 178 Sr 90 48 10.2% 3 2
Pat Chambers CB 6-3, 181 Sr 88 32 6.8% 1 2 2
Tyrone Miller FS 6-0, 183 Jr 87 49 10.4% 3 1 1 2 1
Fred McGuire SS 6-4, 229 Jr 79 Redshirt
Shaquille Richmond CB 5-11, 183 Jr 80 17 3.6% 3 3
Lee Davis CB 6-2, 197 So 78 5 1.1%





Damon Gibson CB 6-0, 174 Fr 72 Redshirt
Robbie Wilson FS 6-2, 210 So 75 4 0.8%


4

Donte Harrison FS 6-1, 213 Fr 72 Redshirt






Steven Willis SS 6-5, 217 Fr 76 Redshirt






Another year, another depleted Jayhawk secondary. While three of the four starters return, the lost pieces contributed 90 tackles and three interceptions.

Pat Chambers, a JUCO transfer two years ago, was a revelation last year, with 32 tackles among the team leaders, while also returning kicks, including one for a touchdown. Chambers, across from four-year starter Matthew Boateng, will probably be expected to be able to take on receivers without help, a risk Jayhawk coaches may be forced to take.

Tyrone Miller's knee injury in the middle of the season may be what led to the three game slide the Jayhawks suffered to end the yaer, as Miller's backup Robbie Wilson proved to not be up to the task of starting, and caused the coaches to get creative with their lineup. Miller's return should provide a stabling force in the middle of the secondary, and is welcome after the way last season ended.

Former JUCO Fred McGuire will slide into the starting role as strong safety, with redshirt freshman Steven Willis available to provide backup.

Specialists
Player Pos Ht, Wt Year Rating PAT FG FG Pct Punts Net Avg TB P I20
Ethan Greene K 6-0, 174 So 89 52 9 90% 1 K/O
JD Frederick P 6-3, 196 Jr 93
7 46.3 37 K/O 4
Juior punter JD Frederick will, for the second year, potentially be the most talented Jayhawk, even those fans and coaches alike would prefer he never takes the field. Frederick will also continue to serve as the kickoff specialist.

After hitting 90% of his kicks last season, sophomore Ethan Greene will hope to match, or exceed, that mark this season.