When the Kansas football team opens preseason camp in a couple of weeks, a veteran with starting experience will join the fray along the offensive line.
A graduate transfer from the University of Houston, Alex Fontana is eligible to play this fall for the Jayhawks, Jon Kirby of Jayhawk Slant reported.
A 6-foot, 305-pound lineman originally from Toronto, Canada, Fontana sat out the 2017 season at Houston due to injury.
In 2016, though, Fontana appeared in 11 games for the Cougars and started five. In his lone season playing at UH, Fontana finished third on the team with 32 knockdown blocks and received a 75 percent grade on 537 snaps.
His college football carer began at New Mexico Military Institute, where he was the starting center.
In 2016 he garnered a two-star rating from Rivals before signing with Houston.
KU offensive line coach A.J. Ricker worked at Houston in 2016, when Fontana played a key role there.
Fontana, who graduated from UH in May and has been at KU since June, has experience playing both guard and center.
He will compete with KU junior Andru Tovi for the starting center job.