The Kansas football team did not use a lot of different players at linebacker in 2024.
Middle linebacker Cornell Wheeler (529 snaps) and weak-side linebacker JB Brown (608) were on the field together most of the time whenever they were both healthy, and Taiwan Berryhill Jr. (405) filled in otherwise. Safety Marvin Grant played a hybrid role, but no other actual linebacker appeared on more than 15% of KU’s defensive plays throughout the season.
This year, linebackers coach Chris Simpson knows that top players at his position will inevitably emerge for the Jayhawks over the course of fall camp — “At some point in time it still comes down to here’s the guys,” he said, “and those guys are probably going to play the majority of reps” — but right now, however, KU is essentially three-deep, with six primary contenders for two main linebacker spots, split between three transfers and three returners.
“There’s not much of a drop-off between this guy and that guy and that guy — and who those guys are, I don’t even know right now,” Simpson said.
In previous years KU had relatively clear first- and second-stringers at each linebacker position. As at many spots around the defense, that isn’t necessarily the case entering the 2025 campaign.
“When you compete, we’re going to see who’s who,” defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald said. “Even for all of us who got married, we had to compete for our wives. Unless she’s not very nice-looking, then you’re probably the only guy who went after her.”
McDonald said the players know that if they have a bad day of practice, they could find themselves with the second or third unit.
“Everybody’s getting opportunities right now,” Simpson said. “Everybody’s getting a fair share of reps right now. It’ll start to weed itself out here in the days to come, but right now I’m really excited about the depth and think we have a lot of guys that can help us win ball games.”
South Carolina transfer Bangally Kamara is a safe bet to figure in prominently at the weak-side “Will” position, and fellow transfers Trey Lathan (West Virginia) and Joseph Sipp Jr. (Bowling Green) have the experience and relevant traits to play frequently at the “Mike” spot.
But Jayson Gilliom, a fifth-year former safety from Suwanee, Georgia, is the longest-tenured Jayhawk in the room and the group’s primary leader — although, Simpson said, “I don’t know if it’s just one alpha male in the room right now, but I’m still pushing them.”
Meanwhile, Logan Brantley’s motor and Jon Jon Kamara’s unparalleled athleticism will get them in the conversation, and, Simpson told reporters on Wednesday that “even some of the young guys who you guys may or may not even know about are coming along.”
“Any one of us could go out there and play on Saturday … and the competition in the room, we always push each other to get better,” Gilliom said. “Even from the young guys like Malachi Curvey and Pickle (JaCorey Stewart) and Jon Jon, they’re outstanding. They could go out there and play on Saturday as well too.”
All indications entering the 2025 season have been that KU plans to spend more time with just the Will and Mike linebackers, providing more of a 4-2-5 look with a fifth defensive back.
That means, if there are in fact two linebacker spots, and under the assumption each player can theoretically play either, there are 30 possible pairings of the top six players for Simpson to sift through.
“For me and my room, those guys are all working with each other … and who’s working with who, I change that day to day, I change that drill to drill, and it’s all by design,” Simpson said.
He said he knows that either “a natural rotation” or injury issues will inevitably force many pairings into action during the season.
“I want to cross-train guys as much as possible that they can play multiple positions as much as we can, and I want everyone to feel comfortable, when I look to my right, and I look to my left, the guys that are around me, I’m good with it,” Simpson said. “I mix that up quite a bit. So they probably feel that, and maybe you guys too, that I’m mixing and matching a lot of pieces.”
Gilliom said the depth and versatility create “an elevated feeling of competition since the previous seasons.”
“Everybody’s getting better because of it,” he said.
Bowling Green linebacker Joseph Sipp Jr. (3) pursues a play on defense against Akron during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023, in Bowling Green, Ohio.
West Virginia’s Trey Lathan (19) in action against Pittsburgh during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Morgantown, W. Va.
APTOPIX –Pittsburgh linebacker Bangally Kamara (11) deflects a pass to Duke wide receiver Jordan Moore (8) in the end zone during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022, in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh won 28-26.
AP Photo/Rick Osentoski
AP Photo/Gregory Payan
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic