Previewing the Linebackers: 33 Days Until Kansas Football

We continue our positional previews by moving back through the defense. Up next is the linebackers.

Each week, we will take a deep dive into one of the 10 main position groups for the Kansas Jayhawks, highlighting the key players to watch and giving you an idea of what to expect from the position this year. This week, we continue with the defense as we move off the line but stick with the front seven. Today, we look at the linebackers.

Other Positional Previews:

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
  
• Offensive Line
• Defensive Line

Last Season

The Jayhawks had 5 different players who recorded significant snaps last season across the linebacking positions. Here is a list of each of those players (* - player is no longer with the team):

Player Name	Games Played	Total Tackles	Solo Tackles	Tackles For Loss	Sacks	QB Hits	Passes Defended	Interceptions	Fumbles Forced	Fumbles Recovered
Rich Miller	13	94	56	3	1	1	0	1	0	0
Taiwan Berryhill	13	46	28	6	2	1	1	0	0	0
Lorenzo McCaskill*	13	50	32	0.5	0	1	1	0	0	0
Craig Young	13	60	42	5.5	4.5	4	3	1	1	0
Eriq Gilyard	12	24	18	2	0	0	1	1	0	0

The Jayhawks played a very limited number of players at the position last year, which was helped by the large amount of 4-2-5 that they played. In fact, Craig Young played so much in the hybrid 5th DB position that he is listed as a cornerback on Pro Football Focus.

Young was the best rated returning linebacker, with a phenomenal pass rushing grade on Pro Football Focus. And his versatility helped him to have a huge impact on the team. But the Jayhawks had a real issue with coverage from the linebacking position, as neither Rich Miller or Taiwan Berryhill were able to really stop much.

Cause For Concern

The depth is still concerning. as the Jayhawks lost Lorenzo McCaskill and Eriq Gilyard but only brought in JB Brown from Bowling Green and freshman Logan Brantley. While the coaching staff has shown a willingness to scheme around the lack of depth, the linebacking core has to step up, especially in coverage this year.

Reasons for Optimism

The transfer portal only saw one linebacker come to the team, but it was with a much needed skill set. If you add in the extra development and the fact that the majority of the production returned, it's not hard to see that the unit takes a step forward this season. The only real question is how big of a step it is.

Projected Depth Chart

The Jayhawks played a lot more 4-2-5 last season than I expected, and I have a hard time thinking that they are going to shift away from that significantly.  But as the base defense is a 4-3, we'll include a depth chart for three linebacker positions, with the understanding that LB3 might actually be DB5 in a lot of cases.

LB1: Rich Miller/Logan Brantley

Miller was the best pure linebacker on the roster, and he continued his role as a vocal leader on the defense. It's impossible for me to imagine him not having a significant role as the starter.

And Miller had so many snaps last season that it is hard to imagine he will come off the field for any significant number of snaps. But if anyone is able to carve out minutes and snaps, it will be the freshman Brantley, a three star player out of Colorado that the coaching staff was fairly excited about.

LB2: Taiwan Berryhill/JB Brown

Berryhill had a great year last season, and the coaches lauded his development from season one to season two. I expect that development to continue, although he probably will need to get a big boost to his rushing defense.

Brown was brought in with a very specific charge: to help improve the running defense and coverage from the position. If he can get up to speed quickly, then he will have a big role this year.

LB3: Craig Young

There isn't a player quite like Craig Young, who was able to split time between the linebacker position and a hybrid safety/corner and have a huge impact last season. He will primarily be a linebacker, but the staff showed a propensity to drop him back into coverage and utilize him like a defensive back often. No one else on the team has that same skill set, and so I think Young will only sit spot snaps when he needs a break.

Depth

The Jayhawks don't have a guy who currently projects to be ready to step in and pick up a significant role on this team. I have to think that SOMEONE will be able to jump in there if needed, But I couldn't tell you if Alex Raich, Cornell Wheeler, or any of the various sophomores or freshman will be the main option off the bench.

Coaching Staff

Chris Simpson, who joined the staff in 2021 when Lance Leipold was hired is coming back for his third season of coaching the linebackers. Prior to coming to the Jayhawks, he coached for six seasons at Buffalo, also coaching the linebackers. He also has coaching stops at Eastern Michigan, Grand Valley State, Nebraska-Omaha and Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Simpson's units are best known for their consistency, with at least one player named to the All-MAC team in each of his seasons with the Bulls. It's fair to say that we have seen a lot of development in the last couple of seasons, but we are fast approaching the time that Simpson and staff need to fill in the talent gaps.

Overall Thoughts

This continues to be the thinnest position on the entire roster, with just enough core contributors to fill out the 2-deep and half of those being brand new to the team. But there are still a lot of interesting talents and guys that have shown great promise. I still firmly believe that it is only a matter of time before we see significant development, and the man they have leading the unit has shown the ability to get the best out of his players.

Last season the linebackers were the weak unit on the defense, but part of that was due to lack of options, and another part was due to being unable to pick up after the defensive line. The hope this season is that they can avoid those same issues.

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