Kansas Jayhawks football coaches say kickoff, punt return teams are in good hands

Kansas’ football team enters the 2022 season expecting big things from its potentially explosive kickoff and punt return squads.

“I really like our specialists. I should say I love our specialists,” second-year KU football coach Lance Leipold said during one of his recent chats with reporters during preseason camp.

It’s true KU loses speedy punt return man Kwamie Lassiter II, who is trying to make the roster of the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals as a rookie free agent.

However, the Jayhawks do return kick returner deluxe Kenny Logan Jr.

Logan, a 6-foot, 210-pound senior from St. Augustine, Florida, brought back 15 kickoffs for 419 yards a year ago. That’s an average of 27.9 yards per kickoff return, ranking fourth in the Big 12.

“Kenny’s been here. He’s done it. I told him, ‘Hey let’s get one in the end zone. We’ve been so close. It’s always 60 to 70 yards … let’s get one in the end zone,’’’ said KU special teams coordinator Taiwo Onatolu.

Logan had a season-best kick return of 83 yards a year ago, but it didn’t result in a touchdown. During the 2020 season he did break free for an 100-yard return for a score versus Iowa State.

“The rest of those guys ... they are all good,” Onatolu said of other candidates to return kicks and maybe punts — Devin Neal, Trevor Wilson, Ky Thomas and Luke Grimm.

“I feel confident in all those guys. It doesn’t matter who we have back there. We’ve got guys that can run,” Onatolu added.

Neal is a 5-11 sophomore from Lawrence High expected to be the Jayhawks’ starting running back. Wilson is a 5-11 redshirt junior wide receiver from Tallahassee, Florida; Thomas, a 5-11 redshirt sophomore transfer running back from University of Minnesota, originally from Topeka, Kansas and Grimm a 6-0 junior receiver from Raymore, Missouri.

As far as the punt return game, KU needs to replace Lassister, who used up his eligibility after returning eight punts for 108 yards or 13.5 yards per attempt last season.

“Losing Kwamie Lassiter from last year, especially on punt return, has opened up some opportunities,” Leipold said. “We’re going to have to find somebody to make some great decisions. And, of course, secure the football.”

Onatolu mentioned Grimm as leading candidate to return punts. In fact, he was the only punt return man mentioned by the special teams coach.

“Luke has been really steady. He is sure-handed, with good vertical ability, can make guys miss,” Onatolu said. “Ky Thomas has done done a good job on kick return. He can make you miss.”

Onatolu said a starter such as Logan ideally would play on one or two special team units to avoid overuse in games.

“Kenny can’t start on four special teams because then he’s going to get beat deep (as a safety) and then he’s going to be exhausted when he’s playing defense. So he’s going to start on two at the most and probably one,” Onatolu stated.

As far as the kicking specialists .... place kicker Jacob Borcila, a 6-2 redshirt junior from Westerville, Ohio, is back after making 9 of 15 field goal tries a year ago. His longest make was 50 yards. He cashed 26 of 27 extra point tries. Punter Reis Vernon, a 6-2 junior from Bixby, Oklahoma, is back after averaging 40.4 yards per punt off 49 punts. He had a season-best punt of 59 yards.

Tabor Allen, who handled the kickoffs, returns after recording 35 touchbacks in his 52 kickoffs. He averaged 61.1 yards per boot. Allen is a 6-1 junior from Mansfield, Texas.

KU will open the season against Tennessee Tech at 7 p.m. Sept. 2 at Booth Memorial Stadium.

Open practice for fans set for Saturday

The Jayhawks will hold an open practice, free of charge, to fans on Saturday.

Gates will open at 8 a.m., with practice scheduled to begin around 8:30 a.m. at Booth Memorial Stadium.

KU officials said all fans should park on the west side of the stadium and enter through the southwest corner using Gates 1, 4 and 9 with elevators to accessible seating also available.

Fan seating will be on the west side of the stadium.