Kansas will see a different BYU team when the Cougars come to Lawrence for Senior Day this fall.
The Jayhawks’ home finale lands in Week 12 of the regular season, and Kansas will be trying to make it three straight wins over BYU since the Cougars joined the Big 12 in 2023. To get a better read on what’s changed in Provo, CougarSportsInsider.com’s Jeff Hansen pointed to a BYU team coming off a 12-2 season and an 8-2 mark in Big 12 play, but one that has taken some major hits in the offseason.
The biggest loss, Hansen said, is Jack Kelly, who went to the NFL in the fifth round. Kelly was one of the league’s most productive linebackers, and his ability to close fast and make plays in the backfield made him a constant problem for opposing offenses. He finished with 10 sacks on a BYU defense that has had trouble generating pressure for several years.
BYU also lost a major piece in the passing game with Chase Roberts, who signed as an undrafted free agent. Roberts was a steady presence in the offense and piled up more than 2,500 receiving yards in his BYU career. No matter who was throwing him the ball, he was the target the Cougars could count on, and his departure leaves a real hole at wide receiver.
The third notable departure is tight end Carsen Ryan, a seventh-round pick who helped restore some life to the position at BYU. Ryan finished with more than 600 yards, stayed on the field almost all the time, and earned a reputation as both a leader in the locker room and a fan favorite.
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What stands out for Kansas is how much of that recognition is attached to new faces as much as familiar ones. Tre'Von McAlpine, Bam Crouch and Corey Gordon made the cut before even playing a game for the Jayhawks, a reminder that the transfer portal has become a major part of the talent pipeline in Lawrence. The Shrine Bowl 1000 is only an initial evaluation step in the lead-up to the 2027 NFL Draft process, but it still says plenty about how quickly Kansas has started to stock players who are drawing national notice. [Read more 🡒]