Carson Bruhn had every reason to feel deflated when Andy Kotelnicki left Kansas for the offensive coordinator job at Penn State. Bruhn had been recruited by Kotelnicki in high school, committed to KU in April of his junior year and then watched the coach depart roughly seven months later. Even so, Bruhn still signed his letter of intent just weeks after the move because he trusted the plan Kansas had in place.
Now, with Kotelnicki back calling plays for the Jayhawks, Bruhn’s mood has flipped in a big way. The Sioux Center, Iowa, native said he’s thrilled to be working again with the coach he originally committed to, and he likes the way Kotelnicki has used tight ends such as Tyler Warren at Penn State.
"It was devastating when he left," Bruhn said. "But when I saw he came back, it was awesome.
Because I know how good of an OC he is. I know how well he uses tight ends like Tyler Warren at Penn State.
It's a great example of how you can use larger tight ends, both in the past game and run game too. He's bringing some great creativity and a great mind."
Bruhn’s own role last season showed why Kansas is leaning on him this fall. After not playing in a game as a freshman, he became a meaningful piece in 2025, appearing in eight games and starting five before a season-ending foot fracture. He finished with five catches for 55 yards and earned above-average grades as both a pass blocker and run blocker.
The tight end room around him looks different now, and Bruhn said the group’s depth is giving Kansas flexibility. Leyton Cure is back as another returner, while transfers Jailen Butler and Carter Moses have joined the mix along with freshmen Kevin Sullivan and Jack Utz. With so little returning production, Bruhn said the Jayhawks are trying to get every tight end as many reps and as much experience as possible, with different players rotating through different parts of the offense.
That kind of usage is exactly what Bruhn wants more of this fall. He pointed to the ways Kotelnicki has featured tight ends in the past, including Mason Fairchild, and said he’s working to become a more complete weapon in the middle of the field and in the run game.
"With Coach [Kotelnicki], you see a lot of film with Tyler Warren, and like other tight ends he's coached in the past, like Mason Fairchild," Bruhn said. "You see the mid-range catches, like 12 to 15 yards, middle of the field, type of catches. I'm working on creating separation from defenders, hauling those catches in, as well as really running off wide zone and being able to crack down on gap schemes."
Bruhn’s spring also carried the edge of a comeback story. He fractured his foot on the second play against Kansas State in KU’s eighth game of the season, then went to the locker room after the drive and learned via X-ray that his year was done. He didn’t let it knock him off course.
Two weeks into winter conditioning, he was healthy again, and that quick recovery has set him up for a strong spring and a hopeful summer.
"There's always gonna be adversity in football," Bruhn said. "It's how you respond, not how that adversity impacts you, it's how you respond to that.
I'm back, and over this. I'm stronger, faster, a bigger guy.
I think I was 100% about two weeks into winter training. So I've been 100% for a while now.
We're excited for what's to come."
In Other News...
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For Jayhawks fans, the most notable part is not just that Kansas is in the conversation, but where its freshman sits among the leagues projected prospects. The broader mock underscores how crowded the Big 12 race for draft attention could be, with Arizona, Baylor, BYU and West Virginia also factoring in, even if the order and final landing spots are still a long way from settled. [Read more 🡒]
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The broader question for Kansas is why a player like Wagler never fit the Jayhawks early recruiting lens. The program has long leaned toward nationally ranked prospects, while Wagler was not the sort of name that typically came attached to major shoe-sponsored AAU buzz or immediate five-star attention. Illinois ultimately got the benefit of that evaluation gap, and the ripple effect has only made the missed opportunity feel larger around Lawrence. [Read more 🡒]
Border Showdown Uncertainty Is Leaving Kansas Fans Asking The Same Thing
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Kansas also has recent proof of why the matchup matters. The Jayhawks handled Missouri 80-60 last season behind Tre Whites 20 points and a strong shooting night from the team, a reminder that the rivalry can still deliver a decisive result even in a lopsided stretch. With the schedule now hanging in the balance, the question is no longer just about one more game, but about whether the Border Showdown gets the staying power its history suggests it deserves. [Read more 🡒]