Kansas spent the offseason trying to patch up a defense that gave up too many big chunks a year ago, but the most useful addition for 2026 might not be one of the 15 transfers it brought in. It might be a familiar face.
Justice Finkley is the name to watch as Kansas waits to see whether he can gain an extra year of eligibility. That possibility comes after a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney opened the door for players who had used all four years under the old model and never took a redshirt.
For the Jayhawks, that matters because the defensive line is headed for a reset. Cody Nagel of CBS Sports highlighted Finkley as a possible returnee, writing, “Kansas enters the 2026 season replacing every starter from its defensive line, making Finkley an intriguing potential return candidate under the ruling…”
Nagel added, “Even so, Finkley would be a logical addition if the Jayhawks have the opportunity to bring him back. After transferring from Texas ahead of the 2025 season, he started all 12 games for Kansas and finished with 27 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.”
That kind of production stands out on a unit that finished 95th nationally last season and allowed 409.5 yards per game. Kansas did plenty of work to address the problem, but Finkley was one of the few linemen who consistently held up.
If he comes back, he could slide right into the left defensive end spot, taking the place of Alex Bray and staying ahead of David Santiago. He can also line up on either side of the front.
The timing would be tight. Lance Leipold told the media earlier this week that nose tackle Tre’Von McAlpine will miss the entire season after season-ending surgery in the spring. McAlpine and Finkley don’t play the same spot, but any help on the edge would make life a little easier for whoever steps in inside.
Kansas opens the season against LIU on September 4th, and the schedule doesn’t leave much room to ease anyone in. The Jayhawks are under a month from kickoff, and with two power-conference programs in four of their first four games, any possible return from Finkley would need to happen fast.
In Other News...
Kansas Still Feels The Border War That Defined A Generation
For Kansas football fans, the Border War still sits in a painful little corner of memory, the kind of game that never quite leaves because it meant so much in the moment. In 2007, the Jayhawks came in undefeated and ranked No. 2, with a chance to turn an already special season into something even bigger, only to fall 36-28 to Missouri in a matchup that still hangs over the programs modern history.
The loss mattered because it came at the height of a brief rise, before Kansas football settled into years of trying to rebuild that level of relevance. Lance Leipold has spent his time in Lawrence trying to move the program forward and make it more competitive again, but the Border War remains part of the standard by which those efforts get measured. It is still the game many Jayhawk fans remember first when they think about what football at Kansas almost became. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Secondary Is Betting Big On A New Kind Of Safety
Kansas has spent the offseason remaking its secondary, bringing in four new safeties as part of a clear push to sharpen the back end of the defense. Among the additions are transfers Corey Gordon, who has Big 12 experience from Louisville and Baylor, and Christian Pritchett from Georgia Tech. Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald has pointed to the groups coverage ability and speed as the traits that could help stabilize a unit that needed more depth and range.
Gordon, in particular, arrives with the kind of familiarity that matters in a league where the ball can come out fast and spaces close quickly. He has already started to take on a leadership role with the younger players, which gives Kansas more than just another body in the rotation. The bigger question now is how quickly the Jayhawks can turn those new pieces into a secondary that plays with the consistency and confidence McDonald is looking for. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Quarterback Battle Makes One Backups Progress Hard To Ignore
As Kansas shapes its quarterback room for the 2026 season, the staff is making no secret of how much it values depth behind the top options. Passing game coordinator Jim Zebrowski has pointed to the importance of having reliable backups in place, and that means extra attention for Chase Jenkins and Jaylen Mason as the Jayhawks build out the lower half of the depth chart. Senior analyst John DeFilippo has also been involved in helping the group get comfortable, underscoring how much work goes into making sure the next man up can function in this offense.
Jenkins, a transfer from Rice, is still adjusting to a new system after coming from a different scheme, and the learning curve has centered on the details that can slow a quarterback down if they are not second nature. The verbiage, the cadence and the rhythm of the offense all matter, and Kansas has been patient about helping him and Mason catch up. For a team thinking ahead to 2026, the progress of a backup can matter more than it seems in August, and Jenkins has become one of the quieter developments worth watching. [Read more 🡒]