Kansas football put the full pads on Wednesday, and with the Jayhawks moving into their third block of three practices, the intensity is only ramping up. The acclimatization period has now opened the door for more padded work, so KU should be in full gear much more often from here on out.
Most of the attention Wednesday centered on the trenches, and that’s where the biggest questions are starting to take shape. One of the main topics around the offensive line has been the size of the unit if Amir Herring is at center and Connor Stroh lines up at left guard. That combination sparked some discussion after Monday’s practice, and the numbers show why.
Since the start of the 2022 season, KU’s starting offensive lines have been fairly steady in build. In 2022, the average starting line measured 6-foot-5, 311 pounds.
In 2023, it was 6-foot-4.8, 314 pounds. In 2024, it stayed at 6-foot-4.8 and climbed to 317 pounds.
Last season, it came in at 6-foot-5, 313 pounds.
So the overall height has barely moved over the last few years, while the weight climbed before dipping back a bit in 2025. That drop last season was tied to Bryce Foster shedding weight and Amir Herring beginning with a 305-pound listing.
This year’s group is already set to be the tallest KU has had over the last five seasons, no matter how the guard spots shake out. If Kasen Carpenter ends up at center, Herring at left guard and Tavake Tuikolovatu at right guard, the average would rise to 6-foot-5.4 and 320 pounds.
That would also make it the heaviest offensive line KU has had under Leipold. Still, that may not be the final interior combination.
On the edges, Calvin Clements and Nick Morrow give KU what could be the tallest tackle pairing of the Leipold era. They’re massive bodies, and that size is hard to miss when you’re watching practice up close.
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