Andy Kotelnicki didn’t need long to explain why Connor Stroh has climbed into Kansas’ starting lineup. The Jayhawks’ offensive coordinator pointed to something simple, and in football, that usually means something important: Stroh kept earning more snaps by doing the job well every time his number was called.
That rise carries a little extra bite because of where Stroh came from. He transferred in from Texas, where he had started at guard in five games, and landed at a Kansas program that has been trying to build itself back up after sitting dormant for years.
When the Week 1 depth chart came out against LIU, Stroh was not in the starting five, a reality that could have easily become frustrating. Instead, he turned it into fuel and is now set to start against Middle Tennessee this weekend.
Coming out of Wakeland High School, Stroh was regarded as the nation’s No. 239th-best prospect and the country’s No. 12 interior offensive lineman. His offer sheet was loaded, with SMU, Tennessee, Stanford, Ole Miss, Minnesota, Michigan State, Kansas, Indiana, Florida State, Florida, Colorado, Cincinnati, Cal, Baylor, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Auburn and Texas all in the mix.
He spent his first two seasons at Texas on the bench before eventually getting a shot in the starting lineup heading into last season. The Longhorns went 10-3 and came up just short of the College Football Playoff, even after going 6-2 in SEC play. Kansas, by comparison, did not win six games in the entire 2025 season.
Kotelnicki said Stroh has shown the kind of steady progression coaches want to see from an offensive lineman.
“Well, when I was talking about the unit before, in terms of being consistent, he's demonstrated that. And I'm really proud of him, because, you know, he didn’t start in the first game, and he got a few reps, [he did a] Nice job.
He got a few more in the next game. Did a really nice job.
Got a lot more in the next game. Did a really nice job.
So now he's gonna start.”
Kansas has opened the 2026 season 1-2, with losses to Missouri and Arizona State. The Jayhawks’ defeat against Arizona State stands out as the more painful one, even if both setbacks have their own ugly look.
Kotelnicki framed Stroh’s path as a straight-line example of how opportunity works in football.
“So, he's a textbook example, in terms of when you have been given an opportunity, you capitalize on the opportunity; now you're given more opportunities. And then, to capitalize on those opportunities, give them more. And now he's gonna get the game's worth.”
For Saturday’s game against the Blue Raiders, Kansas’ offensive line will line up with Calvin Clements at left tackle, Kasen Carpenter at center and Tavake Tuikolovatu at right guard.
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