Kansas Football 2013: Opening Day Depth Chart

On Tuesday afternoon Charlie Weis released the depth chart for Saturday's opener against South Dakota.  There are plenty of new faces on the roster for the Jayhawks and some interesting position battles have taken shape. The full depth chart listing is posted below, but let's take a glance at some of the positions and questions that might pop up with this new look at who's playing where.

Offensive Line

This is a completely new group with 3 of the 5 players being new to the roster in 2014.  Fondal has been said to be the best pass blocker in the group at right tackle and Sterling has trimmed down to a weight where Weis thinks he can really take the next step forward.  In the middle you have players that have joined the Jayhawks from winning programs at the junior college level and both have had personal success as well.  Lewandowski is the most notable player with minimal experience, but he's also a player that Weis identified early on during his time at Kansas as someone who could be molded into a productive player.

Perhaps the most notable piece here is the complete absence of Riley Spencer and Damon Martin.  Spencer has been injury prone but constantly discussed as a mountain of potential.  That seems to be fading.  Martin played last year and looked poised to make a move, he has since fallen off to the point of not even traveling with the team at times late last year.  Those non-traveling roster members were being sent a message according to Weis, Martin doesn't seem to have dug out of that doghouse.

WR

Tony Pierson, Christian Matthews and Justin McCay.  Rodriguez Coleman is the first on the two deep that I see as potentially moving into a no. 1 spot.  Josh Ford makes the list.  His energy level was great last year on special teams but something kept him off the field on offense.  Lastly, no Andrew Turzilli, interesting to see.

RB

There has been some fan talk about Cox potentially redshirting.  Who knows how realistic that ever was for the staff.  It would appear unlikely with Cox and Miller listed as 'co' no. 2's.

Defensive Backfield

Nothing more to say other than I really like this group.  We have some speed, we have players that can be physical and we have players that have been very successful at the junior college level that will elevate this position group from where it would have been without them.  Victor Simmons earned his way into the lineup.  And who's not excited to see this Dexter McDonald story unfold?  Has to leave the University, comes back with higher expectations and has the potential to be a great local player.

Defensive Line

A little surprised to see Kevin Young move into a starting role but at the same time it's almost a situation where we shouldn't be.  Young is a senior, he was highly thought of out of high school and sometimes it's easy to get stuck staring at the best new thing.  This will be a rotation, but the fact that Keba and Young beat out Jordan Tavai and Tedarian Johnson makes me very curious about the effects of the increased competition on the interior.

Also very interested to see Stowers, McKinney and Combs all work in.  I'd place an emphasis on Stowers who has clearly become a team leader and put in whatever work it took to go from a rarely used newcomer last year, to what Weis calls the best interior guy on the team.

Offense

LT - Aslam Sterling,  Zach Fondal

LG - Ngala Fusimalohi,  Randall Dent

C - Pat Lewandowski,  Dylan Admire

RG - Mike Smithburg,  Randall Dent

RT - Zach Fondal, Brian Beckmann

TE - Jimmay Mundine, Trent Smiley

X - Justin McCay, Josh Ford

Z - Christian Matthews,  Rodriguez Coleman or Tre Parmalee

QB - Jake Heaps,  Michael Cummings

H - James Sims,  Taylor Cox or Darrian Miller

F - Tony Pierson, Brandon Bourbon

Defense

LC - Jacorey Shepherd, Brandon Hollomon

NB - Victor Simmons, Courtney Arnick

RC - Dexter McDonald, Kevin Short or Greg Allen

SS - Isaiah Johnson, Tevin Shaw

FS - Cassius Sendish,  Dexter Linton

LE -Kevin Young, Tedarian Johnson

NT - Keon Stowers,  Marquel Combs or Ty McKinney

RE - Keba Agostinho,  Jordan Tavai

Buck - Ben Goodman,  Michael Reynolds

MLB - Ben Heeney, Schyler Miles

WLB - Samson Faifilli,  Jake Love

Special Teams

Trevor Padula - KO, Punter

Matthew Wyman - Place kicker

Blake Jablonski - Holder

Taylor Cox, Brandon Bourbon - Kickoff return

Connor Embree - Punt return