Algie Atkinson, Chaz Murphy and Marcus Rogers will be counted on to lead the defense. Nose tackle Nate Dwyer returns on the defensive line as a starter. Lettermen Josh Kellerman, Dijon Dillon and Tony Strickland will join a group of six junior college transfers fighting for playing time as Allen said he's toyed with the idea of switching to a four-man front. Nesmith and cornerbacks Andrew Davison and Kareem High return as starters in the secondary. Allen said Davison and High must improve on the corners as the Jayhawks were last in the Big 12 and 102nd in the nation last season in pass efficiency defense.
Special teams play was an up and down area for Kansas last fall.
Unlike last season, Kansas needs to get off to a good start if it expects to make its first bowl appearance since the '95 Aloha Bowl. Two of the Jayhawks' last three games are against Nebraska and Texas, which are picked to win the Big 12 North and South, respectively. But at that particular time it would have been awful easy to give up and quit. It could have easily gone south. It's a complement to the players and coaches that that didn't happen.