Inside Kansas Football's Right Tackle Decision: Experience vs. Newcomer

The 2025 college football season is quickly approaching for the Kansas Jayhawks. Their season opener against Fresno State is less than a week away, and the program just released its first depth chart.

Currently, the Jayhawks are set at center with All-Big 12 standout Bryce Foster, at left tackle with Calvin Clements, and at right guard with Kobe Baynes. But the remaining open spots are left guard and right tackle.

They are having a problem in deciding who should start between veteran Nolan Gorczyca and Syracuse transfer Enrique Cruz Jr.

This competition reflects genuine talent pushing against talent. There was a time, like in 2015, when the coaching staff was simply searching for someone less bad than the alternatives. But now they are progressive enough to take the time to put the best starter on the field.

Of course, the roster still has some significant holes, but they’re no longer in a desperate search for the least problematic option. At right tackle, both Gorczyca and Cruz give the team the flexibility to choose a starter who can perform at a high level.

Now, the spot has come down to a familiar choice. Coaches often prefer to stick with the experienced player who knows the system, or hand the job to a more talented newcomer. The good news for head coach Lance Leipold is that he has both options available.

Gorczyca represents the experience side of the equation. On the other hand, Cruz arrived in Lawrence over the summer with a reputation as a talented lineman. Both are good enough to protect quarterback Jalon Daniels, which may be stretching out the final evaluation.

Leipold has shown a pattern when all options are equally valuable: he normally tends to favor players already in the program. That history suggests Gorczyca might have a slight edge heading into the season opener.

However, the competition doesn’t end with the first snap if Gorczyca starts at right tackle against Fresno State. They were both given the "or" designation on the depth chart. So, Cruz could still overtake the Omaha, Nebraska native later in the season.

Offensive line coach Daryl Agpalsa also views the competition as a positive sign that multiple players can contribute at a high level. The coaches know they'll need more than five linemen throughout a full season. So, having two capable right tackles gives them flexibility.

After the Mark Mangino era, the program reached a point where having options at any position felt like a dream. Now, they have eight or nine players they can send out on Saturday with confidence that each can perform at a high level.

No doubt, this is a new era of Kansas football, with Leipold in the driver’s seat. The team is preparing to play at the newly renovated David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium for the first time. It remains to be seen who will take the first snap at right tackle on August 23.