Kansas Football Depth Chart: Jayhawks Switch Up Offensive Line Starters

This week's Kansas football depth chart didn't bring forth many surprises, but Lance Leipold did make one notable change to his offensive line rotation. The Jayhawks have elevated Amir Herring to the top spot at right guard, leaving Tavake Tuikolovatu on the outside looking in.

Ahead of KU's second conference game against Utah this weekend, Herring is now listed as the starting right guard for the first time in his tenure at the university. Tuikolovatu, a second-year transfer from UCLA, has seemingly lost his grip on the position after starting the year in that spot.

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Herring is someone the coaching staff praised immensely throughout the offseason and said would take over as a leader in the trenches. He opened the year as the starting left guard with DeAndre Harper behind him. Texas transfer Connor Stroh was listed as Tuikolovatu's backup on the other side.

However, that arrangement didn't last long, as Stroh had moved behind Herring at left guard by the third game and the two began alternating snaps. After the bye week, Stroh appeared to take over the job and was given the nod over Herring on the depth chart.

Before the Jayhawks' most recent victory, an emphatic win over Middle Tennessee State, Herring had played the sixth-most snaps of any offensive lineman with 107. He split time with Tuikolovatu in Saturday's win over MTSU and played 77% of the offense's snaps, a team-high number.

tavake tuikolovatu — Nov 8, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas Jayhawks offensive lineman Tavake Tuikolovatu (54) against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

When starting center Kasen Carpenter went down with an injury last week, Herring also received an opportunity to serve as KU's snapper. He performed very well in the second half when he was given the chance, but guard appears to be his calling card.

It is well known that position coach Daryl Agpalsa likes to move his linemen around and often utilizes six on the field in running formations. Tuikolovatu's drop on the depth chart merely means he'll be utilized more as a rotational piece rather than forgotten about completely.

Kansas will have to get very creative with its offensive line rotations when it travels to Salt Lake City to take on the No. 12-ranked Utes. This could prove to be the most difficult matchup of the entire season for Leipold and Co., making it a pivotal outing for the front five.

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