Kansas Football Star Bangally Kamara Suffers Non-Contact Injury

Shortly after a feel-good 46-7 win against Wagner, the Kansas Jayhawks received some terrible news Friday night.

During his postgame press conference, head coach Lance Leipold explained why South Carolina transfer Bangally Kamara missed the Week 1 contest.

The standout linebacker reportedly suffered a non-contact knee injury in practice on Thursday and heads into next week's Border Showdown clash with an unknown status.

Bangally Kamara suffered a non-contact knee injury at practice on Thursday. His status is unknown, per Leipold. #KUfball
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) August 30, 2025

The severity of the injury has not been determined, but a non-contact issue involving the knee or below is rarely a good sign.

Kamara had just made his debut as a member of the Jayhawks last week against Fresno State, where he posted four solo tackles, two tackles for loss, and a strip sack that led to a fumble recovery.

After spending four years at Pittsburgh, Kamara redshirted during his lone season at South Carolina a year ago before arriving in Lawrence through the transfer portal. With the Panthers, he recorded 120 combined tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, and an interception across four seasons.

Kamara is a strong and versatile linebacker who can both hold his own in coverage and rush the passer, making him a valuable piece for KU’s defense.

He was arguably the Jayhawks’ top defensive pickup from the portal, and the team anticipated him to lead the linebacker corps. Instead, his time in Lawrence may have been cut short just a week before one of the program’s biggest regular season games in recent history.

In his absence, West Virginia transfer Trey Lathan and redshirt freshman Jon Jon Kamara received starts in D.K. McDonald’s 4-2-5 scheme. Jon Jon was ejected for targeting in his first NCAA start but will be eligible to return next game.

Still, this is far from the news fans hoped for after the team had begun to build some momentum.

KU’s linebacker group has already been battling injuries this season, with Bowling Green State transfer Joseph Sipp Jr. missing the first two contests and HAWK Jayson Gilliom also dealing with several nagging ailments.

Since Kamara has only appeared in one game during the 2025 campaign, he could still qualify for a medical redshirt if the injury unfortunately ends his season.

More clarity should be provided in the coming days, but KU fans may need to prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Everyone is pulling for Kamara to receive the best possible news and make a full, speedy recovery.