Lance Leipold made a subtle change to KU’s depth chart. Just not with a player
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas tight ends combined for 4 touchdowns, up from 2 all last season.
- Each tight end has a defined role, with usage balanced across blocking and catching.
- Coach Leipold praised improvement, chemistry and versatility in the tight end unit.
For the first time this season, Kansas football’s tight end group didn’t have three “ORs” listed beside each player on the depth chart, which was released Monday.
KU tight end DeShawn Hanika was listed first, followed by Carson Bruhn, Boden Groen and then Leyton Cure.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold explained the presence of the ORs Monday — and acknowledged the change to the listing.
“I decided to take the ORs off. I figured you guys understood the rotation by now and that all these guys were going to play,” Leipold said. “That’s mainly all it was.”
The Jayhawks (3-1, 1-0 Big 12) have used all four tight ends in different situations. Bruhn led the group in snaps in KU’s win over West Virginia. He played 33 total snaps; Hanika followed with 31, Groen with 27 and Cure with seven.
Bruhn and Cure are typically used in blocking situations, but each tight end serves a role. Hanika and Groen are mainly pass catchers.
Groen, a transfer from Rice, earned his first touchdown in a KU uniform Saturday vs. WVU. His only catch was a 7-yard touchdown reception.
Leipold likes what he’s seen from Groen.
“The biggest surprise of the group has probably been Boden,” Leipold said. “He’s coming off surgery when he was at Rice. He just continues to get better each and every day.”
Groen and Hanika have combined for 15 receptions and four touchdowns through four games. In fact, they account for 33% of quarterback Jalon Daniels’ 12 passing touchdowns.
That’s undoubtedly a significant improvement from KU’s tight end group last season. The Jayhawks had a total of two touchdown catches from their tight ends in 2024.
Hanika believed the room had the makings of something special all the way back in KU’s fall camp.
“I love Jared (Casey), I love Trevor (Kardell) and I love Tevita (Noa) — I would say across the board we have a bit more size,” Hanika told The Star. “Jared handicapped that one a little bit, but I love him, though. I think our room is super versatile. We have size, speed and strength.
“We think that we’ve got four or five guys in this room that could go anywhere in the country and be playing.”
Leipold praised the group’s togetherness Monday.
“I’m really proud of that group,” he said. “They all pull for each other. They understand that there are roles for all of them and that the team is better when they are all on the field (or) when they all get their opportunities. And not one guy is going to take 95% of the snaps even though they all want to play.”
And just as exciting — they can keep getting better.
“We continue to push and find things within that group,” Leipold said. “We’ve got to continue to work on blocking and some things like that that will help us in the run game, but they’ve all been able to make plays in the pass game, contribute on special teams. … I like the group and like what they’re doing.”
This story was originally published September 23, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
