Kansas Jayhawks linebacker announces return after saying he would enter portal
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Trey Lathan withdraws transfer plans and returns to KU, retaining one season.
- Lathan led KU with 86 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 713 defensive snaps in 2025.
- Kansas shapes a new linebacker room with five transfers, returning vets and signees.
The Kansas Jayhawks football team got a lot better on Thursday.
Linebacker Trey Lathan announced he would return to KU after previously saying he intended to enter the transfer portal. It was unclear whether Lathan ever actually entered the portal after the announcement.
His return is huge for Kansas. Lathan led KU with 86 tackles and had 1 1/2 sacks in 2025. He played 713 defensive snaps, also a team-high, and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 recognition.
Before playing for KU last season, he played three seasons with West Virginia. He has one season of eligibility remaining.
Lathan will lead a new-look linebacker corps next season. KU picked up five linebackers in the transfer portal: Boston College’s Daveon Crouch, Marshall’s Jibriel Al-Amin, South Carolina’s Jaron Willis, New Mexico State’s Quincy Davis and Kentucky’s Landyn Watson.
Kansas also returns linebacker Malachi Curvey and has two new high school signees in Josh Galbreath and Joseph Credit.
This story was originally published January 15, 2026 at 5:04 PM.
