The all-time Kansas Jayhawk starting 11 — defense players is a highly debated topic at tailgates on Campanile Hill. Dana Stubblefield or Gilbert Brown? Aqib Talib or Chris Harris Jr?
The rules for our all-time starting 11 on Defense are similar to our offense. We’re running a 4-3 defense. Stats are important but so are Pro Bowls. Let’s get to it…below, your all-time Kansas Jayhawk starting 11 defensive players!
Defensive Backs
The good news is that there is a lot of depth in our defensive backfield. We’ve got super bowl winners, pro-bowlers, and ring of honor members.
Our 2 starting Cornerbacks are Aqib Talib and Chris Harris Jr. The two combine for 8 pro-bowl selections and 5 all-pro selections during their NFL careers. In Lawrence, both were instrumental in the Mangino-era success, covering some of the most productive WRs in Big12 history, including Jordy Nelson, Jeremy Maclin, and Limas Sweed.
We’re going with LeRoy Irvin and Nolan Cromwell at Safety. I know they were both Corners, but they were good enough athletes to play centerfield for this team. Both enjoyed NFL success but were also dominant Big 12 DBs. Irvin made 233 tackles between his freshman and sophomore years and was the first freshman to ever start for the Jayhawks. Cromwell’s list of achievements is way too long to list here…but he is the all-time leading rusher at QB for the Jayhawks, an All-American, and a member of the Jayhawk track mile relay team.
Linebackers
Willie Pless (1982-1985) is the record holder for tackles in a college career with 633 and gets the start at MLB. Pless averaged over 19 tackles per game, garnering first team All-Conference three years in row from 1983-85. Emery Hicks and Galen Fiss get the starts at OLB. Both were two way players and punishing tacklers.
Since we are not really known for producing great linebackers, let’s take a quick break and talk about Rob Riggle’s love for the Jayhawk Football Team.
Excellent…on to the Defensive Line.
Defensive Line
This list starts with two guys who started next to each other for most of their Jayhawk careers: Gilbert Brown and Dana Stubblefield. I know Stubblefield is not a great citizen, but he was great when he played for the Jayhawks. Brown and Stubblefield combined to forge an unblockable defensive front during their time in Lawrence. Both would be drafted in the 1993 NFL draft (Stubblefield in the 1st Round, Brown in the 3rd).
Our Defensive Ends are also very hard to block: John Zook and Mike Butler. Both were game-wreckers and All-Americans. Both went on to successful NFL careers.
So, there you have it…All Time Kansas Jayhawk Starting 11 — Defense. This concludes out starting 11 Offense and Defense series. Disagree? Let me know in the comments.
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