Bam Crouch injury creates a question for Kansas’ defense

Kansas football opened the 2026 season with a dominant 51-6 victory over Long Island, but the Jayhawks did not escape the season opener without significant concern.

Linebacker Bam Crouch suffered a shoulder-area injury during the first half and did not return to the game. Crouch went down during LIU’s second offensive possession after a collision involving an LIU ball carrier and a Kansas defender. The injury forced one of Kansas’ most important defensive additions to the sideline just minutes into his Jayhawk debut.

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Crouch’s night had started about as well as Kansas could have hoped. The Boston College transfer recorded his first sack with the Jayhawks on LIU’s opening possession, helping Kansas immediately establish control defensively.

His experience and production are a major reason Kansas brought him into the program. During the 2024 season at Boston College, Crouch started all 13 games and finished with 77 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He was also named a team captain before the 2025 season, although injuries limited him to only part of that campaign.

That background makes his status especially important as Kansas prepares for a much tougher test.

Following the victory over LIU, head coach Lance Leipold said the team did not yet know the exact severity of Crouch’s injury. Leipold indicated that Crouch would undergo further testing and that the team hoped to have a better idea of his condition in the following days. He also said Crouch was in good spirits but understandably disappointed about the injury.

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Kansas is scheduled to face Missouri on Sept. 11, giving the Jayhawks only one week between games.

If Crouch cannot play, Kansas will have to turn to its linebacker depth. Quincy Davis, a transfer from New Mexico State, could see an increased role at the linebacker position if Crouch is unavailable.

The timing could not be more important. Kansas’ defense looked strong against LIU, but Missouri…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/bam-crouch-injury-creates-kansas-181425092.html

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Publish date : 2026-09-06 18:14:00

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