One of KU’s tight ends will miss the rest of the season. Who will replace him?
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Hanika's season ends after surgery, removing KU's veteran tight end leader.
- Boden Groen and Carson Bruhn assume larger roles; Groen becomes Daniels' primary target.
- KU travels to No. 9 Texas Tech Saturday, testing tight end depth in Lubbock.
Kansas tight end DeShawn Hanika will miss the rest of the season, coach Lance Leipold announced Monday.
Hanika underwent surgery last week. It’s the second straight year he’s suffered a season-ending injury. He missed the 2024 season due to an Achilles injury suffered in spring ball after he transferred in from Iowa State.
Hanika was injured, this year, against Cincinnati on Sept. 27. This is Hanika’s last season of eligibility, so he will be unable to return unless he receives a waiver of some kind.
“DeShawn, unfortunately, his season is ended,” Leipold said. “Quality young man. Feel for him, everything that he sacrificed to get himself back to play.”
The injury is a big blow for the Jayhawks. Hanika had 10 catches for 97 yards and three touchdowns in the four full games he played this season. But KU does have depth at his position.
Even when Hanika was playing, the Jayhawks used three other tight ends alongside him. In his absence, Boden Groen and Carson Bruhn have seen more prominent roles.
Groen, in particular, has become a favorite target for quarterback Jalon Daniels. He is KU’s second-leading pass-catcher this season, with 12 receptions for 234 yards and two touchdowns. He had two catches for 63 yards in KU’s win over UCF on Saturday.
Bruhn has five catches for 55 yards so far this season. He had two catches for 24 yards vs. UCF.
Hanika was not only an important player on the field, but had emerged as a leader for the Jayhawks. He was, in fact, one of KU’s representatives at Big 12 media day.
If the Jayhawks are to withstand his loss, it’ll be thanks to a unit Hanika himself has praised repeatedly.
“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 previously told The Star, comparing last year’s tight ends to the current group. “... 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.”
His belief will be tested against KU’s next opponent: No. 9 Texas Tech (5-0, 2-0 Big 12). That game is 6:30 p.m. Saturday on FOX.
This story was originally published October 6, 2025 at 4:24 PM with the headline "One of KU’s tight ends will miss the rest of the season. Who will replace him?."
