Kansas University will have to rebuild its offensive line without Johnny Urrutia.

“Johnny Urrutia is not with the program any longer,” KU football coach Mark Mangino said Monday during the Big 12 coaches teleconference. “He is going back home to try to get some academic issues cleared up. He wants to come back and join the team. We will certainly take him back.”

Mangino did not specify a timeline for Urrutia’s return. Fall classes begin Thursday at KU.

It’s possible Urrutia, a 6-foot-3, 323-pound junior from Mt. San Antonio College, could return to junior college to complete his academic requirements and rejoin KU’s program for second semester.

Mt. San Antonio coach Bill Fitch said he had not heard from Urrutia. Classes started Monday at the junior college in Walnut, Calif.

Urrutia was a two-time all-conference selection at Mt. San Antonio and was rated among the top five guards in the country by rivals.com. He was one of three junior-college linemen brought in to help retool an offensive line that lost four starters to graduation.

Mangino, who declined to comment on the academic status of KU’s other newcomers, said the line would be improved — even without Urrutia.

“From last year at this time to today, we are light-years ahead of where we were on the offensive line in training camp,” said Mangino, whose team opens the season Aug. 30 against Northwestern. “We are a much better fundamental offensive line. I think we improved our physical ability. All we have to do now is develop some young guys to create some depth, because we certainly need that. We just have to get those five guys working together, developing the chemistry that is so important. I feel real good about the progress of our offensive line.”

Things didn’t work out for Urrutia, but Mangino said several junior-college players had been impressive during camp.

¢ 6Sports video: Urrutia leaves campus

Mangino said Pasadena City College transfer Chuck Jones (6-4, 275) is “working his way into a No. 1 spot” after moving from end to defensive tackle. The Jayhawks need the junior there after junior starter Travis Watkins broke his foot in a scrimmage Wednesday.

“He could play outside if we need him to,” Mangino said of Jones. “Right now, out of necessity, he’s inside, and he is doing a monster job. He just needs to work on the little things in this game, just develop the little fundamentals that come with being a top-notch defensive tackle. He’s physical. He’s tough. He’s going to help us out.”

Jones was an All-American last season when he had 76 tackles, two sacks, seven pass break-ups and blocked a punt.

Another All-American won a starting job at linebacker. As expected, Iowa Central Community College transfer Gabe Toomey will start at linebacker alongside sophomore Banks Floodman. Sophomore Nick Reid is expected to earn the third starting spot after moving back to linebacker from safety last week.

Sophomore linebackers Brandon Perkins and Kevin Kane also are expected to get plenty of playing time.

Junior-college players also will make an impact in the secondary, where safeties Shelton Simmons and Rodney Fowler have impressed the coaches.

“We feel really good about a lot of the junior college kids that we have in the program here,” Mangino said. “Not all of them are going to be ready early on, but we believe that at some point in time they all will contribute this season.”

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Undecided: Mangino was not ready to name a starter at tailback, where sophomore Clark Green is battling red-shirt freshman Jerome Kemp and true freshman John Randle.

“They all have some things to work on, but I am pleased with that group,” Mangino said. “I am pretty excited about the way they have been practicing.”

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Up next: Kansas will have an open practice Wednesday at Memorial Stadium. Gates open for Fan Appreciation Day at 6:30 p.m.