KU football defensive linemen Da'Jon Terry and Marcus Harris

For those who are around Da’Jon Terry and Marcus Harris on a daily basis, the bond between the pair of Kansas football redshirt freshmen is beyond doubt.

“Those kids, they about have their own language,” KU senior offensive lineman Chris Hughes said, when asked about Terry and Harris. “It’s almost like they can read each other’s thoughts and stuff like that. They move together well, they communicate well, and, man, they’re usually together — you see one, you see the other.”

Lately the two young defensive linemen are showing up in tandem on Saturdays for the Jayhawks, as well, with Terry at nose tackle and Harris playing next to him at defensive end.

The two grew close upon moving to Lawrence in 2019 as members of Les Miles’ first KU recruiting class and becoming roommates.

“That’s like my brother,” Harris said of Terry.

Both redshirted their first year in the program before developing into key contributors early this season. In last Saturday’s loss to Iowa State, they both started for the second time.

Harris said they ride to KU’s football facility together, put in extra work side by side and have fueled each other’s development as players.

Terry echoed Harris’ sentiment regarding their brotherly bond.

“We critique each other on things that we can do better,” Terry said. “That’s helped us get better and better each week.”

Upon joining the starting lineup three games ago, Harris’ production took off. Heading into this week’s game at No. 19 Oklahoma (2:30 p.m. Saturday kickoff, ESPN), the 6-foot-2, 270-pound end from Montgomery, Ala., finds himself tied for fourth among all FBS freshmen in tackles for loss. And every stop Harris has made behind the line to get to 6.5 TFLs this year has come in the past three games, beginning with three in his first career start at West Virginia.

“I think he’s just now scratching the surface of his abilities,” Miles said of Harris. “He’s quick, he’s strong, fast, cat-like.”

While Harris appreciated his coach’s compliments, he also repurposed the “scratching the surface” idea to apply it to the KU defense as a whole.

“We’re a young group and we’re going to catch our rhythm,” Harris predicted. “And when we catch our rhythm I think we’ll be hard to stop.”

A 6-foot-4 nose tackle playing at somewhere between 310 and 320 pounds after arriving at KU over a year ago at 370, Terry has started two of the past three games and has proven to be another key piece in the program’s youth movement.

Against Iowa State, Terry, who didn’t play football until his senior year of high school in Meridian, Miss., recorded a sack, two solo tackles and two quarterback hurries. Terry’s responsible for two of the KU defense’s six total sacks through six games.

“I feel like Da’Jon is one of the fastest learners on the team,” Harris said of his buddy and teammate. “He grasps all the information that they throw at him and he applies that to the field. He makes it easy for me, taking on double teams and stuff like that.

“I feel like he’s going to be something special.”

Predictably, Terry had parallel thoughts about his roommate’s recent surge. While Harris thinks he is playing well lately for KU (0-6 overall, 0-5 Big 12), he also pointed out he has a lot of room for improvement. Terry’s description of Harris’ development proved more generous.

“Marcus has been ballin’. Week in and week out,” Terry said, adding Harris is not only assignment sound, but also explosive, fast and strong. “It’s the same in practices. He does everything he’s supposed to do. I’m proud of him.”

Miles said the two young defensive linemen have done a great job in their development this season.

Considering both Terry and Harris are only redshirt freshmen, Hughes, who goes against them in practices, thinks they have a lot of upside. He called their motors “amazing” and noted they listen carefully to their position coach, Kwahn Drake, and all of his instructions.

“They’re both transforming in ways I couldn’t even imagine. They’re very explosive, very strong, very technique-driven,” Hughes said of Terry and Harris. “They’re taking every little note you can give them and adding it to their bags. They’re going to be special kids.”