Kansas football recruiting

The Kansas football team has done something it did not do last season: add a kicker.

It got a good one.

Previously a kickoff specialist for three years at East Carolina, Laith Marjan went 16-for-17 on field goals and 42-for-44 on extra points during the 2024 season at South Alabama. He was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award for the nation’s best kicker and a second-team All-Sun Belt selection.

“A year ago today, I was told that I wasn’t good enough to kick FGs and I wasn’t worth giving an opportunity to,” Marjan wrote on Dec. 5 on X as South Alabama revealed his all-conference nod. “Beyond thankful for that speech from a former coach. Beyond thankful for this opportunity from South Alabama. Oh how the tables turn!!!”

Marjan announced his commitment to KU on Sunday morning. Now, he’ll join the Jayhawks to replace Tabor Allen, who graduated following a solid but unspectacular year as KU’s placekicker (and more extended time kicking off for the Jayhawks). Owen Piepergerdes went through senior day, but Charlie Weinrich is still on the roster at kicker.

It could be a somewhat new operation overall in the kicking game under returning defensive ends/special teams coach Taiwo Onatolu, as long snapper Luke Hosford and holder Grayden Addison also went through senior day. The Jayhawks still have Emory Duggar and Hollis Moeller at long snapper and Damon Greaves at punter.

Marjan, who is from Raleigh, North Carolina, was the No. 46 kicker in the class of 2021 as ranked by Kohl’s Kicking. He redshirted his first season at ECU before his two seasons earning touchbacks on 24 of 68 possible kickoffs, and then 18 of a possible 59 at South Alabama.

In his one season as a placekicker for the Jaguars, he hit a season-long 49-yarder against LSU at Death Valley.

Marjan’s season in Lawrence will be his last year of collegiate eligibility. He is the first transfer-portal addition on special teams for KU and the sixth overall.