photo by: Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World

Kansas linebacker Cornell Wheeler, right, celebrates with cornerback Cobee Bryant during the game against Houston Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024, in Kansas City, Mo.

The Kansas defense isn’t out of the woods yet when it comes to injury concerns, but arguably its most significant player should be ready to go for Saturday night’s Sunflower Showdown.

Middle linebacker Cornell Wheeler practiced on Monday and should be “fully available” to play in Manhattan, head coach Lance Leipold said.

Wheeler, the Jayhawks’ lone defensive captain who serves as their signal-caller, made his return to action in a rotational role in Saturday’s win over Houston. He had left KU’s game at West Virginia on Sept. 21 with a leg injury in the fourth quarter and missed matchups against TCU and Arizona State, forcing veteran reserve Taiwan Berryhill Jr. into extended action at middle linebacker.

On Saturday, Berryhill played 51 snaps to Wheeler’s 25 (they played together on some downs), per Pro Football Focus, but Wheeler still managed to make four tackles to give himself 28 on the season and also intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter that defensive end Dean Miller tipped at the line of scrimmage. Leipold said he did have to knock off some rust in his return to action, and “he wasn’t 100%, but he was close and fully cleared to play.”

Now, Wheeler, who wore a large brace on his right knee against Houston, looks to be leaving the injury in the rear-view mirror.

“Right now, sometimes in these days on this first day back on the field you hold the guys a little bit, just may do some walkthrough stuff,” Leipold said, “but he was out moving around today and haven’t heard anything from the report that would say otherwise right now.”

The return of the redshirt senior is a step toward getting healthy for KU, which saw a promising start to the year on defense tempered in part by injuries. Wheeler’s presence at linebacker will be particularly important against Kansas State, which boasts two skilled running backs in DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards and likes to throw to its tight ends.

The news from Leipold on Monday wasn’t quite as positive with regard to KU’s other injuries. Redshirt freshman Taylor Davis and to a lesser extent little-used redshirt sophomore Kaleb Purdy have been pressed into extensive action due to a slew of missing players at safety. Mason Ellis, who hasn’t played since West Virginia, did a little bit of work at practice on Monday, but brothers Jalen and Devin Dye remained out, Leipold said.

“I’m not counting on any of those guys right now,” he said, by way of summary.

Leipold thought Davis “handled the environment” well on Saturday, when he recorded four tackles as a starting safety, and that his main task going forward is to channel his high energy into the right areas.

“He’s got the ability to help this program for years to come,” Leipold said. “Sitting in the secondary meeting today, I think he took the right steps on taking those things.”

Meanwhile, the Jayhawks’ offense has avoided significant health issues this year, but Daniel Hishaw Jr.’s status is in doubt for Saturday.

Hishaw got just two carries, his lowest total for a game in which he’s played since Sept. 26, 2020, as he sat out large portions of the Houston matchup due to injury. Leipold said he “reaggravated” an issue that had been bothering him earlier in the year; Hishaw already missed one game, against UNLV. Leipold called him “very questionable” for K-State.

The Jayhawks’ run game will receive significant scrutiny on Saturday as Devin Neal angles for KU’s all-time rushing record against a top-five run defense nationally.