Kansas running back Harry Stewart III (0) trudges ahead for yardage during the fourth quarter against Wagner on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo by Nick Krug

It looks like the Kansas football team will essentially be starting anew at running back next season.

Running back Harry Stewart III will enter the transfer portal when it opens, On3 reported on Tuesday morning.

His departure, along with that of fellow back Johnny Thompson Jr., ensures that KU will have to do a substantial amount of work at the position over the course of January, as the Jayhawks are now set to return two redshirt freshmen, Justin Thurman and John Kelly, and add one 2026 signee in Kory Amachree. In other words, KU’s 2026 running back room as it stands now has five career carries.

Stewart will have three years left to play after spending two seasons at KU. He redshirted in 2024 after arriving with plenty of buzz from Centennial High School in Frisco, Texas, as coaches raved about his immediate physical readiness at 5-foot-10 and 215 pounds. Stewart carried the ball seven times for 24 yards in the 2024 opener against Lindenwood and made a one-snap cameo in the season finale against Baylor, according to Pro Football Focus.

The 2025 offseason didn’t go according to plan for Stewart, as he suffered a knee injury in spring practice and spent the start of fall camp in a no-contact jersey. However, he returned to action and got back up to speed in time for the season, and as a redshirt freshman, the running back found increased playing time as veteran backs Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams battled bumps and bruises throughout the year. That amounted to 82 offensive snaps, including 21 carries for 98 yards and a touchdown and five receptions for 29 yards.

Stewart seemed poised to earn a big role in the backfield in 2026 with both Hishaw and Williams exhausting their eligibility — and the loss of Thompson removed another player who had been just below Stewart on the depth chart — but instead he’ll reportedly be headed elsewhere.

KU could now attempt to reel in at least two running backs in the portal, and potentially even three since it lost 2026 commitment KD Jones to a late flip.