On Wednesday evening, the Kansas football
program named its captains for the upcoming season. Captains are voted on by the team, and the Jayhawks will utilize five this year, marking the first time they've surpassed four since Lance Leipold took over as head coach.
Cole Ballard, Calvin Clements, Trey Lathan, Blake Herold, and Rino Monteforte will serve as captains in 2026. Clements, Herold, and Lathan all represented KU at Big 12 Media Days, while Ballard and Monteforte took the spots previously held by Cam Pickett and Leroy Harris III at media days.
Ballard is slowly becoming the favorite to win the starting quarterback job during his fourth year in Lawrence. He is the son of Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard and enters this season with plenty of experience in the program and offensive scheme.
For those lobbying for Isaiah Marshall to start, there is a small silver lining with this news. As 247 Sports insider Michael Swain noted on X, Miles Kendrick was named a team captain ahead of the 2021 season, only for Jason Bean to open the year as the starting signal-caller. So, Marshall isn't entirely out of the picture for Week 1, but things are starting to trend in an obvious direction.
Next, Clements and Herold came up together in the Class of 2023 at Kansas and have become important contributors on the line.
Clements, a Lawrence native, started all 12 games at left tackle a season ago and showed promise despite some growing pains. He will continue in that role as the blind side protector for whoever the Jayhawks name their starting quarterback.
Herold has also become an important piece for KU, having played every game for the Jayhawks over the past two years. He was fifth on the team with five tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks as a redshirt sophomore.
Lathan is arguably the biggest name on the defensive unit, leading KU in combined tackles in 2025. The West Virginia transfer briefly entered the portal this offseason but ultimately chose to return to the crimson and blue, saying he felt obligated to finish what he started with his teammates.
Finally, Monteforte is the starting long snapper, having previously spent time at Notre Dame and California before transferring to KU. He is described as having a dynamic and charismatic personality and has quickly become beloved by his teammates.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/kansas as Kansas Football Names Its Five Official Team Captains for 2026 Campaign .
