Kenny Logan Jr. sees his last year with KU football as both ‘special’ and ‘bittersweet’

Kenny Logan Jr. and Jalon Daniels had some fun discussing what it’s like to practice against each other, as they spoke during Big 12 Conference media days earlier this month in Arlington, Texas.

Logan, a senior safety for Kansas football, said Daniels is scared of him and doesn’t like to throw his way. Daniels, the Jayhawks’ junior quarterback, said before even being told what Logan’s comment was that Logan had probably said something crazy. The two were clearly comfortable inside AT&T Stadium, where they also praised each other for how challenging competing against each other can be.

But while 2023 doesn’t have to be Daniels’ last season at the college level, it will be Logan’s. The 2022 campaign almost was for Logan, but he decided to come back for one more year. And, as he represented the Jayhawks again this year at media days, he acknowledged it did feel different.

“You definitely have to soak in every moment because you never know when it could be your last, though, honestly,” Logan said. “But just being able to come back and kind of soak this all in one more time is special. It’s a different environment being amongst all these people, amongst all these different players, so it’s definitely bittersweet because you know this is the last one. But I’m excited. I’m looking forward to the season. I’m looking forward to the great — the ups and downs of it. And I’m ready to go.”

Logan has been a well-known part of Kansas’ defense for a number of years now. He’s led the Jayhawks in tackles in each of the past three years. Sticking with the program during head coach Lance Leipold’s rebuild, Logan was able to enjoy a bowl game experience in 2022 that represented the team’s first bowl trip in more than a decade.

As Logan and company try for another bowl game, he’ll also look to address the feedback he received as he explored his chances at turning pro and trying for the NFL. On the one hand he wasn’t exactly excited about what he heard, and on the other he expressed a level of gratefulness that he has another year to develop as a person and a player. He’ll continue to be himself, while also trying to be more precise with his movements on the field and improving physically.

Logan said he doesn’t want to think about what he might miss about Lawrence just yet, but acknowledged it’ll be a lot to grapple with when the time comes. Being able to be around spring practice earlier this year, even though he couldn’t participate as much due to injury, was one thing that helped him feel he’d made the right decision to return for one more go-around.

Leipold praised Logan for how much personal growth Logan’s made in the last six months.

“I cherish it,” Logan said. “I take it all in. I’m excited for it. But when that time comes it’s going to be a sad moment just saying goodbye to the people here — not goodbye, but see you later, to the people here of Lawrence. And then just the people on my team. Like, I’ve invested blood, sweat and tears into this program and into the city of Lawrence.”

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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football's Kenny Logan Jr. sees 2023 as special, bittersweet