Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self announced on Monday that starting senior guard Melvin Council Jr. will miss significant time after suffering a broken foot in practice on Monday.

The injury, which will require surgery, is expected to sideline Council for the remainder of the nonconference portion of the Jayhawks’ schedule.

“Melvin broke the fifth metatarsal in his foot during Monday’s practice and will have surgery in the next couple of days,” Self said in a statement. “We expect a full recovery and we’re hopeful he will return around the start of the conference season.”

Council is averaging 8.0 points, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game thus far this season. He scored 20 points in the Jayhawks’ exhibition against Louisville and then scored eight points and had four rebounds and two assists in KU’s exhibition versus Duke.

How it impacts Kansas going forward

Council’s injury is a big loss to the Jayhawks’ backcourt, not just because of his playmaking ability, but also his leadership.

His vocal, veteran presence was one of the big advantages of having him back on the team this year, and without him guiding the offense, KU will now be forced to turn to freshman guard Taylen Kinney to take the reins.

It will be a good learning experience for Kinney as he gets more acclimated on the college level. That experience could prove valuable for this team once the Big 12 regular season and the postseason arrives should Council get injured again or have to sit due to foul trouble.

It will also give players such as Leroy Blyden Jr. and freshmen guards Trent Perry and Luke Barnett a chance to perhaps carve out their roles on the team this year.

Blyden was already expected to be a major contributor off the bench, but he’s now likely to slide in as a starter. If he plays well, he could solidify the sixth man role in the backcourt for KU this season. For Perry and Barnett, this could be their chance to secure a spot in the rotation as well once Council returns.

The challenge will now be for others to lead in his absence. Will it be fellow returning senior Tre White? Will it be freshman Tyran Stokes? Can Kinney be that guy?  

With a tough nonconference schedule that includes opponents such as Kentucky, Missouri, UConn and others, the opportunity is there for this team to grow through Council’s absence and become a better team for it once he returns.