2026 games, tackles for loss per game. W and L: the team’s results.
“Noooo Santiago is one of our best players”
David Santiago
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. The three seasons span three programs and three head coaches: Troy Calhoun, Jonathan Smith and Lance Leipold. One game to point at: 6 tackles against Kansas State — Week 7, 2026.
35 tackles · 2 sacks
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
Activity vs finishing · season enumeration
What the box score actually says
35 tackles. 1 pass defended. 0 interceptions. 6.5 TFL.
Counts only, never a rate — splash-event sample sizes this small (interceptions, pass breakups, TFL) are noise as a rate and signal only as a tally.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
Fans first named David Santiago vs Long Island University.
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas | 35 | 25 | 6.5 | 2.0 | 1 |
| 2025 | Michigan State | 24 | 10 | 2.5 | 1.5 | 1 |
| 2024 | Air Force | 37 | 22 | 5.0 | 3.5 | 3 |
| Career | 96 | 57 | 14.0 | 7.0 | 5 |
Last game (Wk 9): 3 tackles.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 8 games
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| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 51-6vs Long Island University | 4 | 3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | L 21-38vs No. 23 Missouri | 5 | 3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | L 17-24vs Arizona State | 4 | 3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | W 55-0vs Middle Tennessee | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 6 | L 24-41@ No. 12 Utah | 6 | 4 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 1 | Season-high 6 tackles |
| Wk 7 | L 24-35@ Kansas State | 6 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 8 | W 25-24vs Baylor | 5 | 4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 16-22@ TCU | 3 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 35 | 25 | 6.5 | 2.0 | — | 1 |
Oct. 31 · L 16-22 at TCU, play by play
3 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 4 for him; the box score credits 3.
His game this year: disruption in the backfield — 6 tackles for loss, 2 of them sacks, in the 8 games with play by play.
How Kansas’s defense played that day
TCU’s 11 drives: 9 stopped · 2 scored. While the game was within a score they held 6 of 8.
5 tackles. He hurried the quarterback twice.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
6 tackles.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 7 for him; the box score credits 6.
6 tackles, including 1 more for loss, 1 sack, 1 pass broken up.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
2 tackles, including 1 more for loss. He hurried the quarterback once.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
4 tackles, including 1 sack.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 8-yard loss. Second quarter, up 7-3.
5 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. It places 6 for him; the box score credits 5.
4 tackles, including 1 more for loss. The fumble he forced on 3rd and 6 ended Long Island University’s drive (fumble).
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play: 3 of his 4, sacks included.
Forced a fumble on 3rd and 6. Third quarter, up 37-0. Ended Long Island University’s drive (fumble).
Ratings of the games shown run from -15 to +18 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
Sack rate
6%2 sacksTFL rate
19%6 TFLHurry rate
11%4 hurriesPressure-to-sack conversion
33%2 of 6 pressures35 tackles · 6.5 for loss · 2 sacks.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 8 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home4g | 4.0 | 0.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road3g | 5.0 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.3 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-76g | 4.5 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.2 |
| Weeks 8+2g | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Leipold
Pass share
41.7%
242 pass / 338 run
Plays / game
72.5
8 games
Team sack rate
4.4%
274 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2026
35 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than most FBS defensive linemen who play every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
2026 is in progress.
Played for three programs.
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
3 coachesPlayed for 3 head coaches at 3 schools: Troy Calhoun, Jonathan Smith and Lance Leipold.
Next stop · Transfer
Transferred to Kansas
