Withey transferred to Kansas in January 2009, but was ineligible to play until the end of the 2009 fall semester due to the NCAA transfer rules requiring him to sit out a year.
He initially saw limited playing time during the second half of the 2009–10 season and the 2010-11 season, playing behind Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins.

In his junior year, after twin brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris left for the NBA draft, he became a starter, playing for the 2011–12 squad which lost to Kentucky in the NCAA championship game.
 Withey blocked 31 shots in the 2012 tournament, breaking Joakim Noah's tournament record of 29.
During the 2011-12 season, he was named Big 12 defensive player of the year and set a Big 12 record with 140 blocks for the season.
Withey transferred to Kansas in January 2009, but was ineligible to play until the end of the 2009 fall semester due to the NCAA transfer rules requiring him to sit out a year. He initially saw limited playing time during the second half of the 2009–10 season and the 2010-11 season, playing behind Cole Aldrich and the Morris twins.
In his junior year, after twin brothers Marcus and Markieff Morris left for the NBA draft, he became a starter, playing for the 2011–12 squad which lost to Kentucky in the NCAA championship game.  Withey blocked 31 shots in the 2012 tournament, breaking Joakim Noah's tournament record of 29. During the 2011-12 season, he was named Big 12 defensive player of the year and set a Big 12 record with 140 blocks for the season.
Jeff Withey