Kansas football: QB situation still up in the air less than a month from game

The Kansas football quarterback situation is still very much unknown, and the Jayhawks’ first game is approaching quickly.

We learned last season that Kansas football head coach Les Miles doesn’t mind waiting until the very last moment to decide who his starting quarterback will be. Last year’s battle between JUCO transfer Thomas MacVittie and senior Carter Stanley came down to the wire, but Stanley was ultimately given the job.

Stanley put together a pretty good season considering he’d never been a full-time starter before, and it’s really a shame he didn’t get to develop more under offensive coordinator Brent Dearmon. Now that Stanley has graduated though, Dearmon and Miles have to select a new quarterback.

As of now, the three main contenders for the job include:

• Thomas MacVittie, 6’5” 225 pounds, senior
• Miles Kendrick, 5’10” 205 pounds, junior
• Jalon Daniels, 6’0″ 200 pounds, freshman

Two of the more intriguing names on the list are Kendrick and Daniels. Both are dual-threat quarterbacks, and both would fit well with Dearmon’s RPO-heavy offense. As a true freshman, Daniels doesn’t have the greatest chance of getting the job; however, keep an eye on his career at Kansas. Dearmon is one of his biggest proponents, and Daniels could easily be the QB of the future for the Jayhawks.

If one had to make a guess on who the starter will be, one would be wise to choose Kendrick. Despite limited playing time at Kansas, Kendrick would fit in Dearmon’s offense and we’d actually get to see him for multiple seasons which would give him more time to develop, unlike MacVittie who’d essentially be a one-and-done.

While Kendrick may look like the favorite now, nobody knows anything until the coaching staff makes a decision, which could be kept secret until game time. That’s what happened last season when Kansas football fans didn’t know Stanley was their QB until he took the field against Indiana State.

Knowing Miles, he could very well take the same approach, and keep the identity of the starter a mystery until the very last moment. Either way, September 12 is fast approaching, and it’ll be time to see who’ll be taking the snaps for the Jayhawks.