Kansas football: What does veteran QB transfer Jason Bean bring to the table?

Kansas football received the commitment of senior transfer Jason Bean back in March and is expected to join the Jayhawks this summer.

Bean will be entering a competitive quarterback battle, with plenty of potential names in the ring.

The case for Jason coming into Kansas will be experience and the ability to successfully scramble for significant yardage.

Recently hired quarterbacks coach Jim Zebrowski will be undertaking operations for the critical position group and could seek Bean’s experience to help correct Kansas’ offensive woes.

Quick decision-making

During his previous season at North Texas, Bean started in 7 of the Mean Green’s 10 matchups, and for good reason: he’s quick.

Bean has a knack for speed, however, his ability to quickly get the ball into receivers’ hands could grab head coach Lance Leipold’s attention.

Leipold’s most recent starting quarterback, Kyle Vantrease, shares this ability to make fast-paced decisions out of the pocket without jeopardizing a possession.

Kansas failed to assign a consistent quarterback to the starting job during the 2020 season and this often costed their offense on more than one occasion.

Playing the “seniority card”

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for facilitating young potential in the quarterback seat. However, in Kansas’ case, going with an experienced, reliable quarterback may be the right move here.

If Bean can “wow” this coaching staff, there could be a new look to the Jayhawks’ offense.

Keep in mind, choosing Bean over our younger options isn’t a bad thing. It’s setting them up for success. I don’t think I have to tell you that there will likely be a few different quarterbacks taking snaps for the Jayhawks in 2021.

However, plug-in Jason Bean and there’s room for both positive re-enforcement and growth in the quarterback position group. Returning senior quarterback Miles Kendrick has shown resilience at times, however, he has been inconsistent over his past two seasons.

Coach Leipold shouldn’t be expecting to draw a starter on Week 1, and odds are, he isn’t. This is dependent on who he thinks will be the best leader to help this offense move in a productive direction and if it isn’t Bean, then look to your younger options and see what differences can be made.

Getting off on the right note

Bean will be joining a Kansas team with some high expectations behind new head coach Lance Leipold. Let’s face it, fans are tired of losing and the Leipold era represents an opportunity to turn things around with the program.

Considering each quarterback will be analyzed before Week 1 kicks off, Kansas will be interested in someone who presents dependability on offense.

If Bean can showcase a solid resume during the summer and win the trust of both Coach Leipold and Coach Zebrowski, then he may have a shot at snagging the starting job this fall.

It will be important for whoever leads the Jayhawks’ offense to make a decent impression during the opening weeks of practice. Building some momentum at the start of the Leipold era will be crucial to regaining this program’s footing.