You could make a case that this is the most well-rounded team Lance Leipold has had during his time with the Kansas Jayhawks. Of course, there are still questions about the quarterback room, and those won’t disappear until the new season is well underway, but beyond that room, things are well improved.
Earlier this week, head coach Lance Leipold spoke on the depth of the Jayhawks during his first appearance back on Hawk Talk.
“I like the roster and the depth that we have, and when we’re talking about depth, sometimes you just end up with situations that, you know, from starter to backup might be a gap in experience and youth and those things, and you're kind of holding your breath as you go through it,” opened Leipold.
Last season forced untimely introductions all across the field thanks to injuries, and while there were still moments of promise, oftentimes there were lackluster big plays given up, which sucker-punched the Jayhawks into a second straight bowl-less season.
“If we stay healthy across the board, I really like where we're at, that we can rotate some people, and I guess the word “drop-off” is minimal in some areas, and we still have a lot of work to do in some areas, I really like where this team is at, and you'll see a lot of players on the field.”
Two of the most intriguing players brought up so far throughout camp are freshman cornerback Trey Brown and DeAndre Harper, both have seen their stocks take massive jumps forward and can factor into what will be a busy schedule that includes nine straight games to end the season.
Analyzing Kansas’ position groups should make fans excited for next season
For one, their running back room now has three stellar options in Dylan Edwards, Yasin Willis and Jalen Dupree; all are transfers with promising reports from their previous stops.
Kansas’ wide receiver room will miss Emmanuel Henderson Jr. from last season, but has found suitable replacements in Nik McMillan and Nahzae Cox, all while being able to see big upgrades from Cam Pickett and Keaton Kubecka.
Kansas’ tight end room feels as steady as usual with Matt Lubick in charge, and while their offensive line is largely revamped, their ability to be flexible with their line is turning into a big positive.
On the defensive side, Kansas’ defensive line has been strengthened thanks to the likes of Eamon Smalls in what is an already strong group with Leroy Harris III and Blaker Herold set for big seasons.
A linebacker tandem of Bam Crouch and Trey Lathan already stands out as a veteran pairing, and the revised secondary room that adds the likes of Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman and Corey Gordon adds experience that last year sorely missed.
While the future of this team will have to rely on the winner of this everlasting quarterback battle between redshirt junior Cole Ballard and redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall to get the Jayhawks back to the postseason, they have the caliber of team around them for the eventual QB1 to succeed.
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