Now is absolutely not the time to bail on Kansas football team

The 2024 Kansas football team is not off to the start it had hoped for. After manhandling an obviously inferior Lindenwood team to launch the season, the Jayhawks have fallen to two competitive teams, Illinois and UNLV. Still, KU looked to be the better team in both matchups, except for one area —turnovers.

From 2009-2021, the Kansas football program was a barren desert of despair. Over the past two seasons, however, as successes began to mount, expectations slowly started to change. Instead of waiting for a figurative anvil to drop, fans started to trust that the program had indeed turned a corner.

Now, fans feel as if that anvil has dropped. While the social media app X is not a great place to visit after a loss, some fans seem to be spirally, afraid that the program has already fallen.

Why it's way too early to give up on this particular Kansas football team

The first reason why it is too early to panic about these Jayhawks is because of leadership. Lance Leipold has proven over and over how good of a coach he is. Fans must trust that he will figure out how to right this listing ship. The team is also loaded with talented, experienced players on both side of the ball. Players that came to Kansas when it was a wasteland, and have improved, have seen the turnaround, and have stayed. These players will not let this program falter.

The second reason is quarterback play. There is no way to sugarcoat the fact that Jalon Daniels has not been good this far. His turnovers have been ugly, untimely, and costly. It would be surprising if his uneven play continued. The back-up quarterback is always the most popular guy on campus when the team is struggling, but there is no doubt, Daniels has the most immediate upside and gives this theam the best chance to turn it around - for now.

The third reason is the defense has been incredible, even in the two losses. Both Illinois and UNLV scored 23 points against Kansas, but the offense is on the hook for a pick 6, and another near pick 6. That's 14 points that can't be laid at the feet of the defense. There have been other turnovers in both games that put the defense in a bad position, yet the defense has scrapped. It is a solid unit!

Lastly, no matter how painful it has been to watch KU lose the last two weeks, those games were against non-conference schools. The real season starts this weekend, and conference play will determine this team's legacy.

Even if the Jayhawks weere to lose this weekend on the road against West Virginia, it will still not be the end of the world, though it may feel like it. It would be surprising if any Big 12 team has less than two conference losses at season's end. There just isn't that much difference in talent from school to school. Playing on the road will be tough on everyone. Kansas can still have a loss or two and challenge for the conference title.

No, the start of this season hasn't been ideal. For a team with dreams of making the playoffs, those two losses are gut-wrenching. Still, the season isn't lost. This team will improve and tighten up where it needs to, and Daniels will be better. Fans have to continue to support this team. KU is too talented, with a core of players who have given too much of themselves to the Kansas football program, for the Jayhawks not to figure things out.

There is a lot of season left and the conference schedule to go. Don't bail on this team. It is a group of people who did not bail on KU, and they deserve our undying support for whatever lies ahead.