If you had to poll Kansas fans on which position group they feel most confident in right now, the answer “running back” should be listed as the bookies' favorite.
This season welcomes three new running backs, all of whom have big-play potential: Dylan Edwards, Yasin Willis and Jalen Dupree.
Dylan Edwards: Edwards totaled 1,072 yards on the ground, to go with 8 rushing touchdowns in three years split between Colorado and Kansas State. Edwards is also a decent threat in the air with 449 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns. Yes, Edwards had a shortened 2025 season thanks to injury; however, he seems to be raring to get back on the field and over the offseason, he showed how excited he was to get back to playing his best football.
Yasin Willis: Willis could easily go down next season as the biggest transfer hit from this 2026 cycle. Last season saw Willis go for 588 yards and 4 touchdowns amidst what was a shaky Syracuse side. Willis doesn't only offer a great physical presence but also brings sneaky good athleticism.
Jalen Dupree: In 2025, Dupree reeled in 508 yards and two touchdowns for a Colorado State team that finished 2-10, moved on from Jay Norvell, and then enlisted Jim Mora. Dupree also picked up 83 yards through the air.
While Edwards and Willis are likely the certified No. 1 and 2 running backs next season, Dupree has been impressing as of late. Having missed a chunk of the offseason recovering from injury, Dupree is just now getting back to full fitness.
“I see somebody who wants to run really tough and physical”
When speaking with the media earlier this month, associate head coach and offensive playcaller Andy Kotelnicki spoke on what Dupree has been showing as of late.
“His last two practices have been his best ones. He's back, he's getting more reps now, he’s understanding what's going on. He had to knock the rust off a little bit in this camp, 'cause he missed a lot of springs. But I see somebody who's got good vision. I see somebody who wants to run really tough and physical, which those are two really, usually pretty good, characteristics for running backs. And so he's been doing a really impressive job with that.”
Where does Dupree fit into this room?
If you could create the perfect archetype of a third-choice running back, it would be Dupree. His ability to shrug off the first tackle and keep his feet moving forward is exactly what a defense does not want to face after having to deal with Edwards and Willis. Dupree has also showcased a strong juke move that offsets defenders easily and can create decent pace in the open field.
Maybe the ceiling of talent isn’t as high as ever, but the consistency across this room shows minuscule drop-offs (if any). Even though Kansas’ quarterback battle is far from settled, as both candidates clearly have a long way to go, if they can properly utilize these options with whoever is QB1, then their offense looks in a much stronger place.
More Kansas Football News
Add us as a preferred source on Google