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· collected 2026-08-21 · by Dave Skretta The Associated Press
Kansas football coach Lance Leipold is heading into his sixth season with the Jayhawks, aiming to recapture some of the early momentum he established when he led the team to a 9-2 record in just three years. The biggest addition to the team is Andy Kotelnicki, who returns after coordinating the offense at Penn State, and will help revamp the struggling offense. Leipold's team has been plagued by close losses, including back-to-back losing seasons, but the coach holds himself accountable for not meeting expectations. With a competitive quarterback battle underway between returnees Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall, as well as transfer Chase Jenkins, the Jayhawks' ability to get back to a bowl game will heavily rely on their QB play.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-21,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The University of Kansas football team, led by coach Lance Leipold, is trying to bounce back from two consecutive losing seasons and regain some of its early momentum under Leipold's leadership. In his sixth season at the helm, Leipold has high expectations for his team, citing five close losses that could have potentially put the Jayhawks in a position to talk about four consecutive bowl games. The biggest addition to the team is Andy Kotelnicki, who previously helped engineer some of Kansas's best offenses and has returned from coordinating the offense at Penn State to help boost the team's offense. However, the quarterback situation remains uncertain with longtime starter Jalon Daniels gone, leaving a competition for the position among returnees Cole McGuire and others. The Jayhawks' 2025 record stands at 5-7, which is a stark contrast to Leipold's initial success when he inherited a winless team in Lawrence and won nine games by his third year.
Written for “Kansas Football Prep” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 1882 · logged 2026-08-28
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — 2025 record: 5-7
Expectations
Lance Leipold engineered one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football when he inherited a winless team in Lawrence and won nine games by his third year.
asserted
he → engineer → year
After back-to-back losing seasons, the Jayhawks are trying to recapture some of that early momentum as they head into his sixth season.
asserted
they → try → season
“Obviously standards have changed and expectations have changed,” Leipold said.
asserted
Leipold → change → ?
“We’ve had some opportunities, probably well-documented.
asserted
We → have → opportunities
Some close losses that we could be sitting up here today talking about four consecutive bowl games and yada, yada yada, but we haven’t done that.
uncertain
we → sit → that
And where does it fall?
asserted
it → fall → ?
It falls on the head coach to do that.
asserted
It → fall → that
Our players embrace that.
asserted
players → embrace → that
“They understand that we’re getting people’s better shots than we did a couple years ago.”
asserted
we → understand → shots
The biggest addition to the Jayhawks might be Andy Kotelnicki, who engineered some of their best offenses during Leipold’s most successful seasons, before he left to coordinate the offense at Penn State the past couple of years.
uncertain
he → engineer → years
Whether the Jayhawks can get back to a bowl game could hinge on their quarterback play.
uncertain
get → get → play
Longtime starter Jalon Daniels is gone, and returnees Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall have been competing with Rice transfer Chase Jenkins for the starting job.
asserted
Ballard → go → job
Strength of the Jayhawks will be in the skill positions
Whomever wins the QB job will have the benefit of one of the Big 12’s better groups of skill-position players.
asserted
wins → win → players
Dylan Edwards, the Kansas native who began his career at Colorado, spent a couple of injury-filled seasons at Kansas State, then decided to head down Interstate 70 to lead a rushing attack that thrived when Kotelnicki was calling the plays.
asserted
Kotelnicki → begin → plays
The wide receiver corps also should be better with Cam Pickett back after leading the Jayhawks with 45 catches last season.
asserted
corps → lead → catches
He will be joined by Middle Tennessee transfer Nahzae Cox and Buffalo transfer Nik McMillan, both of whom can stretch the field.
asserted
both → join → field
Weaknesses on offensive and defensive lines could be a problem
The offensive and defensive lines are both huge question marks heading into the Jayhawks’ opener against Long Island.
uncertain
lines → head → Island
On offense, Oklahoma State transfer Kasen Carpenter and Texas guard Connor Stroh figure to step into leading roles, but who will join them remains up in the air.
asserted
join → figure → air
Cal transfer Nick Morrow and holdovers Calvin Clements and Amir Herring appear to be first in line.
asserted
Morrow → appear → line
On the other side of the ball, Kansas brought in a slew of transfers to fortify a front that must be vastly improved.
asserted
that → bring → front
Tre’Von McAlpine arrived from Tulane, Kevin Oatis from Arkansas, Jibriel Conde from Grand Valley State and David Santiago from Michigan State, and all will have a role.
asserted
all → arrive → role
Boston College transfer Daveon Crouch could help them all out from his spot at linebacker.
uncertain
Crouch → help → linebacker
