FRISCO, Texas — Wednesday marked the first time Kansas coach Lance Leipold has attended Big 12 Conference media days without quarterback Jalon Daniels by his side.
“I kind of miss him a little bit in that regard,” Leipold said.
The Jayhawks weren’t able to make it to Arlington, Texas, ahead of Leipold’s first campaign at the helm due to storms, so attended virtually, and then entering each of the following four seasons, Daniels was firmly ensconced as KU’s starter and in many ways the face of the program.
“It’s different,” said KU’s now-sixth-year head coach, “but as we know, we all move on.”
Not only was there no Daniels on Wednesday at Ford Center at The Star, there was no quarterback at all, given that the Jayhawks remain mired in a competition between redshirt junior Cole Ballard and redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall — and yet that competition remained one of the most prominent KU storylines for Leipold and his quintet of non-quarterbacks to discuss.
“I think that we have two quarterbacks that we can win football games with, without a doubt,” Leipold said. “We have two young men that are excellent people, they’re two good football players, they’re well respected in the locker room, they’re excellent leaders.”
Both contenders are rather inexperienced. Ballard, a former walk-on thrust into action as a true freshman in 2023, has thrown just 28 passes since that year and 64 total. Marshall, once a well-regarded recruit out of Southfield, Michigan, has three career passes and 15 carries from a quarterback-run package under his belt.
“Jalon played 24 straight games for us the last two years,” Leipold said. “Unfortunately that doesn’t mean anyone else got to play much at quarterback. So that’s where the uncertainty goes.”
But as Leipold takes care to point out, Ballard and Marshall have received no shortage of repetitions in practice — and not just the 320 each that they garnered during the spring.
“Jalon never went through a spring in my time as a head coach in full,” Leipold said, referencing the various injuries that limited the veteran’s offseason participation — back, knee and so on. “And people forget that. Now some of that hurt us, unfortunately … but when Jalon wasn’t practicing, Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall were getting reps. So they have a lot of banked reps of time. Now it’s time for them to go out and execute and play.”
Who wins out, the KU coach has frequently said, will come down to solid decision-making and consistent execution.
In the absence of either Ballard or Marshall on Frisco on Wednesday, their teammates were keen to heap praise on the two signal callers, while acknowledging their distinct skill sets.
Marshall, middle linebacker Trey Lathan said in various interviews on Wednesday, “gives us life” and runs “like a gazelle” — he averaged more than 10 yards per carry last year — and Ballard is “more poised and can fake you out with his eyes.” Wide receiver Cam Pickett, the top returning target from 2025, called Marshall “a very dynamic player” and Ballard one who “takes pride and ownership in being a leader.”
Whoever wins out, the Jayhawks will look to return to the offensive heights of their previous era with Andy Kotelnicki as play caller, in which they reached bowl games in 2022 and 2023.
“I’ve blocked for all these quarterbacks before,” left tackle Calvin Clements said. “Isaiah, Cole — Chase (Jenkins) is new — but I’ve been in the practice huddle with Cole, I’ve been in the practice huddle with Isaiah. So it’s like none of that is new. So I feel comfortable with them back there. Both of them are great leaders, they’re field generals, they’re very calm and collected under pressure. So I wouldn’t say anything’s changed.”
Leipold has previously said he isn’t keen on the idea of a multi-quarterback system, noting that it’s important to give a quarterback the chance to get into the flow of the game. But he did say on Wednesday that both Ballard and Marshall may feature throughout the year, whoever wins the job.
“Once we name a starter, I still wouldn’t be surprised if both guys are going to play in games on a weekly basis,” he said.
Kansas quarterback Isaiah Marshall throws during KU Football’s spring practice at Lawrence High School on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in Lawrence.
Kansas quarterback Cole Ballard throws during KU Football’s spring practice at Lawrence High School on Saturday, April 11, 2026 in Lawrence.
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World
Kahner Sampson/Special to the Journal-World