Lance Leipold updates where Kansas' backup quarterback battle stands

Coming into the 2024 season, head coach Lance Leipold and the Kansas Jayhawks are set at starting quarterback with Jalon Daniels. There is, however, a battle to become the team’s backup quarterback ahead of the season.

With Fall Camp underway, Leipold shared an update on where he feels the quarterback battle currently stands.

“They’re both playing well,” Lance Leipold said. “Again, the early enrollment of Isaiah Marshall has definitely helped, but Cole [Ballard], again, he continues to work on the areas where he’s been. He’s got a lot of command.”

In total, Kansas has six quarterbacks listed on its roster going into the 2024 season. That gives plenty of options for Leipold behind Daniels. However, it appears that two of the younger quarterbacks, freshman Isaiah Marshall and redshirt freshman Cole Ballard, are the two battling for that backup role.

Marshall comes to Kansas as a three-star recruit in the Class of 2024, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He was the 30th-ranked quarterback overall in that cycle. The year before, in the Class of 2023, Kansas added Cole Ballard who was an unranked quarterback in that cycle.

“I’ve said it all along, I like the depth of our quarterback position,” Leipold said.

The hope is, of course, that Kansas will have Jalon Daniels healthy for the entire season. However, he has had injury issues in the past that forced former backup quarterback Jason Bean into action. Last season, Daniels only played in three games due to those injury issues. In his four previous seasons playing for Kansas, Daniels has maxed out at nine games in a year.

With all of that in mind, Leipold knows how vital being confident in your backup quarterback could be in 2024.

Lance Leipold on Kansas being ranked in preseason

Heading into the 2024 season, there are major expectations for the Kansas Jayhawks. That’s something that Lance Leipold is aware of and wants to embrace moving forward.

“The football program has been through a decade of tough times. So, we need to embrace these types of things and be proud of them,” Leipold said.

“Again, you can’t hang your hat on them because as quickly as that came out, I got a text saying that somebody already rated us as one of the more overrated teams in that top 25 poll. So, it brings you back to earth quite quickly and gets back to what it’s all about. That is — you got to go out, each and every day during camp, work to get better, prepare, and then go out on Saturday — or whatever day you’re playing — and play your best football.”