University of Kansas quarterback Jaron Daniels throws a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU, Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Lawrence, Kansas. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
In the Big 12 this season, Utah State is the flashy newcomer expected to finish atop the standings, while Kansas State and Oklahoma State are perennial winners expected to contend for the championship.
But Kansas can’t be written off, the Jayhawks have finally tasted victory and are well within their grasp to win the Big 12 title.
This summer, BuffZone will be previewing each of Colorado’s opponents for the 2024 season, this time looking at Kansas, who will host the Buffaloes on Nov. 23 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Last season, coach Lance Leipold led Kansas to a 9-4 record, its first winning season since 2008. It was a dramatic change from the past. From 2009-2021, the Jayhawks were 8-106 in the Big 12. Then in 2022, Kansas ended a 14-year streak without a bowl appearance and did even better last year.
Considering that none of the Jayhawks’ previous four head coaches had a four-win season, Leipold’s quick turnaround in Lawrence is remarkable.
“We did what we set out to do with them in our day-to-day operations, and I think that started to build trust, started to build confidence,” Leipold said in an interview with On3 this spring.
Leipold has been the spearhead in building confidence, but the Jayhawks also have talent.
Offensively, KU finished last in the Big 12 Conference in scoring in 2021 (20.8 points per game), but improves to second in 2022 (35.6) and fourth in 2023 (34.8).
Much of the success in 2022 was driven by star quarterback Jaylon Daniels, but the Jayhawks still thrived despite missing 10 games in 2023. Daniels is healthy again and leading an explosive offense.
“He’s throwing. He’s throwing deep, he’s throwing all over the place,” Leipold said after the spring showcase in April. “He’s got a great attitude.”
Daniels has a talented group of pass-catching receivers and one of the Big 12’s best running backs in Devin Neal.
The key to the offense may be how the offensive line comes together. Only two starters return, but the Jayhawks filled some holes via the transfer portal.
“I think with the departures of some of the guys we’ve had, we’ve found some answers up front,” Leipold said in the spring.
Defensively, KU was solid last year, allowing just 26.5 points per game, the team’s lowest average since 2007, but there are still holes to fill.
The secondary, led by All-Big 12 cornerbacks Kobe Bryant and Melo Dotson, could be as good as any team in the Big 12. Safety Marvin Grant also returns as a starter.
In the spring, Leipold said he liked the depth at defensive tackle, but the Jayhawks need players who can produce on the edge, and they’ll lean on some experienced linebackers, led by junior J.B. Brown (57 tackles, six tackles for loss in 2023), but they’ll need to bring in others to fill a bigger role.
Overall, this is a big opportunity for Kansas, which has experienced veterans and over 30 seniors.
“This will be the largest senior class I’ve ever been a part of,” Leipold told On3.
The schedule works well, too. Kansas is projected to finish fourth in the conference and only one team in the top five is on the Jayhawks’ schedule: visiting rival Kansas State on Oct. 26. They won’t have to play Utah, Oklahoma State or Arizona.
Leipold believes his team is poised for success and high expectations as it seeks its first conference title since 1968.
“Overall, I think confidence is as good as it’s ever been,” he said in the spring. “I think this group understands they have to go out there and work hard every day, even more so than they did at the beginning of the spring. The goals are a little different than the goals they’ve had so far in their collegiate careers.”
Kansas Jayhawks
Head Coach: Lance Leipold, 4th year (17-21, 163-60 career record)
2023 season: 9-4, 5-4 in the Big 12, win over UNLV in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl
Series with CU: Buffs lead 42-25-3
game
Who: Colorado Buffaloes vs Kansas Jayhawks
when: Saturday, November 23rd, time TBA
where: GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Five people to watch
WR Lawrence Arnold: The Jayhawks’ leading receiver the past two years, he caught 44 passes for 782 yards and six touchdowns last year while earning All-Big 12 honorable mention, and he’s caught 44 passes in 2022 for a career total of 121 receptions for 1,859 yards and 13 touchdowns.
CB Kobe Bryant: Bryant is one of the best cornerbacks in the country, having been selected to the All-Big 12 first team in 2022 and 2023. Last year, Bryant recorded 32 tackles, four interceptions and five interceptions, along with five tackles for loss.
QB Jaron Daniels: He’s extremely talented when healthy and has started 21 games so far, but has missed 14 of 26 games over the past two seasons. He has passed for 4,297 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions and rushed for 600 yards and 13 touchdowns in his career.
CB Melo Dotson: He was named to the preseason All-Big 12 by the media along with Bryant. He was an honorable mention pick last season after recording 48 tackles, four interceptions and 11 pass breakups. His 15 total passes defensed were tied for second in the conference. He also recorded three tackles for loss.
RB Devin Neal: Last year, he rushed for 1,280 yards and 16 touchdowns and was named to the All-Big 12 Conference second team. A two-time 1,000-yard rusher, he has caught 53 passes for 3,077 yards and 33 touchdowns in three seasons with the Jayhawks.
Good to know
• CU and Kansas met every year from 1948 to 2010 as conference rivals in the Big Seven (1948-57), Big Eight (1958-1995) and Big 12 (1996-2010). The Jayhawks have won four of the past five meetings, including a 52-45 victory in the most recent matchup on Nov. 6, 2010.
• The Jayhawks will not play home games at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence this season because the stadium is undergoing a $448 million renovation. Instead, two of Kansas’ non-conference games will be played at Children’s Mercy Park (home of MLS team Sporting Kansas City) and the remaining four games will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (home of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs).
• Jeff Grimes was hired as the new offensive coordinator during the offseason. A former Colorado assistant (2007-08), Grimes was the OC at Baylor from 2021-23 and BYU from 2018-20.
• Brian Bolland returns for his fourth season as defensive coordinator after serving as Leipold’s defensive coordinator since 2007 at Wisconsin-Whitewater (2007-14), Buffalo (2015-20) and Kansas.
• Punter Damon Greaves returns and averaged just 39.0 punting yards, but only two of his 32 punts were returned for a total of minus-six yards.
• Junior Owen Pipergardes has taken over as the starting kicker and has made 15 career extra-point attempts and 1 of 2 field goal attempts.
Moving a Portal
The Jayhawks lost 13 players to the transfer portal, but the only significant departure was Almaji Reed Adams (Texas A&M), who played 12 games on the offensive line last year (11 at guard and one at tackle). Defensive lineman Gage Keyes (Auburn), receiver Tanaka Scott (North Alabama) and offensive lineman Spencer Lovell (Nevada) also contributed. The most significant addition of the offseason was former Texas A&M center Bryce Foster, who started all 28 games he played in over three seasons (12 last year) and was named a Freshman All-American in 2021. The other three linemen who joined the team were Shane Bumgardner (Tiffin), Amir Herring (Michigan State) and Darrell Simmons (Iowa State). Bumgardner was named the top center in Division II last year. Defensive lineman Javier Dellit (North Dakota State), edge Dylan Udke (Youngstown State) and safety Devin Dye (Utah State) should contribute defensively.
