LAWRENCE, Kan. (WIBW) - Kansas football has big shoes to fill this fall with quarterback Jalon Daniels off to the NFL. Head coach Lance Leipold likes what he’s seen from a pair of returning players in that position group, at least from a leadership standpoint.
“The quarterbacks have naturally done that,” Leipold said during a post-practice media availability on Thursday. “We’ve talked about Cole [Ballard] doing that for a long time. Isaiah [Marshall] has the ability through play and other ways to get people to rally around him with his moxie and everything that he has about it. I think he’s worked more on his vocal part and understands that he needs to do that.”
POSITION BATTLE:
This morning we got our first look at the future of the quarterback position at KU. It appears to be a race between returnees Isaiah Marshall and Cole Ballard and Rice transfer Chase Jenkins. @WIBWsports pic.twitter.com/Uwv5bkP3Sn
— Jason Kinander (@WIBWJason) March 26, 2026
Ballard is a redshirt junior from Westfield, Indiana. He threw for 108 yards and a touchdown in limited action in 2025.
Marshall is a redshirt sophomore from Southfield, Michigan. He ran for 160 yards on 15 attempts in 2025.
Rice transfer Chase Jenkins is also presumed to be involved in the quarterback competition.
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