Kansas head coach Lance Leipold took the podium this week to outline the status of several key players as the Jayhawks gear up for their season opener against LIU.
Quarterback Decision and Injury Landscape
The coaching staff announced that redshirt sophomore Isaiah Marshall will start at quarterback, having edged out Cole Ballard in the preseason competition, while the team emphasized a flexible approach to the lineup.
Cam Pickett, a redshirt senior wide receiver who ranked second in receiving yards last season and topped the team in catches, did not participate in practice and his availability for Friday’s game remains uncertain.
Freshman running back Kory Amachree, who suffered an injury earlier in camp, will be sidelined for an extended period, further thinning the running backs room.
Redshirt freshman Justin Thurman is already out for the entire season, and backup Tate Nagy, a sophomore wide receiver, may see increased snaps if another starter drops out.
Coach Leipold stressed that the Jayhawks will deploy the most effective players for each game, even if that means shifting a tight end or a running back into the receiver slot when depth is tested.
The discussion also touched on the broader coverage of the program by sportswriter Jordan Guskey, who has been tracking the team’s developments throughout the preseason.