Kansas’ running back room is shaping up as one of the more intriguing parts of the roster, and Lance Leipold isn’t hiding his confidence in what he has to work with.
That optimism starts with the depth. Leipold said earlier this week, “I like the depth there. I think there's a lot of guys that can be productive for us.”
The Jayhawks are moving into a season that should lean heavily on Dylan Edwards, Jalen Dupree and Yasin Willis. Edwards and Willis both arrived as 88-overall transfers according to 247Sports, while Dupree comes in at 85. Leipold sees a group with enough variety to keep defenses guessing.
“You know, it's gonna be interesting to see how we can spread that around, but different styles of runners, different sizes, there's speed, there's power, a lot of different things that, again, I know when Andy and I kind of talk about where we're going, there's a lot of different ways for us to be creative with that group,” finished Leipold
The mix is what makes it so appealing. Edwards brings the burst, the kind of speed that can turn a touch in space into a problem for a defense.
Willis adds the power element at 6-foot-1, and his time at Syracuse showed patience as a runner, plus enough athleticism to pop on film. Dupree gives Kansas another layer with his blend of strength, speed and elusiveness, the sort of back who can make life miserable once he gets into the open field.
For Kansas, the ground game matters for more than just balance. The Jayhawks need to become a run-heavy offense if they want to secure a third bowl game under Lance Leipold.
That idea also ties back to Andy Kotelnicki, whose return as associate head coach means he’ll again be shaping the offense. Kotelnicki was behind Kansas’ two best seasons after Mark Mangino, helping steer the Jayhawks to a rushing average of 174.3 yards per game in 2022, good for 48th in the nation, and then 202.8 yards per game in 2023, which ranked eighth nationally during a nine-win season.
There is a little caution built into the picture, since both Edwards and Dupree have had slight injury concerns in the past. Still, if that group stays on the field, Kansas could have one of the more dangerous rushing attacks in the country.
In Other News...
Kansas Defensive Front Just Took A Blow Before Fall Camp
Kansas defensive front took an early hit this spring when projected starting nose tackle TreVon McAlpine went down during workouts. Head coach Lance Leipold later confirmed the injury, and it leaves the Jayhawks looking for answers at a spot they had penciled in as a key part of the rotation heading into fall camp.
McAlpine arrived from Tulane with the expectation that he would help anchor the middle of the defense, so the loss changes both the depth chart and the tone of the preseason for Kansas. The staff is now sorting through the next steps for the position while also hoping there is still a path for McAlpine to be back in a future season. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Has An Unexpected Quarterback Possibility
Kansas has already started sketching out its quarterback picture for 2026, with Lance Leipold planning to use Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall in different packages. That approach suggests the Jayhawks are preparing for a more flexible offense, one that can lean into different skill sets instead of asking one quarterback to do everything.
There may be another twist to the picture, though, if Tommy Castellanos gets the outcome he is pursuing. A dual-threat quarterback with a reputation for leadership, Castellanos could suddenly become part of the conversation for a Kansas team that is still mapping out its future at the position, adding an unexpected layer to a room that already looks set to be more than a simple one-man race. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Suddenly Faces A Defensive Line Question Early In Camp
Kansas defensive line took an immediate hit early in camp when TreVon McAlpine went down with a season-ending ACL injury, leaving a hole that had to be addressed fast. Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald has already started framing the loss as a chance for someone else to claim a bigger role, and the first few practices have given him a few names to monitor.
Eamon Smalls and Marcus Calvin have been among the interior players drawing positive mention, while the edge group has also flashed some depth with Leroy Harris III and Garrett Martin working into the mix during camp sessions. For a unit that had to absorb an abrupt setback before the season even got rolling, the next stretch of practices will go a long way toward showing whether Kansas can turn an early problem into useful depth. [Read more 🡒]