Kansas football’s first opponent of the season is already walking into Week 1 with questions attached.
Long Island University was beaten badly by North Dakota on Thursday night, falling behind 42-0 before halftime before trimming the final deficit to 21 points. That result gives Kansas an early look at the team it will host Sept. 4 in Lawrence.
LIU came into the year after a 6-6 finish and was picked by Northeast Conference coaches to place third in the league. The Sharks also had a bright spot last season when they upset Eastern Michigan on the road for their first win over an FBS opponent.
But Thursday did not go smoothly, and the biggest concern showed up at quarterback. Thomas Greenwood, who was selected as a preseason All-NEC player, went 3 of 9 for 11 yards with an interception before being pulled before halftime.
Once Luca Stanzani entered, LIU found a little rhythm. He helped push the Sharks to three straight touchdowns, and that showing could make the quarterback picture even murkier before the trip to Kansas.
The Jayhawks, for their part, have already settled their own quarterback race. Isaiah Marshall has been named the starter after a long battle with Cole Ballard.
Kansas also brings a loaded backfield into the opener, with Dylan Edwards, Yasin Willis and Jalen Dupree all available. That group should give Marshall some support as he makes his first start.
LIU has taken real steps forward under head coach Ron Cooper since joining Division I in 2019, but its season opener made clear there is still work to do before it lines up against a Big 12 opponent.
For Kansas, the matchup offers a chance to ease into the season and give Marshall a real run as the team’s starting quarterback.
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The caution flag is the same one that tends to shadow young, talent-heavy rosters: experience. Kansas has only three true upperclassmen on the roster, which leaves a lot of the burden on freshmen to settle in fast and carry meaningful minutes in a demanding Big 12 grind. ESPNs projection range makes the point clearly enough, with a path that looks solid if the newcomers are merely good and another that gets much more ambitious if they become something closer to immediate difference-makers. [Read more 🡒]