Kansas is heading into the 2026 season with a quarterback battle that could shape the way the Jayhawks offense looks, and passing game coordinator Jim Zebrowski isn’t treating it like a problem.
Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall are still fighting for the starting job, but Zebrowski sees the situation as a chance to get the most out of two players he believes can help Kansas right away. He pushed back on the idea that a two-quarterback setup is automatically doomed.
"There's two types of competitions," Zebrowski said. "I think there's some competitions where there's two guys, like, we have to pick one.
And there's two guys, and I really like both. We really like both these dudes.
Whoever gets it is gonna make us really good."
Head coach Lance Leipold has already indicated both quarterbacks are likely to play this season, and Zebrowski said that view comes from confidence in the room, not uncertainty. Kansas is trying to find the best way to use each player’s strengths rather than forcing a choice between two unworthy options.
Ballard brings the most experience into the competition. In his career, he has thrown for 445 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing for 209 yards.
Marshall, meanwhile, has shown more burst with the ball in his hands. In 2025, he ran for 160 yards on only 15 carries and broke loose for a 43-yard touchdown against Oklahoma State.
Kansas did not add a transfer quarterback to compete for the job. Instead, the Jayhawks brought in Rice transfer Chase Jenkins as experienced depth behind Ballard and Marshall.
The competition is unfolding with the Sept. 5 opener against Long Island University on the horizon, and Kansas is hoping it brings out the best in both quarterbacks before the season starts.
"So I think for the fans out there, you got two really good dudes, really good players that are gonna be really good," Zebrowski said. "Whoever plays is gonna play really well."
The Jayhawks are also chasing a sharper offense after finishing 77th nationally in total offense last season. The return of Andy Kotelnicki as associate head coach and offensive coordinator is expected to help Kansas get more out of whichever quarterback wins the job.
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Louisville has now entered the picture as another potential destination, adding a fresh layer of uncertainty to a chase that already carried one major caveat. Kohlers eligibility for the 2026-27 season is still unresolved because of NCAA eligibility rulings, so even as the list of suitors grows, the long-term answer for Kansas remains far from settled. [Read more 🡒]