As Kansas football wrapped up its 2025 season, one of the names that stood out - both on the stat sheet and in the locker room - was redshirt senior running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. His journey with the Jayhawks wasn’t just about yards and touchdowns. It was about perseverance, growth, and the kind of leadership that doesn’t always show up in a box score but is felt deeply throughout a program.
Head coach Lance Leipold made it clear during the team’s final home game week in late November: Hishaw’s evolution over the past year was something special. And it wasn’t just about the player Hishaw became - it was about the bond between player and staff, the mutual belief that paid off in a big way. Leipold didn’t shy away from praising Hishaw’s development, highlighting how rewarding it was to see a guy who stayed the course, even when the road wasn’t easy.
That final game, a 31-21 loss to a top-25 Utah team, marked the end of Kansas’ season with a 5-7 record. And while the result stung - especially with bowl eligibility just out of reach for the second straight year - Hishaw’s postgame tone was one of gratitude.
He acknowledged the sadness, sure, but also made it clear how much he appreciated his time at KU. He spoke with pride about the fight the team showed and made a point to lift up his teammates in the locker room after the game.
“My biggest thing is just going to be, like, the smiles in the locker room, just having fun,” Hishaw said, reflecting on his college career. And that quote says a lot about who he is.
For Hishaw, it wasn’t just about being the guy with the ball in his hands - it was about the relationships, the camaraderie, and the culture that’s been building in Lawrence. He talked about how, in that locker room, it didn’t matter who was starting or who wasn’t - the love and support were real.
Still, there’s no getting around the disappointment of back-to-back five-win seasons. Hishaw didn’t sugarcoat that.
The team came into 2024 and 2025 expecting more than just bowl eligibility - they were aiming higher. But again, he pivoted quickly to what he was proud of: the way the team stuck together, the way new players bought into the program’s identity, and the foundation that’s been laid for the future.
On the field, Hishaw turned in another solid season despite battling through injuries earlier in his career. He finished the year with 587 rushing yards and five touchdowns over 10 games.
That included a two-score performance in a win over Oklahoma State and a 107-yard outing against Utah in the finale. His most productive season came in 2023, when he helped lead Kansas to a bowl win with 626 rushing yards and eight touchdowns across 13 games.
But as Hishaw exits, the future of the Jayhawks’ running back room is anything but clear. Kansas leaned heavily on the veteran duo of Hishaw and fellow redshirt senior Leshon Williams this season.
And now, with both moving on, the next wave was expected to come from younger backs like redshirt freshman Harry Stewart III and redshirt sophomore Johnny Thompson Jr. - two players Hishaw himself had pointed to as key pieces going forward. But both have since announced their intention to enter the transfer portal, leaving a big question mark in the backfield heading into 2026.
Even so, Hishaw’s confidence in Leipold and the direction of the program hasn’t wavered.
“I just see success,” Hishaw said. “I always see success in coach Leipold and our program. I’ve never not, especially once he got here.”
That belief - that Kansas is building something sustainable - is part of what Hishaw leaves behind. His legacy isn’t just about the yards he gained or the touchdowns he scored. It’s about the culture he helped shape, the resilience he showed through adversity, and the trust he placed in a program that’s still climbing.
Now, with Hishaw moving on, Kansas turns the page. The next generation of Jayhawks will have big shoes to fill - but they’ll also have a blueprint, laid down by a back who gave everything he had to the program.