While much of the attention in Lawrence is locked onto the quarterback battle, Kansas may be building something just as important in the backfield. The Jayhawks’ running back room looks deeper than it has in recent memory, and head coach Lance Leipold came away encouraged during his first fall camp press conference.
At the center of it all is former K-State tailback Dylan Edwards, who is expected to lead the group and try to establish himself as a star in his first season at Kansas. Syracuse transfer Yasin Willis is another name to keep close tabs on after topping 500 rushing yards as a sophomore.
Leipold said the group is in good shape physically heading into the stretch before the opener.
"It's about the healthiest the group's been in a while, to be honest," Leipold said about the running backs. He noted that Colorado State transfer Jalen Dupree had missed significant time in the spring.
"I like our backfield, I like the depth there," he continued. "I think there's a lot of guys that can be productive for us, and it's going to 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 mix is exactly what stands out. Edwards brings the quick, slippery style of a smaller, explosive runner, while Willis and Dupree profile more as power backs who can grind out extra yards. Edwards should get a meaningful share of the workload, though he has never had more than 76 carries in a season, and that came during his freshman year at Colorado.
Willis appears positioned to handle a lot of the early-down work. He logged double-digit carries in every game he played in 2025, which gives Kansas a steady option between the tackles.
And with either Cole Ballard or Isaiah Marshall set to start in Week 1, the quarterback piece matters too. Both can threaten defenses with their legs, which should put plenty of read-option football on the table. That kind of setup only raises the value of Kansas’ versatility in the backfield, since different runners could fit different packages depending on who is taking the snaps.
In Other News...
Former KU Standout Walks Away At 28 And Fans Are Stunned
Hakeem Adenijis departure from football lands as the kind of surprise that ripples back through Lawrence, where he was once a trusted Kansas offensive tackle and a first-team All-Big 12 pick in 2019. The former Jayhawk carved out a six-season NFL career, moving through multiple teams and even earning a Super Bowl start with the Cincinnati Bengals, which made his run feel like one of those durable pro stories KU fans have followed closely.
Now, at 28, Adeniji is stepping away from the league after signing with the Baltimore Ravens, a move that briefly suggested one more chapter in a well-traveled pro career. Instead, his name is already on the reserve/retired list, leaving one of the more respected recent Kansas linemen with an abrupt ending and a fan base left to wonder what led him to call it quits so suddenly. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Quarterback Race Could Decide How Much This Offense Improves
Kansas spent last season fighting through long stretches of offensive inconsistency, and the numbers backed up the eye test. The Jayhawks were below the mark on third downs and struggled to finish drives once they got into scoring range, which is why the offseason changes on that side of the ball carried so much weight. With a tougher schedule coming and uncertainty lingering at several spots, this spring has felt less like a tune-up and more like a search for answers.
A big part of that search sits at quarterback, where the staff is trying to sort out who gives this offense the best chance to take a meaningful step forward. If Kansas can stabilize that spot and start getting cleaner execution in the key moments that cost it a year ago, the rest of the offense should look a lot more livable. If not, the Jayhawks could be asking too much of an attack that already has to prove it can handle whats ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Offseason Plans Now Hinge On Two Major Court Decisions
Kansas fans have found a new way to pass the time this offseason with The Bill Self Algorithm, a game built around drafting all-time starters and simulating lineups, but the real roster suspense is playing out in courtrooms and not on a screen. A Colorado judge recently clarified that players from the class of 2022 can receive an extra year of NCAA eligibility, though anyone hoping to change schools still has to seek relief, and the case is now under appeal.
For Kansas, the timing matters because the Jayhawks are still waiting on the legal status of possible frontcourt help and on a separate eligibility ruling that could affect another target. One reported option is Michigan State big man Jaxon Kohler, who is not yet in the transfer portal because of his own pending case, while Melvin Councils bid for an extra year of eligibility has been pushed to Aug. 13, leaving the offseason picture unsettled a little longer. [Read more 🡒]