Kansas

Kotelnicki’s return supplies more than nostalgia. Kansas noted that his 2023 offense ranked in the national top 10 in yards per play, rushing, yards per rush and explosive-play rate. That history points toward an attack built to create hesitation with motion and multiplicity, then punish it through the running game and play-action. Replicating those results is no certainty, particularly with the quarterback job unsettled, but the intended identity is clear: Kansas wants to make the offense difficult to diagnose before asking its passer to win conventional dropback football.

The competition between Ballard and Marshall therefore carries consequences beyond who takes the first snap. A July 18 Kansas City Star report, citing a program source, said Ballard held a slight edge, though Kansas had not publicly named a starter. Ballard’s experience could offer stability, while Marshall’s upside keeps the race open. Either choice will be operating under immediate pressure to manage Kotelnicki’s shifts and reads, protect the football and turn manufactured advantages into explosive gains. How decisively one quarterback takes command may determine how much of the offense Kansas can use early.

The running backs should give that quarterback meaningful help. Kansas State transfer Dylan Edwards arrived with 1,072 career rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns, while Syracuse transfer Yasin Willis and early enrollee Kory Amachree add different options to the room. Their presence gives Kotelnicki multiple ways to stress a defense and reduce the number of obvious passing situations. At receiver, Cam Pickett is the vital returner, with Keaton Kubecka, Nahzae Cox and Nik McMillan among the veteran candidates around him. Pickett can provide continuity, but the offense still needs a dependable target order to emerge behind him.

That skill-position flexibility will matter only if the offensive line becomes cohesive. Calvin Clements returns at left tackle, and July reporting described Amir Herring as one of Kansas’ highest-graded offensive players. Tavake Tuikolovatu, Connor Stroh and Cal transfer Nick Morrow bring reported size and physicality, giving the unit credible pieces around which to build. The challenge is collective rather than cosmetic. A line incorporating multiple newcomers must communicate well enough to keep the quarterback comfortable and sustain the run game that makes Kotelnicki’s misdirection dangerous.

Kansas can approach that offensive transition with more continuity on defense. Blake Herold returns at defensive tackle, and defensive end Leroy Harris III joined him in the Jayhawks’ Big 12 media-days delegation. They are central to stabilizing a front carrying substantial transfer turnover. Trey Lathan, also chosen to represent Kansas at media days, gives McDonald an experienced linebacker who can serve as a communication anchor. If that trio controls early downs and helps the incoming pieces settle, the defense can force opponents into situations where McDonald has more freedom to vary pressure and coverage.

The cornerback room offers a similar mix of known players and new competition. Jalen Todd and Austin Alexander return, while experienced transfers Syeed Gibbs, Jahlil Hurley and Roman Pearson expand McDonald’s matchup options. The exact deployment remains to be settled, but the collection of experience gives Kansas a chance to withstand different receiver types without relying on one solution. No Jayhawk made the media-voted Preseason All-Big 12 team, so this defense enters without broad preseason acclaim. Its case will have to be made through the cohesion of its veteran spine and transfer additions.

The schedule will not wait long for those pieces to connect. After opening against LIU, Kansas hosts Missouri on Sept. 12 and faces Arizona State at Wembley Stadium on Sept. 19 before a bye. That rivalry game and international conference matchup will test the quarterback, offensive-line communication and defensive integration almost immediately, with the bye offering an early chance to adjust. October later brings consecutive trips to Utah and Kansas State, followed by Baylor at home and TCU on the road. Kansas’ path back to a bowl rests on a straightforward but demanding thesis: Kotelnicki must accelerate the quarterback’s development, the running game must carry real weight, and McDonald’s experienced leaders must turn a changing roster into a dependable defense.

Win probability

43%