(RB Devin Neal – USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
RB Daniel Hishaw Jr., RB Devin Neal, WR Lawrence Arnold, WR Luke Grimm, WR Quintin Skinner, OG Michael Ford Jr., OG Kobe Baynes, OT Bryce Cabeldue, DE Jereme Robinson, LB JB Brown, LB Taiwan Berryhill Jr., LB Cornell Wheeler, CB Cobee Bryant, CB Mello Dotson, CB Kalon Gervin, FS Marvin Grant, FS OJ Burroughs, KR/PR Trevor Wilson, and PT Damon Greaves.
Key Players Departing:
QB Jason Bean, WR Austin Booker (Bears R3), TE Mason Fairchild, OC Mike Novitsky, OG Cooper Beebe (Cowboys R3), OT Dominick Puni (49ers R3), DE Hayden Hatcher, DE Austin Booker, LB Rich Miller, LB Craig Young, BS Kenny Logan Jr, and PK Seth Keller.
(EDGE Deshawn Warner – 247Sports)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: EDGE Deshawn Warner (Goodyear, Arizona), EDGE Bai Jobe (Michigan State transfer), EDGE Dakyus Brinkley (Katy, Texas).
3 Star Recruits: TE DeShawn Hanika (Iowa State transfer), QB Isaiah Marshall (Southfield, Michigan), CB Austin Alexander (Chicago Heights, Illinois), OT Carter Lavrusky (Scottsdale, Arizona), CB Jalen Todd (Southfield, Michigan), OT Amir Herring (Michigan transfer), and OL Darrell Simmons Jr. (Iowa State transfer).
2023 Results:
G01 MISSOURI STATE W 48-17
G02 ILLINOIS W 34-23
G03 @ Nevada W 31-24
G04 BYU W 38-27
G05 @ #3 Texas L 14-40
G06 UCF W 51-22
G07 @ Oklahoma State L 32-39
G08 #6 OKLAHOMA W 38-33
G09 @ Iowa State W 28-21
G10 TEXAS TECH L 13-16
G11 #21 KANSAS STATE L 27-31
G12 @ Cincinnati W 49-16
BOWL vs. UNLV W 49-36
Team Info:
2023 Record: 9-4 (8th in Big XII)
Home: 5-2
Away: 3-2
Neutral: 1-0
B12: 5-4
Non-B10: 4-0
Head Coach: Lance Leipold
Kansas: 17-21
Career: 163-60
Bowls: 3-2
(QB Jalon Daniels – Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Jalon Daniels (56-75, 2130 yards, 62.3%, 10.7 avg., 18 TD, 7 INT)
Rushing: Devin Neal (203 car., 1280 yards, 6.3 avg., 16 TD)
Receiving: Lawrence Arnold (44 rec., 782 yards, 17.8 avg., 6 TD)
TDs Scored: Devin Neal (17)Sacks: Jereme Robinson (4.5)
Tackles: JB Brown (57)
Tackles For Loss: JB Brown/Jereme Robinson (6)
Interceptions: Cobee Bryant/Mello Dotson (4)
Pass Deflections: Mello Dotson (11)
Forced Fumbles: JB Brown (2)
Kick Returns: Trevor Wilson (14 ret., 273 yards, 19.5 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Trevor Wilson (4 ret., 93 yards, 23.3 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: Owen Piepergerdes (0-1 fg/ga., 0%, 6-6 xp/xpa., 6 pts.)
Punting: Damon Greaves (32 punts, 1248 yards, 39.0 avg., 11 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 6 Jalon Daniels (RS JR)
RB: 4 Devin Neal (SR)
WR: 2 Lawrence Arnold (RS SR)
WR: 0 Quentin Skinner (RS SR)
WR: 11 Luke Grimm (GR)
TE: 47 Jared Casey (RS SR)
LT: 75 Calvin Clements (RS FR)
LG: 54 Michael Ford Jr. (SR/TR)
OC: 53 Shane Bumgarner (RS SR/TR)
RG: 70 Kobe Baynes (RS JR/TR)
RT: 77 Bryce Cabeldue (SR)
KR: 7 Trevor Wilson (RS SR/TR)
PK: 34 Owen Piepergerdes (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 90 Jereme Robinson (SR)
DT: 58 Javier Derritt (RS SR/TR)
DT: 52 DJ Withers (RS JR)
DE: 13 Dylan Brooks (RS JR/TR)
LB: 6 Taiwan Berryhill Jr. (SR)
LB: 44 Cornell Wheeler (RS SR/TR)
NB: 10 Jayson Gillom (RS JR)
CB: 2 Cobee Bryant (SR)
CB: 3 Mello Dotson (SR)
FS: 5 OJ Burrough (SR)
SS: 4 Marvin Grant (RS SR/TR)
PR: 7 Trevor Wilson (RS SR/TR)
PT: 95 Damon Greaves (SO)
(DE Jereme Robinson – 247Sports)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: A
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: B
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: B
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/29 LINDENWOOD LIONS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Illinois Fighting Illini | The series is tied 3-3. Last season’s 34-23 win was the first meeting between schools since 1968, and their last series loss (0-25) dates back to 1929.
09/13 UNLV REBELS | Kansas leads the series 2-1. Last season’s 49-36 win was the first meeting between schools since 2003, and their only series win (20-31) was at the inaugural meeting in 2002.
09/21 @ West Virginia Mountaineers | Kansas trails the series 2-10. The Jayhawks are 1-8 since 2014, and they won (55-42) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
09/28 TCU HORNED FROGS | Kansas trails the series 9-26-4. The Jayhawks are 1-8 since 2014, and they lost (31-38) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/05 @ Arizona State Sun Devils | First meeting between schools.
10/19 HOUSTON COUGARS | Kansas leads the series 4-0. The Jayhawks (48-30) won the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 @ Kansas State Wildcats | Kansas leads the series 65-51-5. The Jayhawks are 0-10 since 2014, and their last series win (52-21) was in 2008.
11/09 IOWA STATE CYCLONES | Kansas leads the series 52-45-6. The Jayhawks are 3-7 since 2014, and their last series loss (7-59) was in 2021.
11/16 @ BYU Cougars | Kansas leads the series 2-0. Last season’s 38-27 win was the first meeting between schools since 1992, and they also won (23-20) the inaugural meeting in 1992.
11/23 COLORADO BUFFALOES | Kansas trails the series 23-42-3. The Jayhawks won (52-45) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
11/30 @ Baylor Bears | Kansas trails the series 4-18. The Jayhawks lost (23-35) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Road: 1-5
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 3-6
Non-B12: 1-2
Overall: 4-8 (12th in Big XII)
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