Here’s the latest from KU Jayhawks football coach Lance Leipold on his team’s QB race
The Kansas football team does not yet have an announced starting quarterback ahead of Friday’s season opener against South Dakota.
It sounds like that could change over the next few days, though.
KU coach Lance Leipold said during his game-week press conference Monday that the staff had not yet chosen among candidates Miles Kendrick, Jason Bean and Jalon Daniels. But Leipold also said a decision from coaches on the position was “closer than we were the last time we talked (to reporters last week).”
“Whether or not we’ll announce it publicly before kickoff is still to be determined,” Leipold said. “But it’s working that direction.”
Leipold spoke Monday about wanting to come into training camp with an open mind when it came to all three of the signal-callers. Remember, Leipold was hired in late April, meaning he did not get to lead KU’s players through spring drills.
“The competition’s been excellent,” Leipold said. “We’re still striving for consistency and understanding and leadership and a lot of different things that are going to be there.”
Kendrick, who played in seven of KU’s nine games last season, is likely ahead when it comes to the playbook. Coaches have lauded him for helping to run player-led workouts in the summer, and he also earned strength coach Matt Gildersleeve’s “Hammer” award given to the team’s top summer performer.
His limitations previously have been physical tools. Kendrick is listed at 5-foot-10 and doesn’t possess extraordinary arm strength, throwing for six touchdowns and five interceptions a year ago.
Bean, who appears to be the other top candidate, has differing strengths and weaknesses. After starting seven games at North Texas last season, Bean has blazing speed as a former high school track star, though coaches have spoken in previous weeks about wanting him to be more of a vocal leader while continuing his progression with the offensive system.
Leipold spoke last week about Bean having “better understanding and confidence in the huddle” since he first arrived in Lawrence this summer.
“Obviously (with) what we’re doing, he’s getting more confident and seeing things,” Leipold said. ”I think his accuracy is improved. He continues to show his athleticism with his feet.”
Leipold said that the staff had deep evaluations when looking at the options. Not only did coaches look at how QBs did on film in practices, but they also considered whether those guys were working with starters or backups at the time and took into account whether a play was against KU’s first-team defenders or not.
In his previous discussions on the topic, Leipold made it clear he’d like to move ahead with one starting quarterback. Though he wouldn’t rule out playing two QBs in a game, he explained that as a former signal-caller, he knew first-hand how important it was for the team’s starter to not constantly be looking over his shoulder.
Last week, when asked if his team would consider rotating quarterbacks by series, he said, “That has not been discussed.”
KU has had a starting QB competition heading into game week for five of the last six seasons. Here’s a quick recap:
• In 2016, then-KU coach David Beaty said on the Big 12 teleconference before his team’s first game that, “You’ll see someone run out there Saturday. Whenever that guy gets on the field, that’ll be the guy that takes the field.” Beaty said part of the reason for remaining mum then was in an attempt to gain an edge over FCS opponent Rhode Island. KU, which ended up alternating between Montell Cozart and Ryan Willis, won that game 55-6.
• In 2017, a few days before the opener against Southeast Missouri, Beaty told reporters he was going to inform the starting quarterback (and his teammates) who’d won the job on game day. Peyton Bender was the starter in that game as KU defeated Southeast Missouri 38-16.
• In 2018, Bender was named KU’s QB two weeks before the Jayhawks’ first contest.
• In 2019, in Les Miles’ first year at KU, he kept his QB choice a secret. He refused to name a starter in his Week 1 media session, with Carter Stanley later taking the first snap and every one after that while leading the Jayhawks to a fourth-quarter comeback in a 24-17 victory over Indiana State.
• Last season, Miles did not name a starter before the first game, with Thomas MacVittie playing the first series before splitting time with Kendrick. After MacVittie injured his shoulder, Kendrick and Daniels both played in the second half of KU’s 38-23 home loss to Coastal Carolina.
