KU football bringing the physicality; injury update on Kansas RB Daniel Hishaw Jr.
Kansas football coach Lance Leipold had high praise for his team’s physicality through nine spring football practices.
“I think this is the most physical spring ball we’ve had as a staff,” Leipold said on Saturday. “And I think the players have embraced that, and I think that’s showing up in some areas with some guidance as well.”
In his second season, Leipold led the Jayhawks (6-6, 3-6 Big 12) to their first bowl appearance since 2008 — a 55-53 loss to Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl.
Since his tenure started, Leipold has preached consistency and competition as the keys to long-term success for Kansas football. Leipold believes a high level of physicality is another factor.
“I think when I walk into the room in the morning and explain where we’re practicing, I don’t get a lot of weird looks or rolling of eyes or anything, but I know our guys are embracing what we have to do to take another step as a team,” Leipold said. “I think that that’s going to be good and healthy.
“We’ve got to see where we come out of this. And to make sure these last six (practices) are in the same fashion.”
How does Leipold make sure the practices stay physical without player injuries? It’s a delicate balance — KU spaces out practices over the week and manages player snap counts.
KU will only have two back-to-back practices in the spring, and the Jayhawks only have three players with over 30 snaps thus far. Leipold believes that nobody hit over 25 on Saturday.
Leipold provides an update on running back Daniel Hishaw Jr.
After he missed Kansas’ first seven spring football practices due to a muscle injury, Kansas football running back Daniel Hishaw Jr. returned to on-field work Thursday.
Still, he’s not fully recovered.
“It’s kind of a two steps forward, one step back with him, “ Leipold said Saturday. “We (were) hoping to be in a position that he may be in a live drill before spring was up. I don’t know if it’s going to trend that way or not.
“I know it’s been a frustrating road for him as well, but he’s working hard and you can see him moving around. There’s some things there that, hopefully, as he’s done that little bit he has done here, that it progresses in a way (that’s) a little more.”
Hishaw has had a bumpy road with injuries.
After missing the 2021 season due to injury, he had a great start to last season.
He accumulated 259 yards, five touchdowns and a 5.9 yards-per-carry average in five games, but then he suffered a significant hip injury in KU’s win over Iowa State on Oct. 4.
He would practice late in the season, but Hishaw never played another snap last season and then suffered a muscle injury before spring football.
Leipold praised Hishaw’s mindset in battling through his injuries.
“Take last year alone and how well he played, but then the hip (injury),” Leipold said. “Then the year before that, something else. That’s hard mentally to stay (patient). I think he’s handled it very well.”
This story was originally published March 25, 2023 at 4:29 PM.
