Lance Leipold explains 4th-down call in KU’s loss — and what could’ve changed it
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Leipold chose a 30-yard field goal after Jalon Daniels was ruled injured and removed.
- Marjan missed the kick; Arizona marched 80 yards and Quincy Craig scored the winner.
- A holding call erased Leroy Harris’ 75-yard TD, swung momentum as KU fell to 5-5.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold sent ever-reliable kicker Laith Marjan onto the field for a chip-shot 30-yard field goal try with 2:39 left and KU leading Arizona by three points in Saturday’s 24-20 Big 12 football loss to the Wildcats in Tucson, Arizona.
The fact Marjan finally missed his first attempt as a Jayhawk — and the fact Arizona went on to march 80 yards in eight plays and score a game-winning TD — left KU’s fifth-year coach needing to explain his decision to kick instead of go for a first down on fourth-and-2 at the 11-yard-line.
Marjan was a school record 14-of-14 on the season before that kick. Arizona’s game-winning score was a 24-yard TD run by Quincy Craig
Leipold said in his postgame news conference that the Jayhawks indeed would have tried for a back-breaking first down on fourth down had quarterback Jalon Daniels not been shaken up on third down. Daniels dove on his own fumble after a 7-yard gain.
The senior QB was deemed injured by the officiating crew, meaning by rule he had to head to the sidelines for at least one play. So had the Jayhawks gone for the first down, they would have broken the huddle with one of the team’s backup QBs directing that pivotal play.
“Obviously (we) elected to kick a field goal thinking that they hadn’t scored (a TD) in the half, that it would take a touchdown to beat us,” Leipold said of attempting to grab a six-point lead, then kick off to Arizona with 2 1/2 minutes left. “Obviously that can be scrutinized as far as (not) going for it.
“We couldn’t put Jalon back in the game. We couldn’t buy him back into the game with a timeout. And we just felt that putting one of the other guys in that situation, it was better to kick the field goal. Ultimately, I make that decision. And I understand that that’s one that can be scrutinized pretty highly. So I thought our guys played hard. I thought we had flashes, but I think both teams played that way today.”
Leipold was asked by a reporter how close he was leaning toward going for the first down and possibly putting Arizona away at that late point of the contest.
“If Jalon was in the game we were going for it,” Leipold said. “When they (refs) stopped it and they took him out, I needed a clarification on the rule. But since the officials took him out by that (it’s different). ... If the helmet comes off, we can use a timeout to put him back in the game. With an injury we could not.
“We were going to put a different quarterback in and talking with Z (offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski), we made the decision to kick the field goal and make a touchdown beat us. And unfortunately, Laith missed his first (he converted field goals of 46 and 50 yards earlier in the game), and either way, it probably didn’t make that big a difference.
“But yes, if you ask me again: ‘Would I make the same decision?’ I don’t know right now. I have to admit that. So it’s disappointing for us, this team, because we controlled the clock pretty well there. We converted another fourth down in that drive. We stayed pretty aggressive in that to the point of getting some balls thrown and caught in a time where most people think you’re going to be just running clock.”
As far as the rule regarding removing an injured player. ...
Article 6, Section A of the rulebook says: “In the event of an injured player(s): 1. An official will declare a timeout and the player(s) must leave the game. That player must remain out of the game for at least one down, even if that team is granted a team timeout. When in question, officials will take a timeout for an injured player. 2. The player(s) may not return to the game until receiving approval of professional medical personnel designated by their institution.”
Much earlier in the game, a controversial holding call on KU appeared to change the momentum of the game. KU corner Jalen Todd was called for the huge penalty in the closing minutes of the first half.
Todd’s penalty negated a 75-yard interception return for a score by sophomore defensive end Leroy Harris. That Harris TD would have given KU a 24-7 lead. Instead, Arizona scored right before half and it was 17-14 KU at the break.
The ESPN2 sideline reporter indicated Leipold called it a “terrible call” and in fact spoke with the officials before heading into the locker room at halftime.
“Pretty deflating,” Leipold said after the game. “You go up 24-7 at half, I mean, that’s huge. That’s huge, and to have a defensive holding off the play, on a play that probably that type of contact is very common, I would say, (is disappointing).
“Obviously, it’s called. I can’t change it. Leroy made a heck of a play, and then even a better run to take it all the way. And again, you’re up 24-7 at half getting the ball. Who knows what happens from there? But we didn’t, and can’t sit and complain about it right now and do that.”
Also, defensive back Taylor Davis came up with an interception at the Arizona 37 with 12:44 left. It was overturned, the officials deeming it an incomplete pass after review.
“It was close on Taylor Davis’ one,” Leipold said. “He’s diving. Review shows that I guess it hit the ground. Our guys upstairs thought it probably hit the ground, too. So he thought he kind of was able to corral with his knees. But guess he didn’t.”
Also, defensive back Syeed Gibbs dropped a sure pick-six with 9:31 to play.
“I thought our defense, especially the second half, probably even in the second quarter, we started to play more aggressively, more confidently. We flew around,” Leipold said. KU’s defense delivered five sacks.
“I thought we tackled pretty well. We had a pretty good idea how they’re going to attack us, and we were able to get a very accurate quarterback out of rhythm. Again, they made the plays down the stretch,” Leipold noted.
Kansas will have its third and final open week of the 2025 season, followed by a trip to Ames, Iowa, for a game against ISU on Nov. 22. Kansas will then play host to Utah in the season final at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.
