LAWRENCE — The conversation about Kansas State football's quarterback room naturally starts with redshirt junior Jaron Daniels.
Daniels is expected to be the Jayhawks' starter again. For a team that has high expectations in 2024, it seems like a lot of responsibility will be on his shoulders to achieve them. And as the team gets through this year's spring tournament, Daniels continues to make his comeback after missing most of the 2023 season due to injury.
Head coach Lance Leipold told reporters during spring practice in March that he was pleased with the way Daniels was pitching and that he was progressing day by day. Co-offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski told reporters after spring ball that it was fun to see Daniels throw the football again, and whether Daniels gets live coverage or not, Daniels is still He said he is learning the offense and is progressing in the right direction. pace. Redshirt freshman quarterback Cole Ballard told reporters he wants to be there for Daniels to get better whenever he returns to 100%.
But compared to parts of last fall, the mood of optimism looks different. The conversation wasn't just about recovery, and Zebrowski noted that Daniels' development will continue to be a focus of his decision-making. And redshirt junior running back Daniel Hisho Jr. captured that optimism well.
“He's Jaron Daniels,” Hisho said recently. “So he's a great guy. He's an electric guy. He's fun to be around. He's always been Jaron.”
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As spring ball continues, there are a few things to consider at the quarterback position.
Cole Ballard continues to develop
Kansas had to start Ballard as a true freshman due to injuries to Daniels and Jason Beane (who is currently pursuing a professional career). Ballard came off the bench against Texas Tech and started against Kansas State and was acquitted. Those games didn't end in wins, but they certainly played well enough to give the Jayhawks a chance.
Leipold said Ballard had a great offseason this spring. The ballads have a maturity beyond their years and a dignified quality that Leipold loves. That's part of why Leipold feels great about where the room is going.
Ballard said his game has grown in decision-making. The biggest thing he took away from last season was the pace of play at this level of college football, the need to put the ball on receivers, and the size and speed of opponents. When it comes to what he thinks he did well last year, he emphasized extending his play.
Isiah Marshall joins the team
Isaiah Marshall is an early enrollee and a freshman quarterback at the University of Kansas. A 247Sports Composite three-star prospect coming out of high school, he arrived on campus with great excitement about his chances at Lawrence. And as spring ball has continued, he has received regular praise.
Leipold praised Marshall multiple times for his calmness. Zebrowski emphasized how important it is for Marshall to get those reps in practice and how smart Marshall has been in learning the intricacies of the offense. Offensive coordinator and assistant head coach Jeff Grimes told reporters earlier this spring that Marshall was held back a little bit in the offseason due to his hamstring, but that Marshall has gained confidence in what he's doing. He also mentioned what he had and said he could see that he had what they were looking for.
Kansas' quarterback could be more productive under center this season
The arrival of a new offensive coordinator has created new wrinkles in Kansas' offense, and one of those wrinkles could be more emphasis on the quarterback playing under center. Grimes said it will be part of their activities. Depending on the team's personnel, that's more or less what he's done in the past.
Zebrowski, who works with quarterbacks, seemed excited at the prospect of being able to do more of that and said he has coached it in the past. He noted that this will help quarterbacks develop because offenses at the next level will be doing different things, including working under center. And while it will take some time to teach, he thinks the players are excited.
Ballard acknowledged that things are different as they haven't done much under center in the past, so working with the center will be important. But speaking generally about Grimes' arrival, he also used the word excited. He said he can't even begin to explain how much he feels for him and his teammates to do something new this season.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics for the Topeka Capital Journal. He has been named the National Sports Media Association's 2022 Kansas Sportswriter of the Year. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or @JordanGuskey on Twitter.
