Lance Leipold explains what it will take to win the KU football starting QB job
Kansas left tackle Calvin Clements has gotten an up-close view of the offseason quarterback battle between Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall.
He’s been impressed with both players.
“It’s been awesome to see, to be honest,” Clements said. “It’s been two, in my opinion, unique players, and they’re both making plays every single day. So it’s been joy to watch. I love them as people, too. They’re my guys.”
That topic — the quarterback competition — was the most-asked-about storyline at this year’s Big 12 Media Days, at least when it came to Kansas coach Lance Leipold and the Jayhawks’ player representatives.
It’s easy to understand why.
Gone is longtime starting quarterback Jalon Daniels, who not only started dozens of games at KU but also made multiple appearances at Big 12 Media Days.
“It’s different,” Leipold said, “but as we know, we all move on.”
Now, all eyes are on Marshall and Ballard. The pair battled for KU’s backup job the last two seasons, with Ballard winning both times. Now, they are battling yet again.
“Both guys had, I think, 320 reps this spring,” Leipold said. “That’s a lot of reps. … When Jalon wasn’t practicing, Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall were getting reps. So they have a lot of banked reps. ... Now it’s time for them to go out and execute and play.”
One program source recently told The Star that he would give Ballard the current edge, but said he hasn’t totally separated himself just yet. Ballard reportedly has the strongest arm of the group, while Marshall brings a dynamic scrambling ability that is also viewed as a weapon by the KU staff.
Leipold said he believes in both quarterbacks, but the starter will come down to which one is more consistent.
“I think that we have two quarterbacks that we can win football games with, without a doubt,” Leipold said. “We have two young men that are excellent people. They’re two good football players. They’re well respected in the locker room. They’re excellent leaders.”
One notable aspect: Ballard has the edge in playing experience.
He started one game and featured heavily in another in the 2023 season when then-backup QB Jason Bean suffered an injury.
The former third-string walk-on finished with 286 passing yards, one touchdown and three interceptions in those two games. KU lost both, against Iowa State and K-State, but had a chance to win in each case.
Meanwhile, Marshall came in at different times last season primarily as a running option. He had 15 carries for 160 yards, averaging 10.7 yards a carry.
“Just confidence, maturity, command of the huddle,” Leipold continued, speaking about what he wants from his starter. “They have natural leadership. They have an ‘it’ to them about a confidence of flushing a play and moving on and doing things like that. But executing and putting the ball where it needs to be, making great decisions, all those things.”
This story was originally published July 9, 2026 at 7:30 AM with the headline "Lance Leipold explains what it will take to win the KU football starting QB job."
