KU football update: quarterback Daniels, corner Bryant have not practiced this week
Kansas Jayhawks football coach Lance Leipold didn’t wait for the question. He briefly addressed the status of injured KU quarterback Jalon Daniels and defensive back Cobee Bryant in an opening statement at the start of his pre-Baylor news conference Tuesday at Anderson Family Football Complex next to Booth Memorial Stadium.
“Jalon is not practicing right no; neither is Cobee. That’s as far as I’ll take it. OK? That’s the injury update,” Leipold said.
Daniels, KU’s starting quarterback to start the season, suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of KU’s 38-31 loss to TCU on Oct. 8. He did not play in Saturday’s 52-42 loss to Oklahoma. Starting cornerback Bryant hurt his ankle in the first half of the OU loss. There have been no reports issued on how long either player will be sidelined or specifics of their injuries.
Late in his news conference, Leipold did also reveal defensive lineman Lonnie Phelps, who played just 15 snaps in the OU game, was practicing this week and it’s hoped he would play for KU (5-2, 2-2 Big 12) in Saturday’s 11 a.m. battle at BU (3-3, 1-2).
Safety Kenny Logan has been playing nicked up, as have several other Jayhawks, who probably will welcome a bye week that will occur after the BU game.
“We’ve been true to our practice model,” Leipold said, (but) the last three weeks we’ve had our share of guys miss practice. Do I think that affects us? Yes. It affects timing. It affects continuity. It is what it is.
“Still looking back I’d rather have the open week where it is than Week Two where it possibly could have been I guess if that was the option. I think that’ll help us hopefully,” Leipold added.
Leipold was asked if Daniels being out has limited the amount of times speedy QB Jason Bean is being asked to run with the ball. Bean had 10 carries for 41 yards vs. OU on a day he threw for four touchdowns with two interceptions.
“We’ve got to be careful,” Leipold said. “I thought (freshman QB) Ethan Vasko had a very nice of week of practice for a true freshman who just got pulled back up to get those type of reps and stop working off cards and things.
“I don’t know if we want to have him jump in front of 80,000 (fans) right away, so you’ve got to be careful, try to keep him (Bean) healthy and be smart right now for the short term. I don’t think we have it set, especially what we do in the read game, ‘OK, he’s got to run this many times. We’re going to script it this many times he has got to carry it.’’’
Leipold asked to predict the future .... again
A week ago, Leipold correctly predicted that OU quarterback Dillon Gabriel would return from the concussion protocol to play against KU. Gabriel threw for 403 yards and two TDs and rushed for 37 yards on 10 carries vs. KU.
Leipold was asked if he had a feeling about the status of Baylor starting QB Blake Shapen this week. Shapen also is in the concussion protocol after leaving last Thursday’s loss at West Virginia in the third quarter.
“I could go work at the circus or something if I get this right, couldn’t I?” Leipold said with a smile. “That’s like guessing weights here in the room. We don’t want to do that, though.
“You don’t want to get into the concussion world. I think the extra two days will probably benefit his chances of playing, let’s just say that. I would expect to see him.”
KU a popular Homecoming foe
This marks KU’s second straight Homecoming game on the road. OU had its Homecoming last week; Baylor’s is this week.
“We are a lot of teams Homecoming game. That’s one of the other goals of this program, is that we don’t become everybody’s Homecoming game,” Leipold said. “I know in most cases schools strategically pick a Homecoming game and we have to make sure we work not to be people’s Homecoming.”
No longer ranked
On dropping out of the AP Top 25 this week, Leipold said:
“As hard as it was to crack it (poll), it probably was just as easy for them (writers) to remove us, which means we still have got a lot to prove to people. But we’ve got to prove it on the field. It’s nice. It’s been good for our program. I never want to underestimate that (being ranked), but it’s really going to be where you are at the end of the year that matters the most.”
This story was originally published October 18, 2022 at 1:51 PM with the headline "KU football update: quarterback Daniels, corner Bryant have not practiced this week."
