The Kansas Jayhawks have finished spring practice, but they haven't yet put on a show for fans at Loch Chalk Park in Lawrence on Friday night. With many of last year's offensive stars limited, freshmen and reserve players have stepped up significantly, giving the Jayhawks plenty of time to feel good heading into the summer.
But there were moments to shine on both sides of the ball. The scrimmage portion of the event had multiple stops by the defense, including an interception on back-to-back drives that highlighted the end of the first half.
Jaron Daniels actively throws the ball with his skills, and he pitched brilliantly last season as if he had never been injured. But his best throw of the night was a strike to Quentin Skinner during a scrimmage that brought flashbacks to the past two seasons.
Lance Leipold and his staff have been busy trying to adjust to life without Andy Kotelnicki at the helm of the offense. However, the switch to Jeff Grimes' system didn't seem like a switch at all, as many of the same concepts and motions were on display throughout the night.
It was the first time fans got to see freshman quarterback Isaiah Marshall, and there were plenty of highlights. His arm strength was on full display, and on several runs, his speed and cutting ability were reminiscent of freshman Jaron Daniels.
The biggest question of the night revolved around the defense, as the Jayhawks lost quite a few key players to graduation or to the NFL Draft. Jalen Dye stepped up from a safe position, snagged one of the interceptions and got multiple big stops. As the scrimmage progressed, multiple players made an impact on the defensive line, including redshirt freshman Grady Seifert and four-star defensive end Dacus Brinkley.
Overall, this team still has a lot of work to do. But given the rapid growth seen in fall camp each previous season under Leipold, it's safe to say this team is on track for another successful season.
