79 Days Until Kansas Football – Team Records in Jeopardy in 2024

Here are the areas where Jayhawks could cement themselves among the all-time greats with strong seasons.

Kansas Jayhawks running back Devin Neal (4) scores a touch down during the NCAA college football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati. This is the Bearcats last game of the season, as well as their Senior Night Saturday. / Carter Skaggs/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

A handful of notable and established Kansas Jayhawks chose to return for another season in 2024. As a result, KU as a team has aspirations of being an elite team in the sport for the first time since 2007. But it also means that some of those players who came back have the chance to cement their legacies within the program. 

Let’s take a look at what’s at stake and where a few of the players, and this team as a whole, can end up in relation to the all-time lists. 

Double-Digit Wins

Before we start with the individual stars, it’s only right to start with the team component. For KU to have a shot at the Big 12 title and a spot in the expanded College Football Playoff, it’s probably going to need to win at least 10 games. As you can guess, that hasn’t happened since 2007, when the Jayhawks went 12-1. 

But it would also be just the fourth time in the entire history of the program for Kansas to win 10 or more games. Outside of 2007, those seasons happened in 1995 (10-2) and 1905 (10-1). The nine wins that took place last year had happened a handful of times, but a double-digit win total is a rarity that this team is chasing. 

Career Rushing

Devin Neal’s decision to put the NFL on hold for another year could lead him to becoming the most accomplished rusher in the history of his hometown team. The Lawrence native is currently fourth all time in career rushing yards and third in rushing touchdowns. All he needs is 764 yards and nine touchdowns to be first in both categories. Last year, Neal compiled 1,280 yards on the ground and 16 touchdowns, so even with a regression, Neal can still hit the record. 

Neal is also close in several single-season categories. His 16 rushing touchdowns last year are tied for second behind only June Henley at 17. And this year’s rushing total is fourth all-time. A 200-yard improvement on last year’s mark would give him that category as well, surpassing Jon Cornish’s 1,457. 

Single Season Passing

Jalon Daniels was never going to be able to pass Todd Reesing in career passing yardage and touchdown marks, but especially not after his’ injury last year. But if he can stay healthy this year, he has the skills, weapons, and offense to go after some of the single-season numbers. Reesing is the only KU quarterback to throw for 3,000 yards in a season, but Daniels threw for 2,000 in 2022 in just nine games and with a full season, could reach that mark. 

Daniels’ 18 passing touchdowns from 2022 is already tied for fifth all time, and if he can throw 25, he’ll be third behind two Reesing seasons. Throw 34 and the record is his. 

Total Offense

Daniels still has the chance to be the second best quarterback in terms of production at KU. He already needs just 1,215 total yards of offense (passing and rushing combined) to be second all-time, though still about 5,000 behind Reesing. But touchdowns responsible for is closer. Daniels currently fifth at 44, and six more touchdowns will put him second ahead of Bill Whittemore. Again, no one is touching Reesing’s 105 total touchdowns. 

Career Receiving 

It’s gone somewhat under the radar but Lawrence Arnold could leave Lawrence as one of the most prolific Jayhawk receivers. Arnold currently sits in seventh with 1,859 yards. But he can start moving up the ranks quickly. Arnold has amassed 700 yards receiving each of the last two years. If he were to replicate his 782 yards from 2023, that would put him at 2,641 for his career, good for second place. But it would take a monster year to surpass Dezmon Briscoe’s 3,240 yards. 

While Arnold has the yardage (he’s also 10th currently in receiving touchdowns), Luke Grimm is working his way up a couple categories as well. Grimm is tied for fourth in career receiving touchdowns at 17. If he catches six more, like he has each of the past two seasons, he’ll end up in second well ahead of Steven Sims’ 19 but still off from Briscoe’s 31. Grimm is also ninth in career receptions and another 30 would get him in fourth (he had 33 catches last year). 

Career Interceptions

Will opposing quarterbacks challenge Cobee Bryant or avoid his side of the field? Bryant has improved his interception count every year, which has put him in eighth all-time. A one-pick improvement in 2024 (five for the season) would put him ahead of Aquib Talib for second in career picks. Eight would tie him with Ray Evans – who also holds the season record with 10 in 1942 – and nine would make him the best ball-hawk corner in KU history.