Kansas Football Chooses Isaiah Marshall as Starting QB: What It Means for Jayhawks

Yesterday, the Kansas football program named Cole Ballard one of its five team captains. Today, the Jayhawks revealed that he won't even be the team's starting quarterback in Week 1.

Isaiah Marshall, not Ballard, is expected to start in the 2026 season opener for KU. It will be Marshall's first start of his collegiate career and the first real opportunity for Jayhawk fans to get a glimpse at the former highly touted recruit from Southfield A&T in Michigan.

Sources: Kansas has named Isaiah Marshall the school’s starting quarterback. He’s a redshirt sophomore dual-threat quarterback who has played in nine games, completed all 3 of his passes and rushed for 160 yards on 15 carries. pic.twitter.com/PaXKgMlPsl
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 27, 2026

This news comes as a massive surprise to the Jayhawk faithful ― not only because Ballard was named a team captain, but because all signs pointed toward him being the favorite to win the QB1 job all summer long.

Ballard, the son of Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard, is entering his fourth year with the program and started two games in 2023 in place of Jason Bean. He entered Lawrence as a preferred walk-on and had a legitimate opportunity to take the starting role under center.

Instead, Marshall will get his first chance to shine as Jalon Daniels' successor on Sept. 4 against Long Island University.

What Isaiah Marshall Starting Means for Kansas

Marshall being the starter drastically changes the dynamic of KU's offense. While Ballard is considered to be somewhat mobile, he does not possess the speed or elusiveness that Marshall does.

Albeit in limited action, Marshall averaged over 10 yards per carry as a redshirt freshman, tallying 160 yards on the ground across 15 carries. His most impressive sequence was a 43-yard zone read against Oklahoma State during conference play.

With Andy Kotelnicki back calling plays following his brief stint at Penn State, KU's offense could return to the explosive nature it displayed in the 2022 and 2023 seasons. It should feature as much motion as any offense in college football and could be one of the best rushing attacks in the Big 12.

Marshall still has much to prove with his arm, as he's only thrown three passes at the collegiate level. Ballard's arm strength and decision-making are thought to be more advanced than Marshall's, though neither quarterback is exceptionally accurate.

Leipold choosing Marshall over Ballard proves two things: first, that he values more than just experience when choosing his players, and second, that he is willing to change to make Kansas football successful again after two consecutive down years.

It is important to note that Marshall could lose his job as quickly as he won it. Considering it took the coaching staff an entire offseason to commit to a starter, there obviously isn't a major gap between the two on the field.

Regardless, Marshall will finally get to show what he's made of next week. If he plays well enough, the Jayhawks will likely give him the ball in Week 2 when the school hosts Missouri in the Border Showdown.

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