Kansas HC Lance Leipold Optimistic About Jayhawks’ New-Look Backfield

Amid all the drama surrounding the quarterback battle in Lawrence, Kansas, one position group is flying under the radar as a major strength of the Jayhawks. The running back room is quietly one of the deepest KU has had in recent memory.

Former K-State tailback Dylan Edwards is expected to lead the backfield as he looks to break through as a star in his first season with Kansas. Syracuse transfer Yasin Willis is another name to watch after finishing with more than 500 yards on the ground as a sophomore.

During his first press conference of fall camp, head coach Lance Leipold briefly discussed what he likes about his new-look running back core. First, he expressed optimism about the health of the group, an encouraging sign with only a few weeks until the team's opening game.

"It's about the healthiest the group's been in a while, to be honest," Leipold said about the running backs. He noted that Colorado State transfer Jalen Dupree had missed significant time in the spring.

"I like our backfield, I like the depth there," he continued. "I think there's a lot of guys that can be productive for us, and it's going to be interesting to see how we can spread that around. But different styles of runners, different sizes. There's speed, there's power, a lot of different things."

As Leipold noted, each of Edwards, Willis, and Dupree offers a vastly different skill set. Edwards is a shifty, undersized yet dynamic playmaker, while the latter two are more power backs who look to fight for extra yards.

Edwards is expected to receive a significant portion of the carries, but it's worth noting that he has never rushed more than 76 times in one season, and that was his freshman year at Colorado. Willis, who tallied double-digit carries in every single contest he appeared in 2025, is the primary candidate to receive most early-down touches.

Kansas redshirt sophomore running back Jalen Dupree (4) makes a play during fall camp practice on Aug. 4, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Whether it's Cole Ballard or Isaiah Marshall who emerges as the starter in Week 1, both quarterbacks are capable of making plays with their legs and will likely be involved in plenty of read-option looks. That makes KU's backfield versatility even more important, as certain backs could be more effective depending on the package and quarterback on the field.

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