As Jalon Daniels goes, so goes Kansas football. The veteran quarterback has been the face of the Jayhawks’ rise under coach Lance Leipold from irrelevance to Big 12 respectability. But Daniels’ health — and his ability to stay on the field — remains the greatest variable heading into 2025. After undergoing another procedure in February that limited his spring reps, Kansas is once again hoping its sixth-year star quarterback can stay on track for a full season.
Daniels started every game in 2024 — the first time he had done so in five years with the Jayhawks — but the on-field results didn’t quite match the flashes he once showed as a Heisman Trophy dark horse. Kansas dropped its first five games against FBS opponents before Daniels and the offense finally found a rhythm, closing the season strong with wins in four of its last six, including three consecutive top-25 victories. That late surge offered a glimpse of what Kansas could become in 2025 if Daniels avoids setbacks and plays to his potential.
“He’s right on schedule,” Leipold said Monday when asked about Daniels status, via 247Sports. “He’s doing everything.”
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Durability has been the biggest hurdle in Daniels’ college career. He missed four games in 2022 due to a shoulder injury but returned late as Kansas reached its first bowl game in 14 years. A back injury then sidelined him for 10 games in 2023, limiting his impact in what was expected to be a promising season in Lawrence. Still, the Jayhawks went a combined 8-4 in the games he started across those two years, underscoring his value when healthy.
Kansas, at +1700, has the ninth-best odds to the win the Big 12 championship this season, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Daniels is one of just three returning offensive starters for Kansas in 2025, now working with an entirely new set of skill players — and a third different coordinator in as many years, as Jim Zebrowski takes over play-calling duties. That level of turnover only increases the pressure on Daniels to be the stabilizer for the offense.
There is optimism surrounding running back Daniel Hishaw Jr., but the void left by Devin Neal — the program’s all-time rushing leader — looms large. The Jayhawks retooled their receiving corps through the transfer portal, adding four newcomers, including former Alabama speedster Emmanuel Henderson Jr.
“Trent Carter, our trainer who does an outstanding job, told me about three weeks ago that he saw Jalon throw the ball as well as he’s seen him,” Leipold continued Monday. “And he was throwing with Emmanuel Henderson (Jr.), and he said, ‘I don’t know how far he threw it, like 70 or 75 yards in the air.’ He goes, ‘Of all the years I’ve worked with Jalon,’ he goes, ‘I don’t know if I’ve seen Jalon throw the ball that far.’
“And I was asking Jalon, who was laughing, he goes, ‘Yeah, I didn’t realize purely how fast Emmanuel Henderson is, so, I got to let go of it a little bit sooner. I have to catch up.’ So, he’s on schedule. He’ll be doing everything as the guys got going here today.”
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Daniels ranks second all-time in Kansas history in passing yards (6,751), passing touchdowns (45) and completion percentage (61.3%) among quarterbacks with at least 315 career attempts. His 12 interceptions last season — eight of which came during that 1-5 start — matched his combined total from the previous four seasons. It was an uncharacteristic stretch for a quarterback known more for efficiency than risk, and one the Jayhawks can’t afford to repeat in 2025 if they hope to climb back into the Big 12 title conversation.
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