Daniel Hishaw returned to Kansas for a sixth and final college football season. He’s one of the rare returners on the roster and looks to compete for the lead back role after mostly being second string to Devin Neal for his career.

One of the main ways Hishaw is looking to grow in his final season is as a leader. Multiple coaches, including running backs coach Jonathan Wallace, have complimented his growth, with Wallace saying Hishaw is “more vocal than probably he ever has been.”

Hishaw said he knows that he has to step up as one of the most experienced players on the roster.

“I'm just trying to [be] better every day,” Hishaw said. “I think just being a leader, you got to do the right things every day. And also, I know that I am in a role where I need to be a leader and help a lot of dudes that haven't been here, just help them find out the way here. Because I've been here for a while, been with this staff for a while, so I know I got to be one of those guys to step up and help everybody.”

As he looks to take on a leadership role, Hishaw said he likes having fun and wants everyone to feel like they’re part of the team.

“My biggest thing as the leader is making sure every single person feels like we on this [same] type of level on the team,” Hishaw said. “It's not one person over them from whether status or popularity, you don't see any of that, like everybody should feel the same on the team.”

Hishaw was away from the team for the last two games of last season as he dealt with a family matter. Coming into this spring, coaches said he’s in a better headspace, and Hishaw said he’s enjoying football and “being a better man in life.”

Looking at last season, where Hishaw rushed for 376 yards on 65 carries, he said he didn’t like where he was at physically. He took his nutrition seriously over the offseason, dropping from 228-230 pounds to 216-218.

“The past two years I was getting heavier," he said. "I'm pretty sure you can see it on the camera. I probably lost probably about 12 pounds since last year, last season.

He continued: "So, like, it's been fun. Honestly. I like doing that type of stuff. I just got away from eating healthier, going to sleep at the right times every night. So I like that type of process.”

Hishaw built a reputation as a bruising running back, unafraid to run a defender over. At a lower weight, Hishaw said he’ll run around defenders as well as over them, continuing to be a violent runner.

“I think a violent running style just means you will run through somebody at any time, any moment. It doesn't mean that you necessarily are only violent,” Hishaw said. “We're not looking to get the contact, but we know that if we have to get through that contact because we are running backs, we will go right through someone.”

Hishaw said he’s looking to help the team in any way to the best of his abilities.