Lance Leipold gives latest on injuries, players competing

Lance Leipold addressed the media for the last time before Friday’s Spring Showcase and discussed how the injury to DeShawn Hanika is going to impact the tight end room, who he can see stepping up on the defensive line and how his team is adjusting to the facility shift taking place.

Hanika tweeted out on Monday night that he would be attacking the rehab process, as was injured during spring practices. Leipold did not have a timetable for his recovery, but mentioned that he did have surgery.

“DeShawn will be out for the rest of the spring with a leg injury and he had surgery,” Leipold said. “And as far as the progress, I'd like to go right now with that.”

The injury means that both Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell can expect to get more chances than they thought they might when Hanika first arrived, which does not concern Leipold.

“Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell have played a lot of football here, so we're going to rely on them,” Leipold said.

Further down the depth chart, some players who have not gotten many chances may be able to contend for some reps. Leipold also knows there are a few situations where a receiver can fill the void.

“Quinton Conley is a guy that'll get some more work and Tevita Noah is a guy that's been in the program and he'll get some of those reps,” Leipold said. "Dillon Mong is a true freshman walk-on but he's been slowed down by injury. But then sometimes you get into personnel groupings and things that will continue to utilize our receiver core and others in those ways."

The Jayhawks have had a pass rusher do better than expected in each of the last two seasons. In 2022, Lonnie Phelps inserted himself with seven sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss. Then in 2023 it was Austin Booker who had eight sacks and 12 tackles for loss. Both of them played only one year at Kansas and seemingly came out of nowhere.

Now that the Jayhawks do not have either, they are looking for someone else to come in and get into the backfield.

“I think at that position, it's been a comfort,” Leipold said of Phelps and Booker. “And who knows? I think Dean Miller's had a very good spring, Dylan Brooks has had a very good spring, and Dak Brinkley, for early enrollee continues to get better each and every day. And I think we have others in that recruiting class that we'll be anxious to see.”

Booker is appearing on many draft boards, which could not have been a possibility after having not recorded a sack at Minnesota during the 2022 season.

“I don't know where Austin's going to get drafted, but they keep saying it could be in the first couple days, and I don't think we stood here last year at this time thinking that would've been the case,” Leipold said.

The Jayhawks may not have the answer to their question of who is going to put pressure on opposing quarterbacks quite yet, but that does not worry the head coach due to how the last two seasons have played out.

“We've got some things to get answered, but I'm very confident someone will rise to the occasion," Leipold said.

The Jayhawks have had to make a couple of adjustments with the construction going on with their stadium and football facility. There are a handful of players that will not be at KU to see and enjoy the finished product, but Leipold has not heard any complaints.

“I can not be more proud of how this team has handled the inconveniences in which they're operating right now, which shows they can persevere through a lot,” Leipold said. “As long as you don't make it a big deal.”

With Kansas set to play home games at both Children’s Mercy Park and Arrowhead Stadium next season all while operating in Lawrence during the week, the Jayhawks are going to need to get used to making adjustments and taking changes in stride.

“We've practiced at three different locations, and they'll continue to do that because we are going to have to adapt in some ways, and hopefully that prepares us for some of those things,” Leipold said.