Lance Leipold met with the media after Kansas wrapped up its final spring practice. The Jayhawks’ head coach gave his thoughts on what he saw from the team throughout spring practice, how the newcomers have acclimated, and which players are developing as leaders.

Kansas did some things better throughout spring practice

Kansas went heavy in the transfer portal, having to replace 30 graduating seniors. Leipold said the returners did a good job helping the newcomers acclimate, and the team did some things at a better level than they did in the past.

“There were some things that were definitely better,” Leipold said. “I think there were some things with some of our energy and physicality and some things that were doing at a better level. I'll say this without a doubt. I thought transition orientation, whatever you want to say, with the newcomers, would have been a lot more difficult, bumpier, and more things than we had. So for that, I'm extremely appreciative of our guys.”

Leipold and staff have done a good job creating a strong culture at Kansas. Even with a roster with a lot of newcomers, some of the markers like punctuality have been even better than years’ past.

“We do a lot of checks and balances in this program and our punctuality and things like that," he said. "What we're supposed to be doing the things that we ask our guys to do was significantly better than where were a year and two years ago, which, you know, with even the veteran team that we had. It really shows that this group understands.”

Leipold added that something else that stood out about spring practice is the amount of players that have came in for extra work.

“The amount of players that come in and ask for extra help, you can see guys wanting to be coached, trying to ask more questions, doing things,” Leipold said. “And I think we become a more knowledgeable football team as we go along, and I look for that to grow through the summer.”

Transfers acclimating quickly a testament to Kansas’ culture

Lots of staff have discussed during spring the new Jayhawks’ ability to acclimate to the culture Kansas has built. Leipold said he’s looking forward to learning more about the transfers’ ability to transition quickly and smoothly.

“I'd like to find out, maybe hear from guys from and why do they think it's gone that way," Leipold said. “Between our assistant coaches, our strength, staff, support staff, I think we make it pretty clear what the expectation is and that it's consistent across the board. And our guys see that. And every time there's one or two little bumps, there's, you know, it's easy to get somebody on track. And like I said, we've been able to do that.”

Leipold said a lot of the transfers Kansas got were looking for a bigger opportunity. Kansas talks a lot about maximizing opportunities, and the players have shown that through spring practice.

“As we tell our guys every day, you know, time's slipping through here and that every day you're one day closer to being completing your career to sort of maximize the opportunities,” Leipold said. “And I think some of these guys have really taken that to heart and making sure they're doing that.”

Players stepping into leadership roles

With the exodus of a large group of seniors, Kansas lacks a lot of the leadership that it has had in past seasons. As players start to get more comfortable, Leipold said they need to step up as leaders.

“Now that some of the guys have kind of been on the field with us, been around this group, some of those guys that have come in need to, now that they know the routines and they're older players at their position," he said. "They've got to be a little bit more comfortable stepping up. But I still think we have solid leadership.”

Leipold said he sees Bryce Foster as a leader and said Kobe Baynes had really turned a corner in a leadership role. He also mentioned other players, including one newcomer in Justice Finkley, as players who have emerged as leaders.

“Daniel Hishaw has taken a big step in what he's been trying to do," Leipold said. "You know, the three defensive tackles that have played the most, Tommy, D.J. and Blake, have started to take steps like that

"Probably one I skipped over that is Justice Finkley, a guy that's very mature. He's very businesslike out there. He's got a great work ethic, all those things. You know, he's emerging as a guy that's respected, just how he goes about it each and every day. Taylor Davis has taken big steps in what we want from him, and DJ Graham will be another one that I think will emerge in that group from there as well.”