Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football



  • We’ll be taking AFH noise to the “booth”, 💙❤🌾🌾🌾it’s Duke! 👹



  • @nuleafjhawk Ya, if I was betting on the OSU or Texas game, I wouldn’t bet on KU to win. I’m just saying…hey, it could happen. Nobody expected us to beat TX on the road last year, and we played our best game of the season. Who knows…maybe?

    @mayjay I understand where you’re coming from. And if our RB room was as thin as it was last year, I’d share your concern. But Devin Neal is the real deal, as is Daniel Hishaw. JD is our leading rusher because he ran for 158 yards last week. Devin Neal could easily run for 200 yards against Duke. JD being able to run the ball is a nice element. But our offense isn’t dependent on him rushing for 150 yards a game. And man, our offensive line is opening holes that you could drive a semi-truck through.

    Some of the points I’m reading on this page are exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t get greedy? We’re not talking about betting our life savings on winning the conference. I’m just trying to get people to realize that KU is a good team and that there are probably more winnable games on the schedule than people realize. The Big 12 is not exactly lighting the world on fire, and I just don’t see KU starting the season 4-0, then going 1-7 or 2-6 the rest of the way. Stop thinking the wheels will come off based on the past.

    But that’s why they play the games, right? We’ll see what happens. This should be a fun season.



  • @MoonwalkMafia said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @nuleafjhawk Ya, if I was betting on the OSU or Texas game, I wouldn’t bet on KU to win. I’m just saying…hey, it could happen. Nobody expected us to beat TX on the road last year, and we played our best game of the season. Who knows…maybe?

    @mayjay I understand where you’re coming from. And if our RB room was as thin as it was last year, I’d share your concern. But Devin Neal is the real deal, as is Daniel Hishaw. JD is our leading rusher because he ran for 158 yards last week. Devin Neal could easily run for 200 yards against Duke. JD being able to run the ball is a nice element. But our offense isn’t dependent on him rushing for 150 yards a game. And man, our offensive line is opening holes that you could drive a semi-truck through.

    Some of the points I’m reading on this page are exactly what I’m talking about. Don’t get greedy? We’re not talking about betting our life savings on winning the conference. I’m just trying to get people to realize that KU is a good team and that there are probably more winnable games on the schedule than people realize. The Big 12 is not exactly lighting the world on fire, and I just don’t see KU starting the season 4-0, then going 1-7 or 2-6 the rest of the way. Stop thinking the wheels will come off based on the past.

    But that’s why they play the games, right? We’ll see what happens. This should be a fun season.

    KU’s offense is good enough to give them a chance basically every week. I could see a couple of blow outs happening within the OU, Baylor, and OSU trio of games because thise are the three best teams and KU isn’t going to have their A game every week and our defense isn’t that good yet and we’ve yet to see them play an elite offense. Teams can’t circle KU as basically an extra bye week anymore and this team has a genuine chance to get to 6-0 before they play a really good team this season.



  • Best news about KU is that they are not a particularly senior laden team. On the offensive 2 deep, LT Earl Bostwick, TE Mason Fairchild, LG Dominick Puni, and backup QB Jason Bean are the only guys that are seniors. Every guy in the RB room can come back.

    On defense, there’s more attrition, but with the transfer portal, there’s a chance to fill those holes quickly with guys that can contribute right away.

    Leipold may be on to something that can really grow as opposed to a one year wonder.



  • @justanotherfan and only Bostick is totally out of eligibility. The others have a Covid year left



  • @MoonwalkMafia I mean im hopeful they win 8 games.

    I just don’t think it is fair to the staff or players to heap those expectations on them now that they’ve shown a little success.

    Fans make jobs like this suck because expectations immediately turn into something they shouldn’t.

    I implore everyone to just enjoy the ride this season instead of throwing out some gaudy expectations after beating two non-p5 teams and one of the worst B12 teams.

    We can reset expectations in the off-season.



  • I haven’t been able to watch, but will tomorrow. Since the name Duke will be on the helmet I’m pumped. First time I’ve checked game time for a KU football game since the Mangino years.

    I watched the Houston game on youtube. I was unprepared for how dynamic a playmaker Daniels is. (too prove how tough it is to get into KU football I had to look his name up to write Daniels there, it’s not yet a name I know automatically.) I was simply amazed.

    Not sure how much of a comparison this is, but my first year on campus was 85. The team that year started well and had some talent. Willie Pless was on his way to a league tackle record. Mike Norseth was throwing for big yards. They were ranked and went to Auburn and lost narrowly. But the center (I can’t remember his name) got hurt and the season caved in drastically. @mayjay pointed out the impact of an injury during his years on campus even longer ago than when I was there!

    I have no clue how deep our roster is. The usual way of thinking is there’s not a great depth chart. But maybe Lance is changing that?

    Anyways, great post, I feel a little guilty for jumping on the bandwagon, even toying with doing a little road trip with my KU roomie to see the team if it stays interesting. Thanks for pumping us up. Lets keep this thing going!



  • @wissox said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    I haven’t been able to watch, but will tomorrow. Since the name Duke will be on the helmet I’m pumped. First time I’ve checked game time for a KU football game since the Mangino years.

    I watched the Houston game on youtube. I was unprepared for how dynamic a playmaker Daniels is. (too prove how tough it is to get into KU football I had to look his name up to write Daniels there, it’s not yet a name I know automatically.) I was simply amazed.

    Not sure how much of a comparison this is, but my first year on campus was 85. The team that year started well and had some talent. Willie Pless was on his way to a league tackle record. Mike Norseth was throwing for big yards. They were ranked and went to Auburn and lost narrowly. But the center (I can’t remember his name) got hurt and the season caved in drastically. @mayjay pointed out the impact of an injury during his years on campus even longer ago than when I was there!

    I have no clue how deep our roster is. The usual way of thinking is there’s not a great depth chart. But maybe Lance is changing that?

    Anyways, great post, I feel a little guilty for jumping on the bandwagon, even toying with doing a little road trip with my KU roomie to see the team if it stays interesting. Thanks for pumping us up. Lets keep this thing going!

    Actually Coach has gotten some depth added.Cloe to the full limit of Scholi’s and got 2 deep in multiple positions



  • @Kcmatt7 I genuinely don’t think anyone is putting unfair expectations on this team. I certainly don’t think the staff is. And the best thing about this team is, and I think they would tell you, “YES. We go into every game expecting to be in a position to win.”

    Some KU fans act like by being hopeful we’re dragging the team down. I would argue the exact opposite is true. Subdued expectations lead to apathy. I can tell you from everything I’ve read and heard (and I consume A LOT of KU football content), this team does not feel that way and neither should we.

    Hey, maybe we do go 3-6 in conference. Maybe we go 6-3. Let’s stop trying to put a number on it and enjoy the ride. KU IS GOOD.





  • I’m going to the TCU game with my boys and their fams. So excited! An xtra bonus 2 5th grade girls Vb games and a 3rd grade boys fb game! Lucky the chiefs play on Mon pm.



  • Positive sign in that D seems to be getting better, DC has been making good in game adjustments.



  • Anything new in fb recruiting? How are we looking locally with recruits



  • This team has depth. Remember, Daniels replaced Jason Bean as starter, and Bean is still on the team as his backup. Bean is a solid player that could still lead this team if Daniels were hurt (knock on wood). KU is deep at RB. We saw the depth in the defensive backfield on Saturday when both starting corners had to leave the game for a period of time.

    That’s one of the big differences between this team and teams we may have been hopeful about in the past. This KU team isn’t just a guy here or there. It’s not just Pooka Williams and hope. It’s a bunch of guys that are legitimate P5 talent that can help this team win.



  • @justanotherfan That’s a big key for me. We not only have some P5 level starters, but we have real depth.

    Jalon’s development is one of the more remarkable ones I’ve seen at the QB position. Great job by the staff and Jalon putting in the work.



  • @ReggieKansas '23 recruiting has been terrible locally. But I guess I’m not that shocked. KSU really cleaned up in '23 with the local guys. Landed 5 local 3* guys and then Avery Johnson. We have Zero.

    So, seems obvious the focus will have to be on the transfer portal again. Staff did a great job this year, and really think you’ll see them only improve in that area again. Much easier sell to transfers than a year ago too.

    Hopefully we make headway with the '24 class based on this season’s performance. I do think the staff knows how important it is to land local guys. And I do think they are trying to prioritize. But I don’t blame a guy for looking at KSU vs. KU and picking KSU based on recent success, NFL potential, facilities, and the BMOC factor.

    Vital that KU improves their facilities and dominates the KC Metro area recruiting as much as possible.



  • We’ll take 6-8 more HS kids in 2023 plus around 10 portal. I think there’s an outside chance to flip a couple KSU commits but I wouldn’t hold my breath.



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    We’ll take 6-8 more HS kids in 2023 plus around 10 portal. I think there’s an outside chance to flip a couple KSU commits but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

    I think Johnson is a kid that is looking a lot more seriously now then before



  • @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    We’ll take 6-8 more HS kids in 2023 plus around 10 portal. I think there’s an outside chance to flip a couple KSU commits but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

    I think Johnson is a kid that is looking a lot more seriously now then before

    Not at KU he isn’t



  • About an hour or so ago, I heard that Lance Leipold was going to be interviewed on an ESPN radio show today. If anyone has more info or a link to it, please share.



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    We’ll take 6-8 more HS kids in 2023 plus around 10 portal. I think there’s an outside chance to flip a couple KSU commits but I wouldn’t hold my breath.

    I think Johnson is a kid that is looking a lot more seriously now then before

    Not at KU he isn’t

    hmmmm not what I heard - -but I’m not going to trip if he is - - he is - -if he is not - - we gonna be fine



  • @FarmerJayhawk is he the Baylor kid?



  • @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.



  • @FarmerJayhawk oh, Avery. He’s on our sports all the time. Isn’t there a lineman from Lawrence that signed to Baylor? He was at our game sat.



  • @Crimsonorblue22 Calvin Clements is committed there. He won’t budge unless Aranda leaves.



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.

    Oh dam Farmer my bad. - -Goes to show, I was thinking of someone else. His dad played for KU I think they said he was looking at Ku alot more now. sorry my bad



  • @FarmerJayhawk Avery’s good buddy from derby switched from ksu to ND. His dad went to ksu



  • @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.

    Oh dam Farmer my bad. - -Goes to show, I was thinking of someone else. His dad played for KU I think they said he was looking at Ku alot more now. sorry my bad

    John Randle! Now that’s a guy I’d keep an eye on.



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.

    Oh dam Farmer my bad. - -Goes to show, I was thinking of someone else. His dad played for KU I think they said he was looking at Ku alot more now. sorry my bad

    John Randle! Now that’s a guy I’d keep an eye on.

    Ya , Ya , Ya , Randle -that is who I was thinking of dammit. - -Gettin old lol. - he would be a great add



  • @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.

    Oh dam Farmer my bad. - -Goes to show, I was thinking of someone else. His dad played for KU I think they said he was looking at Ku alot more now. sorry my bad

    John Randle! Now that’s a guy I’d keep an eye on.

    Ya , Ya , Ya , Randle -that is who I was thinking of dammit. - -Gettin old lol. - he would be a great add

    You know your RB group is good when Randle would be 4th string



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @jayballer67 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    @Crimsonorblue22 the QB from Maize. He’s pretty solid to KSU. The only other school that could woo him right now is Notre Dame.

    Oh dam Farmer my bad. - -Goes to show, I was thinking of someone else. His dad played for KU I think they said he was looking at Ku alot more now. sorry my bad

    John Randle! Now that’s a guy I’d keep an eye on.

    Ya , Ya , Ya , Randle -that is who I was thinking of dammit. - -Gettin old lol. - he would be a great add

    You know your RB group is good when Randle would be 4th string

    lol ya thats very true



  • @FarmerJayhawk Honestly my first thought is can he catch? lol.

    Would love to see that track speed, long stride and jumping ability on the outside… Plus he runs REALLY tall for a RB at the P5 level. Much more of a run by you than a run over you type of dude.



  • @FarmerJayhawk is his dad the one that got in trouble, from wichita?



  • These last two weeks are why I was imploring everyone to keep perspective. This team could finish 8-4 or 5-7. Either way we should be ecstatic about what LL achieved this season.

    We return almost this whole damn roster next year too. Another year in the weight room. Another year in the transfer portal. Another season with JD6 behind basically this same offensive line. We are basically bringing back a top 10 offense in the country next season providing the staff is able to keep everyone here.

    What I am personally looking for the rest of the season is simple. Continue showing that we can score with/against anyone. Tighten up on penalties a bit. I’d love to see some improved tackling as the season goes on. And then just avoid a blow out. I think we’ll find one more win to get bowl eligible if we keep the last 5 games tight.

    I’m just so ecstatic about where this program is at right now. Keep in mind that we are building towards something still and that this one season isn’t going to make or break that. We are in a very good spot going into 2023 with big things happening for KU Football. If I was going to be in the new B12 going forward, I would be a bit worried by what is going on in Lawrence…



  • @Kcmatt7 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    These last two weeks are why I was imploring everyone to keep perspective. This team could finish 8-4 or 5-7. Either way we should be ecstatic about what LL achieved this season.

    We return almost this whole damn roster next year too. Another year in the weight room. Another year in the transfer portal. Another season with JD6 behind basically this same offensive line. We are basically bringing back a top 10 offense in the country next season providing the staff is able to keep everyone here.

    What I am personally looking for the rest of the season is simple. Continue showing that we can score with/against anyone. Tighten up on penalties a bit. I’d love to see some improved tackling as the season goes on. And then just avoid a blow out. I think we’ll find one more win to get bowl eligible if we keep the last 5 games tight.

    I’m just so ecstatic about where this program is at right now. Keep in mind that we are building towards something still and that this one season isn’t going to make or break that. We are in a very good spot going into 2023 with big things happening for KU Football. If I was going to be in the new B12 going forward, I would be a bit worried by what is going on in Lawrence…

    I agree . I mean think about it, at the beginning of the Season everyone was think hoping that if we could get 3 maybe 4 wins tops BOY what a great Season , then now we are at 5 wins and some people greedy for more this Season. – I mean if we don’t win anymore , we have already made that progress. - -True Our defense still has light years of work to do - - Offensively we have shown for the most part that we will move the ball and put plenty of points on the board.

    You have to realize the law of averages starting to catch up with us for this point of our rebuild. – 1st we lose our stud running back out for the Season - - then 2nd w lose our Starting QB - & then 3rd we lose our starting back Bryant. Like our ol boy said in the past - - still makes sense - -just got to keep sawing wood - some think the now the sky is falling - - it’s not



  • Me? I just want a bowl eligible KU football team! The rest is gravy. one more win! Two would help…please.



  • Any news on JD?



  • Yeah, just win one more and the season will be a huge success.



  • Plus the bowl win!💙❤💪🌾🏆



  • If anyone would have told me at the beginning of the year that we would be 5-2 with losses of 7 points to TCU (a top 15 team) and 10 points at OU, I would have been over the moon and never would have believed it. We got a bounce back game from OU. They did to us what KU basketball does to folks to get out of a slump. It’s what good teams do. Progress has been made without a doubt this year no matter what happens from here on out. Now, for KU football to be a good team, they need to respond to their own mini slump. The defense has been bad the last 6 quarters, the offense has struggled at inopportune times while being overall still very good. And while they’ve already exceeded anyone’s expectations for the year, they now get these next few games to prove if they are a GOOD team or not. Whether they are better than previous Kansas teams going back a decade or more is no longer in question.

    My hope for this year is that we are now appropriately placed as a fringe top 25 team sitting in the middle of the big 12 pack.



  • Has KU been favored in any game yet other than the first game? Were they favored against Duke? They will be underdogs in EVERY game from here on out and I saw they have the #1 strength of schedule in the country left to go. I keep going back and forth but pretty much think losing out would still be disappointing, one more win is good, two or more is great. Does losing out help us keep Lance?



  • @benshawks08 said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    Has KU been favored in any game yet other than the first game? Were they favored against Duke? They will be underdogs in EVERY game from here on out and I saw they have the #1 strength of schedule in the country left to go. I keep going back and forth but pretty much think losing out would still be disappointing, one more win is good, two or more is great. Does losing out help us keep Lance?

    I believe KU closed as a favorite against Duke. The only potential game that KU could be favored in the rest of the way is at Texas Tech under 2 circumstances that need to both occur. The first is KU has to have Jalon Daniels back and the second is to have Tech go into that game at 3-6. If one or neither happens, Tech will be favored in that game.



  • The Athletic did their mid-season bowl projections and they have a fun one for Kansas that I would love to see happen and would likely attend if it does. They are currently projecting KU into the Liberty Bowl against Missouri in a renewal of the Border War. That sure would be nice if it came to pass.



  • For the second week in a row our opponent gets their injured starting QB back while ours has to sit. I sure hope Coach Borland finds a way to hold down Baylor’s offense. KU’s defense gives up an average of 30 pts a game, which would be higher except for the IState low scoring game. Everyone focuses on the offense, but I’d sure like to see the defense show up today.



  • We’re getting win #6. Not sure exactly when it’ll be, but I’m very confident we’ll go bowling.



  • @FarmerJayhawk do we have to get 6?



  • @Crimsonorblue22 not sure. We’d need a lot of teams to not win 6



  • @FarmerJayhawk said in Dare yourselves to be optimistic! KU Football:

    We’re getting win #6. Not sure exactly when it’ll be, but I’m very confident we’ll go bowling.

    It will help if we can get some key players back - -Jalen - - Luke - - -and such



  • I notice they aren’t mentioning Leipold for other jobs anymore. That’s a good thing. I hope we can keep him for 5+ years. It wouldn’t surprise if we are ranked next preseason.



  • @FarmerJayhawk I think the bowls can select whom they want as long as they have the 6 wins. I’d guess bowls would love to have KU come as it’d be a big story to have KU in a bowl game.


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