Kansas Jayhawks Offensive Players To Watch vs. Texas

The Kansas Jayhawks' offense rank 26th in points and 25th in yards per game in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

Head coach Lance Leipold has completely reversed the No. 24 Kansas Jayhawks' course from Big 12 bottom feeders to offensive competitors.

Their offense turned the corner after 12-consecutive seasons with an offense that was no better than 90th in any season and had averaged at least 20 points per game in only five seasons.

Big 12 newcomers UCF and Cincinnati broke up the party at the top of the conference, as Kansas is sixth in total offense and fifth in the league in scoring.

Kansas returns all but one of its offensive starters from last season, but it filled the void at offensive tackle by picking up Wisconsin four-star Logan Brown. The offensive line is certainly important and they certainly deserve a ton of credit, but Kansas has one of the more dynamic quarterback-running back duos in the Big 12.

The Jayhawks' offense will be put to the test against the No. 3 Texas Longhorns' top-25 defense Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ABC.

Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels stands ready to throw against the Texas Longhorns / USA Today Sports

QB Jalon Daniels

Quarterback Jalon Daniels battled a shoulder injury that held him out of four games last year and a back injury held him out of Kansas' 2023 season-opener against Montana State.

However, he has returned and is currently posting better per-game averages than his 2,014-yard, 18-touchdown season in 2022. In three games to begin the year, Daniels has averaged 235 yards per contest while tossing five touchdowns.

The Lawndale, California, native was named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and is a dual-threat quarterback.

He hasn't run for as many yards through three games as he did last season, averaging 22.5 fewer rushing yards per contest. Despite the down numbers, the Longhorns' defensive line will have to recreate the effective pocket containment that they had against Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe.

If Daniels were to go down, Kansas isn't in trouble as Jason Bean played some solid football in his four starts last season. He went 87-of-136 for 1,280 yards and 14 touchdowns to four interceptions.

RB Devin Neal

Running back Devin Neal was one of 30 ball-carriers in the Football Bowl Subdivision last year to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark on the ground, and he is on pace to do so for the second time in his career.

Neal has averaged a whopping 6.9 yards on 57 carries this season, as his 98.5 rushing yards per contest is fourth in the Big 12 and 18th in the FBS. 

Running behind the third-best run-blocking offensive line unit in the country, according to Pro Football Focus, Neal has gashed opponents and found the end zone five times already this season on the ground.

He's been an outlet for his quarterbacks out of the backfield as well, reeling in 11 passes for 145 yards and a score.

WR Luke Grimm

Wide receiver Luke Grimm is the lone Jayhawk wide receiver to find the end zone this season, hauling in three of their seven touchdown passes.

Grimm has recorded 13 receptions for 175 yards and three scores as part of a quintet of pass-catchers with at least 100 receiving yards this season.

Wide receiver Lawrence Arnold leads in both receptions and receiving yards with 18 and 246, respectively, while Quentin Skinner's numbers almost mirror that of Grimm's — aside from not scoring. He has caught 12 passes for 173 yards for a team-high 14.4 yards per reception.

The Jayhawks like to use their tight ends a lot as well, as Mason Fairchild has eight receptions for 145 yards and Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell each have a touchdown catch.