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Kansas Using Situational Football to Separate Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall
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- Kansas Using Situational Football to Separate Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall
(USA TODAY Network)
Kansas Using Situational Football to Separate Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall
The battle between Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall isn't being decided by highlight throws or eye-catching scrambles. Instead, Kansas coaches are placing a premium on the moments that often determine games.
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Passing game coordinator Jim Zebrowski said much of the evaluation centers around how each quarterback performs in situational football, with returning offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki designing practice periods to simulate critical moments.
"We talk a lot about decision making," Zebrowski said. "Coach K does a great job in practice by setting them up in positions — those third-down, red-zone, fourth-down, two-minute — and those are the kind of things you grade kids off of. To see which one comes out. It becomes a lot more decision-making, and critical decision-making in critical times."
Those areas became glaring weaknesses for Kansas during the 2025 season. The Jayhawks converted just 38.1% of their third downs, ranking 81st nationally, while scoring on only 71.8% of their red-zone trips, placing them near the bottom of the FBS.
Improving those numbers will be one of the biggest priorities for whichever quarterback earns the starting role.
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Ballard brings more collegiate experience after appearing in multiple games over the past two seasons, while Marshall offers dynamic rushing ability that helped spark the offense in limited opportunities last year.
Leipold has indicated there's a strong chance both quarterbacks will play this season, but Zebrowski said each must prepare as if they're one snap away from taking over.
"They know they have to be right at all times," Zebrowski said. "Really, in theory, look at it, the number two guy has got to be ready to roll at any given moment... There's no excuse whatsoever. They need to be ready to go."
With Kansas opening the season in less than a month, the coaching staff continues evaluating every rep. Rather than focusing solely on arm strength or athleticism, the Jayhawks are looking for the quarterback who consistently makes the right decisions when the pressure is highest.
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