Nick Marsh will announce his decision today and although I'm not totally optimistic, I won't throw in the towel until he announces. Chris Simpson has done a great job with him. I do think his visit to Michigan State changed things based on what I hear.
Going into the visit Isaiah Marshall told me he heard from Marsh that Kansas and Penn State were his top two. But I think after the Michigan State visit that shifted. Part of me does wonder if they had a chance to sit down with the family and talk about NIL plans. I think that could be a big factor.
I have also heard Scott Fuchs is continuing to evaluate OL and could keep his eye open for one more. I think this is all a developing plan and I can explain more later if the situation plays out.
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I have been talking to several recruits in the 2025 class and one in 2026 who recently visited and will have more of their stories coming up this month. I am amazed what a good season and the perception of turning around a program can do.
We saw last month how many quality visitors were on campus and I don't expect that to change moving forward based off talking to players in the upcoming classes.
Compared to this time last year recruits see the program entirely different.
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I am doing in-depth interviews with some of the new Big 12 teams who will be on the schedule so you can get a closer look at what to expect from UCF, BYU and Cincinnati.
I like the way the schedule lays out. I like the bye week after week seven giving the team a break before playing the last five games.
I think KU can win against the new teams coming in. I don't mind trading Baylor, TCU and West Virginia for Cincy, BYU and UCF. The only drawback is getting Oklahoma and Texas. Before the schedule came out I was hoping to only see one of the two.
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When I read the board and talk to KU fans about the upcoming season the heavy sentiment seems to be: "KU will score on anybody but the defense is a problem."
Leipold and the staff know the challenges and what needs to change. He gave his thoughts on the defense hoping to show improvement.
"I always say, we know, offensively we've taken big jumps early," he said. "Defensively that hasn't happened and we know that within the walls and I think we've done that with some things in recruiting. This defense has just gone through only second spring ball and I think when you look at some of those things, there's good and then there's plenty to improve upon."
The defense loses Lonnie Phelps and quite a few snaps on the interior with the departure of Caleb Sampson, Sam Burt and Eddie Wilson.
"Just like anything on both sides of the ball, it starts up front and we know, we've continued to recruit," Leipold said. "We've had some graduations and things like that up front and we intend to be better and it starts there."
They return most of the production at linebacker and the secondary.
"We're more experienced and deeper at linebacker," Leipold said. "I think we're more athletic. I think a guy, Taiwan Berryhill continues to get experience and is the type of athlete that I think is a guy that doesn't get talked about nearly enough. JB Brown's a guy that's going to add to that and a lot of those things that can help us. And of course with the whole secondary returning, you hope you can A) stay healthy back there and B) continue to grow with confidence, that allows us to do things as we kind of grow up front."
Going into the visit Isaiah Marshall told me he heard from Marsh that Kansas and Penn State were his top two. But I think after the Michigan State visit that shifted. Part of me does wonder if they had a chance to sit down with the family and talk about NIL plans. I think that could be a big factor.
I have also heard Scott Fuchs is continuing to evaluate OL and could keep his eye open for one more. I think this is all a developing plan and I can explain more later if the situation plays out.
-----------
I have been talking to several recruits in the 2025 class and one in 2026 who recently visited and will have more of their stories coming up this month. I am amazed what a good season and the perception of turning around a program can do.
We saw last month how many quality visitors were on campus and I don't expect that to change moving forward based off talking to players in the upcoming classes.
Compared to this time last year recruits see the program entirely different.
-----------
I am doing in-depth interviews with some of the new Big 12 teams who will be on the schedule so you can get a closer look at what to expect from UCF, BYU and Cincinnati.
I like the way the schedule lays out. I like the bye week after week seven giving the team a break before playing the last five games.
I think KU can win against the new teams coming in. I don't mind trading Baylor, TCU and West Virginia for Cincy, BYU and UCF. The only drawback is getting Oklahoma and Texas. Before the schedule came out I was hoping to only see one of the two.
-----------
When I read the board and talk to KU fans about the upcoming season the heavy sentiment seems to be: "KU will score on anybody but the defense is a problem."
Leipold and the staff know the challenges and what needs to change. He gave his thoughts on the defense hoping to show improvement.
"I always say, we know, offensively we've taken big jumps early," he said. "Defensively that hasn't happened and we know that within the walls and I think we've done that with some things in recruiting. This defense has just gone through only second spring ball and I think when you look at some of those things, there's good and then there's plenty to improve upon."
The defense loses Lonnie Phelps and quite a few snaps on the interior with the departure of Caleb Sampson, Sam Burt and Eddie Wilson.
"Just like anything on both sides of the ball, it starts up front and we know, we've continued to recruit," Leipold said. "We've had some graduations and things like that up front and we intend to be better and it starts there."
They return most of the production at linebacker and the secondary.
"We're more experienced and deeper at linebacker," Leipold said. "I think we're more athletic. I think a guy, Taiwan Berryhill continues to get experience and is the type of athlete that I think is a guy that doesn't get talked about nearly enough. JB Brown's a guy that's going to add to that and a lot of those things that can help us. And of course with the whole secondary returning, you hope you can A) stay healthy back there and B) continue to grow with confidence, that allows us to do things as we kind of grow up front."
